Thursday, April 28, 2011

Gaga in Gareth?

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Gareth Pugh, that is. It wouldn't be the first time.

style.com, youtube


no. 44

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Concealed//Revealed

This more or less illustrates my general state of being at the moment.

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Lara Stone photographed by Mert & Marcus for Vogue Paris

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Two things

Number one: Just after accusing Seattle of having melanphobia, a trip downtown offered up city dweller after city dweller, more or less wearing all black.

Number two: I forgot to mention a quote I read in a book from a class earlier this year. It's a bit grim to be sure and the political context is a bit questionable, but it's beautifully honest.

"I resolved to dress always in black, fancying myself in mourning for my country."

-Giuseppe Mazzini, Italian revolutionary

Saturday, April 16, 2011

"Black like my soul"

So there I was, wandering around a strange Eastern Washington church's narthex after the church service that was a part of my grandmother's funerary proceedings. I avoided awkward conversation with religious folk and people who knew me when I was "this big" by following my mother around like a needy dog, collecting a excessive amount of baked goods, and doing my best to persuade my cousins to ditch the place with me. During one of the instances of doing the latter activity, my cousin's grandma said hello. I gave her a friendly hug and expressed my disbelief about how long it had been since I'd seen her. Then, in the most innocent of ways, she asked "Are you a goth?" (I say "innocent" because it was one of those instances in which it's obvious that an elder has picked up a word through a younger person and the use of it seems awkward, almost like you're supposed to be proud that it was used properly). Taken aback, I laughed and as light-heartedly as possible declared, "I'm in mourning!" What I really wanted to do was ask, "What does that even mean?" While I understand the basis of calling someone "a goth," it doesn't seem all that applicable outside of a high school context. It doesn't seem an important distinction after that. Yes, I wear a lot of black, but none of my friends dress the way I do. I probably couldn't tell you a thing about the goth subculture outside of a fashion context. Truthfully, I was the only person in the entire church that had worn head to toe black. Even getting ready, my mother insisted, "You don't have to wear all black, it's not the Nineteenth Century!" Being a lover of eras of emancipation rather than repression, I was a tad defensive, but that's beside the point. Perhaps my Alexander McQueen scarf, covered in skulls and other bones was a bit much. During the car ride over I sarcastically asked if it was inappropriate. Then again, my big black hair and black nails are not something seen often by the people of the Tri-Cities. Certainly, I was among a less than receptive audience, but it lead me to think about my relationship with black and the power of the color.

Me in typical levels of darkness

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(Thrifted faux fur, thrifted/gifted shorts, Alexander McQueen scarf, American Apparel socks, Jeffrey Cambell booties, deux lux bag)

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(Yigal Azrouël sweater, American Apparel pants, Dolce Vita sandles, ring purchased at Moksha)

I don't mean this to be some kind of deeply analytical post. I just have an inkling to explore a bit. The title of this post is just a cheeky statement I sometimes make about my hair or nails. The sarcasm directly confronts the depravity and doom often attributed to the color, almost asserting that I put less weight upon black. I would say this is true in that I wear it often and it doesn't necessarily indicate that I'm depressed or feeling like kicking someone in the face. It's a bit strange to think about how far the color black has penetrated my physical presentation, give general conceptions. I now think of black hair, black nails, black eyeliner as a standard or a base to work off on. It certainly has presence in my closet, but I wouldn't say it presides over the other colors of my closet with some kind of tyrannical rule. Furthermore, I would definitely not say that my general emotional state has lead to the increased addition of black garments to my closet. As for what draws me to "blackness," I would say its severity, the sex appeal I associate with it (especially in the case of pleather/leather), but not much else comes to mind. There's something powerful about a head-to-toe black look, but there's power to be had other ways. I suppose I do utilize it when I'm feeling a certain way, but I'm just as likely to pick up a big yellow sweater as a black leather jacket when feeling down. My use of the color is not solely predicated on negative feelings. Anyway, all this self-examination is wearing me out, so on to others.

It seems to me that the general public is afraid of wearing all black. Black is easy to pair with other colors and that isn't ignored, but it doesn't go much farther. At least that seems the case for most people in Seattle. Just given experience and knowing a bit how people work, it seems like the "What will people think?" kind of situation. But I dunno. The fashion community on the other hand often turns to all black. It's a standard. If you don't know what to wear in the morning, you wear all black. If you work a fashion event, you wear all black. There's a uniformity to it, but the color also has an elevated position. Perhaps it's the severity that creates a look worth noticing. It's hard to say. Having said that, the lovely Anna Wintour hates black. I'm not sure why that is, even after doing a bit of investigating, but I have a couple ideas. First, black is difficult to photograph. A black garment can tend to look flat, while color gives depth to things. Another possibility is simply that black is easy and thus lazy. Maybe Wintour expects a certain rigor or level of effort in the realm of dressing. An idea I stumbled upon on the internet was that black does not fuel the market. For example, a lavender fur like one at Missoni is more novel and of-the-moment than a black fur. Color helps push the temporality of fashion. Spring/Summer 2011 is certainly an indication. Those are just guesses mind you. The personified antithesis of Miss Wintour's perspective is Alexander Wang. This is a young man who has professed his love for black in a multitude of ways and instructed legions of girls that wearing black is fun and sexy. I can't say that I'm immune. And to all those who think black-wearers are preoccupied by thoughts of depression and deaths, I suggest looking for any photo, video, or interview you can find of Mr. Wang and maintain such a stance. This photo is a favorite of mine.


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Again, I don't mean for this to be some kind of investigation complete with an answer or a post in the defense of a color, but it's just an interesting topic of thought. Part of me can't believe I just wrote an entire blog post about a color or rather the anti-color. On the other side of things, the bold colors of Spring/Summer have me enraptured.



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(Proenza Schouler S/S 2011 campaign via fashiongonerogue, Jana Knauerová in American Vogue via models.com, Hanneli Mustaparta via vogue.com , Stella McCartney Spring 2011 campaign via fashionlover, Hailey Clauson and Lindsey Wixson for Vogue China via fashiongonerogue, Ajak Deng for Vogue Italia via fashiongonerogue)

With that, I say sweet dreams lovers.

Friday, April 15, 2011

I'm just a Holy Fool

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Photo via gagadaily


Judas was released 4 days before its set release date.
Judas betrayed Jesus 4 days before he was resurrected.
"Judas" is a lusty, devilish sickness, complete with growls and heavy "fuck me" beats.

In the most Biblical sense,
I am beyond repentance
Fame hooker, prostitute wench, vomits her mind
But in the cultural sense
I just speak in future tense
Judas kiss me if offensed,
Or wear an ear condom next time


I'm still in love with Judas, baby.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Lanvin

Oh my dear blog, how I often neglect you and how very pathetic that I'm still working on the Fall 2011 shows. One thing that I can be proud of is that I've been productive and actually busy as of late, working hard and actually feeling motivated to do well in my classes. Having said that, I'm not here to talk about the life of a student, successful or otherwise.

Alber Ebaz's work for Lanvin is among my favorite to see every season, so much in fact that—in full-on snobbery—I correct people who pronounce the house as "Lan-vin," or at the very least, make sure I squeeze in a mention of it myself with an attempt at a French accent. I'm quite protective of my favorites, but that's another post, I suppose. The Fall collection opened rather quietly. Natasha Poly stood under a towering willow and began to walk in a wide-brimmed hat, a long coat, a high turtleneck, a short skirt, and an adaptation of a men's shoe, all of which was black. She carried a small black "ladybag" at her side. The only embellishment present was an enormous gold pendant. There was certainly a trace of the Quakers or perhaps the Amish or other rural religious community that I have little understanding of, heightened ever so slightly by the single braid that could be seen as she turned. The austerity continued through a large portion of the show, broken up by the heavy jewelry, slight details, and the sexiness of a bare leg pared with a mannish shoe. A different woman began to emerge as head-to-toe black looks adopted a reptilian skin or all-encompassing lace. Then came the gazar, a notoriously stubborn fabric that looked simultaneously flouncy and stiff. It's quite hard to explain, but I think it's absolutely enchanting. The way Alber sculpts the gazar, it's as if lightness and heaviness are harmonious despite being opposites. Another surprise was the rose prints, which provided additional whimsy to the collection. But it was the final section of dresses that gave way to the most playful and exuberant moment of the collection. Bright colors and volume that created a resolute bounce left me in wonderment. The journey from the austere opening to the unadulterated joy of the finale is a murky one, but I have little interest in finding the answer. The successful leap itself is something to marvel at.


Natasha Poly
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Karmen Pedaru
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Freja Beha Erichsen
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Caterina Ravaglia
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Magdalena Frackowiak
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Nana Keita
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Alana Zimmer
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Kinga Rajzak
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Kate King
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Aymeline Valade
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Kasia Struss
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Britt Maren
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Melissa Tammerijn
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Emily Senko
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Freja Beha Erichsen
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Caterina Ravaglia
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Fei Fei Sun
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Sigrid Agren
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Mirte Maas
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Frida Gustavsson
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Photos via style.com

Thursday, April 7, 2011

They'll slay me for this one.

I'm in the process of writing an article about models and their weight and I can't help but to feel passionate. I'm tired of hearing aggressive barbs and condescending attitude targeting a population comprised mostly of 15 year-old girls. I am thrilled to see the industry opening up to a more diversified look, but diversity is undefinable. The frenzy about Crystal Renn's weight loss is inappropriate and presumptuous. Can someone tell me what a "real" woman is? What a "real" person is? I have been sat down by concerned adults and told that I am "too skinny" when truthfully I have a garbage disposal for a stomach. Give it up. Let's just live in a world where bodies are bodies and people are just people. This interview with Crystal Renn for the Ford Models Blog is absolutely wonderful. You might even learn something.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Resurrection.



"Judas" is going to be sick.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Rick Owens

Months after seeing his Spring collection, I'm still trying to recreate the moth-like hooded eye makeup that swept across the models' faces at the Rick Owens show. Trying to take anything else away from that collection for inspiration seems like an almost impossible task simply because there's something indescribable and a bit intangible about the way he designs clothes. This season, the collection had a sense of envelopment to it, as if the clothes were an outer shell. The cocoon shapes were a dream. I'm not sure why it is, but when clothes are represented as a nearly anatomical protection, I get weak in the knees. Aside from the cape shapes, another element that kept arising was the fur head cover that looked like a nun's habit from a post-apocalyptic future. The fitted leather paneled jackets, the black pleather-y skirts with back slits, and the coats featuring arched shoulders were also highlights. As was his last collection, this collection had an unexpected elegance and to it. The shapes were all very contained and the clothes offered nearly full-coverage, sometimes only leaving the face exposed. Of course these aren't the sole requirements for elegance (and it's not like I know anything about that sort of thing), but they certainly contributed to a refined and defined look. This collection, like all of Owens' others, took on a tribalism and a religious feel. I spoke that way about the Gareth Pugh collection recently, but Rick has purported those for much longer. The tribalism seem applied—outside of the let's look like a Rick Owens gang/cult/syndicate—when the designer discussed inclusiveness and the idea of community in an interview with style.com. He insists, "...you're all freaks and you're welcome to be with me." That's quite an offer. Perhaps it's one he'd regret, lest we forget I have a bit of a crush. As long as there are no objections, I'm there.

Daphne Groeneveld
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Karmen Pedaru
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Hanne Gaby Odiele
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Tati Cotliar
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Agnes Karlsson
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Karlie Kloss
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Melissa Tammerijn
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Aymeline Valade
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Renee Germaine van Seggern
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Asia Bugajska
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Fabiana Mayer
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Daphne Groeneveld
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Emily Baker
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Karmen Pedaru
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Hanne Gaby Odiele
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Alana Zimmer
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Kirsi Pyrhonen
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Aymeline Valade
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Photos via style.com