The release of a Björk video is always cause of celebration for those who believe in the music video as an important artistic medium. She's really outdone herself this time, though, with today marking the release of the Encyclopedia Pictura-directed seven-and-a-half minute video for Wanderlust--in 3D!
Unfortunately, the true 3D experience will have to wait until the DVD comes out with the appropriate eyewear--for now you can still see the video's full 2D version, and it's frikkin' gorgeous.
Alright, so Fashion Week is not actually a competition--but Fashion Week is over (tear), and really, Alexander McQueen showed what is almost unanimously considered the best collection to hit the runways this season--his day-of-the-leap year collection made for a true leap forward in fashion. He's always been my favourite designer, and even having memorized his last 10 collections I'm still blown away. It is absolutely stunning.
"The one element that has gone missing in the collections is the spine-tingling, eye-welling emotion of a show so exceptional to witness that--despite all exhaustion, cynicism, and workaday pressures--it suddenly transforms being involved in fashion into a magical privilege. Just when it seemed like that feeling was virtually extinct, Alexander McQueen handed his audience a self-imagined fantasy of crinolined princesses and British-colonial romance of such beauty, it arguably surpassed anything he's achieved in 14 years."--Sarah Mower, head critic for style.com
So you have my pick for #1. Stay tuned for my top 10 out of all the cities, and some blathering on about Project Runway--the finale of which, I'm sure you know, is on tonight! If you live in America and can actually watch it as it premieres, I am envious--do it!
It seems that the biggest trend emerging from London Fashion Week is BEING ABLE TO TERRIFY ME.
Seriously. I go from look to look covering my eyes with barely parted fingers and can hardly bring myself to click on the "next slide" button. But you know what? That's when fashion's at its best.
My favourite shows of the last couple of days: House of Holland's mind-searingly fluorescent plaids, eyepatches-and-antlers extravaganza (Agyness Deyn as the bride to the left), and Gareth Pugh's apocalyptic samurai black tar-dripping infectious origami night terror. (He's gotta be one of my top 5 favourite designers because his vision is so intriguing and he never, ever compromises it. And so young!)
London Fashion Week is currently in full swing: three days have gone by, each with their own takes on what will define women's fashion in late 2008. Three designers, Eley Kishimoto, Louise Goldin and Marios Schwab, have put out the most impressive collections so far in my eyes—what's more, they exemplify certain trends that you might be seeing in the future.
Kawaii: Eley Kishimoto, a Japanese and Welsh duo, exemplify the kawaii sensibility that we've been seeing time and time again on the runways lately. They have adorable prints of things like polka dots and bunnies, and cartoony gloves—they also do the harlequin-dressing trend more stylishly than I've seen in years.
Science Fiction Knitwear: Louise Goldin put out a stunning collection, only her second, inspired by both Science Fiction and Inuit clothing, mostly done in avant-garde but totally wearable knitwear. This trend might filter down to some pretty cool sweaters at H&M.
A Long Silhouette: The London silhouette seems to be all about creating a long, long shape—Marios Schwab took it farther than anyone else with his collection of down-to-the-ankle tight dresses made out of stretchy fabric. Impactful and dramatic, and almost entirely impossible to walk in. Meh, walking—trivial concerns matter not in the world of fashion!
Hey there! It's Mad Pawn from over at VelvetDiceBag, and I'm dropping in for the next little while to periodically keep you guys up to date on what's going on at that most-glamorous of worldwide events: it's frickin' Fashion Week, guys!
New York's Fashion Week has just wrapped up, and London's has just begun. But before I tell you what's happening over in the United Kingdom, here's a debrief of what went down in New York:
Some trends for Fall '08, according to New York: Kimono Jackets, goat hair, embellishment in bewildering places, short-heeled shoes, plaid.
Biggest Disappointment: Marc Jacob's self-described "inspiration-free" melancholy extravaganza.
Mad Pawn's Picks: Top 10 Collections from New York
1. Rodarte—Inspired by "the connection between the Kabuki tradition and that of modern Japanese horror films." Gothy knits, dresses that looked like they were dyed with bloodstains, bondage-inspired shoes, dense torn fishnet stockings, texture, texture texture. Excellent from beginning to end. A picture of the finale gown is to the right.
2. Marchesa—Unbelievably detailed minidresses and evening gowns inspired by Elizabeth the First. Breathtaking dresses bursting with hand-sewn fabric flowers, and some structured enough to look like plate armor. Oscar ladies, take note.
3. Jonathan Saunders—Inspired by Brancusi sculptures and classic science fiction, the collection was all about angular movement and zippers and pulp-fiction uniform structure.
4. Ohne Titel—Inspired by Hillary Clinton and somehow still painfully stylish, these outfits were variations on the idea of the female suit, with gypsies and Peruvian knits and paper ephemera thrown in for good measure.
5. Ralph Lauren—Elevating log cabin wear to high fashion. Three words: lumberjack plaid gowns.
6. Naeem Khan—There's gotta be one designer who turns the glamour up to 11. Incredibly intricate (and expensive) gowns and jackets in black, white and gold.
7. Derek Lam—I never liked his stuff before, but... wow. Pure elegance. What fashion's all about. Inspired by the struggle between bourgeois values and an exuberant inner spirit.
8. Ruffian—Sometimes you want elegance, and sometimes you just want to be cool. Ruffian accomplishes this with a chic collection inspired by rebellious school girls. Classy punk.
9. Diane von Furstenberg—The mistress of prints does it again in a collection inspired by 40s-era Berlin, Shanghai and Manhattan.
10. Carlos Miele—He really shines in the eveningwear, putting out one beautifully tendrilled-gown after another. It's all punchy but quite quite graceful.
That's it for now. See you in a few for some London reporting, and some Project Runway gossip!
