Category archives: Wearable Art
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8 years ago
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Thanks to Chanel's recent Cruise 2017 fashion show in Havana, Cuba, it's official! The fashion world is truly fascinated with the beautiful and mysterious island nation of Cuba.
Karl Lagerfeld in Cuba. Photo Credit: Jezebel
From gorgeous architecture to free healthcare, Cuba is a country that is definitely top of mind right now. And the Chanel Cruise collection gleaned inspiration from "Cuba’s cultural richness, traditional guayaberas, and Tropicana-influenced bouclé separates, ruffle skirts, fedoras, and berets."
Chanel models taking over the Paseo del Prado street in Havana. Photo Credit: Rex
And with a country that boasts a 99.8% literacy rate, not to mention the first ever lung cancer vaccine, the Chanel showcase is a history-making event that Karl Lagerfeld once thought would be never happen. “It was like a private joke because I thought it was impossible,” Lagerfeld told Women’s Wear Daily.
According to Yahoo!, the showcase involved 700 models, editors, and celebrities, including Gisele Bündchen, Tilda Swinton, Vin Diesel, and more.
These lucky ducks were transported to the Caribbean island via cruise ship from Miami. How amazing!
Another scene from Chanel carnival that followed the showcase. Photo Credit: @SarahMower_
“I think that [Chanel is] taking advantage of this moment in which Cuba is in view on a worldwide scale,” Glensy Palay Alonso, a psychology student at the University of Havana, tells Refinery 29.
“Suddenly, Cuba is the most tal[...]
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8 years ago
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Kiev, Ukraine–based knitwear designer Anna Marinenko of Ohhio crafts the most massive and burly 100 percent Merino wool blankets, scarves, and more, that look ridiculously lush and comfortable, available on Etsy.
Photo Credit: Ohhio
And what's extraordinary about these oversized items is that Marinenko weaves them with her bare hands instead of using knitting needles, thereby creating a warm collection of comfort that features a hefty 3-inch-thick stitch.
Photo Credit: Ohhio
Image of Anna Marinenko with another designer, a photographer, a model, and a stylist
Photo Credit: Ohhio
According to Slate.com, Marinenko also sells colossal and peculiar-looking wooden knitting needles, along with huge spheres of super-thick yarn for consumers who wish "to make the chunky knits themselves."
However, as Ohhio's motto goes "we knit emotions," pointing to the brand's passion for creating "comfort, beauty and style using simple elements and honest materials." As stated on their Facebook page, "we believe, Ohhio blankets all designed to please the eye, the hand and the heart," later adding "all we knit is love."
A Model wearing chunky knits, holding humongous knitting needles, standing amid oversized balls of yarn
Photo Credit: Ohhio
A cozy cat bed Photo Credit: Ohhio
Image of large knitting needles Ohhio sells
Photo Credit: Ohhio
And her decadent designs are attracting high-profile RTW designers like Christian Siriano, who just featured Ohhio knits in his recen[...]
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8 years ago
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On February 14, celebrated fashion designer Tracy Reese's intimate Fall 2016 collection paid respects to her hometown of Detroit, while tipping its hat to new innovations in runway presentations. And as part of all the newness, a nine-minute film called Detroit Love Story, helped to round out the loving tribute to her beloved city.
Design elements in Reese's Fall/Winter Ready-To-Wear includes bold patterns like florals, plaid and herringbone, and retro-inspired polka dots, calf-length coats and garter socks.
Find out more about Reese's fashionable hometown love affair after the jump!
Photo Credit: New York Magazine
The mini-movie was followed by a relaxed piano-accompanied showcase of Reese's latest designs. The untraditional presentation points to a "runway fatigue" that's now taking hold in the design world. Take designers like Vetements, Michael Kors and Rebecca Minkoff, for instance, who are eschewing the customary fashion schedule for see now, buy now looks. Designers like Reese are interested in changing the way new designs are showcased.
"Doing the same thing season after season doesn't seem relevant," Reese tells Vogue. "This felt like the right moment to do something different."
Below: Images from February 14 Tracy Reese showcase
Photo by Robert Mitra/WWD
But what's also noteworthy about this creatively nostalgic showcase is its tribute to a city that typically gets a bad rap. In one sweeping moment, Reese helped us to see "the motor city" throug[...]
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8 years ago
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Forget this year's Oscars! The 2016 Screen Actors Guild Awards offers a wildly gorgeous array of surprisingly fresh looks that will surely influence future fashion to come. (It also showed that 69-year-old Susan Sarandon is still too legit to quit.)
The January 30th telecast, featured television and film luminaries wearing unpredictably dope designs from up-and-comers including Erdem and Peter Pilotto.
To use two-time 2016 SAG Award winner Idris Elba words to best summarize the gowns seen at last night's SAG Awards: "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to diverse TV."
Check out five stand-out progressive styles that's definitely pushing awards show fashion forward.
Daring Statement Makers
Photo Credit: Getty Images
While actress Mad Men's Sola Bamis stole the red carpet wearing a marigold-hued bow dress by Lola Wusu, American Horror Story's Sarah Paulson surprised many with a black velvet and jewel-toned fringed gown.
New Spins On Vintage
Wearing a bespoke Rachel Comey dress and turquoise grandma heels, Transparent's Gaby Hoffman, is the best example of vintage as new-and-modern. Another stand out: Alicia Vikander's Louis Vuitton number featuring traditional color-blocking of black, silver, and gold. And while the actress took home an award for best female actor in a supporting role for The Danish Girl, her look was already a winner in itself.
Unexpected Colors
Photo Credit: Steve Granitz/Wireimage
2016 SAG Award winner [...]
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8 years ago
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David Bowie was an incredible genius that has been a massive influence on the fashion world from ready-to-wear to high couture, trailblazing trends for both men and women alike.
Since news of David Bowie's tragic death on Sunday, January 10 hit the internet the following Monday, a deluge of mournful tributes on sites like Twitter and Facebook have brought back to attention many of his gender-fluid, enigmatic looks throughout the music legend's career, which span six decades.
His constant sartorial evolutions have left indelible mark on fashion, as evident in the multitude of status updates, images, and video, paying homage to Bowie.
Bowie as Ziggy Stardust. Photo Credit: Ilpo Musto / Rex Features
From Jean-Paul Gaultier's 2013 "Rock Stars" collection to Haider Ackermann's latest Spring 2016 line, it's no doubt that Bowie's influence still impacts fashion these days.
On Monday, Gaultier told The Associated Press, "personally, he inspired me by his creativity, his extravagance, his sense of fashion that he was constantly reinventing, by his allure, his elegance and his androgyny."
Below: 1) Jean-Paul Gaultier spring 2013, 2) Haider Ackermann spring 2016, and 3) Dries Van Noten men’s fall 2011 collections.
Photo Credit Jacques Brinon/Associated Press, Valerio Mezzanotti/Nowfashion, Francois Guillot/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
To Karl Lagerfeld, Bowie was "a great artist, and a timeless icon...who will remain a reference."
And on Tue[...]
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8 years ago
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If each new calendar year brought forth a new style trend that mirrored the Spice Girls, 2016 would be known as the Year of Sporty Spice. Right now, athleisure is as popular and ubiquitous as Park Slope or Santa Monica moms pushing UppaBaby strollers—and with booming sales, chic, dressed-up exercise clothing are finally more affordable too.
"Stores like H&M, Forever 21, and Aritzia, are offering up a selection of goods that aren't just cute but, mostly at under $50, won't break your bank, either," writes Ray Lowe of Refinery 29.
Here are three simple facts you need to know about this fabulously casual fashion trend.
Activewear Is Not Going Anywhere
Don't count on this bubble bursting in 2016!
In October 2015, Morgan Stanley ventured to estimate that activewear will reach up to $83 billion in sales by 2020.
Athleisure sales stretched out to $36 million in 2013. In 2014, activewear accounted for 16 percent of the total apparel market, according to research firm NPD Group. And in 2014, Nike expected to add $2 billion dollars to sales by 2017.
Photo Credit: Nike
Clearly, activewear is going for the win. High-end names like Sweaty Betty, Outdoor Voices, Vimmia, and Aday, are now competing with fast-fashion staples like H&M for shoppers' hearts.
And over the years, luxury companies like Tory Burch, Trina Turk, Stella McCartney, and Mara Hoffman have rushed to jump into the current craze.
Below: Image from January 2016 limited-edition, 21-piece[...]
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8 years ago
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Véronique Hyland of New York Magazine reported on Council of Fashion Designers of America's (CFDA) efforts to "revolutionize Fashion Week."
Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for NYFW
A major possible change to the twice-yearly showcase includes transforming Fashion Week into a consumer-driven event, instead of an industry one. And the redesigned series would "show in-season merchandise to the public."
This is a huge move because designers typically showcase collections for following seasons, amid rabid fanfare and exclusive pageantry. And, in turn, these fashion showcases would influence fast-fashion looks, clandestinely sold at stores like H&M and Zara, that surface sometime later in the future.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
However, this method is thought to be a great way to spur "buy now, wear now" opportunities for the public. The re-formmated showcases would require designers to host "smaller showroom presentations and appointments with retailers and press," presenting designs six months out for possible purchasing purposes. Then, designers would produce large-scale runway shows for a consumer audience, WWD reports.
CFDA Chairman Diane von Furstenberg tells WWD “ I have a feeling people will be showing what’s available closer to what’s in store. I don’t have all the answers." However, the general goal is to boost "full-price selling" of clothing.
This week, designer Rebecca Minkoff announced a big step—a Spring 2016 col[...]
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8 years ago
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Just announced on December 2: The British Fashion Council has chosen its eight emerging designers for its biannual Newgen initiative, sponsored by Topshop. The designers will present their 2016 looks during London Fashion Week this February.
Image Credit: British Fashion Council
The Newgen initiative has been bolstering designers-to-watch since 1993. Former winners include current design legends Alexander McQueen, Christopher Kane, and Marta Marques.
The selected designers are Ashley Williams, Claire Barrow, Danielle Romeril, Faustine Steinmetz, Marta Jakubowski, Molly Goddard, Ryan Lo and Sadie Williams. And designer Rebecca Einer, a recent Westminster fashion graduate, has been given the special distinction of "One-To-Watch."
Images of Danielle Romeril, Ashley, Williams, Marta Jakubowski
As ElleUK.com reports, this opportunity will "help rocket these young designers into the international spotlight," helping them to build strong connections within the industry.
Ryan Lo and Ashley Williams will unveil collections on the runway at London Fashion Week, while the remaining honorees will showcase their designs in static installations, according to ElleUK.com.
"Supporting emerging talent is at the very heart of the Topshop brand and we are incredibly proud sponsors of the Newgen initiative," says Topshop managing director Mary Homer to Vogue UK. "Seeing the prestigious alumni that the scheme has nurtured, as well as the promising names that are currentl[...]
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8 years ago
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Los Angeles-based Knative Clothing, helmed by Ariel Goodman-Weston produces "fully fashioned knitwear" that's not only environmentally conscious, but is also waste conscious.
Fashion-making typically begets a lot of waste---from discarded textiles to water use. Finding a brand that truly tries to incorporate "no-waste" techniques is definitely something worth calling attention to. It's also important to distinguish these fashion labels from fast-fashion brands like H&M that attempt to present themselves as eco-conscious in a dishonest practice referred to as greenwashing.
Brands like Knative Clothing create handmade, durable products. And because of its small size, it doesn't seem to require the same amount of resources as a larger label would need---thereby labels like Knative create less harmful emissions.
Ariel Goodman-Weston
Here are three reasons why you need Knative knitwear in your possession this Fall into Winter.
Fully Fashioned Knit Technique
Ariel Goodman-Weston uses a fascinating form of "fabric sculpting" in order to make her fabulous knitwear. The designer uses "pre-shaped pieces of fabric" in order to limit waste. Typically, a designer cuts shapes from gigantic reams of fabric, which result in many unused pieces getting tossed aside. Knative's strategy of using pre-shaped pieces makes it easier to sculpt the textiles into fun, fashion-forward tops and scarves.
Ariel Goodman-Weston/PHOTOGRAPHED BY THOMAS SLACK
No Waste
Go[...]
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9 years ago
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Womenswear designer LaQuan Smith is a juggernaut in the fashion world. He's making a name for himself, displaying a daring looks that reflect a "refined approach to classic tailoring"
He can even make tweed look cool! "I found these awesome, incredible, sick tweeds from Italy and I wanted to experiment with them," he tells Fashionista.
Find out what three most important things you need to know about LaQuan Smith right now.
His Fabulous Designs Are Inspired By Bold Women (And Powerhouse Celebs)
From Kim Kardashian wearing a yellow ochre sweater dress, or Rihanna wearing a long, mesh frock, LaQuan Smith's designs are in your daily news feed whether you like it or not.
"I think that’s the world we live in today — everything is truly driven by celebrities, social media, the 'popular' girls of the world, and the influence they have on the world, especially women and young girls," Smith tells Refinery 29.
"And, despite what anyone might think about these celebrities, or about the Kardashians, they are truly influential in our society right now." He continues: "Whatever they do and wear, their fan base is genuinely interested." Smith adds "and I think that, at least for the LaQuan Smith brand and clientele, that they buy things from us because it feels authentic to them — it doesn’t feel forced, or like I’m trying to fit in. They buy it because they genuinely like it."
He Battled Cancer At 17, All While Embarking On A Fashion Career
The Queens-n[...]
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9 years ago
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On October 1, Olivier Rousteing's exotically ritzy looks for Balmain were on full display as the fashion house presented clothes for Spring 2016 Paris Fashion Week.
Set at Paris’s Hotel Intercontinental, the star-studded event drew notables like Diplo, Jada Pinkett Smith, and of course members of the Kardashian clan.
And while we shouldn't care about whether or not Kris Jenner and her brood were in attendance, it's important to pay attention to the 29-year-old designer.
Since taking over Christophe Decarnin's creative director position at Balmain in 2011, Rousteing has been killing it in the fashion world.
Let's look at three reasons why Balmain is a huge force that is changing fashion history forever.
Reason #1: Camel
Olivier Rousteing displayed a wide array of colors, however it was "camel" that proved to be the biggest standout. Supermodel Caroline Ribeiro kicked off the October 1 showcase, wearing a caramel-colored suede jacket and matching cigarette pants.
Reason # 2: Cut-Outs, Lattice, Ruffles and Sheers
The overall style of the season's collection featured cinched waists, oversized belts, and "statement-making" necklaces. Rousteing has fashioned designs that effectively meld strong looks with soft ones. This is evident in the "body-baring" lattice skirts and tops, as well as romantic ruffles.
Reason #3: High-Waisted Briefs
Yas! Any reason to wear large, comfortable underclothes is perfectly fine with me. The daring style helps to transform[...]
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9 years ago
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Zeitgeist-identifier and design icon Marc Jacobs perfectly captures the spirit of New York City as the hub of the fashion world in an ultra-specific, ALL CAPS party invitation. Promoting the release of the book Gloss, Marc's glitter-soaked party will happen sometime during New York Fashion Week, (between September 10 and September 17) at fabled 1980-90s nightclub Tunnel.
This glamorous fête is separate from the September 10 book signing event at Bookmarc that looks to be open to the public.
The fabulousity of the strict "dress to kill" party guideline, expertly delineated in the invitation, seems to be even more exciting than the party itself. So much so that it's been getting lots of attention online thanks to Yahoo! Style, who first posted the colorful dress code.
As we await hungrily for images from the event, you won't believe what sort of look requirements Marc lays out for select guests after the jump!
Set for a September 1 launch, the book "Gloss" pays tribute to the glamorous photographer Chris Von Wangenheim, who's life was cut short in 1981. Known for juxtaposing the evil and grotesque with the beauty and glitz of the disco era, the Fashion Week release party dress code looks to be staying true to the overall energy of that time period.
Photo Credit: Instagram/Mao PR
The insanely "strict" and specific AF look requirement is as follows:
STRICT DRESS TO KILL CODE WILL BE ENFORCED: FUR COATS OVER LINGERIE, LIP GLOSS, JERRY HALL SIDE-SWEPT HAI[...]
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