I came across these photographs shot by Steven Meisel for the December 2007 of Vogue Italia and was intrigued not only by their mesmerizing appeal, but how relevant they seem today. I’ve seen several reinterpretations of this look in editorial features over the past few months. via Trendland
With an passion for luxury and all things beautiful, Hannah Martin combines elegance with edge to create wearable pieces of sculptural art. Staying true to her mantra that jewelry should be the most desired and unique part of a person’s wardrobe, she meticulously designs each piece until it meets her standard of perfection. Hannah’s design philosophy and process, which is conveyed in depth on her website, is truly engaging and unique. Taking inspiration from her perpetual consumption of art, film, literature, and design, her designs are a metamorphosis of her imagination influenced by consumption and her surroundings. Avoiding the common fashion mentality of fast and temporary, the brand is committed to creating contemporary artifacts that stand the test of time. Each piece is individually handcrafted in London and produced in limited edition quantities.
On February 17th, Mary Katrantzou will launch a capsule collection for Topshop. A true artist in every sense of the word, the extraordinary Central St. Martins alum is world reknown for her elaborate and bold, artful graphic prints. Katranzou understands pattern like no one else, and for this exclusive collaboration she has explored motifs that embody her iconic designs to a tee. The collection will feature dresses, trousers, T-shirts, blouses and skirts, ranging from $200-$500. via BritishVogue
Far off in the magical land of Samedan, a picturesque village 6 km northeast of St. Moritz, Rick Owens has brought his fantasy world to life in the Chesa Planta house. Built in 1595, the house exists today as a museum restored to convey the look of an 18th century Engadin aristocratic home. On January 28th the museum debuted “Magic Mountain,” an exhibiton composed of Owens’ exquisite artisanal furniture designs. The collection, post-modern and minimalistic, is synonymous with his distinctive design philosophy evoking a sense of goth meets luxury. Some of the highlights include bone chairs with stag antler backs, an oversized alabaster bed that becomes translucent in the sun, and a petrified wood sofa. via V Magazine
While browsing the latest issue W Magazine, I was interrupted by the beauty of Valentino’s spring ad campaign. The delicate nature of the elegant clothing juxtaposed against the monochromatic unrefined textural background makes for a composition nothing short than stunning. After some research I discovered the campaign was shot by internationally renown photographer Deborah Turbeville near her home in Mexico. A true artist, she has the gift of capturing the beauty of the environments in addition to those who occupy them without compromising one or the other.
One of the most interesting new additions to London’s prestigious Victoria & Albert museum is a exhibition showcasing the world’s largest pieces of cloth made from spider silk. On display is an elaborate embroidered cape and a 4 meter long scarf. The silk used to produce these items came from over one million female golden orb weaver spiders collected from the highlands of Madagascar. Everyday for seven years, 80 people collected wild spiders to produce enough silk to weave these striking pieces. Not to worry, the spiders are kept safe. They are retained for about 12 hours, just enough time to extract the silk, and then they are returned to their natural environment. The display will run until June 5, 2012. via BBC
This weekend, as I passed the Cole Haan shop in Soho, a table of brightly colored oxfords caught my eye though the window. With color on my radar for spring, I couldn’t help but venture inside. It just so happens that Cole Haan was hosting a preview of their latest collection, a series of vibrant colored oxfords available in several variations for men and women. The style that I found most interesting was a unmatched pair comprised of two shoes with color dispersed in opposite areas of its mate. While I consider myself fairly forward-thinking in terms of fashion, I have never considered wearing two different shoes up until now. The more I think about it, the more it grows on me. It is like a wearable art exhibition. However, if you are not ready to brave the new trend, they have a remarkable assortment of solid colored wingtip oxfords available in rich shades of green, navy, and pink. These special edition styles are now available in limited quantities exclusively at Cole Haan 128 Prince Street, New …
I can’t help but take my eyes off Bottega Veneta’s fall/winter 2011 ad campaign. It is the latest endeavor from world renowned architecture photographer Robert Polidori as part of “The Art of Collaboration” series that aligns Bottega Veneta with celebrated artists and photographers. The campaign was shot this past spring at the Palazzo Papadopoli in Venice,Italy. The photos are truly remarkable compositions that represent a brilliant fusion of art, design, and fashion. It is has been quite sometime since I have seen an advertising campaign of this caliber from a major fashion house. Take a look at the behind the scenes video. It is nothing short of inspirational.
The summer sale season is nearing an end, fall deliveries are slowly beginning to make their way to the retail floor, and August issues have hit newsstands. That means it is time to put fall in full focus. One of my favorite collections of the season is of that of Jonathan Saunders. His fall collection embraces color and pattern in experimental form with unexpected vivid arrangements that can’t help but catch your attention. The vibrant, expressive prints seem to resemble overexposed photographs, which is likely as Saunders sites Paul Outerbridge as a source of inspiration. Outerbridge an early pioneer with the use of color photography in the 1930’s was known for his ability to transform common objects into semiabstractions with the use of color and light. images via style.com
Sometimes I like to think that my shoe obsession stems from my deep appreciation for architecture. More often than not I find myself lusting over the most complex sculpted shoe like that of a wide-eyed tourist admiring the Eiffel Tower for the first time. My theory couldn’t be more spot-on with the latest designer to garner my attention. Brazilian footwear designer Andreia Chaves fuses art and design to produce futuristic yet wearable creations. Her latest collection, “The Invisible Shoe Series” combines traditional hand-craftmanship with advanced 3-d printing technology courtesy of Freedom of Creation to develop a reflective surface that evokes the illusion of the shoe being invisible. The collection is composed of 3 distinct styles, each handmade in Italy.
The Design Evangelist 