cher and cher alike

photos from vogue 1969

my inspiration to not cut my hair for a long time....

audreys

photo by richard avedon,1967

audrey hepburn adds some funk to a classic turtleneck with hood....

yohji yamamoto:a poet of black

yohji yamamoto spring/summer 1991




yohji yamoto spring/summer 1993

since black history month is coming to an end, I thought it would be appropriate to celebrate it with some words of wisdom by yohji yamamoto...after all he is fashion's poet of black. “Black is lazy and easy - but mysterious. It means that many things go together , yet it takes different aspects in many fabrics. You need to have black to have a silhouette. Black can swallow light, or make things look sharp. But above all black says this - “I don´t bother you - don´t bother me” Mr. Yamamoto talks about black to Herald Tribune writer Susy Menkes.

sisters in black frocks

photo by peter lindbergh

head to toe in yohji yamamoto...whether you call it onyx, obsidian, or raven black will always be the new black.

bedhead

photo by bruce weber

in keeping with the bed theme I dedicate this to my sister.....three of her favorites.

bed bath and beyond

for my mom and sister

film to fashion

Il conformista(1970)


photo by ellen von unwerth

so much cinematic style in bernardo bertolucci's 1970 film the conformist. bertolucci has such a way of capturing shadows and light...it goes beyond photography to pure art. in my mind, I love to connect film to fashion. this dance scene in particular of dominique sanda and stefania sandrelli reminded me greatly of john galliano's 1992 spring/summer collection. something about the drapery of those slip dresses seems so similiar. I've often wondered if galliano was inspired by this film....

the other side of the picture

designer olivier theyskens


nina ricci fall/winter 2008


rochas fall/winter 2004


nina ricci fall/winter 2007

photos by julien claessens

nobody really knows what fashion designer olivier theyskens will do next, but in the meantime there is a fascinating new book entitled the other side of the picture that chronicles his work from his own label to the houses of rochas and nina ricci. the book goes behind the scenes and pays homage to the exquisite craftsmanship of theyskens. there are elements of edwardiania, delicate construction, and dramatic shapes which are theyskens signature....while the future is unknown, there is now this book to remind us of his intricate work from the past decade....I think I found my next book to purchase.

new quick sketches

enjoy

a touch of tilda

photo courtesy of purple fashion magazine 2006

I've noticed that our recent posts have been particularly 'pale'...so in keeping with this theme I thought I would end the work-week with tilda swinton in a white kaftan designed by haider ackermann...a classic combination of elegance with modernity.

encore

maison martin margiela

hands to hold

hussein chalayan spring/summer 2010

let's give fashion designer and surrealist hussein chalayan a hand... for taking drapery to the next level by adding a ceramic hand to a white jersey-silk blazer....very salvador dalí.

the gift of spelt

enticing

if you don't have a date....celebrate!

happy-go-lucky (2008)









the perfect film for valentine's day or for any day, is mike leigh's happy-go-lucky. immediately, we are introduced to poppy (sally hawkins) who is a thirty year old single teacher who shares a london flat with her best friend zoe, a fellow teacher. poppy is devoted to her students, but her life isn't dominated by her career. She takes flamenco lessons with another teacher and a trampoline class and enjoys going to the local pubs. She seemingly has no fear of strangers, and can talk to anyone even the homeless. one scene that I remember most about the film is when poppy and zoe go to visit helen, her married-pregnant sister. helen tells poppy that she needs to 'take life seriously' and plan for the future, but poppy responds that she is happy with her life as it is....which is what I think is a perfect message for men and women. while poppy eventually does start dating a man, she doesn't let the relationship control her life. she understands that having kids and getting married can be a positive thing, but it is not always the correct path everyone must take in life. personally, I try to follow 'a poppy way of life' which is finding joy in the little things like taking a dance class, drawing in my sketchbook, or hanging out with friends and family, which is how I will be spending this valentine's day!

long live mcqueen!

photo by mario sorrenti

yes, he's gone...but his work will never be forgotten. alexander mcqueen had so many memorable fashion moments, but I especially loved it when he designed for givenchy. particularly, this one of a kind silver couture mermaid dress. he was not just a fashion designer, but a true innovator...he will be greatly missed.

pagan poetry

directed by nick knight (2001)

when thinking about the work of alexander mcqueen it is hard not to think of björk...particularly the music video for 'pagan poetry.' the video is about a woman preparing herself for marriage. what I appreciate most about this video is that it features björk in a dress designed by alexander mcqueen, covering only the lower portion of her body. The upper portion of the dress seems to be pearls laced through her skin. while it may sound disturbing, if you look closely at the details of this dress, it is actually quite imaginative. I can't think of any other designer who would do something as daring as this. only mcqueen could create something that goes from breathtakingly lovely to shocking...it is no wonder why this video was banned in the united states...god bless mcqueen and björk.

strange comparisons

alexander mcqueen spring/summer 1999

'I find beauty in the grotesque'-alexander mcqueen


egon schiele-female nude.1910

1999 was the year I was shocked and amazed by two different artists...I still to this day remember watching fashion file with tim blanks and seeing shalom harlow's graceful performance as the dying swan being spray painted by a pair of menacing robots. I loved that mcqueen knew to how to push 'fashion buttons.' particularly, what got my attention from that collection was shalom harlow's lace outfit with corset. around this time, I was also discovering the work of artist egon schiele. something about the way schiele shattered forms, warped bodies and the way he used color reminds me of this collection. I never knew if mcqueen was influenced by the work of egon schiele, but in my mind I like to think that he was.

fun with wood

this weekend i am going to take my grandmothers wood dresser and take it from its chipped but sturdy state and hopefully give it new life. pictures to come!

to each his own

her freckles really make her something special

balenciaga basics

photo by steven meisel

signature looks from nicolas ghesquiere's first collection for balenciaga fall/winter 2000...interesting how these looks are 10 years old and still in style. I always say splurge on a couple basics like a skinny suit, a soft turtleneck, and a black trenchcoat. It is much better than buying many trendy pieces that you will throw away next season.

boot leg

photo by mert alas and marcus piggott

recently, my sister has been looking for some thigh-high boots and hasn't had much luck...in the meantime, till she finds her pair I thought she might be inspired by these futuristic balenciaga boots from fall/winter 2003....although, I must note that her pair will be in black, naturally.

toe split

photos courtesy of la collectionneuse

with maison martin margiela's retirement from fashion...I started to think about what an impact he has had on fashion. my personal favorites include plastic shopping bags worn as t-shirts. also, secondhand men's pajamas and white shirts transformed into strapless tops and dresses.... and most recently his infamous split-toe shoes (aka the camel-toe). many people find them hideous, but I think these shoes are like architecture. there is something very ugly-sexy about the way they look. recently, I found out that margiela modeled them after japanese tabi shoes and that the shape of the shoes is said to have health benefits. another reason, to appreciate them even more.

margiela mode

photo by marina faust

this is a perfect example of the martin margiela woman....she understands that it is about garment parts as opposed to whole pieces. very effortless from the blazer, skirt, stretch pants, to those one of a kind split-toe shoes.

a pajamagram

photo by annie leibovitz

there's nothing better than slipping into a nice pair of pajamas....my personal pajama style icon is no other than artist julian schnabel proving that pajamas can be worn for night and day...I can't think of anyone better who seems to be so at ease in their pj's.

broken

julian schnabel olatz 1993 oil, plates and bondo on wood

how I would love to own one of julian schnabel's 'plate paintings.' from what I have read, schnabel was inspired by architect antoni gaudí, particularly by some walls he designed in the park guell in barcelona....If you look closely, the surface of this portrait is made up of pieces of broken china, onto which the image has been painted. this enabled him to paint on the surface without seeing the immediate effect. a very simple, yet complicated idea....there's something so innovative about painting on an unconventional surface.

them apples

this is my favorite time of year for apples...my current favorite is the japanese type of apple known as the 'fuji.' good for snacking and for spicing up a salad.

our siamese if you please

mr. ming

cat power

photo by james van der zee (1982)

I never knew that jean-michel basquiat (the 1980s-era neo-expressionist artist) had a fondness for siamese cats....so lovely to see people who have an appreciation for cats.

joni mitchell never lies

directed by mark romanek (1997)

time to celebrate black history month with some memorable images from janet jackson's got till it's gone video.