The Swelle Life

Norwegian Wood Harnesses Your Moods

Are you a Road Warrior or more of a Mad Maxine? Angie of Norwegian Wood has a knack for creating unusual accessories for the coy all the way to the hard-core statement maker, all of which are guaranteed to instantly elevate your fashion cred - no wonder she's the go-to for fashion bloggers in the know!

Each design is a true original and hand-made by Angie in her Montreal studio using both new and vintage fabrics and trims. Her cage skirts, fringe necklaces and earrings and harness top in variations that range from zips and chains to stretch vintage lace are her signature designs - for now! She's always on the hunt for interesting trims and findings so who knows what she'll give us next?

Her latest design is the harness top with shoulders (seen above and below), in black with fringe - the 'Road Warrior', and a softer, retro lingerie look with smaller shoulders with beaded trim and vintage lace detail in shades of brown, ivory and coral. Angie offers up some great looks for the harnesses (yes, that's her modelling and what a great model she makes) but the possibilities with these are as endless as your imagination. (And the prices are incredible for such special, handmade pieces).

See the Norwegian Wood shop at Etsy for the full range of statement accessories.

Update: I just received my first Norwegian Wood purchase, a pair of indigo fringe earrings with a silver hoop and metal tassel (these are the shortest of the fringe styles). I just adore them, they look ever better in person - they are just so cool! I'd show you but I can't get a shot as good as Angie's, so here they are on the gorgeous creator herself:

Psycho Girlfriends, Pool Noodles and Sporks

Plastic sporks, monofilament, cloth, wire, fur
Photo by Kevin Rolly

Continuing a post from yesterday about the conceptual art collaborative Psycho Girlfriend and their talent for creating wearable art using unusual objects, here are some of my favourite examples of their extraordinary work (which goes to prove that sporks are good for something!):

Pool Noodle dress: foam, steel, airline cable, vinyl.
Photo by Dale East


Red fringe skirt: foam, steel, leather
Photo by Kevin Rolly


Binder clip dress: steel, titanium, monofilament
Photo by Kevin Rolly


Bluegrass skirt: aluminum, steel, foam
Photo by Kevin Rolly


Cage dress: aluminum, leather
Photo by Kevin Rolly


Spider dress: aluminum, steel, leather, fabric
Photo by Kevin Rolly

Look What My Psycho Girlfriend Made

No, I don't really have a colourful and chaotic personal life. Psycho Girlfriend is a conceptual art collaborative with 2 +1 members of equally varied and intriguing backgrounds who together produce 'wearable art'. Vanessa Bonet and Kasey McMahon create the work-intensive and highly detailed pieces and Juli Gudmunsen directs the performance element of the duo and facilitates audience interaction using playful vaudeville style vignettes.

Their latest work, attributed to Kasey McMahon who announced it via her fans at Boing Boing is this exquisitely crafted birdcage dress, fully functional as it actually houses little birdies. I don't see any newspaper lining it, however; I think the model may have ruined her shoes.

Does she work in her livingroom? Awesome.

If you're interested in creating your own birdcage dress 'in 25 easy steps' (HA!) or you want to exhaust yourself by simply skimming a web page, see here.

The dress will be on display at the Brewery Artwalk April 18 & 19 in downtown Los Angeles. I envy anyone who is able to see it in person.

And I can't not mention Kasey's website A-Typical Art featuring her Compubeaver which is a taxidermied beaver-computer. That's right. Check it out. You can talk to it during those late work nights.

More on Psycho Girlfriend in the next post, there's too many cool things to mention here!

Another Reason To Love Gareth Pugh

This whole 50th Anniversary hullaballoo for Barbie thing hasn't really got me fired up, evidenced by my passing Colette three times since the Barbie collection arrived, including today, and I couldn't be arsed to stop in to look.

Little did I know until now (thanks Jennine) that Ken was benefiting by way of a much needed makeover from Gareth Pugh who dressed up our favourite little eunuch in a look from his debut men's RTW 2009 collection, complete with wicked goth hair, shaped eyebrows and fully lined eyes. The black patent jacket is handmade (which means Ken has better clothes than you but that's okay, he has no wang) and limited to an edition of 50.

I think this is the jacket Ken's is based on, if you put the collar up - nothing else comes close from what I've seen. But I want to know where those awesome Edward Scissorhands boots are; did someone nick them from the box or is this MalibuGoth Ken?

I now have Bauhaus in my head...undead undead undead...

Source: MFLA

Hard Candy Goes Soft

For his final three looks at Paris fashion week, Issey Miyake sent out models wearing dresses, tops and skirts made of sheer, striped squares that instantly reminded me of those hard candies - you know, the ones that yours or your friend's grandmother keeps in a dish on a doily covered end table in the living room, and when you go to take one because you feel obligated when they're offered, the candy you lift with your fingers comes up with all the others stuck to it in one big, rainbow cluster? And then you try to discreetly pry one off the mound. And hope the next words you hear aren't "Go ahead, dear, have another." If those candies are going to be kept in that bowl for a couple of years to meld together into a rock-hard solid mass, there should be a small chiselling tool placed beside the dish. On a doily, of course.

Photos: Giovanni Giannini

Galliano's World

 

What would a John Galliano show be without, well, the show? His fairy-tale theatrics, full-on costume and love of make-up that renders the models almost unrecognisable are a highlight of Paris fashion week. Whether it's relevant or not doesn't seem to be of concern to Galliano, he's in his own world and his shows are about bringing us into it.

This time he beckoned us into a snowy winter wonderland of Russian-Balkan folklore, its heavily clothed and adorned characters looking as if they'd walked out of a painting and onto the catwalk, then mellowed out with long and sheer chiffon dresses, as seen above.

And, the best part of any Galliano show: Galliano himself, as he takes his most humble, figurative bow (I think he may have got confused and thought the runway was the Potomac):

You can see more great Galliano finale moments here

Photos: Marcio Madeira

Designer Series, Knitwear: The White Project

Last time, we saw Central Saint Martins knitwear student Cynthia AKA CFST's intriguing Metamorphosis Knits, and now she's sharing the results of her White Project. For the theme she chose Traditional Borderline and began by exploring the traditional aspects of male and female clothing and how she might create menswear with female body shapes. This proved problematic so she looked elsewhere for inspiration and found it in the work of British sculptor Anthony Gormley (anyone from the north east of England and beyond will know his famous sculpture Angel of the North). Taking a cue from his rigid shapes and his process of wrapping as she saw outlined in a book, she decided to study restriction.

The materials were limited to cotton and felt and unsurprisingly, it took a substantial amount to complete her design - the shoulder panel required three metres of felt alone! (And yes, it's quite heavy.) It was all worth it, Cynthia scored the highest mark (and big points to her friend Aiko who modelled)!

Cynthia finger knitted the felt into the neckpiece:

Window Gazing in Paris

On my quest to find Colette on Wednesday I passed some interesting window displays, particularly this one for a bridal shop on rue Saint-Honoré with what I'm guessing is a dress especially made for wowing passersby (I found myself audibly saying 'Oh, wow!').

Before that I came upon a shop that sells formal dress for French high court judges:

One of the chocolatiers across the street from our apartment has made a dress of chocolate, complete with cocoa dusted top, with a hat and either earrings or brooches to match, and there's even shoes (the thought of actually wearing any of it on a hot day makes me laugh uncontrollably. But yes, I know, it's not meant for that):

Let's have one more look at that fantastic bridal dress (you have to love the unintended collage effect of shooting a window - here we've got the back of a service van and an Adidas logo):

Marc Jacobs Digs Up the 80s

Marc Jacobs went for flash and polish 80s, complete with Aqua Net hairstsyles for his main line then followed it up with its nemesis 'weekend hiking trip with the fam' 80s for the little sister collection. The latter was a real mash-up, more so than usual but this time it didn't have me imagining new ways of putting my own pieces together, it just made me glad I'm not in grade seven any more. I didn't like burgundy wide wale baggy corduroy shorts then, and I certainly don't now. Especially with clashing and not-in-a-good-way tights with contrasting rectangles on the knee:

Those knees remind of the time when one of my twin little brothers who was five opened my bedroom door and started talking to me. I was sitting on the floor with my back to the door, and when I turned around to look at him I saw that he was in his underpants and there was a big maxi pad stuck vertically on his tiny little shin. I was stunned for a second and he was looking at me so innocently, and I asked "What is that on your leg?" and he said "It's Mom's big band-aid. I found it in the cupboard." Struggling to compose myself, I asked what was under it, and he peeled it down to reveal a tiny scab underneath. I lost it. I went upstairs to the bathroom and found the paper backing on the floor and a trail of smaller ones leading into their room. My other little brother  was in there admiring his artwork - his name 'Dan' crudely spelled out in panty liners on their wall.

Right, so not really into that look for several reasons but these dresses I like:

Hmm...wait, what's happening...that legging thing is growing on me a bit with that first dress. But never, ever the baggy, wide wale cordurory shorts. Ali Stephens looks like crap in them. Nothing further needs to be said. There were more dowdy looks for what is supposed to be a line targeted at Fresh Young Things but instead of taking (more, sorry) digs at a guy who's given us so much, let's look at the good stuff from the main collection which was brilliant soft colours, bold shapes and printed tights:

The third model is an unrecognisable Du Juan done up like someone from Prince's entourage on the Purple Rain tour:

Whoa, shoulders! Well, they do make the hips look narrow:

I'm sorry but I can't let this one go quietly - the planet does not need these. Ever. Look, look at the ankles, you know what those are. I'd warm up to the stirrups at the gyno before I would for the ones on ladies' pants.

Photos: Marcio Madeira

Russell Brand's Naughty Bits

I saw Russell Brand on his Scandalous tour last night in Newcastle. It was my first comedy show, but calling it that doesn't seem to adequately describe the uniquely wild beast that is Russell Brand.

After watching the opener, Mr G, who was the perfect warm-up with his just-funny enough jokes and his socially conscious poetry (he'd make a great rapper), there was break that lasted around 40 minutes. You don't want to sit for too long in a packed audience without distraction because you begin to notice that the air around you smells like beer, cheap perfume and farts.

Alas, the room darkened and the huge white backdrop came alive with a booming video montage of the news clips about Brand's and Jonathon Ross' 'disgraceful' radio stunt (if you live outside of the UK and didn't see it all unfold firsthand it's not really worth explaining, you just had to be here), and then Russell entered. He was wearing a jacket over a sweater that with all of its holes could have been from the Joachim Phoenix collection (though Russell has a style while Joachim just looks like a sad hobo), and of course, his Sass and Bide Black Rats leggings (he was wearing exactly what you see below, boots and all).

Now, he likes his skinny jeans, but Black Rats are women's leggings. And I was sitting fifth row, centre, which was so close to the stage I had to crook my head upward a bit to see him. And what I got was an eyefull of, um, uh, how do I say this...those tights were so revealing that I found myself giggle-shrieking and covering my eyes at first (I was drowned out by the uproarious applause his entrance aroused), it was all so 'out there' and obvious it felt as if there was no one else in the room but me and his junk, and it was forcing me to reckon with it. Now, I'm no prude, I've been known to shock with my silly and raunchy off-the-cuff comments, but still, I was not prepared to observe the fine detail of Russell Brand's nether regions through thin, black satin.

Luckily, he moves around so much doing kicks and shimmies that things shifted and (relative) dignity was restored. I hope he doesn't wear any one pair more than a few times or things are going to break loose.

I know Russell likes to Google himself because he told us so last night and even showed us a screenshot proving that he came in fifth in searches in the week after he hosted the MTV Awards (it fit the bit, it wasn't superfluous flaunting). And if he comes across this post he's probably looking for the ego-gratifiying worship. So here it is:

Russell Brand, you are a brilliant storyteller. I've never laughed so hard. There is no one like you. Just be careful with those leggings or you're going to poke a hole through them. 

You can read about the Russell-hungry girls here

Paper Towel Tuxedos and Hair Comb Dresses

Martin Margiela showed his Artisanal collection for spring and went to the dumpster and the recycling bin for his materials. That sounds like I'm being a saucy little brat but if you're familiar with him you know he loves to create with common objects, like the ones you find around your house and don't think twice about. Last season he did a jacket in balloons and before that, a top made of mirrors. Now he's fastened old hair combs to create a dress (above, I think) and well, just take a look at what else:

Shoelaces


Old denim


Paper towels


Plastic price tag fasteners

And, not quite sure what these are made of as WWD only mentioned a few and I can't find coverage anywhere else...guesses?

And yes, those are actual models (in case you were half asleep like me and first thought they were mannequins)

Photos: Dominique Maitre

Cities Under Seige: Attack of the Yarnbombers!

Cozy bus by Magda Sayeg of Knitta Please, Mexico City

They're like Banksy or Poster Boy, and in some ways more akin to a small-scale Christo and Jeanne-Claude. But instead of spray paint and stencils, razors and miles of synthetic fabrics, the so-called 'Yarnbombers' use, well, yarn to add beauty to their environment while making a statement. "Yarnbombing is all about using the street for making art", says Sarah Hardacre, an artist from Manchester, in a story in the Telegraph.

There are yarnbombing groups all over the world, using their knitting and crochet skills to tag their targets. One is Denver's Ladies Fancywork Society, who prefer the term 'fancywork' to yarnbombing, and use 'putting skirts on the world' to describe their crochet guerilla activities. The Ladies use code names like Vivian, Jeanne Lois, and Lady Magdalena Pompelthwaite, and meet regularly for crochet and cupcakes. Here's one of Vivian's bicycle rack fancyworks:

 

And there's the Yarnbombing blog that features projects from all over the world, and even gives standard measurements for street furniture such as telephone poles, park benches, dumpsters and pay phones found in Vancouver, where the blog is based, so bombers can get stitching without having to first venture out with a measuring tape. The two knitters behind the blog, Mandy Moore and Leanne Prain, have a book coming out in the fall called Yarn Bombing: The Art of Knit Graffiti. I sense this is just the beginning.

Now, this may be 'radical knitting' as it is played out, but the patterns and loud colours suggest a very 'granny' type of knitting and crochet, from what I've seen - kind of reminiscent of the 'cosy'. (I once saw a toilet bowl cleaner cosy in someone's bathroom. That's right, a bottle of bowl cleaner with a custom-made cosy over it, and my friend Tammy can back that up.) So if this is what the traditionalists are doing, I wonder what fashion's knitwear designers could conjure, those whose knits are radical by design?

But wait - is it not the granny style that makes it so compelling? It's funny, unexpected, vibrant, and what is typically perceived as benign and old-fashioned becomes a force to be reckoned with. Try ignoring a full knit-clad bus in clashing, bright colours.

I think this is just fantastic. I have yet to see a tag but I certainly hope to. Have you?

If you're a yarnbomber and want to share your work, give us an email. And if you're a knitter and want to find a network in your area, a quick google search should turn one up. Or start your own!

Fellow feltmakers, are the wheels turning? Oh, the possibilities...

kpdalston's add-on to a Banksy, from Yarnbombing

 
Knitted street sign in Vancouver by Lauren Marsden


A tree wrapped in red yarn in Bejing's art district, Factory 798
By Aaron Robertson via Yarnbombing


Bejing tree detail, as above


The Sweater Tree, Brooklyn. Unknown, via Yarnbombing

Wickered-Up and Shoeless in Hong Kong

Hong Kong fashion week wrapped up last Thursday and I found some gorgeous images from Kai Ping, who used barefoot models to present her all-cream collection accessorised with (what I think is) wicker headpieces in all kinds of shapes and wearable backdrops. Some of the models were posed with their arms in (sometimes) awkward positions which made them appear as if they were sculptures.

The variety of textures is just incredible - lush and feminine, on dresses that range from fitted and short to long and hanging away from the body. There's a real earthy, pure and organic quality about the materials used, which appear to be unbleached and raw something-or-others, especially the woven skirt and trim (I cannot think of what that is and it's driving me nuts).

I'm assuming her, I can't find anything on Kai Ping and I'm also interested in finding more about this collection, so if you know, or are Kai Ping, please share!

Photos: Getty Images

Grace Jones and the Lions Have It

"...GRACE IS SOCIALLY SICK." - Grant Junior High Report, from The World of Grace Jones

These days, the word 'fierce' is thrown around and applied to anyone who can scowl hard while wearing a dress and walking fast (I'm referring to you, Miss Banks, for killing the word). It has become a lame, meaningless, cliché of pop culture. But as soon as Grace Jones enters the picture, no other word can sum up this exquisite, eccentric and truly confusing (and somewhat frightening) creature as succinctly as FIERCE does. (Did the caps make an impact? They were supposed to.)

I wondered what had happened to Grace Jones, until now. She's making a comeback. She's currently on her 'Hurricane' tour and playing dates in the UK, starting tonight. And she's 60. Yes, she's 60 years old in these photos from her recent performance in Sydney, Australia. Her hats are from Brit milliner Philip Treacy, who accompanies her on tour to attend to the 17 fantastical pieces he created for her shows.

I can't think of a woman (or a man for that matter) who would intimidate me more in person. She doesn't make it easy for anyone. Grace Jones eats Madonna for breakfast, with a little Hilary Clinton on the side.

Photos: Dlisted

Christian Louboutin to Design Barbie Shoes

The much-loved Barbie doll is turning 50 years old next year (must be all the plastic in her face keeping her so young looking), and to celebrate, 50 designers were selected to create outfits for a special runway show that Mattel is hosting in February at New York fashion week. We'll have to wait to hear who the designers are, but WWD reports that Christian Louboutin will provide the shoes for all 50 models - each done in Barbie Pantone 219 Pink (that shade we usually try to avoid when doing pinks. Let's leave it Barbie to rock it).

"I guess I always had a little 'girlie side' who liked Barbie," Louboutin said. "Barbie needs to wear great shoes because every girl needs to wear great shoes." Indeed.

Insensate

Best described by the filmmakers themselves:

"Conjuring a macabre phantasmagoria that unfurls before your eyes like a sinister but beautiful bloom, Insensate showcases the brutal geometry and raw creative fire of Gareth Pugh's A/W 2008 collection to truly bewitching effect. Set to a thundering, atmospheric soundtrack specially devised by artist Matthew Stone and utilising Pugh's twin cinematic inspirations of Predator and The Wizard of Oz as an aesthetic starting-point, this film takes us on a mesmerising, monochrome whirlwind ride, creating a chilling yet compelling world of complex reflection, refraction and glittering incandescence melting in and out of inky black."

First, I highly recommend you watch it directly from Showstudio - the quality of the original is superior to the YouTube below, as is the atmosphere of the web page for viewing it (be sure to click the play button).

I'm not typically drawn to dark visuals (can you tell by my blog?) but this film is absolutely captivating, and hypnotic at times, not to mention the perfect visual and aural extension of Gareth Pugh's mindblowing designs. It's not so much about darkness as it is light, which is used to illuminate and create movement and shapes in such a way that it gets under your skin. Brilliant work from renowned fashion photographer Nick Knight and filmmaker Ruth Hogben. Love the soundtrack. This has to be the coolest job model Abbey Lee Kershaw has ever had. Lucky girl.

Maggie Gyllenhaal Dares to Wear the Fur Gilet

Fur issues aside (I figured Maggie to be one not to wear it), she's showing some serious fashion bravado for wearing the bulky fur gilet WITH A BELT! I see she cleverly kept the wide leather belt exposed in the front only, so the inescapable appearance of profile bulk is kept to a minimum. This is high-risk territory, reserved only for the fiercely confident fashionista. Dolce & Gabbana (below, left) sent long fur gillets down the runway for A/W 2008, worn both belted and unbelted, and Diane von Furstenberg took the belt-worn-on-the-outside look further (below, right), wrapping it around many layers of clothing to create the trend that so many of us want to work into our daily dressing, but can't because we'd wind up looking like a telephone pole with a rubber band around it.

Karl Lagerfeld Paints a 'Secret Ball'

Continuing on with features from British Vogue's Fantastic Fashion Fantasy issue, Karl Lagerfeld treats us to a series of paintings in which he imagines events (with the Batman movies in mind, it would seem) at the most exclusive party of the year - a ball hosted by an unnamed Russian woman in honour of her billionaire husband. There was no press, no red carpet, no charities involved, and the guest list remains a mystery.

"Hairstylist Katsuya Kamo has designed a veiled headpiece similar
to those he has made for Junya Watanabe. The guest has topped
this with a vintage diamond headpiece, believed to be set with
emeralds from the treasury of Tsar Alexander II"


"The male guests are all in Tom Ford tails, though these two
gentlemen have added Batman-style masks. Their leather gloves are by
Causse. She is in a Marios Schwab jacket, a Louis Vuitton headpiece
and carries an Alexander McQueen Faberge bag from this season"


"A masked guest dressed in colourful Tao"


"She is in gold Givenchy with another Kamo headpiece.
The Asian gentleman wears a vintage Cartier headpiece
of emerald, diamonds and feathers in his turban"




"This guest accessorises her pink Giles ensemble with Chanel lace
gloves and a 1912 Cartier bandeau with a huge sapphire. Her Cartier
necklace of the same year was bought at the Paris Biennale in
September 2008. Her companion is a distinguished gentleman with a
black monocle, who reminds Lagerfeld of someone now dead"




"The youngest boy in the room is claimed by this guest,
in Alexander McQueen"


"This Gareth Pugh-clad woman is accompanied by a man
disguised as Heath Ledger's malevolent Joker"

Unbelievable Fashion

Left: Alexander McQueen, spring 2005
Right: 'Wood table skirt', Hussein Chalayan, A/W 2000

Christmas came early courtesy of British Vogue: the wrapping is a tri-fold cover featuring Kate Moss in clouds of Dior silk tulle (though it's the dress I fancy much more than the model) and the treats are Fantastic Fashion Fantasy-themed editorial, with such delights as Tim Walker's fields of flowers tribute to Roald Dahl; Karl Lagerfeld's painted depiction of a Secret Ball - a mysterious, exclusive event hosted by an anonymous Russian woman for her billionaire husband; winter wonderlands created using the pages of books and decorated with jewels in Spellbound; an outdoorsy, technicolour editorial shot by Patrick Demarchelier; and to begin, Unbelievable Fashion - "a vivid and memorable demonstration that fashion can be about so many things other than what to wear", shot by Nick Knight (photographed from the pages by moi, apologies for any comprised quality):

  
John Galliano silk-gazar origami, spring 2007 Dior haute couture collection

Left: Alexander McQueen, spring 2005 collection
Right: Yohji Yamamoto, A/W 2000

Both, Dior couture, spring 2003

Gareth Pugh, A/W 2006

Dior couture, spring 2003


Left: Comme des Garcons A/W 2008
Right: Viktor & Rolf, A/W 2003


Thierry Mugler's paper concertina dress, spring 1991


Hussein Chayalan's remote-control aeroplane dress, created in 1999


Left: Hussein Chalayan, spring 2000
Right: Viktor & Rolf, spring 2006

The Original 'Ugly Betty'

I came across this photo on Dlisted this morning, it's Heather Matarazzo in the 1995 Todd Solondz film Welcome to the Dollhouse. One look at misfit 'Dawn Wiener' and a certain popular TV character by the name of Betty, aka Ugly Betty comes to mind. Inspired, perhaps?

Have you ever seen a Todd Solondz film? In addition to Welcome to the Dollhouse, I've seen Happiness (1998) and Storytelling (2001). Solondz, who writes the scripts for all of his movies, has a real knack for creating compelling viewing that hooks you, easying you into his disturbing story lines with clever, uncontrived dialogue, fascinating characters and a kind of surreal atmosphere that feels a bit like a daydream. Then 'Augh! What the hell am I watching!' - things turn totally perverse, yet somehow it all fits, and you feel dirty and disgusted, but you can't look away.

I highly recommend his movies if you appreciate daring film making, but I wouldn't invite the parents over for Todd Solondz film night.

Er, Is This the Best Way to Wear Comme des Garçons?

 
Photo: Emma Mattsson

I found these photos of a model wearing some outfits from the Comme des Garçons for H&M collection (see post below) on what I think is a Swedish website. Sweden happens to be the birthplace of the high street fashion retailer, but a model representing the stereotypical Swedish babe wearing the diffused avant-garde clobber doesn't seem quite right. It just doesn't ring true. The blonde, Baywatch-esque tousled hair, polite smile, girl-next-door make-up and the busting of Sears catalogue shapes is just wrong. She's lovely, no doubt, and certainly anyone should be able to wear what they want, how they want, without ridicule. But seeing as these are promo photos of some kind (not sure of the origin not being able to read Swedish and all), is this look really the best choice for presenting the collection (where was the stylist?), as say, Missy Rayder, who transformed brilliantly to bring the spirit of the Comme des Garçons brand to life:

The Madness Begins: Comme des Garcons for H&M Hits Harajuku

The most highly anticipated (and shockingly unexpected in the first place) designer/high street retailer collaboration EVER has finally arrived. Comme des Garçons for H&M was made available Saturday for a full-on fashion feeding frenzy at its debut location, the aptly chosen street-style capital of the world, Tokyo's Harajuku district. 

So, why the fuss? If you're not familiar with Rei Kawakubo and Comme des Garçons, the videos above and below tell the story (though you may not hear what H&M's Creative Advisor is talking about - speak up, please!), so take a look if you want to see what it's all about.

The 30 piece collection hits selected locations Thursday, November 13. Now that we've seen what's on offer, it is by far the most exciting, high quality, and true-to-brand collaboration yet. Good luck to the next designer who steps up. For locations near you, look here, and click on the bottom left of the page. Big surprise, it isn't coming to Newcastle in the UK. Hope you have better luck where you live. (Sniff) Aw, hell. THAT'S CRAP!!

Channeling 'Little Edie' Beale on Hallows Eve

 Last night I attended a proper Halloween fancy dress party, hosted by my awesome friend Sophie who made a fantastic goth/vampira-type with her white, shaded makeup and black fishtail dress with draped sleeves. I decided not to go scary (it's just so much work!) and instead had some fun getting kitted up as 'Little Edie' Beale with my 1950s brocade vintage coat and brooched head scarf (I feel terrible about the fur collar. Does it matter that the mink would have been long dead by now, anyway? No, no, of course not). As expected, no one knew who I was supposed to be. I was asked 'Are you in fancy dress?' (I admit it wasn't very costumey) and guesses as to who I was dressed as included a Romanian peasant woman and Anne Frank. I got that twice. (Geez, who would go as Anne Frank??)

So, who's 'Little Edie' Beale, you ask? Born in 1917, she was a New York socialite who modelled, danced and acted, and a first cousin of Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis. When her parents divorced, mom 'Big Edie' got the 28-room East Hampton estate known famously as Grey Gardens. In the 50s Little Edie came to live with her. She became known for her distinct style of dress and has since influenced John Galliano, Calvin Klein, Marc Jacobs (his 'Little Edie' bag from fall 2007), and Patricia Field ('Carrie Bradshaw' has been known to go full-on Edie) and two Vogue editorial spreads.

Well, mom was an odd bird and kept dozens of cats, didn't believe in litter boxes and apparently 'loved' the smell. Imagine. Poor Little Edie - a cat lover (and a urine lover) she was not. Not hard to believe, the house came into serious disrepair and was found in violation of every building regulation. And it was a sty that stank, ponged and reeked of cat urine. I feel sick writing this. Uch. Anyway, cousin Jackie O came to the rescue - the cat pee-pee garbage house had become a national story - and she paid $32,000 to fix and clean the place (that was like a zillion dollars back then). Workers carted away 1,000 bags of garbage. Wow. And it's said that the smell was still putrid despite the painstaking efforts. (I chose not to incorporate an olfactory element into my costume.)  

There have been three documentaries made about the Beales and Grey Gardens, and they've been the subject of several books, musicals, songs, and a movie starring Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange is set for release in 2009. By then everyone who wanted to know who Little Edie was will know, and so will a lot of people who didn't want to know. (I got really weird looks when I explained my inspiration for my costume. I should have said "Yes, Romanian peasant woman. Great guess.")

Back to the party - remember the rabbit monster from Donnie Darko? He showed up (and he was missing a neck):

Those are Some Good Looking Urinary Tracts on Your Wall

Artist Shannon Wright seems to have a thing for "exuberantly healthy human urinary tracts", and as such has created a wallpaper design featuring the organ. I'm just glad she chose to depict healthy ones. You probably wouldn't want to hang this in your kitchen, but it's a good one for a urologist's office, though they don't tend to be too fancy.

Via Boing Boing

Manish Arora Takes Us to the Circus

You can't help but smile at Manish Arora's rainbow merry-go-round skirts, even if you find the circus performer make-up a bit creepy (well, I do. Find circus performers creepy, that is. Does anyone like clowns?). There's a dramatic and grand, three ring circus feel with the dark backdrop and spotlights, it must have been like actually being at one (again, if you like that sort of thing). The brilliant colours and the cut-out embellishments hanging off the skirts are so much fun, and how beautiful are the embroidery and sculpted shapes? For that reason, I'd buy a ticket.

Photos: Dominique Maitre

The makeup reminded me of the Tao show (Tao Kurihara is a protégé of Rei Kawakubo). Check out the bagpiper socks:

Photos: Style.com

Comme des Garçons: Looks Like Bush is in For Another Term

Does this one come in green? I'd really like to wait outside and scare the hell out of the kids who approach my door on Halloween. Alright, seriously, this was a Comme des Garçons show. You never know what Rei Kawakubo has up her black, re-imagined sleeve. She called this collection Tomorrow's Black. No one seems to know exactly what it means, and that's okay, that's how it has to be. Because the avant-garde is like performance art, there to keep the rest of us guessing about meanings. Those who do put in the effort usually wind up applying whatever it is they've ascertained to their own work, and by way of the process, establishing the creator of the original work as influential. That's how I figure what and how Rei Kawakubo creates has become so consequential. Whatever you make of it, she makes you think. Or shake your head and laugh, depending.

I like the wigs, kind of like Marie-Antoinette got her head caught in a cotton-candy machine. As for what looks like ripped apart footballs? Let the guessing begin....

Photos: Style.com

The Maison Martin Margiela Show is Going to Give Me Nightmares

Maison Martin Margiela showed in Paris yesterday, celebrating its 20th anniversary of creating highly innovative, fresh, and very wearable clothes for women and men. Martin Margiela is idolised the world over by design students, fashionistas, fashion editors and above all, his peers. And, he's the real International Man of Mystery - in his 20 year career he's never been photographed, nor has he granted an interview. Business communications are said to be done via fax (do we still have those?). Regardless of these accolades and the avant-garde context in which we are to view Margiela and his team's presentations, the way in which he chose to present his collection just plain scared the crap out of me. Models appeared to have their heads on backwards, there were long wigs on shoulders, wigs with what looks like a dog's mouth poking out (sorry to the model if that's in fact her mouth), masked faces (how in the world did the models see their way down the runway? Maybe there was a pile of them on the floor at the end)...stuff that after witnessing would have had me sleeping in my parents bed as a child. And not much has changed since then.

However, if you find all of this intriguing and want to learn more about Martin Margiela and why he is considered the absolute best by the fashion giants, read this excellent article. 

And you can visit the MMM website to see how the fashion house has chosen to communicate and package itself (very telling) - once in, it appears you've wandered onto someone's FTP site. Just so you know, you are where you're supposed to be. But they do make you wonder.

If you're not a total wuss like me, take a look at more shots from the show:

Photos: Style.com

Gareth Pugh Would Sooo Freak Out the Soccer Moms

Okay, so Brit Gareth Pugh went for showpieces more than showroom for his Paris debut to ramp up an already dramatic approach to the collections and make his mark outside of London. And it worked - everyone is talking about him, thanks to the exaggerated shoulders, masterfully crafted ruffs, articulated limbs and sculpted dresses that dominated the show. Black on the back and white on the front, each of the looks was a showstopper. I feel a bit like I just watched Star Wars.

If you want to know more about Gareth Pugh, read his pre-Paris interview at DazedDigital.com

Photos: Style.com

Marni's "Intelligent, Crazy" Spring Collection

"I was wondering to which point a human eye can bear to see so many colours, prints - altogether, in one look" ponders Virginie Mouzat of Le Figaro, who appears to have suffered a bit from watching the Marni show. I pretty much thought the same thing upon first glance of the collection. Marni is known for mixing things up yet achieving a very pulled together look, so I was really excited to see what the Italian label has in store for spring. Then I saw, and I was confused, but intrigued enough to take another look. The second time around seemed to bring some clarity and I found myself able to appreciate the different textures, colours, prints, and shapes, without having to shake my head to 'reset' fluttering eyes.

Take a look at the photos first, then watch the video, and who knows - you may like what you see:

Photos: Style.com

Victoria Beckham Finally Gives Up Heels

Victoria Beckham has ditched the stiletto, but only the back end. The petite fashionista would sooner get rid of her husband David than the extra height her vertiginous shoe collection affords her. Ever so media savvy, she's figured out how to increase inches in her stature as well as the tabloid columns, with Antonio Berardi's $6,000 thigh-high PVC boots, sans heel.

So, is she walking on air? The broken toe bones that fall out of her boots upon removal at the end of the day would surely attest to the contrary. I can see how they work, the platform extends just beyond the high point of the arch to create enough stability to not fall over, and maybe even walk a few feet! 

But if you take a look at the close-up photo, things aren't looking too polished. Upon inspection, the black PVC shows lots of finger prints, probably from the team of six men required to get those things up her legs. A purse-size bottle of Windex and a chamois would be a wise addition to the handbag. And do you see the right platform? It appears to be coming off the 'sock'. Another view I saw confirmed that the design doesn't look to be well-engineered. I guess $6,000 doesn't buy what it used to.

Photos: Daily Mail

'Bruno' Makes Naughty Runway Debut in Milan

Sacha Baron Cohen wreaked havoc as he stormed the runway during Milan fashion week as his alter-ego 'Bruno', a flamboyant Austrian model famous for clashing with rednecks on Baron Cohen's Da Ali G Show. Wearing a ridiculous get-up consisting of a massive cape-like sheet, and several items tied to his body - including a suede boot and a handbag decorated with pom-poms - the comedian boldy interrupted the Agatha Ruiz de la Prada show. Oddly, he was not tackled (that measure is reserved for PETA during Fendi shows) and allowed to walk the runway before being led away by security. A man, seen above, did attempt to haul him back upon his entrance but 'Bruno' wasn't having it and continued on to strut to some cheers from the crowd. And that man doesn't look too bothered (see below).

Baron Cohen and his team used fake passes to fool security guards into letting them into a backstage area. Apparently they tried it again Thursday, but were kept out by the tightened security. The prankster is in Milan working on his next film Bruno: Delicious Journeys Through America for the Purpose of Making Heterosexual Male, which is due out in May.

I feel sorry for the designer, her show was ruined. Didn't Sacha Baron Cohen know this is fashion week for Spring ready-to-wear, not Fall/Winter???

 

Via Huffington Post

There's a Crinkle in Miuccia Prada's Eye

If the 'crinkle' look isn't your thing, blame Miuccia Prada when it's everywhere next spring. The Prada show in Milan revealed what's likely to be a key trend for 2009, if Autumn's lace craze is anything to go by. The collection was essentially described by fashion editors as being overtly feminine - the clothes were falling off the models or looking as if they could, and the crinkliness suggested the shirts and skirts had been thrown on, as if picked up after being strewn about the bedroom hours before in a frenzied bout of afternoon delight. On most of us, however, this disheveled look would likely say 'overtly in need of a good ironing', and 'I got dressed in the dark'.

Prada played with some shockingly harsh-hued metallics as well - notice the woman in the front row who appears to have been temporarily blinded and is searching for her sunglasses (hint - they're on your head):

 

I'm not going to criticise Miuccia because she must know something I don't (which goes without saying,duh). But what did appeal to me was Moschino's lovely palette of lilacs and blues, which look so fresh and pretty in shiny silks, especially when head-to-toe with the matching/contrasting tights and shoes. These outfits were a great relief after Rosella Jardini sent black and white harlequin patterned dresses out to open the show (the jester look just doesn't do it for me, and never will - though this little bit peeking out is a nice touch):

Moschino proves bows aren't dead, rather they're as big as ever:

Photos: Style.com

Milan Day Two - Flappers, Kink and Ships Ahoy

Because I can't seem to leave anyone out (though I am making an effort to edit myself):

• Alberta Ferretti gave the flapper dress and underpants(?) a fresh new look, using metallics and embroidery;
• D&G took the 'more is more' approach and went nautical (really? that's back again? already?) and big and busy with large metallic ornamental embellishments and fishnets with absolutely everything, including an outfit that looks like a fat guy's bathing suit from the 1940s;
• Burberry Prorsum was pretty cool as far as the individual pieces are concerned (I loved the easy, pretty dresses and skirts), but the palette was more than a bit shadowy and gloomy like its home country. However, the stunning black trench dripping in sequins wouldn't have me thinking twice about venturing out into crap weather;
• Giorgio Armani gave us more gorgeous beaded gowns in nude shades (and thankfully no male escorts on the runway this time);
• Pringle of Scotland did lacey and ruffled knits, and Clare Waight Keller was apparently inspired by David Hockney's swimming pool paintings, which once revealed leads to automatic disappointment for fans of those paintings; 
• More incredible knitting machine creations from Missoni, some with stud embellishments;
• And Francesco Scognamiglio revealed transparent plastic pants, a pastie! (yes, just one) and very sheer blouses = I see boobs. Some impressive dresses with sculpted ruffles, too, but does that even matter now?

Here are more of Alberta Ferretti's flapper reincarnations (how lush):

D&G - not for the minimalist:



This is Spring 2009, right?

 



Burberry Prorsum (view with Prozac):







Giorgio Armani (we'll see these at the Oscars):







Pringle of Scotland - is this Hockney's 'splash'?:







Missoni:







Francesco Scognamiglio is not subtle:





Saved!:



...never mind:

Photos: Style.com

London Fashion Week Curiosities

Part of the fun of all of these fashion weeks are the outfits that are, um, maybe not what we'd choose to wear. You might even find yourself asking "Really? 'Ready to Wear'? Where?" But as I mentioned earlier, someone, somewhere will love them (I'm trying to be kind). So here's a peek at some of London's most 'out there' looks (and there weren't that many crazy ones), starting with House of Holland (and above, obviously):

Nathan Jenden:

Besides this flaming yellow dress that completely overshadows the model, Nathan Jenden also created a most unusual yet beautiful origami collage dress:



Roksanda Ilincic:

Photos: Style.com

Good Times, Strange Sights at London Fashion Week

 

London Fashion Week wrapped up tonight and what a week it was. Alongside stunning, inspired clothes that could be considered works of art, there were some truly bizarre concoctions. But fashion wouldn't be fashion without them, everything needs balance, right? And like people, someone, somewhere, loves them. It wasn't just the clothes that drew strange looks, however. The celeb element was out in full force for the shows and the celebrations, and while some were on their best behaviour, out to support their favourite designers, others were a bit of a spectacle. Again, it wouldn't be fashion without it, right?

Above, an out-of-place Pamela Anderson sits the front row for the Vivienne Westwood Red Label show, and yes, that's a real person beside her. Rumour has it it's her new pal Michael Jackson. If so, I'm guessing his whole head finally fell off and this was the best he could do at short notice.

Next is Kate Moss, who had a good time as always at the parties and had to be held up as she made her way to a waiting taxi, accompanied by a relatively more conscious Allegra Versace (I'm sorry, for some reason I just had to include this):

Photo: Dlisted

Agyness Deyn and Daisy Lowe grabbed some attention at Aggy's best mate Henry Holland's House of Holland after-party. She wore a sheer dress from his collection with strategically placed dots that just covered her naughty bits (the girl just can't look full-on skanky, can she?), and Daisy in the leopard print bodysuit she wore down the catwalk for Naomi Campbell's Fashion Relief show:

So, of the major London fashion scene players we've got Kate, Aggy, Daisy, ...which leaves Alice Delal and a Geldof or two, also at the House of Holland party. Here's Pixie (second), whose massive (Linda Farrow? NHS?) glasses give her a very Anastase look. Loving the smile, I didn't know she could do it:

Photos: Style.com

 Finally, a truly gorgeous Dita von Teese at the Vivienne Westwood Red Label show, looking not just a touch more elegant than Pam who was sitting nearby - although that cleavage is some serious competition for the blonde. But the milky white skin saves her from looking cheap, giving her that 18th century French aristocracy look and allowing her to get away with showing off the goods while remaining a lady. That, and she doesn't wear lucite platform heels with fluffy pompoms on them.

This is a really long photo and I've got some space to fill, so I'll just say that there are more shows to cover from London, coming soon. Then Milan begins Saturday. It's all a whirlwind, but there have been some exceptional collections that make it all worth it. And I'm still trying to think of ways I can make large amounts of cash quickly (preferably legally), so I can get my hands on some of these clothes. Unfortunately, they all seem to involve not wearing any clothes. Figures.

London Fashion Week Offers Up Something Different, Are you chuffed?

It's funny, there are looks I might ignore completely if I saw them from the NY shows, but somehow in London it's a totally different context, one where my willingness to embrace new things is alive and well. This is likely due to the fact that there aren't any colossal stars like Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein and Donna Karan, whose ability to deliver the goods consistently season after season, year after year is as reliable as black mary janes, and so they get our attention. Also, it's typical that once a British designer gets 'big', meaning success beyond a much-hyped, first or second collection, they leave London behind for the runways of New York, Paris or Milan. This isn't such a bad thing, it makes room for fresh, young designers to showcase their take on fashion alongside those who do just fine to stay here and do their business (so far).

And so, rather than show just my favourites this time, I'm going to include a more accurate representation of the collection as there are certainly some comfort zone-challenging designs on the horizon. (And it helps that London's fashion week is far more compact than New York's, with only 50 designers compared to 160.)

And so, we'll begin with French designer Charles Anastase, who opened this fashion week. His models wore large, vintage eyeglasses that look like they might have been provided by the NHS, but were actually courtesy of Linda Farrow. And one of the models really reminds me of Fred from pre-Wolfram and Hart Angel, especially if her geeky-sweet bookworm look was intentional, rather than the result of indifference (wouldn't she make a great muse?):

 

Sea-inspired Graeme Black:

The revived Ossie Clark:

Inspired by the film costumes of Jodie Foster, Peter Jensen:

Hot for spring 2009: boners! (oh, poor thing, I bet it's his first show and he's never seen naked models backstage before):

 

Let's have fun with Topshop Unique:

Photos: Style.com

New York Fashion Week: Day 2 Curiosities

Yesterday I promised some 'curiosities' from Day 2, there were some looks that bear mentioning but don't exactly fit in the 'favourites' category. Some are just odd, or embarrassing, or What the Lagerfeld?, like Alexandre Herchcovitch's "editorial" ruffled crotches (above), that according to the designer had nothing to do with sex. (Really? But they're so sexy.) And a few are kind of cool, such as these "spirograph on speed" dresses from ThreeASFOUR:

I so wanted to love Alexander Wang's collection, I was excited to see where he was going after his sought-after Fall line (love his colour block cami dress with the removable skirt, along with everyone else). But his muse for spring was an imaginary athletic grunge-girl and what resulted isn't my thing. (I much prefer his cruise collection.) There were some lovely easy-drapey pieces but the overall feel is definitely for some girl/woman who is not me. Especially this cropped tee and high waised shorts ensemble that reminds me of the tough girls I'd see just hanging around when I was 13. They smoked and they scared me:

Oh, these male models for the Daughters for Obedient Sons show could not have been paid enough. This poor guy's manhood must have retreated far within and stayed there for days:

And, a unique and lovely suit on a woman with a figure like this. Not so much on a man (especially with shorts):



Scott Sternberg of Boy by Band of Outsiders cast Kirsten Dunst as the face of his lookbook and the star of his video installation, which ran on big screens as guests browsed the racks:

  

        

Lacoste did onesies, and big, wonderful smiles (which caused me to fail to recognise several models!). Despite efforts, some only managed a smirk - the result of rare, localised facial rigor mortis from years of forced "just try me" expressions.

Skinny jeans aren't going away if Rock and Republic's 'Skinny Bitch' jeans are any indication (who could wear these? More importantly, how many will try, to the horror of others):

Photos: Style.com

You smell putrid, is that Sécrétions Magnifiques you're wearing?

Well, at least it's not Britney Spears scent #5. Now available in the U.S. and Canada, French niche perfumerie État Libre d'Orange offers the more adventurous purveyor of olfactory delights (or more accurately, an alternative to them) Antoine Lie's Sécrétions Magnifiques, which translates to 'Magnificent Secretions'.

There's no 'lost in translation' thing going on here - they mean exactly what the name suggests. With notes that resemble blood, sweat, saliva, and uh, uh, sperm, the scent is meant to invoke associations that are aligned to the wearer's experiences. So, upon taking a whiff, a nun may say 'How metallic and salty' and a 'non'-nun may ask 'Where's the mouthwash?'

The actual logo for Sécrétions Magnifiques is one I can't even show here (well, I could. But if offends my tender sensibilities). Take a look at the État Libre d'Orange website Parfum page if you want to see it and other, uh, interesting artwork for the rest of the line, which includes Putain des Palaces. Panty sniffers rejoice.

Jordan Launches Trampy Clothing Line for Horses

Funny, I was just thinking the other day that horses don't try hard enough. People seem to really love them and all, and why? It's not like they ever go out of their way for us. A little trot here, eat an apple there. Stand too close to one and it might even snort and blow snot all over you. So, what's to love?

Here to save the day is Katie Price 'aka' Jordan. John from Zimbio reports that our horses no longer have to be boring and go naked (although doing so did just fine for her career). Thanks to her new equine clothing line, they can look just as ridiculous as the former glamour model and exploiter of everything close to her (now including barnyard animals).

I do love the leg wrappings, meant to look like knee socks. And the pink painted hooves? Darling. If only you could add a few inches without risking a broken leg. But why not try, Katie? You know she thought about it. If you lift up the coat, no doubt there is a frilly pink thong underneath.

Is it just me or does that horse look genuinely frightened? I'm with you, friend. I really am.

Photo by Flynet Pictures

Loulou de la Falaise and Tori Spelling are Now Co-workers (sort of)

From the files of What the Lagerfeld?! comes this hard-to-believe item, albeit one that is getting easier to digest each day, considering the seemingly endless channels for lucrative deals based on name recognition.

What? Get on with it! Okay. Loulou de la Falaise, muse and collaborator of the dearly departed Yves St. Laurent and creator of jewelry for his haute couture and ready-to-wear collections, is now peddling her designs on HSN - the Home Shopping Network.

Who would've thunk it but she now has something in common with Tori Spelling, Beyonce's mum Tina Knowles and Suzanne Somers, who are selling everything from shoes to shrugs via the TV and online retailer.

de la Falaise, whose line includes women's shoes, jewelry, handbags and accessories, was described by WWD.com as "sounding like someone’s fashionable Parisian aunt as she instructed women on how to put looks from her collection together" during her HSN appearance Thursday morning.

I watched a clip of her bangles spot on the HSN website. The host repeatedly pronounces her name 'Fa-leeze'. The interaction between Loulou and this host is like Karl Lagerfeld making small talk with the check-out lady at Wal-Mart. Worlds are colliding.

Forget Sentiment, the Price Tag on Your Teddy is What Matters

Karl Lagerfeld has filled a gap in the market, that being a lack of luxury teddy bears at an appropriately exclusive price. (I hate it when I can only find teddies for $20.) The designer's $1500 limited edition Mini-Mich (only 2,500 were produced) is made of alpaca, comes with tight, slick black pants and that collar. This little Teddybär is available at Neiman Marcus next month.

I would love to see the confused looks on the faces of the kids who get these as gifts. There's nothing worse than a toy that thinks it's cooler than you.

Photo from W

B-Boy Karl Works it in Harpers Bazaar

Karl Lagerfeld revealed to Harper's Bazaar "Believe it or not, I love rap." I believe it, Karl. With your dozens of loaded up iPODS and the badass attitude that scored you the gig in Grand Theft Auto IV, it's not that inconceivable.

The magazine's September issue features a spread on designers dressing as fantasy characters. Others include Giorgio Armani as Fred Astaire, Roberto Cavalli doing Rhett Butler, and Michael Kors channelling James Stewart's L.B. Jeffries character from Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window. It appears that Lagerfeld rocking the Phat Farm jeans as a rapper is the most interesting character by far, which is owed to his being such a great one himself. What would we do without him? 

I wish the photo was bigger, or that I'd remembered to pick up a copy before leaving Canada, so I could closely inspect what is going on under his jacket - do I see his signature earlobe-grazing collar peeking out? Pure Karl.

I can't wait for the Jay-Z/Timbaland/Karl Lagerfeld collaboration.

Source

Can You Handle It? Avante-Garde Mixes With Tradition

What do you get when you cross the boundary-breaking, forward-thinking design of Comme des Garcons with the steeped-in-tradition luxury of Louis Vuitton? Some kind of an octo-handbag, it would seem.

Rei Kawakubo, President of Comme des Garcons, was inspired by what she saw in Japan's first Louis Vuitton store and now, decades later, has designed a hybrid collection of six one-off bags to celebrate the 30 years of Louis Vuitton in Japan. She says she "kept Louis Vuitton's traditional concept as it is, but sometimes two handles become one, sometimes two handles become eight..." and there you go.

It seemed odd when I first saw it, which is kind of the point of Kawakubo's avant-garde, artistic designs, but then I got it. To alter the bag compartment with her signature methods would mock what Japan so loves about LV, so going with the usual straps but multiplying them at different lengths is actually quite a brilliant solution - so simple yet impactful.

I'm not a fan of the LV logo bags, but I do like how this little showpiece carries the model into interesting territory - if only to serve as a tribute. Too bad it won't be on the street - can you imagine what the knock-offs would look like??

Here's Rei Kawakubo, she turns 66 this year. Respect.

Source: Nitrolicious

How to Rock the Coloured Wig (pay attention Britney)

Since the Cookie Monster arrived on the scene, few can say they've rocked the blue hair so fabulously. And of those, even fewer are correct in their assessment. And then there's Jacqui. On a lesser human being, the wig, Hawaiian lei, and foil tiara would look cheap. On Jacqui, it's high fashion.

There is no move she won't - or can't - bust on the dance floor. The robot, the running man, the worm. She'll walk like an Egyptian and keep up with the Grease soundtrack medley without missing a beat, or lyric. Her innate ability to engage others on the dance floor leaves gay men feeling confused, women in awe, and straight men just a little gay. At any given time there's a 1/4 drunk rum and Coke left on the table, for she must dance. And nothing, and no one, can stop her. And who would want to? We salute you, Jacqui. Happy 37th.

Karl Lagerfeld Shows Off Cool New Robot Hand

Kaiser Karl recently appeared in public with what looks to be a space-age robot hand, replacing his right human hand (except for the fingertips which he apparently opted to keep). Whispers amongst fashion insiders reveal that the hand desperately required radical measures to repair what had sadly become a gnarled and wizzened appendage, due to years of obsessive self-cooling with a dainty hand-held fan and gripping ice-cold cans of Diet Coke (brilliantly remedied by his employment of a beverage butler, if only a little too late).

Sources say that this is the first phase toward a complete transformation, which we could all see coming, as Mr. Lagerfeld's face and ears are the only flesh he will now expose to the world (and sometimes that little window cut-out in his racing gloves). Speculation is rampant that his morph of choice is the tres apropo Cylon - the bio-mechanical, bad-ass beings from the TV series Battlestar Galactica. Watch for his grand debut at Paris Fashion Week,  A/W 2008.

More Impressive than those Weiner Dog Balloons

Your local party store may be all you need to create your own versions of the innovative Maison Martin Margiela's latest dresses, tops, jackets and jewelry.

The haute couture season in Paris showed collections that Suzy Menkes of the International Herald Tribune described as "architectural" due to the use of "sharp angles and circle shapes". and MMM's balloon twist jacket would fall under that category. I'm guessing there are no zippers or buttons, and that many highly skilled clowns were recruited to produce this squeaky piece (a nice break from kids' birthday parties).

There's also a dress made of records and a necklace created out of brass wire made to look like gift ribbons. According to Diane, A Shaded View of Fashion, the wire is coated in silver to make a piece of plastron jewelry, and a crepe de chine dress is covered with cut-up 35 and 45 rpm records that were reshaped when warm to mould to the shape of the body.

And that's why it's haute couture.

Wimbledon 2008: Sharapova Screams and Moans in Tailored Shorts

Fashion is as much a part of professional tennis  as  topspin and forehands. My earliest recollection of a media frenzy over court attire was when American Anne White donned a white, skin-tight catsuit at Wimbledon in 1985 (which officials deemed 'not appropriate tennis attire'; she showed up in a more demure outfit the next day.)

When Serena Williams appeared on court at the 2004 US Open wearing black knee-high boots created by Nike (which I think consisted of a contraption attached to her court shoes, worn during warm-up then removed for the match), we all thought she'd lost her mind. Worn with a denim jacket, top and skirt, I couldn't imagine a more uncomfortable ensemble for undertaking such an important physical contest, regardless of the amount of stretch.

Then again, I don't even understand the necklaces and large hoop earrings the women wear. The freakishly vocal Maria Sharapova seems committed to those long, gold, drop earrings that swing wildy about, as if they make up for sweaty, stringy hair and a red, acne-erupted chin. Seriously, how can one think of accessorising considering this? Has she looked in the mirror after her matches? Glitz and zits don't work. Just like red lipstick is a no-no with a break-out. Thankfully no one has been that daft - yet.

However, her outfits of the past few years have been the most fashionable (if not a bit over the top). It seems she views the court as her catwalk, especially during the Slams, and Nike (again) is only too happy to oblige and soak up all media fuss. Daytime matches warrant cute and demure, night matches possibly some serious black sparkle. When she walks onto the court wearing one of her carefully planned evening ensembles, and it is an ensemble - there's always a coordinated jacket and hair clips (again, looking rather awkward in sweaty, stringy hair), I can't help but think her need to dazzle with the clothes has eclipsed the reason she's there in the first place - to play tennis. Then again, if you knew anything about the ultra-intense Yuri, her father/coach/oppressor known to be a 'nasty' guy, you'd doubt she could be thinking about anything else on court, for there would surely be hell to pay.

On that light note, let's talk about what she wore at Wimbledon last week! She lost in the second round to an unknown, so sadly, who knows what she had planned for the final had she made it there.  

'(Ahem), Good evening ladies and gentlemen, it's a delight to have you here with us tonight. Arriving first on centre court we have the lovely Maria in a Wimbledon-friendly white fitted jacket and matching tailored shorts, a rare choice for the skirt and dress-wearing top seed. Oh, there's the Nike swoosh, oh, how that completes the look. Maria is removing the jacket - seems there was a chill in the hallway from the ladies changeroom to the court - she's revealing a sleeveless, tuxedo front and otherwise sheer top - the sports bra is covering your modesty nicely, Maria, heh heh - and that swoosh again, just to remind us we're at a sporting event and NOT London fashion week, heh heh heh. Well played, Maria!

(Don't) Touch Me Baby, I'm Electric

 This self-defence jacket from No Contact gives any creep who tries to grab you 80,000 volts of low amperage electric current pulses (the equivalent of quickly chugging 6 Red Bulls), causing disorientation, loss of balance, and best of all, pain.

You turn it on with a key in advance (so maybe wait until after you've got off the tube or refrain during torrential rains) and while activated you can actually see the arcing current in the strip near the neck. A rubber inset prevents self-electrocution.

While it's nice to feel safe, I'm not sure this would be necessary to wear on a regular basis unless I lived in a place particularly dense with pervs and muggers.

Just one question - is it still effective if the guy is on PCP?

See the demonstration (narrated in German, I believe, but you can easily follow) of a guy getting it good and the girl really enjoying it:

Source

Feathers Are Huge Right Now, Everybody's Wearing Them

 The hilarious Candy Kirby created this comparison photo for her Who Wore it Best feature and I had to share, for two reasons:

1. Kelly Ripa appears to be wearing a full-body furry boot:

  

2. That ostrich looks FIERCE in her ebony plumage. And check out the pose - now THAT's the way to show off a look with confidence.

Karl Lagerfeld Offers Solution to Miami's Gun Deficit

 Karl Lagerfeld recently debuted the Chanel Resort 2009 collection in Miami and it featured a curious piece of footwear, the 'Miami Vice' pistol-heeled shoe. The killer heel was inspired by an image of a gun Lagerfeld saw (rumoured to be model Freja Beha-Erichsen's tattoo as seen on the Dior Cruise 2009 catwalk, real-or-not debate ongoing) which he then gave to shoe designer Laurence Decade. And bang, there you have it.

I assume Karl's having a laugh with a pun here but who knows, he is drawn to the darker side of things according to some statements he made about the video game Grand Theft Auto (he appears digitally in the fourth version as a DJ):

"I prefer to be in a video game than to play with it. I would love to be a very nasty, politically incorrect character."

Just one thought about the shoe - probably not the best thing to bring along on holiday, airport security may not appreciate the humour.

 Freja and her 'tattoo'

My favourite non-ballistic looks from the collection: