Sunday, February 28, 2010

Versus A/W 2010



Christopher Kane can do no wrong in my opinion.
Inky Bruce Weber prints, cupcake skirts, biased cut leather jackets and dangerously sexy knee-high boots. What’s not to love?
The collection is truly electric,
and is certainly going to bring in some major dollars for the Donatella house.

Charles Anastase x Longchamp



I have never wanted anything so damn much.
covet, i covet.

The best Longchamp collaboration to date in my opinion.

V mag PUSH IT REAL GOOD





V magazine’s  Salt-n-Pepa inspired editorial is so BANG ON!
Featuring stunners Liya Kebede and Lily Donaldson sporting a mash up of all my favourite eighties fashions including mesh dresses, gigantic gold door knockers, acid wash denim and fluro nylon jackets.
I can’t wait to get my hands on the actual issue, as it’s jammed packed with more lust worthy editorials
including the supa hawt Raquel Zimmerman playing a crazy housewife shot by Mario Sorrenti.

monday musings



First day of freedom/temporary unemployment and I have spent most of the morning in bed.
HURRAY!
I haven’t had a vacation in three years,
so there is no guilt.
BUT we shall see how long  it lasts,
before restlessness and the need to make $$ forces me out the door
and far far away from my grey jersey linens.

HURTS – doom pop darlings



If there is one musical act that I am looking forward to break in 2010 it’s Manchester’s male doom-pop duo HURTS.
I am completely obsessed with their shoe-gazing 80′s synth/rock/pop/noir ‘n’ b sound, and their extremely minimalist approach to both their music and image fuels the intrigue.

I’ve had the two videos below on an insane loop,
and rumor has it the boys will come out with an album sometime in April.
I genuinely haven’t been this excited since Florence and The Machine, The XX and fellow Manchester lads Delphic.
Thank you Britannia once again for delivering the goods.
I am sorry as all we have to offer is Justin Beiber at the mo’
EUGH.


Suno A/W 2010



So it’s no secret that my obsession with print is a teeny bit of a problem. And yes while I am a huge fan of Marc Jacobs’ current more demure collection, I need have to be honest with my self. Big mouth and big curls do not equal geek chic. So while my wannabe inner nerd takes a back seat for another season -albeit it’s still FAR too early to tell- I want more print.

Max Osterweis and Erin Beatty superlative A/W 2010 collection for Suno was a fresh of breath air amongst the gothic Proenza Schoul girls and hyper-Americana. The design duo found inspiration in Kenya for the collection, combining batik prints with acid brights. What I find to be the most intriguing is the cohesion between the luxe velvet, the hyper colour combinations and the battle of the prints.
I thought it was such a well rounded presentation that was choc-a-block full of fun and totally fantastical.
I want every single piece!

Saturday, February 27, 2010

red label levis


Dear Boy Face,

You smelt of laundry and cigarettes,
A combination I could not resist.
I wanted to kiss you fingers,
play with your hair,
and scratch at your skin.
Wanting your ripped Levis on the floor
and your tongue in my mouth.
Spent my morning listening to Elastica instead,
wait for my phone to skip and buzz.

In other news, countdown to London Town begins.
And no, i don’t mean Ontario.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Bora Aksu A/W 2010



The Turkish born and London based Bora Aksu brings ethereal delights with a bit if bite to the run way with his Autumn/Winter 2010 collection. Aksu’s strength seems to lie in his methodical play with contradiction. His lovely deftly disheveled mannequins stomp down the runway like powdery feminine droids ready to woo one in to submission. The pale colour palette of peaches, pinks and pastel blues marry beautifully with the earthy tones of brown and copper. Here the sharp shouldered mini dresses are coupled with black paneled tights and sky high mary-janes. The leg-wear is a slight rework of his past collection, and is bound to be a commercial success. The dusky piping, sheer panels, and lace crisscross like tendrils along the bust before being shredded, slashed, whipped and ruffled back in the place. An intriguing take on the three-piece suit is made up of black wet-look harem pants and a white pouffe blouse that sweeps at the neck and ends with a bow.
The romantic layers, the sharp silhouette and inky black touches seem to tease. Like little divine beings they float, dreamy, but come to close and these delicate beauties become warrior princesses.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Marc Jacobs A/W 2010



I have always been a huge fan of brash print, over the top confections ,pomp and fluff. Maybe it’s age or perhaps the wicked case of H1N1 currently ripping my immune system to shreds, but as of right now, I crave nothing by serenity. Thankfully Marc Jacobs manages to deliver exactly what I ordered. Bless him!
The neutral palette suggestion was immediate as soon as the lights went up at Lexington Armory. Like the thousands along with me, I managed to capture the magic live online and was instantaneously pleased. Juliette Greco’s raspy rendition of ‘Over the Rainbow’ slowly drew me in, at first startled by the lack of nu-neon of collections past, but contented to see that Marc ventured back in time to his signature best. Simplicity.
One by one, and fifty-six strong, the dowdy chic mannequins weaved through the rows in tweeds, gorgeous little awkward pussy bow blouses and ankle length skirts paired with ill-fitting isle sweaters. I loved the use of the gray, beige, nude and black, which are neutrals that I find hard to mix and match myself. Here Marc played with colors and proportions so beautifully, case in point the shearling collared coats and the 50’s inspired knee length skirts. My favorites included the divinely nerdy sequin cardigan, the wide-legged three-piece suit and butter yellow hued lingerie dress that sang sweetly to me.
I haven’t been moved by Marc’s work in sometime, so I am so super pleased! I welcome this tranquil movement, with arms wide open, seeking beauty in the familiar and safe.

top fave.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

To Mark Fast, A Love Letter



img courtesy of Raymund Galsim

I’ve been called a hopeless romantic. Some whisper it in whimsy and understanding, while others choose to the spit the words at me, almost hissing with disdain.
I am a romantic. But am I hopeless? Yes. I believe in it more than religion and science.
For romance is love, and love is good.
Love is great! Love is everything and anything you want it to be.

I tend to fall in love often.
I am in love with my friends and family.
With chocolate biscuits, the nineties and camels crossing deserts.
I am in love with pop art, flat faced kittens, sketchy loft parties and afros.
With melodies, memories and men.
There is one man in particular who holds my current fancy (and no I don’t mean Cole Mohr, although my love for him is eternal).
The man I speak of is the darling Mark Fast,
the Canadian born wunderkind that I was lucky enough to meet, one frosty morning. It was my first ‘real’ interview, and one that I wasn’t at all prepared for to be completely honest. Only expecting a few moments to glance at Fast’s pieces I was pleasantly surprised to find that his initial appointment was running behind. So I jumped at the chance, and I am still grateful for the chat!
“No, No, don’t worry!” the soft spoken Fast ushered me to a white lounge chair where we sat and I had admitted my fear of looking like a fool. “You’ll do fine.” We spoke of his homecoming, and how happy he was being back to his beloved great white North. Based in England for the last eight years, Fast, welcomed Toronto’s change of pace but there was nothing but love for the great London Town. “There is inspiration in every corner and every alleyway. You can’t help but be inspired.” And what of Central Saint Martins? A school so steeped in history and talent and where Fast graduated with both a BA and MA degrees. “At Saint Martins I was allowed to explore. There was always someone there for you, but we were given free reign. It was just so great because you were mixed in with all the artists, photographers and MA designers. All of us in one building… it was exciting.”
Long before the London Fashion Week commotion, and the scrutiny to follow, it was my mother- a great admirer of Stuart Vevers and the Loewe brand- who turned me on to Mark Fast after their collaboration for the brands Fall 09 collection. Fast forward a year later, I sat, skimming through style.com and marveling over his SS10 pieces. Here cocktail dresses were spun together with Swarovski crystals and pearls. The intricate cobwebbed knits were barely covering the models’ delicate bits, skin playing a teasing game of peek-a-boo. My favourite, the little grey number, where little leather scallops were stitched tight around the sleeves and body. As the model walked the leather pieces would swish and dance, a sense of movement I found to be total genius.

“I’ve always been texture driven.” Fast replied when asked about his use of knits. “In knitwear you are in charge of the texture, in charge of the fabric itself, so anything is possible.” He describes the use of the A-Poc machine, made famous by Issey Miyake, as his state if the art kitchen. “It used to be fire and sticks at first, but once you get a kitchen you can start cooking.” He adds walking me through his pieces, and the detailing behind each. “(Now) this is fine cuisine.”
And I couldn’t agree more.


Then came the big question- or at least the one most asked. Hesitant, I looked down at my notes, before biting the plus-size model bullet. “As a curvy girl I was thrilled! But were you expecting such an overwhelming response?” I asked, expecting annoyance, but in turn I received a smile and was answered with such genuine honesty. “No! It’s just that my clothes suit girls with real curves.” He replied laughing. “I knew that the clothes would be for all types of bodies, because it stretches, and that’s the nature of the product. I just thought these women were gorgeous and why not? Let’s have fun with fashion, let’s not be so serious and robotic.”
We chatted a bit more, ate chocolate cupcakes, and gossiped about the lovely British ‘It Girls’ I admired. “Who your ideal Mark Fast woman?” I asked at one point. “She changes all the time. Tilda Swinton, or Jen Brill. Do you know her? Terry Richardson’s girl friend.”
Yes! I agree. Total girl crush. My zeal catches him off guard, and we laugh again. But soon it’s time for me to leave, and I feel oddly heart-broken. I mention my move to London at the end of the year, and my combined sense of fear and excitement. “You’ll love it,” he replies as we air-kiss good-bye. “Come by the studio and we’ll have tea!” And it was at that very moment I realized I had fallen in love.

The Mark Fast collection and the diffusion line Faster can now be found at Holt Renfrew, Browns Fashion and 10 Corso Como.

www.markfast.net



Monday, February 8, 2010

hysteria | t.s. elliot



As she laughed I was aware of becoming involved
in her laughter and being part of it, until her
teeth were only accidental stars with a talent
for squad-drill. I was drawn in by short gasps,
inhaled at each momentary recovery, lost finally
in the dark caverns of her throat, bruised by
the ripple of unseen muscles. An elderly waiter
with trembling hands was hurriedly spreading
a pink and white checked cloth over the rusty
green iron table, saying: “If the lady and
gentleman wish to take their tea in the garden,
if the lady and gentleman wish to take their
tea in the garden …” I decided that if the
shaking of her breasts could be stopped, some of
the fragments of the afternoon might be collected,
and I concentrated my attention with careful
subtlety to this end.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

call it a fantasy









 

I am not at all sure if the Prada fantasy look book is old news,
but these images greet me in my dreams.
It’s so beautifully done,
I sit wistful.