Storyboard XI

These are the times when I have the most work yet these are also the times when I plod through the internet with an uncontrollable fervour looking for distracting photos... Oh well Jan van Eyck and I are on a break:

The crystalline Chanel set for the Fall 2012 collection. I don't know how Karl manages to keep coming up with ways to completely transform the Grand Palais, but each season they get more and more exceptional. However, nothing can top the time he imported a chunk of an iceberg for a Couture show.

Divine art? This image was snapped in Bankok when the sun shone through the clouds creating a hauntingly beautiful angelic figure in the sky.

Credit goes to my friend Meaghan for this... Artist Sean Avery takes our old CDs (when was the last time you bought a CD?) , shatters them and uses the splintered shards and turns them into mind blowing sculptures. Hands down my favourite, this one is a dragon made of old circuit boards and disks.

Just an image I pulled from a rather outlandish editorial. Her piercing eyes and red makeup are beautifully contrasted by the washed out colours of the rest of the shot. Wouldn't mind that cage ring

Sum sum summa... if I didn't have two completely different sized feet I would be out rocking these ALDO sandals with a vengeance.

This is not just a beautiful photograph but actually a sculpture created by American artist Andres Amador in the sand. He carves gigantic patterns into the sand (some 300 x 500 ft) in a matter of hours all to be seen fleetingly and then washed away. It's the perfect example of ephemeral art and in a way reminds me of Robert Smithson's Sprial Jetty (below).

The final model from the Threeasfour Fall 2012 collection. She looks like some sort of poison ivy plant and an amphibious gladiator. 

No it's not a roller coaster, but actually an interactive staircase/ sculpture by German artists Heike Mutter and Ulrich Genth. This came from a whole article on staircases... which was surprisingly interesting and I can now say that I will forever appreciate staircase design.

When I get bored of my collection of Crayola pencils I may just turn them into a fascinator of sorts. I could be the next Philip Treacy. I'd hang this shot in my 'salon' if I had one mostly because I'm obsessed with Jil Sander right now and I love to colour. Art and Fashion, awesome.

I'm always in awe of our planet, especially after watching documentaries like Planet Earth or Life. This photo was taken from space and shows a lava crater in Mauritania. Makes me want to go travelling (again)...

Street artist Mark Jenkins turns the "street into a stage" with his wonderful sculptures made of ... packing tape. And apparently he's taking a break from making these brilliant sculptures and is off to judge a tape art contest, who knew those existed?

- Life is good

[Chanel, Clouds, CD Dragon, Headshot, Sandal, Stairs, Headshot 2, Sand, Spiral Jetty, Threeasfour, Tape Art, Crater]

Listening to: 'Wonderwall' - Milo & Otis Remix

Observations: Jealousy is kicking in thinking about my family packing for their adventure in China

Craving: Wishing I could go with them

Let the sun shine

Though I was initially pissed when Mo, my housemate's dog, broke his way into my room thus waking me up and upsetting my artful floor-nest of clothes, I really am glad he did. It's a beautiful day and even though my prospects of enjoying fresh air are limited I think a run is on my horizon. I'll leave you with this wonderful editorial from the February issue of Harper's Bazaar featuring Bette Franke shot by Lachlan Bailey. This is what I really wish I could do today, or how I would dress, or where I would be give the choice:

Take it easy out there.

- Life is good

[Fashion Gone Rogue]

Listening to: "Sun" - Kenton Slash Demon
Observations: I hate Vasari
Craving: That hour we lost to be returned

Storyboard X

I'm lazy these days (as opposed to usually, right?) so I'ma do a storyboard and lookee here, this is my TENTH, wow what an achievement.

One of my courses this semester is on German Architecture from 1800 - 1945 and it happens to be one of the greatest classes of all time. I like that it is not solely style based and in addition we look at cultural movements in the evolution of the German state and their influence on style... savey? Here we have the front door of architect Peter Behrens' house in the Jungendstil style which is characterized by dynamic, fluid lines similar to the curves seen in nature. Though Behrens adhered to this movement, he was one of the pioneers of the German modernist movement which moved away from abstraction and turned more sober and utilitarian.

Karlie Kloss at Kenzo showcasing some of their beautiful resin fruit earrings. The oranges almost look candied and ready to eat... yum

I love a good advertisement and this Mercedes commercial is both brilliant and intriguing because of the mix of science and art. If I had the money, sure I'd buy one.

Here's a shot from a Fashion Gone Rogue  editorial. I love this image because of the elegance of the model and the contrast between her dark shroud and the white stone of the building. Also I'll nerd out with some architectural jargon, but she reminds me of one of the Caryatid's from the Acropolis, female figures used instead of columns (below). She's the literal embodiment of a Corinthian column, the most feminine and decorative versus the stark, masculinity of the Doric column that she stands next to.

I discovered a new blog called The Cool Hunter and it really is... cool. This post dealt with amazing locales around the world that they recommend you should visit. Here we have Aiguill e du Midi in Chamonix; a mountain in France with one of the highest cable cars in Europe that leads to a panoramic viewing platform carved into the mountain. I'm really in the mood to explore.

Over three weeks ago Marc Jacobs showed his Fall 2012 collection where he employed sculptor Rachel Feinstein to create the set which was one of the best of the season. It looked like an abstract Dr. Seuss village from Oh the Places You'll Go, one of my favourite childhood books.

Photographer Roe Ethridge's still life reminds me of the tradition of still lifes I studied in my Dutch Baroque painting class last semester. Beautiful and deadly at the same time his version shows the fruit in one of the last states of decay whereas painters of the Baroque usually subtly alluded to the slow decay in the attempt to communicate a message about the brevity of life and vanitas. Below for you to compare is Caravaggio's Still Life with Fruit on a Ledge - upon first inspection it is just a basket of fruit, but all the food is just on the cusp of becoming inedible and rotting. There are worm holes in the apples, the leaves are drooping and the grapes are becoming discoloured.

And finally Style.com introduced me to this hilarious blog Darcel Disappoints by author/illustrator Craig Redman. In preparation for a 15 year anniversary party/show in Paris at the famous Colette boutique, Redman made a celebratory video called 150/15 which shows some of Colette's famous fans: fashion insiders, musicians, actors etc. It's really really cute and I'm a big fan of the achingly funny blog with it's sarcastic humour.

It's sunny outside! Have a great day all.

- Life is good

[Caravaggio, Roe Ethridge, Kenzo, Fashiongonerogue, Show sets, Cool Hunter, Peter Behrens. Darcel, Darcel Video, Mercedes]

Listening to: "The Half Killed" - Dario Marianelli (from Atonement, it's beautiful)
Observations: I need to fix my McQueen calendar... and clean my room... and redeem my donut win from Timmies
Craving: To be able to do a better squat

Adventure is out there

This intriguing, amazing editorial from Harper's Bazaar Australia has me in the mood to go travelling. It's one of those days where I need a change of scenery and this is the type of scenery I want to see... 

 

You know the joke about how Disney told the greatest love story in 8 minutes whereas it took Stephanie Meyers 4 books and even then it was mediocre. Well, this one is pretty fab and there are no words. It's so ridiculously atmospheric. I want to pack a bag with clothes like those and end up in the outback with a tent and my iPod for company. This is when fashion is right, so very right.

- Life is good

[Fashion Gone Rogue]

Listening to: "One Day" - Wankelmut

Observations: Hating on the weather

Craving: To be off on an adventure

The OTHER Madonna

Irrelevant as it may be, it was almost a month ago, Madonna's half time show at the Superbowl deserved your attention... sure, as did the football too.

Love or hate her, you have to admit that the woman looked pretty fabulous for 53. And she was made even more amazing by Riccardo Tisci, the designer wunderkind who currently helms design house Givenchy, one of my favourite brands. Riccardo designed all three looks exclusively for Madonna and the halftime show and kept with his opulent Couture aesthetic that he carries out so well at Givenchy.

Examples of Riccardo's last three Couture seasons for Givenchy. He takes the whole concept of "high dressmaking" to another more elevated fantastical level. Some of his pieces take hundreds of hours to complete and are so heavily laden with beads, jewels, chiffon paillettes and sequins that you often can't see the original fabric underneath. Truly visionary stuff.

Sketches of the three wondrous outfits designed by Riccardo. The golden "winged" cape she wore as she rode in her man-slave chair, the black and gold lbd/skirt-cape combo and finally her black gospel robe.

I thought the outfits made her look like a combination of Elizabeth Taylor's Cleopatra, a Roman gladiator and an old-school Gianni-era Versace girl as exemplified by Gaga in her "Edge of Glory" video.

Overall I thought she was amazing, though I'm not in love with her new song, but I can forgive her for that. After all this is the woman who created masterpieces like "Frozen" and "Hung Up", tracks that perpetually remain in my top 25 played.

Love me alittle Cee Lo. especially as a marching band leader. Madge is just going for it...

Pretty great advertising for Anna and the magazine

- Life is good

[Madonna, Elizabeth Taylor, Gaga, Givenchy, Vogue]

Listening to: "Siciliana Da Antiche Danze Ed Arie Suite III" - Ottorino Respighi

Observations: Struggle  bus

Craving: WeekEND