Second Life

Anne-Sofie Back presented its A/W 2010 collection in Shanghai last week with a runway show. I was surprised to hear about such a directional label choosing to show in Shanghai, which despite its cosmopolitan status, still has a long way to go in developing its fashion industry and catching up with Hong Kong. Still, I was happy to hear of such a familiar and well-loved name making a presence in my home away from home.

Both pieces from the more basic/separates-heavy Back by Ann-Sofie Back line and the main line were presented. I was particularly taken with the sheer flowing dresses (as per usual); and it was good to see that the slashing and shredding techniques seen in her A/W 2009 collection were still in play here. The loose, drapey fabrics prominently featured in collection, which was inspired by Second Life can be seen as a metaphorical interpretation of the perpetually in-flux and pre-assembled appearances, identities and lives of the Second Life characters. For example, many pieces (like the dress seen above) had design features that exaggerated the musculature of the human body, in correlation with Second Life characters’ often over-enhanced, big-muscled and large-breasted avatars.

it was cunning it was done with style

First order of business…congrats to Gracekat on winning the giveaway!

As we know, today was the launch of the highly anticipated +J line at Uniqlo. I had set my alarm to go off early but somehow jolted awake an hour later than scheduled and when I finally arrived, my heart sank- the line nearly went around the block. Don’t any of these people have jobs???

I had the advantage of knowing exactly what I wanted to get but I had a hard time finding them in the right color and size combinations, as much of the stock was depleted already, though it was only a few hours after the doors had opened.

What I tried on:

This long coat would have fit impeccably had I been able to find one in my size, otherwise it was perfect. Same goes for the shirt underneath, with Jil’s signature collar. Wish I could explain the details of the shirt that make it so well-constructed.

Would have snapped this up but I couldn’t find it in black. I’m particular about the way jackets fit- I like them to fit really snug and cut razor sharp, with high-set armholes. And sleeves always tend to be too long for my arms, but not these! They were the perfect length

In the end, I met the two pieces halfway and got this long wool blazer. Love the ever so slightly nipped waist. They were all made of this soft, lightweight yet substantial wool blend, not cheap, thin or scratchy at all. (PLEASE bear with me…having serious camera issues right now, even the DSLR is on the fritz.)

In honor of the occasion, I decided to break out my new (old?) Jil Sander collection boots from fall 2007. Bought them last month for something like 85% off!

After thinking it over for a bit and looking through my closet, I’m seriously considering exchanging the long blazer for the short one as I don’t have many jackets that length. Impulse is also a factor here as I’m increasingly drawn to the details of the former…the slanted pocket for example. Guess I’m headed back there…

Back on the Grind

Look who’s back….the hiatus from blogging was necessary as I was feeling frazzled, uninspired and overwhelmed by the pressure of keeping up with the ~blogosphere~ (typing out that word makes me cringe so hard).

Especially at a time where everything supposedly new and exciting just seem like unecessary additions to an already over-saturated and homogeneous market. It seems like a lot of these new young brands pop up solely to target bloggers and their often young readerships with renditions of the same white-hot trends over and over again and have no viable plans for sustaining their labels. When people allow themselves to be pandered to so easily, why not? It might be too early to tell, but I expect we’ll be seeing a lot of unfortunate flame-outs in the not so distant future.

And the homogeneity doesn’t just end there. Everything is simply “sooo killer”, wicked, extreme and hardcore 2 the max these days, it seems. Nice Cramps and Misfits shirts, I wonder if much of the populace in question have ever listened to a single song of theirs before. (Personally, I’m not a fan and think it’s absolutely heinous to wear a shirt of a band that you know nothing about in earnest.) Dressing in a certain style is one thing, but you shouldn’t really have to change your whole persona to fit the look and get the “cred”.

Wondering if I should even bother trying to catch up and read the backlog posts? It might be impossible at this point, haha.

( Vogue Paris via tFS)

On a more positive note, start saving your pennies for +J, Uniqlo’s line created in conjunction with Jil Sander.

It’s not just hype!! I was beyond fortunate enough to assist on the shoot for the campaign and scrutinize every single piece in the line. None of the images released so far do any justice to the collection!

There are THE best wool coats, razor sharp trousers, blazers, shirts, super soft cardigans and so on. The quality and fits are goooood. Personally, I’m looking to pick up one of the blazers and a coat, so you can be sure I’ll be there bright and early when it’s released in October, obligations be damned!

And the campaign is really beautiful too…wonder when the rest if it will come out?

Shot by David Sims and styled by Joe McKenna, longtime Jil Sander collaborator- he used to style her campaigns and shows when she still had ownership of her namesake brand, so he definitely knows what he’s doing. I was a bit dubious of the choice to use Isabeli Fontana for this at first, but it just shows how very little I know about such marketing matters… she looks great and really showcases how elegant and impeccable the clothes are.

epic fail

Breaking self-imposed blog ban to clear my head a bit.

I’m still fuming over Alaia’s glaring ommission from the Costume Institute’s Model As Muse exhibit, considering that Alaia’s working history practically defined that special relationship between designer and model. His pieces should have been presented up front and center. Here we see the politics of dueling continental curatorial sensibilities in action. I’m really surprised that someone as respected and sensitive as Harold Koda would provide such a weak response about this. Once again, Anna Wintour’s commercial interests and stagnant, decidedly pedestrian taste dictates the agenda, lauding the likes of Justin Timberlake/ William Rast instead. Maybe this is just bitterness speaking as I won’t get a chance to examine Alaia’s works up close now!

Now, back to work…40 pages to write by next week then I’m free!

endtroducing

Aoi Kotsuhiroi

I was recently introduced to the stunning, atmospheric works of Aoi Kotsuhiroi…I’ll let the images do the talking.

These creations are painstakingly constructed out of materials such as human hair, semi-precious stones, lacquer, and “pit-fired porcelain”.

Clearly, these correspond well with the resurgence of hair used as adornment, whether on clothes or accessories. These bring to mind Victorian mourning jewelry.

Please take a look at the website for more pieces, as well as some gorgeous photography.

**All images courtesy of Aoi Kotsuhiroi

top of the shops

Yes, I too ventured into Topshop on opening day. The long line around the blog was a bit absurd but I was too curious to check out the offerings..

I definitely winced at the prices- as of now they are higher than the actual exchange rate-. The store was overwhelming- loud blasting music, and so many styles of clothing and not enough eyes to examine them all..I felt quite dazed at one point.

However, I had the pleasure of meeting the lovely Tiffany of Six Six Sick ! She was so warm and amiable, despite my social ineptitude. We commiserated over footwear….

Speaking of, they had the Unique shoes I’ve wanted forever. They didn’t have my size, so sad!

I found a motorcycle jacket that would be perfect for spring, made out of a sheer silky grey material.

Yes, those are the Pierre Hardy x Gap sandals. Didn’t get the jacket as I am on a self-imposed ban from buying any more jackets.

Ended up with this simple and soft tank dress with side darts. It might go back..

jagged edge

Although the exploding label Meadham Kirchhoff incorporates plenty of elements that I tend to enjoy in their designs (sheer galore, sharp tailoring) I find myself ambivalent about their collections (for example, their jeans are way too over-designed). Still, I like these:

I’m a sucker for anything with a sweetheart neckline! Available here.

http://www.meadhamkirchhoff.com

Still Here

Despite the unorthodox, “out there” (and overly precious) references often mentioned here, they are not reflected as much as I would like in my admittedly homogeneous personal style.

Particularly during those bleak, freezing mornings when I’m flailing around still half asleep, can’t bother with much besides making it to class on time. So I just throw on the old reliables that are comfortable and look decent under most circumstances.

How many black sweaters, angular cut jackets and draped tops can one possibly own?

Examples from a recent outing:

I was quite derisive about the “new” Helmut Lang in a previous post, but that did not stop me from being drawn to these two pieces (did not buy).

Biker jacket made out of a paper thin grey leather.

…and a grey silk tank with a similar form.

***My criticism of Helmut Lang still stands- though some pieces are certainly easy to wear, there is nothing innovative or special about it. Just because a plain cotton tank top has an asymmetrical hem or a dangling bondage strap doesn’t mean it’s worth $250.00. And this holds true for so many other overpriced brands within the “minimalist” niche of the contemporary market.

These also caught my eye while browsing around the other day:

(Complex Geometries)

(Various)

See what I mean?

It’s not even a conscious decision at this point, really. These are all quite unnecessary as I already have scads of similar pieces- but I rationalize new purchases by looking for small details that the “old” ones don’t have ..such a differently angled driped, or an extra series of closures. Silly, but I just call it consistency.

As the weather warms up and symptoms of S.A.D. are alleviated, hopefully more ambitious details will be incorporated into the daily outfits…

wrap it up

Mark down another individual to the roster of those disappointed with (most of) the fall collections so far- I can barely be bothered to take a second glance. I’m kind of burnt out at the moment.

The VMan/Ford party at the Sky Rink was such a fun way to end the week! (as you can see in the video below).

I only wish I had actually WENT ON THE ICE! But I dared not risking a fall in front of so many discerning people.

With that said, some quick thoughts:

Glad to see prior acknowledgements of the horror theme, realized in the flesh (of course I won’t take credit as it was only matter of time until bondage progressed to bandage).

Mummified wrapping thigh high boots at Rodarte.

Cut out leg wrappings at A. Wang.

Completely enamored by the caged body armor fashioned out of gold daggers by Pamela Love, at Frank Tell. Would love to attempt a DIY version of this.

Boots at Proenza Schouler.

round it down

Official confirmation of Olivier Theysken’s forthcoming departure from Nina Ricci leads me to wonder if pre-fall ’09 was a last-ditch effort to appease the management, or a symptom of the tensions between the designer vision and the company’s attempt to commercialize.

We see this in the prominent usage of accessories. Many of the looks are certainly quite accessible, not to mention covetable. Many of the pre-fall collections feature an undeniable street style derived angularity, (see Balenciaga and Proenza Schouler; this is no exception.