Golden Age

Rei Kawakubo could not be anymore intimate in her collection for autumn/winter 2011. To be more personal, she gives it a go to spend her 40 years worth of collecting scarves into one shoulder dresses, jackets that stretch to extreme asymmetric.

Fading Maison

There is something going on over at the Maison Martin Margiela. An alternate universe the journalists, buyers, and loyal fans stepped into. Still, something is weird in the air. Last season, the models walked at a slow pace, wearing stiff sandwich boards in the front of the garment; that proved to be a visually arresting trompe l'oeil. Autumn/Winter '11 offered something less complex, screaming a subtle hint of intellectual sensuality, bursting at the seams, literally.

The story behind this collection is about dresses and the myriad of possibilities of how it should be worn: over or underneath a coat. Then there is the coat that had the option to be worn openly as a dress or simply hanging off the arm, much like peeling wallpaper. This "peeling" effect worked at the seams of dresses, all the way to the ruched boots. Gloves were half zipped, falling just below the knee. Fuchsia, forest green, and cream white patent leather skirts peek behind the dresses(or was it a coat?), exhibiting the "hidden behind" theme that resonates for many seasons now. Rabbit fur is transformed into a gorgeous floor sweeping skirt, matched with "peeling" silver gloves. Everyone seemed to have overlooked the ash gray silk dress, casually hanging off the neck as a scarf in an interesting placing. Don't miss the rings, nonchalantly connected with the bracelet that seem to resemble industrial type tools. The clutches that were sent out had a fold-over effect. It looked like folded up discarded leather material, remaining from the dresses.

The Maison always put on a show that toyed with the notions of disheveled looks, paired with anti-commercialism. However, it seemed to have lost some spark, magic and the weirdness in his shows; that left when the mastermind left the house. Only it's up to the team to bring it back.

Etchings

So many beautiful people have entered my life lately. I wouldn't say that I met so many, but these fellow couchsurfers that crossed my path has inspired the little things in my life, such as my daily thoughts, sketching, and outlook on life. I hope the summer arrives soon so I can be up and out to travel.

Kudos.

Archives

Automne/Hiver 1997-1998






'Hiroshima Chic'


Boy was I very excited to come across Rei Kawakubo's garments for Comme des Garçons. I rarely get a glimpse into her early archives since I have no way of locating them. Same goes for Maison Martin Margiela and Ann Demeulmeester. But voilà! I found them through hour and hours of scouring blogs and such history sites and so on.

Let's face it: we will never understand Kawakubo's intention or message, but from what we can draw is that she intends to exploit the idea that people shouldn't have to see beauty to understand beauty. It is seen in every waking life. That is one of the things I am fascinated with her. Her fears: "Suppose everyone like my collection and says, 'The show was great' and 'The clothes were beautiful,' then I become very uneasy. I would hate myself for having made something so easy to understand."

France's Dilemma

I seem to be lagging behind on such important engagements and other priorities these days, maybe I'm burnt out? I am very excited about the prospect of me going off to do an academic year abroad in Western Europe, but not sure which country I plan to study in. Surely, Spain and Italy are definitely the places that focus on art history, as well as studio art. I'm part Spanish and Italian, I'd fit in very well. But to narrow down the area I want to focus on is in German Expressionism or simply modernism; clearly Germany or Belgium are cut out for me.

Seeing that I'm minoring in French and I've learned a considerable amount of French the past couple months, and still learning, it is hard to not imagine myself in Montpelier, France, soaking up all the laid-back and chic lifestyle there. Guilt. But I'll come around to this huge discussion sometime in the fall semester, hoping to get in for the spring semester. It all depends on getting my GPA from 2.9 to a 3.5 for the myriad of scholarships and grants I could be rewarded.

Enough of that, I wanted to share some new sketches I made in the last couple days. Something very simple and clean, exemplifying the daily life.

Seasons

I am very anticipated for fashion season now. New York City is today, and March 1st through the 9th is Paris.



Meanwhile, I drew a sketch of a 'vintage' compass in India ink of an idea that represents time and direction, something that emits my inner nomad personality. Something very subtle and simple. I fathom how easy it will take with the detailed lines and small characteristics of this drawing. We'll see how it looks when I go and shop around for artists.

False Objects

untitled(warnings), collage, photography. 10" x 12". 2011.



untitled collage, photography. 10" x 12". 2011.

Exploration through natural and man-made materials, creating a harmonious collision that challenges the notion of our conformity.