Oh, by the way...

BEAUTY: Art

2012-02-09T17:09:00.000-08:00

Adrienne Dagg works in a figurative paradigm but there is something so lovely and almost otherworldly about her use of paint. Her style is intense and lively. Just look at those delicious colors, all yummy and present, like cake frosting. Yet she does not let the medium overwhelm the image. She says in her mission statement, "As I paint I let my materials show their tactility while working to keep these mediums from overcoming and dominating the image. Like the mark making of the early impressionists, my work is a balancing act between maintaining a loose hand and keeping the marks laid down controlled and deliberate."

Top to bottom: Fluidity; The Body; Daydream; Pigeonhead; Laurence

http://www.adriennedagg.com

BEAUTY: Interior

2012-02-09T16:20:00.001-08:00

Alketas Pazis of Athens, Greece, runs Temporary-Showroom, a prop house for the filming industry (he has contributed to over 950 commercials and film productions), specializing in locating, rescuing, and reclaiming mid-century modern and industrial antiques. His home, immediately adjacent to his business, is also a perfectly curated collection of pieces that have been salvaged from hospitals, schools, gymnasiums, factories, and other such public, industrial spaces. It reminds me a cleaner, more stream-lined version of a set from a Brothers Quay film. It is such a specific, look... the look of a collector and his collection... a kind of neat and organized wunderkammer.

Here are some shots of Temporary-Showroom, which is virtually indistinguishable from Pazis' own home.

http://www.temporary-showroom.gr/home

Congratulations, Washington!

2012-02-08T23:24:00.001-08:00

Today, Washington state became the seventh state in the union to legalize same-sex marriage. It's events like this that make me proud, and encouraged that the ugly anti-gay, hate-filled Radical Christian Agenda tide is on the decline while more and more people realize that this is about decency and human rights for their family, friends, neighbors, and those in their community.

ROBERT SORBO/REUTERS - Washington state Rep. Jamie Pedersen addresses the house during debate on a bill that he co-sponsored that would legalize gay marriage in the state.

Only forty-three states to go--and we here in California will be joining very soon!

Hang on...

2012-02-07T14:44:00.000-08:00

...there's only 42 more days of winter.

BEAUTY: Interior

2012-02-03T14:47:00.000-08:00

Take a look at what Los Angeles interior designer Jeff Andrews did for a home in Beverly Hills. His "more is more" creedo works brilliantly with a sophisticated sense of elegance. The tone is set immediately in the entry hall with a fascinating tableau. The dining room wows me because of its two sets of pendants lights and bench seating on one side! Chartreuse in the living room feels retro and contemporary. And the understated excess of those vintage light fixtures in the kitchen is inspired.

I previously featured another Beverly Hills project from Jeff Andrews here, as well as his wonderful "Dexter"-inspired room for the third annual Showtime House here.

http://jeffandrews-design.com/index.html

iamamiwhoami: "kin"

2012-02-01T12:29:00.000-08:00

Just when I thought the iamamiwhoami /Jonna Lee project had faded away, they relase a new, tantalizingly short clip. Just today, February 1, 2012, "kin" was posted to their YouTube channel.

The subtitle of the thirty seven second piece is "20120611"--June 11th, 2012. Many are supposing this is the next live iamamiwhoami concert but I don't find anything on-line to support or refute this.

Yesterday, Amazon.com announced the February 15th release of a new iamamiwhoami single called "sever." A thirty-second sample plays a ballad-type song, bearing no resemblance to "kin."

This new clip seems like it comes from the enigmatic "number series" when iamamiwhoami first started posting to YouTube. It is maddeningly short but already full of symbolism and clues. A cork bulletin board in an outdoor glass case. Sea birds are reflected in the glass which is also covered with guano. On the bulletin board is tacked a single white piece of paper, echoing the white paper we have seen so much of in the series.

We'll just have to wait and see where this new journey takes us.

http://www.youtube.com/user/iamamiwhoami/videos

You go, Bugs!

2012-01-31T11:50:00.000-08:00

Just cut it loose... and give it a kick on the way out.

Good Morning

2012-01-31T11:37:00.001-08:00

I Had That Dream Again

2012-01-30T23:58:00.001-08:00

The Universe

2012-01-30T23:53:00.000-08:00

“The bad news: there is no key to the universe. The good news: it was never locked.”
--Swami Beyondananda

True That, Iggy

2012-01-30T23:39:00.000-08:00

"Girls can wear jeans and cut their hair short, wear shirts and boots, because it's OK to be a boy, but for a boy to look like a girl is degrading, because you think that being a girl is degrading. But secretly you'd love to know what it's like, wouldn't you? What it feels like for a girl?"
--Julie played by Charlotte Gainsbourg in the film "The Cement Garden" from the book of the same name by Ian McEwan

Vague and Uncertain

2012-01-30T23:29:00.000-08:00

“Everything is vague to a degree you do not realize until you have tried to make it precise.”
--Bertrand Russell

“Uncertainty is the only certainty there is, and knowing how to live with insecurity is the only security.”
--John Allen Paulos

http://math.temple.edu/~paulos/

BEAUTY: Interiors

2012-01-30T23:07:00.000-08:00

I've said it before, I'll say it again: white rooms are a missed opportunity for color. Unless it is a "statement" room that depends upon an all-white scheme to support some extreme modernist vision, white to me (in an interior design context) usually means "devoid."

But the primarily white work of NYC interior designer Kelly Behun seems full of texture and interest, filling the color-less spaces with reasons to look and linger...

I think it is a combination of furniture juxtaposition and choice of surprising elements like a lighted branch or a live-edge redwood cocktail table.

http://kellybehun.com/

BEAUTY: Men

2012-01-30T20:34:00.000-08:00

Gorgeous layabouts.

5 Raccoon, 3 Skunk, 2 Deer, 2 Cats, 1 Dog and an Opossum

2012-01-30T20:30:00.000-08:00

5 Raccoon, 3 Skunk, 2 Deer, 2 Cats, 1 Dog and an Opossum

This is tonight’s count
so far: I see them as I bore
through the colorless fog,
thick, porous, indifferent,
while this moon of ours
bleaches the water,
turning the waves into
acid-white milk—
the ghosts of
all this roadkill
follow me home.
Seized by headlights,
slammed from the side
before they could move,
they don’t understand
what has happened.
They have nowhere
to go, these tiny
spectral hitchhikers,
so they attach themselves
for the ride home.
I have used up both hands
counting as I pass by and
now I’m onto my toes
as I swim through the night.
I pull into my drive
and they scatter when
I open the door.
They rootle in the garbage
while I get ready for bed.
They pluck the wire
window screens
like harp strings
as I try to sleep.
I can barely see
their blood-rimmed eyes.
They crawl under the
house and dig at the
floorboards under my bed.
They want to be held.
They want comfort.
They are scared, confused.
Cool, wet fur brushes
against my cheek.
I can’t help them or
save the ones out there
who are about to join us.
I just draw them into me
like all my stuffed animals
when I was a child.
We lie in the dark
and silence, waiting for
all the drivers that sped
over them to crash into the
rest of the cars in the world,
waiting for the sound of
crushing steel and glass
rising up from the planet,
waiting for them all to
kill each other, waiting
for it all to make sense,
waiting for the end of the world.

©JEF 1999

Currently listening to...

2012-01-30T18:20:00.000-08:00

...the apocalyptic luxury and sonic density of "You Can Dance" by Bryan Ferry; taken from his 2010 release "Olympia" which saw him collaborating with original Roxy Music members Brian Eno, Phil Manzanera, and Andy Mackay. I love how this song starts with a sample from the song "True To Life," off of "Avalon," Roxy Music's 1982 swan song. But the sample here gets laid under a sinuous, dangerous track. This is not 1982. Things are leaner and tighter (and colder) now.

And I must say that age becomes Ferry.

I am actually quite fond of this marvelous remix of the song by Tim Roe:

http://www.bryanferry.com/

It's Time

2012-01-30T17:39:00.000-08:00

The beauty of this made me cry.
It IS time.

Donate to put on Australian tv: http://tiny.cc/gkuwp
and sign the petition: http://www.getup.org.au/marriagematters

Paris Summary

2012-01-30T10:00:00.000-08:00

http://www.style.com/

BEAUTY: Art

2012-01-27T15:05:00.000-08:00

This lovely, heartbreaking series by Italian artist Barbara Bargiggia speaks to the ideas of winter, hibernation, dormancy, hiding, transformation, protection, love, being in a state of communion with nature, the power and spirit of the natural world, and the destructive intrusion of man into that state of grace. It has the texture of a tragic fairy tale.

Bargiggia's watercolor work feels more like illustration. Although I don't have a precise narrative for this set of highly evocative images, I can feel the longing and the powerful emotions inherent in the actions depicted.

She does not have a dedicated presence on the net but she does however have a Flickr account where she posts her art.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/barbara-bargiggia/

BEAUTY: Clothing

2012-01-26T17:14:00.001-08:00

January is a very busy time for clothing. Pitti Uomo happens in Florence, followed immediately by Milano Moda Uomo. And hot on the heels of the Milan shows is Paris Fashion Week.

Paris Fashion Week in January always shows collections for the next Fall-Winter season, in this case for 2012 and 2013.

There are lots of shows and designers to catch up on so let's get to it.

Regular readers know that I do not follow "fashion" as in "What does Calvin Klein's sportswear look like this season?" I follow fashion the way some people delve into the art world. I think of "fashion" as "costume"--as a way to convey an idea or a concept. I appreciate what some designers do the same way one appreciates what an avant garde sculptor or painter or performance artist does. And in a way, these designers are performance artists. For me, it is not about what is hanging on racks in stores, but what these artists are creating and the ideas and concepts they are working with as an influence on their marvelous creativity. It is moving sculpture. It is theater. Fashion and clothing at this level serves as a kind of visual shorthand. A piece of clothing in the hands of a designer can evoke a place, a region, a country, a specific time or an entire era, a work of art such as a novel or film or painting, a class of people, even a social, financial, or spiritual element... and the combination of such pieces of clothing, as well as their harmony or contrast, can tell a fascinating story.

So with that in mind, let's look at what was possibly the strangest, most fascinating collection in Paris, maybe not only this month, but in recent memory!

Thom Browne, who seems so clean-cut and mild mannered on the surface with his high and tight haircut and stark suit, seems to be taking the lead for the designer who can create the most outlandish presentations (of course he has stiff competition from Walter van Bierendonck and Comme des Garçons).

This collection took its inspiration from the idea of punks vs. jocks in an average American high school. But since this is Thom Browne, he threw in the ambiance of the films "Road Warrior," "Rocky Horror," "Blade Runner," "The Longest Yard," "Despicable Me," and "The Incredibles." Incredible indeed. The result was a frightening face-off between these two tribes. Punks were outfitted in skinny cuts, cropped tops and jackets, hoods, spikes and studs (with the incongruity of merkins--pubic wigs--peeking up over the low waists of trousers and skirts), while the jocks were blown up to improbable, grotesque proportions. This hulking football player character with padded shoulders, elbows, knees, and ass morphed into a bizarre Frankenstein-like creature, stomping down the runway in a long, gray wool skirt. Browne also took staple aspects of a traditionally Preppy look such as pastel colors (pink and green) and the tiny little embroidered ducks, anchors, tennis rackets and such that one sees on those ridiculous, horrid Brooks Brothers trousers (it should be noted that Thom Browne actually designs Black Fleece, a sub-brand for Brooks Brothers!) and turned them from an ugly cliché into a post-modern feature. Huge embroidered ducks, safety pins, and terriers adorned jackets, trousers, and vests. And a cream suit with a pink and green Fair Isle print actually had its pattern rendered in studs!

http://www.thombrowne.com/

BEAUTY: Clothing

2012-01-26T16:56:00.000-08:00

Since John Galliano remains on extended "hiatus" after his drunken and very public anti-Semitic tirade, Galliano's right-hand man Bill Gaytten has been designing the collections (although one strongly suspects that Galliano is unofficially still around, perhaps sketching in a corner, giving a thumbs up or down to what Gaytten is creating) and for the house's most recent showing at Paris Fashion Week, Gaytten took as his inspiration the beautiful illustrations of legendary ad-man J.C. Leyendecker who created many covers for The Saturday Evening Post, and was responsible for the Arrow Collar Man who was modeled on his own longtime partner, Charles Beach. Dashing, elegant, confident yet soft--Gaytten got it all just right. He captured the look and feel of the early 20s from Leyendecker's lovely art, seen after the clothing.

http://www.johngalliano.com/

BEAUTY: Clothing

2012-01-26T16:44:00.000-08:00

The Tudor time period of Henry VIII served as muse for Alexis Mabille's '12-'13 FW collection that featured quilted leather, velvet, lace and skin tight pants with appliqués that gave the effect of thigh high boots. Of unusual note is his use of peplums, a traditionally feminine fashion device...

It sure looks like the Montague men got dressed up for a night out in Paris. I half expect to see rapiers dangling from their waists!

http://www.alexismabille.com/

BEAUTY: Clothing

2012-01-26T16:27:00.001-08:00

I must confess that I love Adam Kimmel's esoteric theme and theatrical runway presentation much more than the finished product! "Area 51," that location of myth in the American psyche, is the springboard for a collection that takes into account the American Air Force, CIA Black Ops, and the alien reference from that secret government facility. There is a nice cleanliness to the lines of his '12-'13 FW collection, thanks to the military spirit of the silhouette, but what really gets me is the marvelous models who are sporting these 40s-50s-60s silhouettes. They all look like the original, Palooka-faced (and handsome) flyboys, astronauts, and even scientists from that period. Take a look at the video too, to see the alien technology special effect that brought the models to and from the runway!

http://www.adamkimmel.com/

BEAUTY: Clothing

2012-01-26T16:04:00.000-08:00

Riccardo Tisci's childhood obsessions were the American flag and the Minotaur and his '12-'13 FW collection for Givenchy took these motifs and mashed them with his traditional Goth flair, substituting black for white in the "red, white, and blue" of the flag. Models sported huge nose rings like bulls and he sent out the by-now-expected men in skirts. As one observer in the Style.com video said, the skirts look more and more masculine the more Tisci does them. Perhaps we are just acclimating to the look. But the swagger of a man in a skirt is undeniable.

http://www.givenchy.com/

BEAUTY: Clothing

2012-01-26T15:09:00.001-08:00

I love how Yohji Yamamoto cuts clothing. There is something inherently Japanese and lovely about the flowing cuts... reminiscent of kimonos or wide, loose samurai pants. But for his '12-'13 FW collection, he channeled that loose, lovely aesthetic through a Western European lens and what looks like references to ANNA KARENINA or Proust's IN SEARCH OF LOST TIME. A military reference showed up as well.

And I really love Yamamoto's continued dedication to using models who defy industry expectations. It is so inspiring and refreshing to see handsome men of age or of a larger (read: normal) size on the runway.

http://www.yohjiyamamoto.co.jp/

BEAUTY: Clothing

2012-01-26T15:01:00.001-08:00

Leather was everywhere this year at Paris Fashion Week and Viktor & Rolf showed it in overalls! The collection was sumptuous yet masculine.

http://www.viktor-rolf.com/

BEAUTY: Clothing

2012-01-26T14:47:00.000-08:00

Rick Owens called his '12-'13 FW collection "Mountains" and it does look much sportier than nearly anything he has done in the past. But he did manage to sneak in his de rigeur floor-length skirt-dress that looks so very much like something a priest or monk would wear. And also making an appearance is yet another reference to the 1984 David Lynch film adaptation of "Dune." I posited in a posting that Owens was transfixed/traumatized by the costuming in that film and has been working out his obsession ever since. Just look at the enormous collars of the last two photos... looking like one of the handlers of the Guild Navigators from "Dune."

http://rickowens.eu/

BEAUTY: Clothing

2012-01-26T13:45:00.001-08:00

Here's a little round-up of some miscellaneous looks and silhouettes from Paris Fashion week that I found interesting...

Acne showed some interesting shapes and proportions along with the unique idea of having a quilted outerpiece worn under a jacket! It seems that lots of designers were doing short jackets in this season of the suit...

One can always depend on Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons to present something totally insane and totally unwearable. This '12-'13 F-W collection featured an elusive cross-dressing, Goth, schoolgirl theme with a bit of French court millinery thrown in to keep us off balance (as if we needed to be any more off balance with this collection). The result is peculiar and compelling. The brocade printed over a classic tartan has an almost lace effect.

Dries van Noten, one of the original Antwerp Six, continues to create interesting collections. This one, inspired by a highly unlikely pairing of Frank Zappa and Oscar Wilde (?) featured graphic quotes from Wilde with psychedelic prints. Watch the video from Style.com to see the creation of the "art wall" behind the models.

Iceberg's '12-'13 FW collection came to us through Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, as evidenced by the hats and suspenders on the models, not to mention that minimalist outline of Chaplin in gold on the tee shirt below. The gears on the back wall of the runway reference the Chaplin film "Modern Times." This reminds me very much of the Chaplin collection John Galliano did for SS '12, seen here.

Issey Miyake's '12-'13 FW collection was mildly interesting, but of note was a faded pattern on suits and pointy, geometric jackets.

Junya Watanabe is another designer who loves a theme and this collection seemed to be an homage to lumberjacks in Carhartt's. I like the tailored approach to work wear as well as the leather patchwork suits. I seem to be smitten with the model in orange suspenders. Anyone know who this is?

Maison Martin Margiela took the re-use/recycle ethos to heart and created coats from Monoprix bags as well as black trash bags!

Jean Paul Gaultier showed a '12-'13 FW collection that featured suits and pieces in a brick pattern as well as silhouettes that evoked the early years of the twentieth century. There is something a little "Boardwalk Empire" about it all... but of course we would not expect to see a gangster in a skirt. Only for JPG.

Now here we go again with the Hundredth Monkey/ zeitgeist idea... not only did Gaultier use a brick print, but so did Moschino! Coincidence? Something in the air?

And finally, Walter Van Bierendonck, who is wildly entertaining, created a collection that kind of terrifies me. Using the idea of African masks mixed with leather masks from bondage/S&M culture, he presented a candy-colored world of fetish, playing off the usage of the word as both an African statue containing magic and a sexual fixation. Models wore rubber waders, rubber masks, an rubber padlocks as accessories on necklaces and canes which ended up looking like tribal or voudoun staffs of power... fascinating and scary!

And finally, I need to share a really wild runway show even though the clothing was not remarkable. Umit Benan, whose designs I do appreciate, came up with an extreme military theme this season, with pieces that look like he raided Fidel Castro's closet. If I want that, I will go to the local Army-Navy Surplus store. But the show! WOW! Naked soldiers showering, men getting tattooed live on stage, Army men hanging out... what a theatrical tableau! Yowsa!

http://shop.acnestudios.com/
http://www.comme-des-garcons.com/
http://www.driesvannoten.be/
http://www.iceberg.com/
http://www.isseymiyake.com/
http://www.jeanpaulgaultier.com
http://www.moschino.it/
http://www.waltervanbeirendonck.com/
http://www.umitbenan.com/

Gung Hey Fat Choy!

2012-01-23T23:23:00.000-08:00

Happy Chinese New Year!

Today starts the Year of the Dragon!
For those born under the sign of the Dragon, like myself, this is an auspicious time!

Thank you, George...

2012-01-21T22:14:00.000-08:00

BEAUTY: Art

2012-01-19T16:58:00.001-08:00

A life-size image of a typical French house spread on the ground. A cantilevered mirror over it. You, on said house, watching yourself in the mirror, as though you are climbing the façade. Artist Leandro Erlich's interactive, charming installation Bâtiment is on display in Paris as part of the "In_Perceptions" show at Le 104.

Erlich has done some marvelous installations in the past. Quite a few focus on elevators (a special fascination/ fear on the part of the artist?) such as the illusion of an elevator stuck between floors or the recreation of an elevator shaft on its side, so gallery patrons can walk through it. Others, like the swimming pool, sideways staircase, or psychiatrist's office create a viewpoint of anxiety, putting the viewer somewhere one is not entirely comfortable.

Top to bottom: Bâtiment; The Shaft; Elevator Maze (two views); Staircase (two views); Stuck Elevator; Swimming Pool; Le Cabinet du Psy (three views)

http://www.leandroerlich.com.ar/

BEAUTY: Clothing

2012-01-19T14:41:00.001-08:00

Wow.

Frankie Morello at Milano Moda Uomo for Fall-Winter '12-'13...

What a show! With a live performance by Burger Girl, the alter ego of Benjamin Dukhan (French electro-artist and model--you've seen him on the runway for the likes of Yamamoto and Gaultier), the show followed an oblique narrative of the spiritual journey of man. It started with a set of clothes that referenced the mean streets of a city and all that that world entails. Interesting that it seemed to be London streets, with studs, spikes, and black-rimmed eyes from the punks of the 70s, mixed with buttons from the "Pearlies" of the other 70s (the 1870s!).

The mid-point narrative showed a softening of the silhouette and the introduction of color and texture. In fact, it looks like Frankie Morello are doing something that I can't quite wrap my head around. I am not an expert on how fabric is made, but it looks as if many pieces are a sort of hybrid, with a wool suit grafted onto a cable knit. How can this be? Is the wool woven INTO the knit? It looks as if the same thing is done with cotton... but how? Perhaps this is a new technique of fabric-making. But the leather-knit transition really blows my mind. How on earth is that done? Whatever it is, it is fascinating to see two distinctly different fabrics bleed into each other in such an effortless, literally seamless way.

Ethnic patterns--mostly shapes and colors from Central America and India--creeped into the clothing, and the models sported bindis and malas. The final phase of this spiritual journey showed lighter pieces and more skin. While sheer shirts and small sarongs might not be the most practical clothing for a Fall-Winter collection (in the northern hemisphere at least), they were necessary to complete the transcendent trajectory of the show. The final model peeled off his sarong and stood nude, back to the audience. From aggressive armor to innocent and vulnerable nude, from primal to cosmic, from the earthly to the spiritual...

This is performance art, people...

http://www.frankiemorello.it/

BEAUTY: Clothing

2012-01-19T14:19:00.000-08:00

Once again, as with Thom Browne and Umit Benan's Formula-One racing themes, we see an example of the Hundredth Monkey theory, the zeitgeist at work...

While Frankie Morello used Central American Indian patterns and colors to tell the story of the spiritual evolution of man (the "Frankie Morello man")...

Etro also showed a wild collection clearly based on the Indians of Central America. After several black and white ensembles featuring more traditional patterns such as damasks and paisleys, he segued into lots of Mayan/ Aztec-inspired prints--with actual feathers adorning jackets and vests (Quetzalcoatl!), as in the third and fourth photos down. We also saw the unexpected colors that have been popping up for Fall-Winter '12-'13, such as coral, salmon, teal, and in the case of Etro, rich, heavy greens.

http://www.etro.it/

STOP SOPA!

2012-01-18T11:41:00.001-08:00

Please consider going to the Stop American Censorship website and writing to Congress.
http://americancensorship.org/

BEAUTY: Interiors

2012-01-17T17:29:00.001-08:00

I have just discovered the work of Chloe Redmond Warner at San Francisco's Redmond Aldrich Design. I always enjoy finding designers who share my own sensibility as an interior designer. I like Warner's use of modern with traditional--the interplay of these two elements creates interest. And I really love and admire her use of those enormous, fabulous globe pendants in a dining room (fourth image down, and seen past the stairs in the first).

http://www.redmondaldrich.com/

BEAUTY: Art

2012-01-17T17:14:00.001-08:00

South Korean artist Nu Ryu interprets the natural world and the animals in it through a traditional Korean lens...

http://www.nuryu.com/

These paintings remind me of a poem I wrote many years ago called "Dense Beasts."

Dense Beasts

I know of a place
that’s much darker,
where I can hear them
talking to each other
from the forest.
I crouch by the trees
and listen to them
jabber.
I can hear their
innocence
in the noises they make.
I can hear it
in their chirping,
in their grunting,
in their sigh
and the beasts
from the forest say,
“It’s OK.
We know what’s wrong.”

Through the trees
I see their wide button eyes
shining in the dark.
I can feel
their warm fur.
I hear them breathing
and chattering,
they don’t mean harm.
Sitting on branches,
sleeping in dirt,
the beasts say,
“It’s OK.
We know what’s going on.
We’ll stay here.”

©JEF 1983

BEAUTY: Art

2012-01-17T17:00:00.001-08:00

Although artist Geoffrey Johnson hails from the southern United States--and still lives there--he paints achingly lonely (and lovely) scenes of Manhattan streets. I appreciate his black and white or sepia toned palette.

I can't find a dedicated website for him but he it looks like he is represented by Hubert Gallery in New York.

http://www.hubertgallery.com/johnson.html

BEAUTY: Man

2012-01-17T16:56:00.001-08:00

Model Ryan Burns. That hair... *sigh*

Currently listening to...

2012-01-17T13:49:00.000-08:00

..."Elemental" by Tears For Fears, fronted by one of the best voices in rock, Roland Orzabal.

"This race is already run
Get off your horse, get on this train
Hey-aaaah, hey-aaaaah, ohhhhh

" Welcome to the real world "
I said " Welcome to the real world "
Are we rushing like the wind ?
Naked out and naked in

" Welcome to the free world "
I said " Welcome to the me world "
Are we rushing like the wind ?

Put your lovin' arms around...

Did you lose your faith in God, no ?
Does your conscience always get you down ?
Fall to pieces, rough and tumble
Does your conscience always get you down ?

These days it's all in the mind
It's Elemental
Don't say you're up when you're down
It's Elemental

Put your lovin' arms around...

This is your new year's resolution
Put your lovin'arms around...

Take another leap in the dark
With a humble heart
Do yourself some good
What did you become ?
Patience, be sure
Baby, baby

These days it's all in the mind
It's Elemental
Don't say you're up when you're down
It's Elemental"

http://www.tearsforfears.net/

MLK 2012

2012-01-16T17:22:00.001-08:00

"Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better."

"A right delayed is a right denied."

"A riot is the language of the unheard."

--Martin Luther King, Jr.

BEAUTY: Clothing

2012-01-16T16:40:00.000-08:00

Hot on the heels of Pitti Uomo in Florence is Milan's Fashion week, Milano Moda Uomo, showing collections for this coming Fall and Winter of 2012/ 2013. The next many posts feature highlights from Milan. There are always enthralling, compelling sights to see on the runways and this year, it seemed that the most theatrical and sumptuous show was at Dolce and Gabbana.

The inspiration for this amazing, eye-popping collection of gorgeous gold braid and soutache was a cape that belonged to Domenico Dolce's father. Such Italian capes, called tistera in D&G's native Sicily, bring to mind turn of the century (not this one, the last one) opera singers... so D&G played with this idea, adding gold and rose gold Arabesques that one might see on curtains at a famous, grand opera house. Tim Blanks of Style.com noted, "The staginess of the presentation was a giveaway. Dolce & Gabbana's venue was swathed in quilted red velvet, illuminated by bordello lighting. White-tie-and-tailed beauties served Champagne to guests as they were seated; the set was a broken-down opera backdrop. And when the show started, Pavarotti boomed his way through Verdi on the soundtrack. It was opera night in Palermo, circa 1910, with all the Sicilian boys in their worn Sunday best and the local aristos cramming the balconies in their faded finery."

The collection is stunning, starting with the plain black tistera and evolving into fantasias on the theme. I feel I need to point out the marvelous shawl-collared, cable-knit suit because it could get lost next to the grandeur of the other pieces...

http://www.dolcegabbana.com/

BEAUTY: Clothing

2012-01-16T16:03:00.001-08:00

Miuccia Prada is somewhat of an enigma. A Poli Sci graduate and mime performer (!), she embodies the spirit of an art school student by infusing her clothing with sly, sometimes obtuse references to other time periods or concepts. On the surface, it appears she helms a luxury brand but studied carefully, one can see that she masterminds one of the strangest performance art experiments in history! Somehow she manages to make her oddest ideas still wearable and sellable.

For her Milano Moda Uomo F-W '12-'13 collection, the invitation read: "Prada Presents: Il Palazzo. A Palace of Role Play." But Mrs. Prada reported that the spirit of the collection is a "parody of male power." Indeed, the cut of the clothing seemed to echo a time when men were powerful diplomats, generals, or world figures worthy of awe. If I had to place the pieces in an historical context, I would opt for a kind of dandy-ish fin de siecle / Edwardian mode. But as Tim Blanks of Style.com reports, "...this wasn't simple sartorial historicism. Remember, this was a parody of power. So nothing was as it seemed. Formal clothes were actually cut from denim; what appeared from afar as wool barathea or mohair was really cotton. Look closely at the ornate, baroque patterning on shirts and you'd see rows of American football helmets or feathered Native American headdresses. Tailored topcoats woven in jacquard looked more like silk bathrobes. And the formal white-tie neckgear was a mock turtle on a tee."

I appreciate Prada's use of unconventional models here, including men of a certain age who are often neglected in mainstream fashion (the first photo below is of Michel de Windt, one of the first male supermodels, now a photographer). But most surprising was the use of film stars at the end of the show... scroll down to see who walked the runway!

Adrian Brody

Emile Hirsch

Gary Oldman

Jamie Bell

Tim Roth

Willem Dafoe

http://www.prada.com/

BEAUTY: Clothing

2012-01-16T15:48:00.001-08:00

I must confess that I am not familiar with the work of Tom Notte and Bart Vandebosch, known collectively as Les Hommes. Apparently, they have not done any runway presentations in many seasons, preferring instead to show by appointment only. But this first collection back after their runway hiatus has me interested, although Matthew Schneier of Style.com says that, considering what Les Hommes has created in the past, this collection feels like it comes out of left field. Les Hommes claim that their inspiration was Peruvian dressing, and I can see that a bit in the use of knits and colors and patterns. But if one did not know that, one would simply see a fascinating, rich, textural collection full of unexpected colors (for Fall-Winter) such as teal and bright orange. The loose cable-knit motif looks both traditional an modern, especially when paired with python trousers (photo seven)...

http://www.leshommesfashion.com/

BEAUTY: Clothing

2012-01-16T15:08:00.000-08:00

Andrea Pompilio showed a F-W '12-'13 collection that was infused with fun and humor: it could have been dubbed "Harry Potter Goes Ape." Blending classic pieces with references to animals, like the recently deceased Cheetah the chimp emblazoned on shirts and totes, and dangling raccoon tails, Pompilio played with the idea of "Urban Jungle." Shearling made an appearance as did a goofy deer stalker cap worn with the ear flaps straight out, making the models look like some kind of satyr (hello, Mr. Tumnus!). He also used unexpected colors (for a F-W collection) to great effect, as have many designers this season... colors like chartreuse, orange, salmon, and turquoise!

http://www.andreapompilio.it/

BEAUTY: Clothing

2012-01-16T14:48:00.000-08:00

Famous for the its classic trench coat, Burberry was founded in 1856, and invented gabardine, but by the 1980s, the brand had seriously sagged. In 2001, Christopher Bailey saved it from obscurity and has done a good job re-branding the house.

Burberry Prorsum just showed a rich Fall-Winter collection in Milan and among the expected browns, grays, and blacks were colors that are unexpected for fall such as teal and orange! A silhouette that could belong to Mr. Steed gave way to some great knits, and a charming, stylized fox head showed up here and there. But of particular note is the very short-waisted, quilted jacket worn over a blazer!

http://www.burberry.com

BEAUTY: Clothing

2012-01-16T14:38:00.001-08:00

Bottega Veneta showed an engaging F-W '12-'13 collection full of suits (this seems to be the season of The Suit). But the twist here is the color blocking and random, colorful embellishments. It looks like there is metallic leather mixed in with the wool...

The jackets have a vaguely 80s sensibility to them with their side zippers and shoulder pads but there is an unstructured-ness to them that makes them seem contemporary as well...

http://www.bottegaveneta.com/default/

BEAUTY: Clothing

2012-01-16T14:20:00.000-08:00

I have always overlooked Cavalli because his collections have never appealed to me. In the past, his design sensibility has struck me as sort of trashy... and not in a fun, rock n' roll way, just a plain old, common trashy way. But I must say that I really liked what was shown in Milan; perhaps it is because Roberto's son Daniele is now designing the menswear collection. It all felt so much more refined.

What a great mix of rich velvet and leather, with a few textural knits thrown in--it is a Fall-Winter collection afterall! I like the subtle moc-croc embossed jackets, and the beautiful shawl-collared sweater under a blazer (sixth photo). I am also really liking the trend I have seen in many shows toward interesting, unexpected colors for a F-W collection like chartreuse and salmon! But what I am REALLY liking is the fascinating black and white feather pattern featured on jackets, trousers, tee shirts, and other embellishments (photos 3, 4, 5, and 13). It reminds me of the Alexander McQueen feathers of his final season...

http://www.robertocavalli.com/

BEAUTY: Clothing

2012-01-16T13:55:00.001-08:00

I have come to trust that Thom Browne's sources of inspiration will be witty and fun: his shows are usually based in some interesting time period or place (witness the wild 1920s flapper show for his Spring-Summer '12 collection here). So this collection for Moncler Gamme Bleu not only features down quilted jackets (Moncler is, afterall, a legendary ski and winter sports apparel house), but Formula -One racing apparel as well. Models carried racing goggles and helmets down the runway, but what saved them from looking like Speed Racer was the Browne attention to cut and his eye for exquisite tailoring.

http://moncler.com/collections/moncler-gamme-bleu

BEAUTY: Clothing

2012-01-16T13:20:00.000-08:00

If you need proof of some of Jung's more interesting concepts such as synchronicity, meaningful coincidence, or a kind of collective unconscious that works through a sense of the zeitgeist, then the Fashion Weeks are often a place to look. It seems that a color will suddenly occupy most designer's minds, or perhaps a time period or place. It is fascinating to see how, à la the Hundredth Monkey theory, an idea leaps from mind to mind.

So with that in mind, who would have ever thought that there would be TWO Formula-One racing inspired shows at Milano Moda Uomo at the same time? Well, considering the ideas I just mentioned, it seems more likely than not! Where Thom Browne for Moncler Gamme Bleu referenced Formula-One racing in his traditional, gentlemanly, extremely tailored way that suggested a sort of Old World elegance, Umit Benan, now head of Trussardi (and good for him!) looked to the 70s, evoking the style of the iconic Jackie Stewart, mutton-chopped and topped with a newsboy cap, for his collection that was heavy on the colors and patterns of that swaggering era... complete with sexy-as-hell pornstaches!

http://www.trussardi.com/us

BEAUTY: Clothing

2012-01-16T13:03:00.000-08:00

My beloved Vivienne Westwood showed a very subtle, toned down F-W '12-'13 collection at Milan. But "toned down" still includes some marvelous Westwood touches like asymmetrical cuts on jackets and trousers (look at the uneven button spacing on the jacket in the fourth photo), lots of mismatched tartans, and gorgeous shoes in colors we have seen in other shows, like turquoise and orange!

Ever the champion of climate change, Westwood sent models down the runway dipped in ice, frostbitten from the thawing of the poles...

http://www.viviennewestwood.co.uk/
http://worldsendshop.co.uk/

BEAUTY: Clothing

2012-01-14T11:57:00.000-08:00

Pitti Uomo, the four day menswear tradeshow in Florence, wrapped up yesterday and one of the special presentations was a lovely collection by venerable British clothiers (and dressmaker to H.R.H. from 1955 to 2002) Hardy Amies.

The Fall-Winter '12-'13 collection featured silky-soft materials in neutral gray tones and light crystalline patterns that brought to mind ice or the structures of snowflakes. This pattern showed up on matching luggage. I personally loved the collection because I am such a sucker for a scarf. And the evening wear even featured the crystalline ice/snow pattern as well!

http://hardyamies.com/

Pitti Uomo

2012-01-14T11:31:00.001-08:00

Pitti Uomo wrapped up yesterday and the buyers, fashion journalists, and bloggers who attend are often as interestingly dressed (sometimes more so) as the clothing inside the Fortezza da Basso. The courtyard outside provides a perfect spot for watching these peacocks come and go...

No one does pattern mixing, texture mixing, and luxurious clothing like the Italians. Many of these men sport unique looks that combine unexpected pieces, such as the olive overalls and bomber jacket in the first picture. Also of note: fur collared jackets, three-piece suits in a vintage cut, a marvelous jacquard jacket (fifth image down)... and I especially like the wrap/scarf pictured at the end. I often wear scarves that way.

(Photos from Street FSN)

(Photo from The Sartorialist)

(Photos by Tommy Ton via Style.com)

(Photo via Kempt.com)

To Keep In Mind:

2012-01-11T15:44:00.000-08:00

Combatting the lies...

2012-01-11T15:40:00.000-08:00

(Thanks for the razor sharp insight, coyotetoo!)

Currently watching...

2012-01-09T23:46:00.000-08:00

...the second season of the divine “Downton Abbey.”

I have been eagerly awaiting the return of this special, lovely series since the end of the first season last year. Season two of this multiple-award winning British series (BAFTAs and Emmys, among others) debuted last night and it was worth the wait.

When we last left the Crawley family, World War I—or the Great War, as it was known then—had just started. And now we are in the thick of it as we rejoin life at Downton Abbey. It is indeed a changing world with youngest daughter Sibyl wanting to do something real, something tangible to help the war effort (she ends up becoming a nurse tending to maimed and mangled soldiers at the local hospital) and middle daughter Edith learning to drive (at that time, a lady of standing did no such thing!), then putting her skill to use on a farm which had lost all of its laborers to the war. The entire fantastic cast returns for season two, including the masterful Maggie Smith who could wither a rose with a single hilarious glance or a well-timed sigh. Of course the largest and most silent member of the cast once again takes center stage: the glorious Highclere Castle as Downton Abbey itself.

There is a true tenderness and sweetness inherent in both the characters and the story, which is a welcome relief from the post-modern archness which so often surrounds us. I will be at The Abbey every Sunday night for the next seven weeks. I understand that the series concluded with a special Christmas episode when it originally aired a few months ago in the UK. I hope we will get to see that as a sort of point final. And of course the exciting news is that “Downton Abbey” has been commissioned by ITV for a third season which will air in the UK in September of 2012... so most likely late winter/early spring of 2013 for us here in the States.

http://www.itv.com/downtonabbey/
http://www.highclerecastle.co.uk/

Just watched...

2012-01-09T17:26:00.001-08:00

..the return of Edi and Patsy on "Absolutely Fabulous."

Can it really have been twenty years since we first saw the chaotic, hilarious mess that is Edina Monsoon (Jennifer Saunders) and Patsy Stone (Joanna Lumley)? And can they be back in the here and now as though they never left? YES! Saunders is an absolutely brilliant comedienne and writer (witness her work with Dawn French, "Mirrorball" starring the cast of "Ab Fab," "The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle," as well as the marvelous "Clatterford" or "Jam and Jerusalem" as it was billed in the UK), and we are so lucky to have her continue the adventures of the Ab Fab gang.

The episode started with the same style, sensibility, and humor. After picking up her daughter from a two-year stint in prison (Saffy in PRISON?), we get treated to the spectacle of Edi, Patsy, and Bubble (the equally brilliant Jane Horrocks) trying to get Saffron up to speed concerning pop culture with a much-needed skewering of the plague of Kardahsians, and an hilarious description of the royal wedding!

Last night was the first episode of several new "Ab Fab"s that will be airing here in the States on BBC America over the next many months. I am sure this episode will be shown in re-runs, so check your local listings. And get ready for new ones!

Welcome back, gals!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00jm3ms

Living

2012-01-09T17:11:00.000-08:00

“There is only one important point you must keep in your mind and let it be your guide. No matter what people call you, you are just who you are. Keep to this truth. You must ask yourself how is it you want to live your life. We live and we die, this is the truth that we can only face alone. No one can help us, not even the Buddha. So consider carefully, what prevents you from living the way you want to live your life?”
--The Dalai Lama

“What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments but what is woven into the lives of others.”
--Pericles

“You know quite well, deep within you, that there is only a single magic, a single power, a single salvation...and that is called loving. Well, then, love your suffering. Do not resist it, do not flee from it. It is your aversion that hurts, nothing else.”
--Hermann Hesse

I Had That Dream Again

2012-01-09T17:00:00.001-08:00

After The Circus

2012-01-09T16:54:00.000-08:00

After The Circus

You were fired the
night you jumped between
the camels and the
trainer with the whip.
Balloons dropped
like candy from a
piñata to distract
the audience. I saw him
push you to the
ground. Yes, they
can do that to you.
We ran from the tent,
dirty and crying.
Freaky violence,
imposed politics,
these are the things
we talk about now
on this train.
We see valleys
and mountains that
take our breath, then
we are quickly
plunged into a
tunnel. This happens
every time a beautiful
view comes to us.
It is taken away
and we are being
born again
and again,
pushed through yet
another birth canal.
View.
Black.
View.
Black.
Born again.
What can we do
without knowing where
the train is going?

©JEF 1996

BEAUTY: Art

2012-01-09T16:44:00.001-08:00

Japanese artist Riusuke Fukahori works in a mind-boggling way: he uses acrylic paint on successive layers of clear resin to create life-like 3-dimensional goldfish in sake boxes, bowls, and vessels. It must take an amazing imagination to be able to see in three dimensions even though one might be working in two dimensions, one painstaking layer at a time...

http://goldfishing.info/

BEAUTY: Men

2012-01-09T16:35:00.000-08:00

A few men from Kult Model Agency...

James Jennings

Ingo Brosch

Jesper Vesterstrom

http://www.kultmodelagency.com/

"Rippled"

2012-01-09T15:03:00.000-08:00

Made by: Oh Yeah Wow.
Music: "Rippled" by All India Radio.

http://www.allindiaradio.com.au/
http://www.ohyeahwow.com/

BEAUTY: Art

2012-01-09T14:43:00.001-08:00

Mike Worrall has been painting surrealistic scenes for many years. His background is as an Ideas Artist for the film industry and his work is owned by Nicolas Roeg and Roman Polanski, among others.

His work echoes many of the visual preoccupations of legendary surrealist artists, such as a penchant for everyday objects like the telephone and tea cup (but not fur-lined).

Top to bottom: Seekers Of Truth; Pensive Unrest; Incident on Platform 6; In Classic Confluence; Colossus of Rhodes

http://www.mikeworrall.com/

Move, Eat, Learn

2012-01-09T11:26:00.000-08:00

Three films.
One minute each.
A powerful, beautiful celebration of places, food, people, and life.

Made by Australian filmmaker Rick Merecki. Of the films, he says:
"3 guys, 44 days, 11 countries, 18 flights, 38 thousand miles, an exploding volcano, 2 cameras and almost a terabyte of footage..."

These films are beautiful and inspiring. Thank you, Rick.

http://www.rickmereki.com/