A YELLOW PATH

During Women SS2012 Fashion week in Paris, Sonia Rykiel welcomed her guests into a location strongly dominated by a thick yellow lined catwalk, reminding me of the "Yellow Brick Road" from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Sonia and Nathalie Rykiel - Paris, SS2012 Show
Yellow is already everywhere to be honest, despite it has always been one of those "difficult" colors that only a few brave and fierce ones could proudly and effortlessly wear.

As you should understood I really love primary colors and, even more, street signs//signs in general because they are an incredible graphic communication code and for their contemporaneity and function into cities esthetic. Let's also think, for example, on how yellow appears inside our metropolis: architecture, lights, advs....


I am so curious about how our context reflects itself onto how we appear, how we communicate ourselves....how we choose to dress.
Milano, Depositi ATM Ticinese

Milano

Starting from here and going to the SS2012 collections, here's something that fits properly to my idea. From dawn to dust. Urban, city looks with different edgy yellow touches.

From left: Spring Summer 2012 - Emilio De La Morena, Issey Miyake, Marc Jacobs, Marni, JV Anderson
Marni, Spring Summer 2012
From Left - Spring Summer 2012 - Sonia Rykiel, Nicole Fahri, Red Krakoff - ph Hakan Dahlstrom
Metamorphosis - installation by Foscarini//Qubique – Tradeshow Next Generation - Berlin-Tempelhof Airport
From Left - Spring Summer 2012 - Gary Graham, Lacoste, J Mendel, Nicole Miller, Pringle of Scotland, Marni  

This post could be going on forever I think. And I also found a pic I took at the Art Show "Artemisia Gentileschi - Storia di una passione" (which I adored)  Palazzo Reale in Milano. Honestly it has nothing to do with this urban-related post, but I think that there is a nice connection with some other pieces I found while searching...

Artemisia Gentileschi, Mary Magdalen
From Left - Spring Summer 2012 - Emilio della Morena, Derek Lam, Elie Saab, Elie Tahari, Moschino, Rodarte
From Left - Spring Summer 2012 - Sass&Bide, 3.1 Phillip Lim

Versace//(fash)//ionology

Let's say Versace is in fashion this season. This Year. Never stopped to be so, if we have a comprehensive look at fashion - to be really honest.
This post has been inspired at least 5 weeks ago, while watching the beautiful SS2012 collection  by Fausto Puglisi photographed by Oskar Cecere.

Fausto Puglisi, Ph Oskar Cecere - SS2012
Karen Mudler in Versace - 1991

 Gianni Versace - 1990

What really interested me and I consider a huge inspiration source are - above all: 
- color palette
- weight and substance of fabrics
- embroideries (that I love)

Linda Evangelista in Versace - Vogue Italia, February 1990

Searching the web to refresh my memories of the Nineties Decade in Versace's fashion gave me a genuine pleasure, brought me back to the beginnings of my interest in fashion but also enlightened me once again about Gianni's legend and incredible talent, creativeness and weight on style which will never be extinguished.
Trying to remain in this first parallel, between Versace and Puglisi's latest collection, I've also found a beautiful and updated use of clean silhouettes and mixed contrasting or complementary colors.

Fausto Puglisi SS2012, Ph Oskar Cecere
I really like and support Puglisi's work - as most of Fashion System does - since he looks to me as one of the most talented clothing "craftsmen" among the young italians. He shows to be a designer with a strong cultural background and a deep knowledge of our fashion roots, which is something that I always appreciate. Especially when it becomes the consistent starting point for a growth and development of new ideas, contemporary interpretations and an attitude to read with a fresh look some crucial moments of italian "grandeur" and talent. His Spring Summer Collection is a joy for the eyes, so fragrant and rich but never out of balance. Perfectly proportioned constructions, multicolored pleated panels, a lot of graphical effects created mixing flashy hues and precious garments full of movement, giving a dynamic boost to the juicy parade. Telling us a story that never looses its grip, like a perfect tailored "short", using a cinematographic term.

Going further on this "Versace's influence" topic, I will avoid mentioning the over-covered collaboration between H&M and Versace (which is going to be a one of a kind fashion hysteria starring all the maison's key themes and most celebrated collections).
I will talk, instead, about a specific Season designed by Gianni which is popping up everywhere this Fall, in term of trends.
I am focusing on the awesome and unforgotten "Fall Winter Bondage Collection" dated 1992.



Exactly ten year after, this winter, bondage/BDSM accessories can be found all over, revised and interpreted as the coolest of fashion accessories and "garments".
And, in particular, what I have in mind is something specific. And it goes under the name of "HARNESS".

The New York Times spotted the trend back in June 2011 starring Zana Bayne (blogger and designer) and her creations viewed on Lady Gaga's dancers, Chloe Sevigny shot by Thierry Richardson, Katy Perry and more celebs. Although this accessory has been talked about earlier this year and although it's been an often worn "object", both in show-business and in high fashion/vogueish/contempo-rotic shootings, I am convinced that it will have a wider audience. I am the first big fan (and I won't ever move my vintage Alessandro Dell'Acqua elastic one in a fav nude color...bless it for having saved soooo many looks): I am totally into such a versatile, meaningful, decorative armor. Especially because it can be styled on almost everything and designers are coming out with so many colorful versions (also tender, sorbet shades) and very intricately threaded wonders, looking like leather contemporary jewelry.

At the moment I have got a favourite designer (who I also heart for a variety of accessories he produces such as leather masks, belts, bags, hats...): Fleet Ilya. Apart from the fact that I am a huge supporter of the brand, I consider it particularly interesting for the way the designer maturated his experience and for bringing the "original" accessory to a brand new dimension and several applications.
Let's start from the fact that Ilya's father is a sculptor and he totally gave him a "plastic" way and an incredible ability to mould leather. With such a heritage he moved to a key training period under the guide of a master craftman and saddler. Later He started a collection with the creative collaboration of Resha Shama, a Central St. Martin's graduate who is the other 50% of the Fleet Ilya collections.

Here's just a bite of the FW 2011/12 Collectionsavailable on his online shop and selected boutiques worldwide:
The duo's SS 2012 collection is a pure trip into the art of deluxe fashion saddlery pushed beyond its "limits".
 
All previous pieces by Fleet Ilya - SS 2012

... to be continued soon...the bags just made me think about a new post about something else being much "en vogue" lately...

Black&White // Minimal Art

Esther Stocker - O.T., 2006, installation

Hard Times these Times. Austerity is an often talked about issue these days. Austerity is a concept and a state of mind. Doesn't mean "poverty//poorness//shabbiness" to me. In my idea it is more about deconstruction. Going to the original simplicity of things. Take all the tinsells away and discover the real essence of things. 
Mumbling about this idea I went through some b/w minimal art, late 60ies Design and some SS2012 W Collections.

Square Dance - Kazuya Akimoto Art Museum

Quaderna by Zanotta

When it comes to fashion, black and white graphical patterns is very interesting to me because it underlines the geometry of shapes, textures and fabrics. As for Deisgn, when graphic minimalism comes to Clothing//Fashion it frames the body and traces its dimensions, placing it in the space. Becomes real architecture of the human body. Geometry.

From Left to Right, Spring Summer 2012 - JeanPierre Braganza, J Mendel, Emporio Armani

Spring Summer 2012 - Gareth Pugh

Installations by Esther Stocker

Spring Summer 2012 - Neil Barrett