'The engine for our progress should be curiosity, not material acquisitiveness.'

- Paul Smith, GQ Style Ambition Issue

Lost in Translation

'To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world.'

- Freya Stark, B. 1893

British Writer

I've been trying to develop my muse as someone who is curious, daring, adventurous. Yet very mysterious. A nomad who likes to travel, to explore and experience the unknown.

I was reminded of Sofia Coppola's movie Lost in Translation (2003) and how the tone of this movie is very similar to the way I am picturing my muse to be.

For those who haven't seen it, the film is set in Tokyo, Japan and focuses on the relationship between two strangers who meet at the hotel they are staying at. One is a middle-aged actor (Bill Murray) and the other the lonely wife of a photographer. Both feeling alone in a foreign country, they find in each other comfort and companionship.

A little melancholic, but mystifying, the film captures the strange encounters we experience through life and the unexpected bonds we create.

Photo from here

Photo from here

Photo from here

Photo from here

Photo from here

adidas Originals "Transformable" Shoes

Here's a cool little find...

Photo from here

adidas Originals will be releasing two styles of shoes as part of their "Transformable" Pack - the Forum Mid TF and the Samba TF. Both styles have a removable velcro/popper panel which can be removed to allow for two looks.

Shows how effective a little detachable flap can be to create a new look. I think their use of colour also makes the whole concept very effective and creates more impact. And I particularly like the little zip pocket on the inside of the flap. Functional!

Photo from here

I don't think they've been officially released yet so I can't find it on the Adidas website. Which is quite silly, because thanks to highsnobiety.com, there's a link to Crooked Tongues if you're interested in pre-ordering them. In the UK that is. I wonder when they'll be released in Australia.

Top Gear Vietnam

I recently watched a special episode of Top Gear that showed the presenters travel to Vietnam to take on the challenge of driving from the South of Vietnam to North Vietnam in 8 days. Only having 15 million dong (equivalent to app. US$1000, they had to buy motorbikes instead of cars to travel with.

Besides being entertained by the things that the guys got up to (having to eat snake, painting Richard Hammond's motorbike pink, crossing on water on their bikes), the episode left quite an impression. I've never been to Vietnam, so it was incredible seeing them travel on these great roads with such spectacular views. 

Images from here and here

This gave me inspiration for my muse. 

After failing to find a male muse that truly encapsulates the person I'm trying to design for for my collection, I've been working on developing my own fictional character to become my muse. I wanted him to be an adventurous guy who loves sports, travel and everything that comes with it. A real adrenaline junkie who wants to see, learn and try new things.

If you're interested in travel and have never been to Vietnam, I really recommend this episode. It really motivated me (besides making me want to ride a motorcycle!) to try new things and made me realise there are so many things I haven't seen!

Hopefully it inspires you as much as it inspired me.

Fashion is...

"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening."


- Coco Chanel 1883-1971

Calling all procrastinators!

Check out this game!!

You move your cursor over the dots and each dot split into four dots, each of which split into four dots, which splits into four more dots.. etc etc!

And there's a hidden photo underneath! But man, it takes forever, let me know if anyone manages to do it because my hand (and eyes) got so tired before I could reveal what the photo was underneath!

After a while though, it becomes a little bit like this!

Courtesy of Lost at E Minor

Love it! It looks a little bit like a puzzle! And the smaller the spots get, it gets a bit blurry and reminds me alot of Georges Surat's Pointillism technique:

Photo from here

Detail:

Photo from here

Puzzle Alarm Clock

I need one of these, definitely.

Photo from geekalerts

Martin Klimas

Martin Klimas destroys a lot of clay to make his art. Combining the silence of Eadweard Muybridge’s horse pictures with the association-rich composition of a still life, Klimas breaks recognizable objects so they become something else, and stops us just at the moment of transformation.

Quote from themorningnews.org

Would loooove to have his work up on my wall.

 

Photos from foley gallery

Photo from here

I really enjoy the concept behind this project: capturing the moment one form transforms into another form.

So clever!

It's all in the detail, darling.

So we had to chop up garments last week.

The project was to find 2nd hand clothes and manipulate it on the stand to create a new shape. I was working on this particularly massive raincoat, and I was going nuts. Chopping up the sleeve, cutting up the collar, pin here, pin there, making this psychotic monster of a shape. And I step back and my tutor comes over and says,

 "Ok. Well, the thing with menswear is.. it's all about the detail. Guys are lazy. They're not that adventurous. The key is to make something that guys can still recognise as a jacket, or a shirt, or a pair of pants, but there's a twist to it that makes them think, ok, that's different, I'm gonna buy it."

I particularly love the way Swedish label Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair manages to do this with their mens pieces. Inspired by the craftmanship of an old shoemaker shop in London, founders Astrid Olsson and Lee Cotter aims to creat collections that explore new shape and form but maintains a classic tailoring aesthetic.

Some examples:

Fun pockets on a classic black shirt.

Photo taken from here

Draped cowl/collar/hood.

Photo taken from here

Flaps on a pair of pants with external pockets.

Photo taken from here

It's great because you can see the way they've still thought about function when designing these pieces.

Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair produce two lines: A ready-to-wear line as well as a couture line that is sold upon order called By The No.

A New Find.

Up till yesterday, I had only ever known Yohji Yamamoto's collaboration with Adidas as the one brand who managed to communicate the ease and functionality of sportswear in such trendy and innovative silhouettes. Y-3's timeless design aesthetic and high performance products had been one of the starting points of my research topic for my dissertation and end of year collection.

Y-3 

Fall 2010 Collection

Photo taken from gq.com

Photo taken from gq.com

Photo taken from gq.com

However, as awesome as Y-3 are, I clearly hadn't done enough research.

Moncler Gamme Bleu has only had 2 seasons, but this is more than enough to show me that this is yet another successful (not to mention AWESOME) collaboration between a sportswear brand and a talented fashion designer. Creative director Thom Browne has produced a very sporty and appealing aesthetic with skiwear brand Moncler. The outer garments in particular are a stand-out. The jackets, parkas and coats looks so comfortable and wearable, but interest is still maintained.

Moncler Gamme Bleu

Fall 2010 Collection

Photo taken from gq.com

Photo taken from gq.com

The various placements of the pockets on this jacket and the way the ski jacket (below) has been styled shows Browne wasn't scared to induce a little bit of quirk into the label; demonstrating that sports-inspired menswear can still include the essential functional features but be fun instead of outdated.

Photo taken from gq.com

I also love the way Browne has utilised layering in his collections, playing with different proportions not in the same way as Yohji does with Y-3, but still unconventional in how he mixes a tailored vest, pants and a buttoned shirt with say, a hoodie.

Spring 2010 Collection

Photo taken from gq.com

Photo taken from gq.com

Photo taken from gq.com

It's really great to see him utilizing his tailoring skills (Thom Browne's signature line is very suit heavy) in this line, but fusing it with Moncler's sportif heritage.

The result? A great ready to wear line!


The runway shows for both collections have also maintained the quirky, light-hearted manor of the label. The SS 2010 show was held in an indoor swimming pool, and the AW 2010 showed the models putting on the clothes themselves!

Transformables

Ever since having to design a transformable garment as part of a RTW collection back in my very first year of study, I've been fascinated by the possibilities that transformable garments offer in relation to new design ideas. Functionality in particular is a factor I like to keep in mind with every collection I've designed, from small details like hidden pockets, detachable hoods, zippers to bigger things like removing and reassembling components of a garment to create a whole new piece of clothing (or to the more extreme, Hussein Chalayan's autumn/winter 2000 afterwords collection featured clothes that could transform into furniture). In today's fast-paced culture, functionality and ease of wearability is just as important to the wearer as fashionability and following trends.

I've been trying to find mentors to support my design work and came across a few really interesting projects from a number of some very conceptual and innovative designers. 

Vexed Generations

Neoballistic Nylon Parka, Backpack and trousers 1996

Photo taken from museumoflondon

Puma and Vexed Generation collaboration cycler hoodie, 2005

Photo taken from coolhunting.com

Vexed Generatio's multi-functional jackets were created by Adam Thorpe and Joe Hunter in 1994 as a reaction to the changing urban lifestyle of the 1990s and the problems that arise with it. Their famous nylon parka (Top image) was designed so that wearers are able to conceal themselves from the increasing number of surveillance cameras that were emerging around the time.

What I appreciate about their garments is how functionality has been demonstrated at its best through a combination of high-performance materials (e.g. bullet proof Kevlar) and smart construction methods (their See and Be Seen jackets can be unzipped in certain sections to reveal light-reflective panels so that wearers on a scooter can be more comfortable when leaning forward on a bike; plus they can be seen on the road!). Not only that, but also the way that they've managed to make these functional qualities very appealing and fashionable! Especially after their collaboration with sport giant Puma!

I can't seem to find any recent projects by them after 2005 though, it would be good to see what else they have been up to. If anyone knows, give me a buzz!

Hussein Chalayan

 autumn/winter 2000 afterwords collection

Photo taken from nataliaallen.wordpress

autumn/winter 1999-2000

Photo taken from designboom

spring/summer 2007

Photo taken from notsosnippy.wordpress

Although his more recent collections have drifted away from ideas of fashion as wearable art, Chalayan's past collections showed the designer's fascination with wanting to revolutionize the form and function of fashionable clothing.  

I think these examples are very influential in the way that they've encouraged me to think more conceptually about my design work and reconsider the characteristics of both what the wearer is wearing and how it relates to the wearer themselves. This is a fundamental aspect of my end of year collection: I want to create fashions that not only look cool and contemporary, but function well for the modern, urban environment also.

Piece #1 Colour me silly!

First post!

So after much procrastination, I've decided my first post should be about my love for all things colourful!

One of the main things I really want my end of year collection to have is a really fun, energetic vibe. During my procrastinating hours on the internet, I came across Chicago-based artist Nick Cave and his amazing Soundsuits! 

Photos taken from Lost at E Minor

Photos taken from the city loves you

Photos taken from vivalemani.wordpress

Aren't they fantastic?! 

These suits/wearable sculptures were made from an assortment of materials so that the sounds made by each garment are all unique.

I just found them so inspiring because he really captures the fun, youthful energy that I want my collection to embody.

It's also interesting to note that when exhibited, these suits don't really come to life:

 But the way they've been photographed makes them so incredibly quirky!

To read more about them, check this out.

And if you want even more, check out this awesome video of his soundsuits being worn in public!

'Till next time, I shall leave you with some words of wisdom by the one and only Calvin Harris


Now I don't care what you dress like
Or what you wear
But please make sure baby
You've got some colours in there
Now it's all very well stepping out in black and white
But you're no girlfriend of mine
If you're doing that right

Get some colours on, get some colours on