Chenman Photography

zippercut.wordpress.com/.../ chenman-photography/

I stumbled upon this photograph by Chenman, a young photographer from China. This image is quite inspirational in my design work because it evokes emotions of rage, restriction and darkness, which is what I am trying to convey in my upcoming collection inspired by the screen gangster.

blog.avenaim.com/

I found this photograph by Jerry Avenaim. It replicates the iconic look of the screen gangster. Its simplistic background showcases the cut and intricate details of the suit.

Magic World

www.fashionprojects.org/ ?cat=6

This photograph by Tim Walker for Vogue Italia was part of the editorial, Magic World. I love this photograph as it plays on the use of white to convey the idea of prothetic beauty. The minimalist background/set allows juxtaposes the intricacies of the clothing. Thus making the photograph really interesting.

Jil Sander

Designer Jil Sander's latest collection Spring ready-to-wear 2010, is quite interesting. I believe it is a great example of the fusion of minimalist elements with intricate details as she presents simplistic form/shapes with raw finishes and applique.

Images from http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/S2010RTW-JLSANDER/

The screen gangster

My collection has suddenly taken a turn and I am now being inspired by the screen gangster. The gangster's uniform - the suit, trench/coat - is so simplistic in cut and form, but contains so much meaning in the intricate details it possesses. Here are some images from the film Public Enemies

All images from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1152836/mediaindex

Motivation

ok so just doing some designing and am feeling a little uninspired so I thought for all of you fourth years in the same boat as me I thought I'd post this quote...

"Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imagine vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary." (Cecil Beaton)

Minimalism vs Intricate Details

So far in my posts i have captured the intricate details found in photographs and designs. This attention to detail really inspires my design work. However I do find the minimalist art, photography and design very interesting. The stripping back of the subject to its bare essentials presents a rawness and a sense of purity as i said in my last post.

I know these concepts contradict each other, but both inspires me, leading to my exploration of the combination of such opposing ideas in design practice. With that being said I stumbled along these beautiful photographs by Toby Keller, titled, Parking Garage Series. Keller has presented the car park to be a white blank canvas. This actually reminded me of photographs i took for a previous styling assignment. Titled, Underground Subconscious, in which the setting was an underground car park, the photographs presented the plain, empty structure of the car park juxtaposed the detailed designs of the clothes/styling, which represented the turbulent yet peaceful elements of the mind.

Underground Subconscious...I love this picture, hence why it is my header

Toby Keller (http://www.burnblue.com/blog/C1/P6/)

Toby Keller (http://www.burnblue.com/blog/C1/P6/)

Anders Linden

Minimalist Photography has always intrigued me. The subtlety and purity behind these photography just capture my attention. I love its simplistic nature and how this nature reveals meaning and is open to a variety of interpretation. Minimalist Photographer Anders Linden takes exquisite photographs. His photographs capture elements of minimalism but at times disrupts it through the use of detailed subjects.

Images from http://www.anderslinden.com/

Fetish and Fashion

Throughout the fashion industry, fashion designers have to some extent been influenced by the fetishism and the erotic. But why?

The idea of restriction and bondage dates back to 19th century Gothic fashion. This style concentrated on the idea of subtly revealing hidden fantasies, desires and personas through the concealment and manipulation of the body through veils, corsets and masks.

This idea of restriction has been subtly incorporated within contemporary fashion through modern corset designs, body suits and garments incorporating straps and chains in black leather, PVC and lace.

Givenchy Spring 2009 (http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/S2009RTW-GIVENCHY)

Alexander McQueen Fall 2009 http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/F2009RTW-AMCQUEEN

Ann Demeulemeester Spring 2010 (http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/S2010RTW-ADEMEULE)

Gareth Pugh Fall 2010 (http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/F2010RTW-PUGH)

The Modern Dandy...

The 19th century dandy has fascinated the world of fashion for years. Their meticulous attention to details, their commitment to styling outfits and their emphasis on presenting meaning through appearance has influenced men's fashion for years. A modern incarnation of the dandy is seen in the label Saint Augustine Academy. Behind this label are the creative and business minds of Alvin Manalo and Adrian Amores. The label encompasses a blend of punk, goth and indie rock underlined with romantic undertones through exquisite tailoring. Each season produces garments that are minimalistic in nature, but contain intricate detailing, expressing the romanticism of the 19th century dandy and the elements of the modern world.

Here are a few pics from their latest collection: Autumn/Winter 2010 The lamentations of Euchrid the Mute

All images from: http://www.saintaugustineacademy.com.au/home/#/1_0

The art of Philip Treacy

Philip Treacy creates amazing structural headpieces and hats. He has collaborated with many fashion designers such as Alexander McQueen and Raf Simmons. The following pieces are spectacular as they evoke darkness, elegance and intrigue.

http://www.philiptreacy.co.uk/

http://www.philiptreacy.co.uk/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/libbyrosof/523632241/

http://www.lasplash.com/uploads/1/anglo_mania_12_001.jpg

Steven Klein

"Portraiture in the past has been regarded as a documentation of a person but for me it is a documentation of the encounter between myself and the subject. It is not meant to reveal them, nor is it meant to subject them to an X-ray; it is a departure from that. I am more interested in the alchemical reaction that occurs when elements are brought together in a space." (Klein S, http://www.stevenkleinstudio.com/www/index.html)

Steven Klein is an amazing photographer!!!! His images are risky, provocative, edgy, modern and innovative. His photographs speak for themselves so enjoy.....

Love and Hate (American Vogue 2008, http://www.stevenkleinstudio.com/www/index.html)

Sleep Investments (American Vogue 2005, http://www.stevenkleinstudio.com/www/index.html)

She's Come Undone (American Vogue 2009, http://www.stevenkleinstudio.com/www/index.html)

A Provocative Elegance (Italian Vogue 2004, http://www.stevenkleinstudio.com/www/index.html)

The Classy Daphne Guiness (Italian Vogue 2009, http://www.stevenkleinstudio.com/www/index.html)

The Fabulous Ann Demeulemeester

http://fashionministry.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/aw19980621_ann_demeulemeester.jpg

Our task for uni this week was to research our mentors that inspire us... so obviously I had to include Ann Demeulemeester.

A brief history:

Demeulemeester was born in Belgium in 1959 and studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, graduating in 1981 along with the other members of the Antwerp Six such as Dries Van Norton. Demeulemeester presented her first ready-to-wear womenswear collection in 1981. Since then her label/brand has grown into an international business that produces men and women's clothing, shoes, bags and other accessories.

What I love about Demeulemeester's design work is her use of both elements of minimalism and deconstruction. She blurs the lines between masculinity and femininity through the combination of structured tailored pieces and loose drape work, and monochromatic colour palettes infused at times with touches of bright colours.

Demeulemeester has a strong sense of self and of her brand story. Her confidence, strength and fearless experimentation in design has helped her succeed within the fashion industry.

Images are from the Autumn/Winter 2010: Collection: http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/F2010RTW-ADEMEULE

Sean Ellis

http://img19.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=63098_img714_122_773lo.jpg#

Sean Ellis work is simply amazing!!! He has trained as a still life photographer and has worked on editorials with magazines such as i-D, The face, Visionaire, Arena, Vogue, and Harper's Bazaar. His fashion photographs contains elements of still life images, where Ellis has consciously played with lighting to capture the simplistic beauty of his subject. In other editorials his play with shadow greatly captures the complexity of the dark side of fashion, evoking a strong emotional response from viewers. One of my favourite editorials is "The Clinic" in The Face magazine's March 1997 issue, which was styled by Isabella Blow. This editorial looks at the darker side of fashion - it focused on the body in fashion as being a traumatised object, using it within the context of the gothic genre.

http://img247.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=63106_img715_122_524lo.jpg

http://img167.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=63110_img716_122_871lo.jpg

This would have to be my favourite shot - I just love the silhouette in this shot and the story behind it, where the model's body is a puppet, where fashion is the puppeteer determining the formation of the body.

http://img204.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=63131_img720_122_104lo.jpg

Black is the New Black!

Anyone who knows me, knows I am a huge lover of the colour black. Its symbolism heavily influences my design work and so for my first post I thought I would pay homage to the great colour.

What is it about black that has fashion enthusiasts obsessed and wanting more? The colour black has been regarded as a staple colour in both men and women's closests throughout history, dating all the way back to antiquity, where black was associated with death and mourning. Black has been linked to seduction, elegance, death and the macabre genre.

Black and Elegance

Black to this day is generally associated with elegance and sophistication thanks to the iconic fashion designer, Coco Chanel, who popularised "The Little Black Dress". Its dark hue combined with a simplistic cut created a demure look that contrasted the fashions of the time.

http://blog.kristenoreilly.com/wp-content/up

loads/2009/02/coco_chanel1.jpg

Black and Seduction and the Macabre

Black has been commonly linked with ideas of seduction and eroticism, popularised by the Gothic subculture through its association with fetishism - evoking images of things such as corsetry and leather.

The goth subculture is involved in all things macabre, which the fashion industry has become entranced with - going back to its roots. It seems that many designers such as the late Alexander McQueen, Ann Demeulemeester, Viktor and Rolf and Gareth Pugh have all created intriguing, dark collections inspired by the eerie and grotesque elements of this genre.

Below is Alexander McQueen's spectacular Merry-go-round Autumn/Winter 2001-2 Collection. Here McQueen showcased the darker side of the circus as models paraded in black and white clown make-up.... if you don't find clowns a little weird and scary, you might after this collection!

http://designmuseum.org/design/alexander-mcqueen

Ann Demeulemeester Spring 2010 Ready-to-Wear caged Bird Collection - a take on the idea of women as caged birds

http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/S2010RTW-ADEMEULE

Gareth Pugh Fall 2009 Ready-to Wear Collection - sci-fi meets the underground

http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/F2009RTW-PUGH