MCQUEEN'S MAGIC!

Tim Blanks reflects on Alexander McQueen’s Spring 1998 show, The Golden Shower. The designer was famous for his runway spectacles, but this one in particular lingers with our Editor-at-Large, not because it featured a rookie model by the name of Gisele Bündchen, but because of its extraordinary emotional resonance. "It's proof that he was a magician."

THE OSCAR EFFECT!

When John Galliano left the fashion industry in 'disgrace' in 2011, everyone knew it: at some point, he'd be back..

"We're still in conversations with John. He's a very talented and wonderful man, and everyone in life deserves a second chance. I've known him for over 30 years. I'm not alone in that I have a studio and many talented assistants that work with me, and one more opinion would be wonderful. He would be a member of our studio. If it comes to a successful conclusion, we will be working together." — Oscar de la Renta [HauteLiving]

Welcome Back Mr. Galliano!

TOP DRAWER FURNITURE!

Design Miami/ describes itself as a global forum for design. It is a platform for both historically important and contemporary pieces. Last month, galleries from across the globe assembled for the design show's sister event in Basel to display their precious wares in the brand-new Herzog & de Meuron-designed halls of the Messe Basel

Jetting in to view what was on offer - which included Maison des Jours Meilleurs, a 1956 prefabricated house by Mr Jean Prouvé (restored, shipped and then assembled inside the fairgrounds by Galerie Patrick Seguin) that sold within minutes - were collectors, industry chiefs, designers, architects and enthusiasts. Notable attendees included Mr Leonardo DiCaprio, Mr Peter Brant, Ms Stephanie Seymour, Mr Roman Abramovich and Mr Kanye West. The latter, well known to be a fashion, architect and design buff, provided an impromptu "listening party" for his new album Yeezus, complete with chairs by Mr Rick Owens, whose limited-edition design work was shown by Salon 94. 

The galleries that make up the fair fall into two camps: those that deal in historical design - mainly 20th-century work from the likes of Messrs Prouvé, Jean Royère, Carlo Mollino, Alvar Aalto, Jean-Michel Frank, Mr Giò Ponti and Ms Eileen Gray - and those that "edit" works from contemporary talent and produce limited-edition collections usually comprising no more than 12 pieces. 

Design Miami/, which runs alongside the Art Basel fair, also provides satellite exhibitions, special commissions and exposure opportunities for young talent. It is peppered with talks, tours and openings in and around the city - and plenty of dinners and parties. This year's even included a fire station's 20th birthday celebration. Yes, a fire station, albeit one of the first completed buildings by architect Ms Zaha Hadid, just minutes over the border in Germany at Vitra Campus. 

Check the slides, below, to see eight designs that really caught our attention. 

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NICOLA REBOOTS DIESEL!

Is Lady G moving to Diesel? Well, we'll see about that. Meanwhile you can refer to Nicola Formichetti 

mastermind as DIESEL's new artistic director. Starting with the FW '13 collection, the avant-garde designer and 

fashion editor will oversee the brand's main line as well a a project they call 'DieselReboot'.

''Diesel and I are all about the same things,'' Nicola said. ''No rules. It's about being empowered. We're going to 'reboot.' 

Hit refresh. That's our first project: we're ripping apart everything to re-build something bigger.''

 His goal is to get young people around the world to be part of the process. 

Diesel founder Renzo Rosso (in the picture below) said he's found someone as crazy as he is.

 ''Nicola shares my vision and I find it incredibly inspiring to work with him: two creative planets 

are colliding to generate fresh, mad, insane ideas.''

SIR PAUL SMITH: STYLE NOTES!

The legendary British designer Sir Paul Smith talks photography, architecture and Mr David Bowie.

Sir Paul Smith's name is known around the world for his highly renowned, quintessentially British fashion and design, but it might not have turned out that way. As a young man Sir Paul was a serious cyclist who aspired to race professionally, until a bad accident ended that idea. While he was recuperating, the designer fell in with the local art school set, and the rest, as they say, is history. Starting from the single shop he opened in his native Nottingham, UK, in 1970, Sir Paul has built a global style empire with an annual turnover of £330m, of which his menswear collections are integral. Sir Paul's approach of updating classic men's clothes with contemporary cuts (Sir Paul is a trained tailor himself) and mischievous details, such as jauntily patterned linings on otherwise formal suit jackets, has not only revolutionised modern menswear but also spawned countless imitators.

Worn by rock stars and members of the establishment alike ("We make suits for the head of the Bank of England, Mervyn King, and we make suits for Paul Weller. How diverse do you want it?" the designer says), Paul Smith menswear is characterised by well-considered details and proportions, high-quality fabrics and production, and innovative design with a sense of humour. Sir Paul himself remains heavily involved in every aspect of his company, where he is both chairman and head designer. In his central London studio, hundreds if not thousands of art and photography books jostle for space with antique and design objects, original artworks and prints, and sometimes the odd bicycle or two, all evidence of the designer's broad and varied cultural interests. When Sir Paul is invited to guest lecture at art and design institutes worldwide (which is rather frequently these days), the message he likes to drive home to the students is that you can find inspiration anywhere - indeed, he has even written book entitled You Can Find Inspiration in Everything* (*And If You Can't, Look Again). You can find out what is inspiring Sir Paul right now by clicking through the pictures below.

 

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THE ART OF FASHION: PROENZA SCHOULER!

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MR CHARLES EAMES, THE ARTIST!

When, during World War II, Mr Charles Eames moved to Los Angeles with his new wife Ms Ray Eames (neé Ms Ray Kaiser), the design duo embarked on a career that would define the look of an entire era. 

Their creative and romantic partnership was of unrivalled influence in the post-war period, thanks to the way they combined an engineer's take on modernism, a joyful sense of optimism and a deeply artistic sensibility. They may now be remembered chiefly as the designers of beautiful furniture, but the film suggests that their talents were far broader than their current legacy suggests.

Eames: The Architect and the Painter is released on 3 August!

SHOP THE STORY!

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INTERVIEW: MARC JACOBS

THE LEGEND: JENS RISDOM

 Experience the wit and wisdom of the modern master, 

as he speaks with us about history, parachute straps, and, of course, chairs!

Enjoy!

INSIDE THE WORLD OF RICK OWENS!

 A sneek peak into the designer's Paris atelier..

MARNI X H&M COLLABORATION

No Tom Ford, but not bad at all!

MARNI at H&M!

To be released in March 2012…

hipsters, flipsters | +funkystclothing | 'dope!'

spiritually i have no worries, financially some occur.hipsters

(photos by andrei iacob)

check out: funkystclothing DOPE clothing!

don't forget to check our fb page: fashionspam

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Maison Kitsuné

Shop the brand: MR PORTER

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Boys of Milan & Paris

Rhea Costa by Andreea Constantin

And THEY get better and better!

Congrats!

Rhea Costa

Kanye West debut | Womenswear Collection at Paris Fashion Week

Though news of his womenswear line was confirmed in July, it was uncertain when Kanye West would debut it. Now it’s been confirmed that Mr.West will indeed present his first womenswear collection during Paris Fashion Week on Saturday, October 1 at 9:30pm, directly after Jean Paul Gauliter and Loewe.

West has also recruited Central Saint Martins students as interns to work with him and designer Katie Eary on this collection.

Gold, ivory and peach are reportedly West’s colours of choice, and the collection will apparently draw inspiration from samurai, sports garments, and luxury garments.

Good Luck, K!

dancing in the moonlight | #meetmary0.342

Photo by Andrei Iacob

Maxi Dress by [Fe]Male

Designer Scouts present: Twenty(2)Too | #romaniandesigners!?

Designer Scouts is a platform for young and avant-garde designers and they’re making events and fashion shows during Berlin Fashion Week since January 2010. Last event on July they presented the Romanian menswear label twenty(2)too.

Personally I don't like the collection, but considering my roots I decided to post it anyway. What do you think?

Photo credits event: Robert Klebenow

Balenciaga Museum | Getaria, Spain

eng: Queen Sofia of Spain inaugurated today in Getaria a museum dedicated to Spanish fashion designer Cristobal Baleniaga, who revolutionized the world of haute couture. The museum will display more than 1200 Balenciaga designs, including dresses worn by Grace Kelly, Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo and Belgium's former queen Fabiola. The museum will also include a school of haute couture.

ro: Regina Sofia a Spaniei a inaugurat astazi muzeul dedicat designerului spaniol care a revolutionat lumea haute couture-ului, Cristobal Balenciaga. Muzeul va contine peste 1200 de creatii Balenciaga, printre care rochii purtate de Grace Kelly, Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo si fosta regina a Belgiei, Fabiola. Muzeul va contine de asemenea o scoala de haute couture.

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YOHJI YAMAMOTO: This Is My Dream!

eng: Fascinating documentary by filmmaker Theo Stanely about the life, times and work of Japanese fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto.

ro: Un documentar fascinant, realizat de Theo Stalney, despre viata, timpurile si munca designerului japonez Yohji Yamamoto

 

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