Spotlight : Karin Dreijer Andersson, The Black Riding Mood

 You might think that I'm neglecting this blog. You're partly right, but it is because I live by a rule that is "when you have nothing to say, saying nothing is better than saying stupidities or to repeat yourself". When I read magazines and other blogs, I have the impression to suffer from enormous deja-vus, they're all with stripes, and Gucci and summer ... To be honest, this is the season that bores me the more and these days, fashion is the least of my worries. I've prefered to devote myself to the writing of my fifth novel. It's generally what I do when I am particularly deceived by the cultural releases, that is to say novels, movies and music. When I see a world, with the wonderful cultural inheritance we know, which, prefering easiness, releases movies such as The Red Riding Hood, that really motivates me to produce something better. But I have choosed this example because this turkey had a least an advantage : its soundtrack features an artist I really admire and who inspires me a lot.

 This lady's name is Karin Dreijer Andersson. The 36 years old Swede is the voice and the spirit of two amazing bands : Fever Ray, which signs the song The Wolf on the Red Riding Hood's soundtrack, and iconic electronic duo The Knife, with her brother Olof. Both might be unfamiliar to you if you're not into electronic music, but even if Karin and her projects are still very discreet, they have a huge impact in the contemporary world of music.
I ran into The Knife by chance, some years ago. At the time, my electronical universe was limited to male voices, either trip hop (Massive Attack, Sneaker Pimps) or industrial, such as Hocico, Das Ich and other brutal lyricism. My only female experiences were Goldfrapp and Björk, who I regarded as the strangest of my tastes. So, the first time I heard a song of The Knife, it was quite a revolution.

 It looked like an alien encounter; you can't help but have the strong feeling that you have met something superior, something more intense. Let's start with Neverland, from their second album, Silent Shout (2006), it is an easy introduction. If you're caught, then you could dare to enter deeper in their unusual vibrancy and their universe, an odd mix of darkness, bitterness, childhood and fairyland. They quote David Lynch, Donnie Darko, Kate Bush and Siouxsie and the Banshees, but you can expect to find more from your unconscious than in any psychotherapy. But don't expect a classical relationship, because The Knife is not here to satisfy masses, and they're not afraid to shock your ears and your expectations. Silent shout is quite disturbing, and you will tend to prefer Deep Cuts (2003) and The Knife (2001), perhaps more academic. Their latest creation, Tomorrow, in a Year (2010) in association with Mt. Sims is even harder to reach (don't say creepy !), even for I who appreciate the sound of Matthew Sims. 

 But, what makes the band so unique is the voice and personality of Karin. At the same time very pure, but fragile, she is constantly at the limits of shrill and sweetish in her singing, which makes a huge contrast with her play on her appearance, very dark and tribal. While with The Knife, she liked to hide herself behind a plague doctor mask : but don't see any Gaga attempt here. The lady doesn't like mainstream attention. Nominated thrice at the Grammis (the Swedish equivalent of the Grammy Awards), she never came, even when she had won several prizes. Her taste for costumes and her contribution to movies' soundtracks could remind of band Daft Punk, but Karin Dreijer Andersson is much more than a marketing mystery. She stands for women in the music industry, for the minorities, and succeeds in offering a rare mysticism to a world where music is devoted to money and fame.

 Her solo project, Fever Ray, founded in 2009, led her to throw the masks, and she adopted tribal paintings and somptuous costumes. Death and shamanism are the main visual themes, but loneliness is what stands out from the album. Many critics have qualified her work of "claustrophobic", but I quite disagree with the term, or we are putting a different meaning here. The music of The Knife recalled the countryside, dense forests of dark pine trees, large desert plain, and was more organic, even if cold, as those of Ladytron. With Fever Ray, Andersson migrates inside the cities by night, the gloomy interiors, the Platonician grottos with their lack of realism and their nightmares, finding Neverland again. With this new and outstanding aesthetism, she has decided to explore darker sides of her music, even if, for the moment, it is still close to those of The Knife, a fact that critics can't help but underline. But Karin is from those creatures who develop herselves without the look and opinion of the others, and her work is still the most sensible and remarkable innovation I've seen in music industry so far.

Katie Stelmanis from Austra - Nika Roza Danilova from Zola Jesus

 Moreover, she has opened the way for girls in electronic music, far from the clichés of the sexy djs of trendy parties (Miss Kittin and other IT girls suddenly turned musically inspired; that doesn't prevent them from having talent, don't make me say what I didn't). Now, the blondes with distorded voices are a new trend, and if they're not all of great quality, they still offer some good tunes. We can quote Canadian singer Katie Stelmanis, who acts both in solo and with band Austra, and Russian American Nika Roza Danilova, better known under the name of Zola Jesus. In the brunettes' side, Björk has found a spiritual daughter in Grimes, another Canadian singer. The common point of those youngsters is the dark mood, and they are often dubbed witches by narrow-minded journalists. Put some Rick Owens on them and they will consider them as the new IT girls ...
As for Karin Dreijer Andersson, no risk to find her inside the pages of a fashion magazine, even if her style is more interesting and intense than those of an Alexa Chung (seriously, she's cute, but who's that girl ?). Just listen to her music, like it or hate it. But find out that there is life outside of the filmography of Catherine Hardwicke ...

Claire Boucher aka Grimes - copyright David J. Romero

(If you know or own the copyright of one of this photos, please contact me.)

Interview : DimePiece, Welcome to Paradime

 There's still a fortnight before the release of my article on young designers, and I thought that another teaser would please you. This interview  was supposed to be included in the article, but unfortunately arrived too late. I thought it was unfair for the two adorable girls who have taken the time to answer, with a lot of humour and freshness, so I've decided to make it as a 'bonus'.
DimePiece is one of those brands, like American Apparel, which are very proud to sell products entirely manufactured locally. At its head, two "chicks on pills" (one of their recurring pattern), Laura Fama, 24 and Ashley Jones, 26, both graduates in Fashion and "dwelling in the colourful and adventurous garment district of  in downtown Los Angeles", who want to fight the reign of the foreign-made clothes and its quality and human damages. "We design and manufacture all our garments and accessories here in Los Angeles. We favour this decision in working domestically with our contractors so we can watch exactly how our garments are assembled day to day. It feels good knowing that our sewers, graders, patternmakers, etc are all getting paid fairly without a middleman. Plus it helps create more jobs domestically and stimulates our economy. Win-win." The label is their baby, and they handle everything from scratch. Their products are incredibly trendy and desirable, a mix of rock aesthetic and Californian bohemian lifestyle.

“Each season’s line is expressed by modern pop art-themed prints and t-shirts with the cheekiest and most feminist of phrases, along with hoodies, sweatshirts, leggins and tanks. Now in its tenth season, the young designers add another solid installment to Dimepiece, and go from strength to strength as trendsetting Fergie, Nicki Minaj, The Kardashians, Amber Rose, Juliette Lewis, Pink, M.I.A., Katy Perry and Estelle have emerged as fans.”
Indeed, L.A.'s A-list has quickly integrated their list of clients. Their prices, though, are still affordable, but I strongly regret that their delivery prices for Europe are mostly equals to the price of their garments ... Of course, it is a detail in front of the quality the girls offer and their philosophy. Their soap box ? Women empowerment. "That’s always been what we’ve stood for, and always had a positive response from, and so we’ve never felt forced to translate it through our designs. Women, power, and how the two interconnect was originally the motive that our brand was based on and so it works its way into each season naturally. We use most of our graphic tees as a way of communication to state our opinion on various things. This is a passion of ours and so it’s important to us that we keep creating statement tees with each collection."
The picture of a spitting cat, with this catchy statement on, "One Pussy you can't fuck with" : the message is clear enough ... But you can't reduce the label to provocation and feminism.

 The girls are quoting Alexander McQueen, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac and Vivienne Westwood as fashion models, designers who also tried to convey social messages through art and insolence. They took risks, and the girls praise them for that : "People nowadays are weary what others may think or judge them if they step outside of acceptable guidelines.[They] took risks in their designs in the infancy of their careers… The industry finally embraced it and favoured [them] for their unique style and vision." Three appealing destinies which won't stop making imitators, but Laura and Ashley are now wishing to follow their own path, with the risks induced. Ashley told me : "There is a quote [which] has always stayed with me, “Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.” [we are owing this gorgeous sentence to actress Judy Garland] Innovation is key, as a brand we take pride in doing what we feel, we try to do only what we like and what we think is ‘us’. In turn it keeps the brand innovative and fresh, it preserves our own ideas that make us independent from older legacies."
The influences of the two ladies can be found in our modern society : model Agyness Deyn, for example, is one of their muse and T-shirt's pattern, and more generally, we can feel a true respect for contemporary artists, especially streets ones.

 But Art, like Love, doesn't pay the bill (another of their slogans) : "Aesthetic is important, but sometimes we just want to say how we feel and put it on a tee." These girls are level-headed and you would not loose them into the game of Art for Art. They describe themselves as businesswomen, but that doesn't mean that they've lost their sense of humour ... "Finding a balance between art and trade would be incredible but we have to work hard towards that perfect symmetry. In general though, fashion should be closer to art, of course. Fashion is in itself art. It’s creative and fun. Trade is money, consumerism, business! commerce! AH GET ME OUT OF HERE!"
This sense of reality also allow DimePiece to stand independant and unique, while other young labels have already lapsed into exorbitant pricing and mainstreaming. The girls are really proud of their freedom : "we lean more towards a democratic point of view but overall we are a liberated brand that is self-governing." But they are still prudents. Crisis have affected the young label, and many of their shops were forced to close. Luck has nothing to do with it : indeed, talent has been stronger than difficulty, and now, they can breathe easier. Not surprising with such a motto : "Always making a way when there was no way" ...
Internet is also a strong weapon for Laura and Ashley, who own a very attractive website. It allows them to go deeper in their thirst of experience. "It’s interesting to watch designers and artists release work into the internet world and see how quick and easy it is to receive an emotional response from someone, good or bad…via Facebook, Twitter, Google, etc. I think it’s encouraging for designers like us to share our new collections and art projects with the masses to view, especially on a worldwide/global scale. Blogs and web-zines have opened a new chapter when trying to reach new consumers and shoppers from around the globe. Click, click, scroll and you can watch someone’s art or project unfold right in front of your eyes, it’s so instant, so much information at your fingertips and a lot (to say the least) to keep you encouraged."

If they are aware that their American aura is what makes them so attractive worldwide, they also confess an attraction for Europe and Japan. "We’ve spent time in both [countries] and think there is a dynamism there that the U.S. doesn’t understand. There’s a unique sense of vigor for art, fashion and creation. Tons of personal style, people who take risks, and innovators that are more open to being unique. I can’t get enough of that." says Ashley. It is maybe the dream of the ladies of DimePiece, but it is definitely ours : more DimePiece stores on the other side of the Atlantic and the Pacific ... That would resolve my delivery's issues ...  Meanwhile, you can shop their sexy dresses, terrific collars, graphic bags and cheeky tees on http://www.dimepiecedesigns.com/store ...

Interview : Yiqing Yin, the Perfect Harmony

No, I didn't disappear since the beginning of April. My apology for the absence of articles. I was concentrating all my energy on my work of freelance editor and I had the opportunity to get many interesting articles. One of them was a report on the young generation of designers. For it, I have interviewed many of those young talents, but one has particularly striken me : fashion designer Yiqing Yin. So, I really wanted to introduce her to you. 

"To me Fashion is not only about a garment but also striving to create an emotion, to tell a story and to relate to others."She states.

Yiqing is a twenty-six years old young woman from China who grew up in Paris, France. Of her two cultures, she had formed a very personal universe, made of natural elegance, grace and harmony, in one side, and of prestige, magnificence and details in the other. This mix is also present in the work of Madeleine Vionnet and Madame Grès, two French classic designers she quotes as her inspiration. Madame Grès is, incidentally, honoured by an exhibition at the Musée Bourdelle, in Paris. We can find this legacy in Yiqing's work.

Yiqing decided to launch her own label after the International Festival of Couture of Hyeres, in France, where she was a finalist. Since then, the success was always here and she won the Great Prize of the city of Paris and has been exhibited in a gallery. She will soon show her first collection in public, in July.

"I have a very sculptural approach to garment and couture, which i try to modernise by reinterpreting various techniques based on pleating draping, cording, smocks ... It s a sensitive and instinctive approach. My main focus and starting point in creation is the encounter with the fabric, its texture and its movement." She says.

Her catchwords are quality, emotions and moderation, and thus, she rejects trends, fast fashion and consumerism. She is proud to make products of quality, of an extreme luxury, even if it means that she would only sell to an elit.

Already spotted by famous magazines (Vogue, for example), the young woman is yet easy to access and she has answered my questions with politeness and concern, which is always very remarkable in the Industry. It is also very rare to see someone that young being that wise, able to think about big issues and to have a very philosophical and sensible view on the present and the future. A pearl in that world of celebrities-obsessed designers. Yiqing never quotes an actress, she dresses real women, like you and I ( if we can afford her creations of course !). Sure, he is not famous herself yet, but her vision of her work should prevents her to get a big-head :

"I love my job so much because of the reality behind it, the notion of intimacy to a person and the absolute necessity that is intrinsic to the very idea of clothing."

"The stylistic directions of my design are very personal, but I never had the feeling that I had to compromise creatively, quite on the contrary people from the industry and the public have always encouraged me to dig deeper into what I instinctively desire. I m not interested in proposing a vision that everyone likes, it wouldn’t be “honest”, and again it’s all about emotions and I much rather have people hate it or love it."

Let's hope that she will get the attention she deserves, without losing this integrity which is so refreshing in that world of attention-seekers. For the moment, her website is a bit empty, but if you want to take a look, click here : http://www.yiqingyin.com/

For the rest of Yiqing's interview and those of the other designers, you will have to wait for the publication of the article. I will keep you updated.

Spotlight : Jan Welters and the Pop Motion



Stiletto Magazine

 It's been a while since I've last posted about fashion photography. The reason was simple : I didn't find something catchy enough to be noticed here. The pictures I saw of the Spring season were all the same, with odd postures, tousled models and a remarkable lack of originality, even of beauty. I was quite deceived until I saw the cover of French magazine Stiletto. At least something vivid, something simple yet effective with a great work on the trendy colours of the season and an elegant posture. The serie of pictures inside is of the same quality. The model is emphasized, the clothes too, which is clearly the main goal of fashion photography, but also, the result is beautiful. The artist behind this is Dutch photographer Jan Welters.

 Jan Welters is not very famous yet, but he already worked with many great names, including Vogue, Elle, Jil Sander, Eres, Mango and many trendy French brands, such as IKKS and Zadig&Voltaire. His recipe is quite simple : a fusion between delicate contrasting colours and a mastered rotation of the chest and limbs. Nothing agressive, nor fiendish, but the magic works.

 Now based in Paris, the photographer seems to favour colour, something I appreciate, even if I like his black and white pictures too. These remind me of the work of photographer Marc Philbert and director Ruth Hogben.

Cheryl Cole - Marion Cotillard

Already impressive, the portfolio of Jan prides itself on the presence of many international celebrities, from singer Cheryl Cole to actresses Marion Cotillard ( when she was still decent ), Tilda Swinton and many models, such as Natalia Vodianova.
Admittedly, this is not as exciting as the provocations of a David Lachapelle or the power of a Nick Knight, but we need to encourage this type of photography, first to see what these young talents have in their guts, and secondly because fashion needs quality, and not just fair or even dirty illustrations. Yes, I like boldness, punk and wildness. But I also think that cleanliness and simplicity are still the best tools to promote clothes.
http://www.janwelters.com/
all images copyright Jan Welters, all rights reserved.

A quick article, because I'm working for mags. You have to be a bit patient, but I am still on the fashion front for you, faithful readers ! :)

Fashion : Haider Ackermann, the Man with the Gift



Fall 2011 (©Style.com)

When the magazines started to talk about Haider Ackermann, I was quite divided. At the same time, I was touched by his Arthur Rimbaud's attitude, the traveller who collected silhouettes and who refused to be captured in a box, but as I am perfectly stubborn, I refused to be mainstream and like what I was told to. So, I carried on observing Haider's work without making up my mind. One day, while I was leafing through an issue of magazine Numero, I saw a picture with various objects put on a box. Among them were small reproductions of one of my favourite painting, Noblemen with his Hand on his Chest, by painter El Greco. The box was Haider's. And there, the penny dropped. 

(©Vogue.com)

 All those fluid drapes, those vivid colours, all the soft clothes with their exquisite motion on the catwalk, during his Spring Summer 2011 collection ... I saw the likeness with the long white silhouettes of El Greco, dressed with free tunics of colours. It touches me more than the notes of the magazines, talking of women witnessed during his childhood in Africa. I mean, every designer can tell a story to the Press. Now, I was really appreciating Haider Ackermann as the poet he really was. Yes, he was one of the first to jump on the wagon of bright colours, I even quoted him in my article "Vitamin Your Style". But there is something more delicate in the way he treated it : his blue, for example, used with black, is shrewd. He is the only one, with Gareth Pugh ( in his Fall collection ), to have celebrate my favourite colour that well.

(©A.P.C.)

 Now, I understand perfectly the fusional relationship, even couple relationship, he keeps going with the Queen of Elves, the Sorceress of Fashion, Tilda Swinton. She perfectly embodies his style, much more than Janet Jackson who is clearly only swearing by his designs because he is now trendy. I am not saying that you need to be thin and androgynous to wear his clothes, but I feel they are more spiritual than most of the clothes selling nowadays. Perhaps because Ackermann's collections remind us of Asia, this mysterious ancient Japan with samurais and geishas and this magic India with old gurus.

(©EPA)

 The Industry and Press also seem to be careful with this rising star, but not for the same reason as I was. They acclaim him; Karl Lagerfeld for example give him his special blessing and you know how the German designer is calling the shots. But when Haider's name is murmured for covering John Galliano at Dior, they say that he is too "young", too "inexperienced". Really ? Did they see his Fall 2011 collection ? If it's not mastering, I don't know what it is. It is even too "Diorian" for a Ackermann's show, as if he was sending the French House of Couture a visual résumé ... The silhouettes of the Ackermann's woman, indeed, assert themselves, perhaps gentrified a little too much. But just a little. There is still wildness here.

Fall 2011 (©Style.com)

 Only time will allow us to appreciate the numerous facets of this intriguing designer, but what is certain is that he is in control. No faux-pas until now, but a solid personality. Could he take on the responsability of Dior or any other famous line, besides his ? Is he too independant, or able to play with the messages ? These are now the questions concerning Haider Ackermann. The question of his legitimacy is already forgotten : it is now obvious that the Colombian designer, based in Belgium, is part of the Grands, and a name which is intimately bind with the future.

(©Scott Schuman)

http://www.haiderackermann.be/
http://www.luisaviaroma.com/
http://www.thecorner.com/

Spotlight : (Not so desperate) Business Wives

These days, the 7th art is really disappointing : I didn't see Black Swan because I don't like those kind of movies which are so stressful you exit the auditorium with an uncontrollable need of chocolate, sweets and teddy bears to comfort you after this dreadful experience. I don't want sordid plots where the woman is led to madness and angst, I want to watch something to make me feel good, to entertain me with a strong heroine who has got the sense of humour, and who win over her difficulties. And in movies and literature, these days, it is quite impossible to find that ( at least in the examples I've seen lately ). So, I've turned myself toward what seems to become a shoot of the Cinema's tree : TV series. No more telenovelas, now series are treated like real movies, with renowned directors and actors, and brilliant plots. Everyone talked a lot about Boardwalk Empire, a bit less about a serie I consider one of the best I've ever seen so far : The Good Wife. The plot itself isn't very exciting : the wife of a politician, charged with corruption and sexual affairs with prostitutes, is forced to come back into the cruel world of work, in a lawyers office. But the writers are clever and the directing staff efficient, as the episodes are all dynamic with interesting subjects, with excellent wits, intense acting and crafty humour. For the persons who hated the judicial series ( it was the case for me ), you will forget your a priori.

Julianna Margulies as Alicia Florrick in The Good Wife ( not the best examples but internet is a bit poor in series pictures )

If the character of Alicia ( played by Julianna Margulies, former E.R. star ) is a bit fragile and dominated by her husband and her situation in the beginning on the season one, she finally wins her independance thanks to the company of women who already have to show their guts in this world of men. Talking of fashion, Alicia is suscribed to high collars and strict suits, but the wardrobe assistant emphasizes her character with a lot of stretch dark red and blue. The red means at the same times that she is looking for her independance, at the same time in her career, her family life and sexuality, but also that she is still stained by the sin of her husband.
A character in a subdued style who fight her habit to give in toward men, played with nuances by Julianna Margulies, but who, more than anything, is a foil for secondary feminine characters.

Left : Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart

Alicia is a little thing compared to the female associate of the office, flamboyant Diane Lockhart, a woman with claws and mischievous eyes and lines. If we can regret the Botox, Christine Baranski offers us a show of elegant outfits and sexy dresses which proves that women over 40 can look great without playing the lolitas. It is also good to see the discreet complicity of the two women, very welcome after the creepy relationship between Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne) and Patty Hewes (Glenn Close) in the anxiogenic Damages. I was in love with the wardrobe of Ellen, and Patty looked stunning, but the serie was really too disturbing. The outfits of Damages should be injected in The Good Wife, for the pleasure of our eyes and for this poor Alicia.

Rose Byrne and Glenn Close in Damages

But the most interesting female character is definitely those of Kalinda ( played by Brit Archie Penjabi ) an admirable young private who knows how to manipulate men with a lot of cunning, style and humour. If her make-up is a bit too outré and her hairdo too strict, her outfits are always great, with a lot of leather, mini skirts and nice colours, such as her purple coat ( not pictured ). It is great to see an actress, from what Holywood calls a "minority", being offered such an enhancive role. Archie is definitely the revelation of The Good Wife and I hope that Hollywood would learn the lesson.

Archie Panjabi as Kalinda Sharma in The Good Wife

I was not excited that much by the wardrobes of heroines of trendy series such as Sex and the City or Ugly Betty. The outfits used in the world of Fashion are sometimes very excessive and are not in phase with the real lives of real women ( with normal morphologies ! ). So, I am much more touched by the series which show working girls. We can put ourselves in their skins, and more importantly, in their clothes. Because few are the women who can wear Alexander McQueen or Dior in real life. You have to be a bit wiser and to admit that we, normal women, have to wear clothes suited to our lives. But of course, we want to be elegant and beautiful in each aspect of them. I suggest that we stop dreaming about the fashionistas of Gossip Girl, with their unlimited budget, and that we start admiring true role models with true wardrobes. You can dress soberly, even with some gorgeous pieces, as Kelli Williams, who plays the psychologist Dr Gillian Foster in Lie to Me, proves it perfectly ...

Kelli Williams in Lie to Me

Yes, the magazines show us great styles, and we can dream to own extravagant luxury goods, but a superheroine usually wears something that fit the work she has to do. A leotard to save the world, a Marchesa dress to walk the carpet at the Oscars, and office dresses to go to work and take the public transportation ... Frustrated, unsatisfied, rebellious ? If you want to change your wardrobe, then change your life. Too hard ? Then, there is only one option : being magnificent in a suit ... I'm sure you can ! And after an hard day at work, if you are tired of trying to be perfect, just collapse in your sofa and watch The Good Wife ...

Fashion : Maxime Simoens, an Iron Fist in a Velvet Glove

Design of Maxime Simoens S/S 2010 collection

 A new decade implies new faces in the fashion Industry, the great designers have to make room for a new generation, young people who have a brand new look on fashion, heirs of a tradition but also turned toward our future. French designer Maxime Simoens is one of these new names who were picked this year to join the very private circle of French Couture. The 27 years old man from Lille, in the north of France, seems to be the one to follow.

Gossip Girls ( copyright unknown )

 He has worked for the best and learnt the lessons : from Elie Saab, he learnt the uncluttered lines; from Jean-Paul Gaultier, the gothic kitsch. But, as every young designer, his goal is to play solo. Last year, he decided to run his own house and was soon spotted on the fashion radars and became one of the designers working on famous TV show Gossip Girl. You have seen his dresses on Blair, but unfortunately she didn't emphasize them.

S/S 2011 collection

 Simoens' style is a bit gothic, and that doesn't match with the character played by Leighton Meester at all. Indeed, the young designer has got an obession for crosses, and his clothes have a rare dark elegance. The lines are almost military, with strict shoulders, an habit which was also caught by an other French talent, Alexandre Vauthier ( see my article on him ). On his 3 first collections, the main word has been luxury : satin, fur, leather, gold prints, everything is really meticulous, even cold, but beneath this wise appearance, there is a passionate soul.

A/W 2010 collection

Many journalists have linked him with Yves Saint Laurent, for his physical appearance, but also because some dresses reminded the designer, especially his Mondrian dresses of 1965 and 2002. We can also spot some influences of Alexander McQueen. The work is of great quality, and very sober, ideal for modern women. Thus, everyone is now fighting over the young talent. French mail order retailer 3 Suisses has decided to give him a good publicity by offering exclusive to its clients classy outfits for a very reasonable price.

A/W 2010 collection

 In his first collection, Maxime Simoens imitated the cover of Michael Jackson's disc 'Dangerous' : I guess this is a message for competitors ... With his sharp looks, mixing templars knights and seducive witches, Simoens has got some effective weapons to fight in the tought world of fashion. We wish him to be victorious.

Exclusive clothes created for 3 Suisses

Photos http://www.maximesimoens.com/
Shop at http://www.stylebop.com/

Spotlight : The Great Circus of Ruth Hogben

Insensate

 You've already read about Ruth Hogben on this blog (see my article "A Future without Catwalks"). A full article on this artist sounds pretty obvious after my yesterday's philosophical thinking on body and fashion.

Ruth Hogben wanted to be a photographer at first, and she had the luck to become the assistant of one of the contemporary top dogs of this art, the famous Nick Knight. One day, while the master was shooting model Lily Donaldson, Hogben decided to use the photoshoot to make a short video. Interested, Knight decided to encourage his pupil in the way of fashion video, and they repeated the experience, within the framework of the website SHOWstudio.

Ruth Hogben

 The duo have then worked for all the rising stars of fashion and design industry : Alexander McQueen, Lady Gaga, Phillipe Starck ... While Knight was shooting designers Rick Owens for magazine Arena Homme (2009), or Martin Margiela's strange hair clothes ( Make up your mind, 2008), his assistant built an impressive self career of fashion filmmaker. For Punk's heir Agent Provocateur, she created a serie of video entitled like a song of Billy Idol, White Wedding (2008), with kitsch and burlesque collages of Kate Moss in lingerie. More than clothes, what fascinates her the most is the body, the aestheticism and eroticism of its movement, as Buttock proves it. A whole video dedicated to this specific body part with a tribute to burlesque and SM, which seems to have escaped from a bobo documentary from Franco-German channel Arte. Not really my cup of tea though.

Perfect



Gareth Pugh A/W 2009

 What I admire the most in Ruth's work are her more "personal" videos ( understand without the visible influence of Nick Knight ), especially the ones she did for designers Pheobe Philo for Celine and Gareth Pugh. Perfect (2010), her video for Celine, focuses on the discreet elegance of the brand and the sensual body language of the model in a succession of peaceful portaits which delicate light reminds us of Renaissance's paintings. But with Pugh, the filmmaker reaches her height. The unusual shapes and the materials used by the British genius create a genuine alchemy with Hogben's fascination with movement and light.

Gareth Pugh Pitti Immagine 2011

Insensate (2008) is a modern version of Shakespeare's suicide scene of Ophelia. Water, and liquids in general, are a recurring tool in Hogben's videos. For this one, she told us a dark tale, mixing mythology, vampiric imagery and horror movies ( listen to the music ). She starts playing with the Chiaroscuro, a technique used in painting and photography to accentuate the silhouettes. It's a game of shadows, of light and of darkness : the videos are either too dark or too bright, and as Pugh's clothes, often in graphic black and white. The only notable explosion of colours in Hogben's filmography are Frieze (2009), an acid trip in a pop and country music (!) universe, and Untitled (2009), which might have inspired singer Kesha.

Joie de Vivre

But aside her use of classical arts ( painting and classic sculpture ), she seems extremely influenced by burlesque, circus and fun fairs. It is clearly visible in Clown (2009), where model Carmen Kass plays a strange creature, mix of Commedia dell'Arte, of Moulin Rouge's dancer and of prostitute ( the video starts with the words "Dark Annie" which refer to Annie Chapman, a victim of Victorian serial killer Jack the Ripper ). In Joie de Vivre (2010), she pictures model Raquel Zimmerman ( who, really, is of all the best parties ) as a sinistrous Marylin Monroe and as a dark gogo dancer. Everything is dark, especially the not-so-visible-but-latent humour. In her latest videos for Pugh, the models are puppets with broken joints, dancing robots, hula hoop players, actors of Kabuki theatre or even women cut by a digital magician. 

Rick Owens

Ruth Hogben's universe has also to do with contemporary ballets, danced on intense electro music ( often made by Lukid ), with the inflatable capes of Gareth Pugh as tutu. The models are moon-walking on the screen, alone or multiplied ( a good way to be sure the dancers will always be synchronized ! ) and offer to the viewer images of a breathtaking beauty.  This beauty remains in the recent video for Gareth Pugh 2011's collection, but one cannot but notice that the artist doesn't renew herself a lot. The effects are the same, the movements too. Take a look at those two images, extracted from her 2009 and 2011's movies. Very similar, isn't it ?

Gareth Pugh 2009 and 2011

But considering that Ruth Hogben is still young and that her career is already impressive, I guess that her talent will find many new forms in the future, and even if her last video is nothing new, I am still an admirer of her sense of aesthetism and her phantasmagoria. Few are able to do such gorgeous fashion ( and artistic ! ) videos and to make Gareth Pugh's clothes more desirable and fantastic than they already are.
 http://showstudio.com/contributors/27349
 All images are Ruth Hogben and SHOWstudio all rights reserved.

Gareth Pugh Pitti 2011 and Clown



Spotlight : The many arts of Jordan Askill

 Jordan Askill is not just a sculptor. He's not just a brother. He's not just a jewellery designer either. Because Jordan Askill deserves more than one label. Even his name on the new NEWGEN's list is not enough to describe the huge talent which this Aussie artist possesses.
After earning his stripes in his hometown of Sydney, working at Ksubi and on many other projects such as costumes for a dance company, the third Askill brother flew to Paris, which is unfortunately a passage obligé for the young designers.

Boy

 There, Jordan Askill worked 3 years for the prestigious Dior Hommes. But soon, the young artist decided to play by his own rules. At the same time sculptor and designer, Jordan created a singular universe where you can meet the gods of your childhood, plastic knights and horses, head of boy dolls, all floating in a different weightlessness. His creations share a unique poetry, a mix of melancholy and passion. Static or in a latent movement, the sculptures and the jewels remind us our former toys, which we've imagined they could move when we weren't looking.

Costume for Sydney-based dance company "Are we that we are"

 This idea of motion is also developped by the artist with his brothers, directors Daniel and Lorin, in short films, video installations, commercials and more. But there is no risk that Jordan would spread himself too thin. He is heading toward a precise goal, motivated by a special energy. The artist perfectly masters the techniques of the past and the present, and seems determined to used them for the art of the future.

If you wish to encourage this newcomer in the world of fashion, you can find some pieces on the website of French retailer Colette.fr. I guess that with an helping hand of NEWGEN, we will hear more about Jordan Askill in the future : why not a desirable collection at Topshop ?

http://www.askillprojects.com/jordanaskill.html

This year I have decided to back my articles with mood songs. Horses of Patti Smith looked like an obvious choice for this one, perhaps not only because of the title but also the odd energy.