Deconstructing the commonplace is an art in and of itself. It is somehow easier to appreciate the artistry of everyday objects when they are taken out of context and presented as something new. John Mann’s simple yet whimsical photographs of map cutouts often rely on sight gags to express a concept . The equator is whittled down to a thin strip of curved paper, an eclipse becomes a halved globe – the ideas are uncomplicated but manage to transform a utility into something evocative.
Rodarte was New York’s most visually stunning collection but was it the best in show? Conceptually the collection was the kind of wham bam smash that truly invigorated the week. The Fever Ray meets Maori tribesmen meets shredded leather enthusiasts dresses pack the kind of instant wow factor that will no doubt make them editorial favorites but a piece of the puzzle was still missing. As compelling as it seems at a glance, the moments after the first impression are the ones that truly make a collection worthwhile. When you take away the the smoke, the Sharpie arm tattoos and the macabre ambiance of the show itself what are you left with?
An elegant watch is the ultimate status symbol but what happens when you take away the status and leave just the symbol? Denise Julia Reytan’s clever bracelets are the official “idea we wish we’d thought of” this week. With call times, meetings and all manner of scheduled chaos reigning supreme a watch that doesn’t tell time seems both endearingly ironic and blissfully blasé. Time is just an illusion after all, or at least thats what we tell ourselves when were running late.
The most interesting sartorial development of the past week did not happen on the catwalks of New York. Sincerest apologies to the designers who have shown thus far but Tom Ford has stolen your thunder. The taut and entrancing teaser trailer for his directorial debut, A Single Man is as grand a fashion moment as anything were likely to see unfold during fashion week. Based on Christopher Isherwood’s tale about a gay college professor coping with the death of his partner – the film (or the little taste of it rather) is haunting, sumptuous and filled to the brim with pitch perfect costumes. Each detail is just so – from Julianne Moore’s black on white evening gown to Firth’s reading glasses, there isn’t a single stitch out of place. This is exactly the kind of exactness we once expected from Ford’s collections and as he moves into this new arena it appears he hasn’t forgotten his gift for precision.
With summer finally over and the new collections finally appearing in stores the time has come to get serious about autumnal dressing. Translating runway flights of fancy into tangible ensembles is difficult but sometimes you see a piece so fully realized that the look creates itself. Even a moment’s glance at Jakub Polanka’s F/W wares ( Jakob Polanka F/W Lookbook ) shows you that edge and ease are not mutually exclusive. Imagine any of his dramatically shaped toppers worn over a simple pair of skinny jeans or those deconstructed harem pants with a snug white tank. Sometimes all it takes is one choice item to make all the difference – my eye is on the slick black patent trench.
Looks can be deceiving – at first glance Mesi Jilly’s inspired rings and pendants ( Mesi Jily Jewelry Slideshow ) look like the spoils of a particularly pleasant beach outing, swirling crescent shells, pieces of coral, all manner of mollusks – every piece is connected to beauty of aquatic life. Drawing inspiration from nature isn’t anything new but the way in which Jilly blends traditional jewelry techniques and these unusual raw materials is truly unique. – particularly when it comes to the simple and effective shell rings, a giant bauble completely devoid of bling yet utterly eye-catching.
Its no secret that fashion tends to exoticize any culture that isn’t immediately familiar with. Russia becomes a place of endless snow and matryoshka dolls, India a land comprised solely of sand and painted elephants. The places change but the principle remains, go back to the broadest stereotype possible and add in some of the seasons clothes. It takes an especially skillful photographer to subvert the stereotypes and move into fresh territory. Given how prevalent (and resoundingly negative) some stereotypes about the continent of Africa can be its intriguing to see Jean Paul Goude and Naomi Campbell do an editorial together that not only plays to those stereotypes but in some ways embraces them.
Of all the beauty trends in existence, contouring remains the most optimistic of the bunch. The idea that with a few shades of color and a dream, one can re-sculpt the shape of their face requires a fair bit of faith but the end results are typically phenomenal. Especially when you throw the whole create cheekbones mantra out the window and focus instead on the playful way that color can add drama to the face. The breed of contouring displayed on the runways of late ( Contouring Makeup F/W 09 Slideshow ) has no place in the Color Me Beautiful handbook and is decidedly unsubtle in its aim – bold streaks of color were shown on the sides of models faces at Chloe (hands down the most gorgeous makeup of the year thus far), Alessandro Dell’Acqua and Blumarine, shading their faces in light and dark like an artists canvas. Each version of the look was slightly different but the way color was used to strengthen the whole look (rather than just one feature) was exciting to see.
Whether on purpose or inadvertently, fashion is always crossing the fine line between homage and cultural appropriation. It is not uncommon for designers to mine the historical for inspiration but what happens when something inherently linked to traditions becomes a trend? In recent months the high fashion love affair with all things Arab has reached critical mass, thanks in no small part to Riccardo Tisci’s continuous cross-cultural references at Givenchy. Looking at the pages of fashion bibles from Vogue Italia to V and on the runways during the recent couture and menswear showings the trend was even more evident.
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One of the most appealing developments of the fall season was the sheer abundance of printed and pattered clothes. Rather than being overtly loud – the pieces had a subtlety and creativity that let them standout without feeling like too much. From the abstract floral watercolors at Marni to the shimmering metallic take on polka dots offered up by Balenciaga designers interpreted the theme in a way that was both palatable and yet edgy.
