Nick Knight...Photography or Illustration?

Yohji Yamamoto Red Bustle, 1986

'Nick Knight is among the world’s most influential photographers as well as being Director & founder of SHOWstudio.com the fashion & art internet broadcasting channel. He has won numerous awards for his editorial work for Vogue, Dazed & Confused, W magazine, i-D, and Visionaire, as well as for fashion and advertising projects for clients including Christian Dior, Alexander McQueen, Calvin Klein, Levi Strauss, Yohji Yamamoto and Yves Saint Laurent. As a fashion photographer, Nick Knight has consistently challenged conventional notions of beauty. '

Yohji Yamamoto Red Coat, Naomi Campbell, 1986

So it's photography but at first I thought these images were fashion illustrations, I think it very interesting they way the images have this mixture of both flat and movement/texture aesthetic to them. I guess you can say I like the simplicity but boldness to them.

Source & Images from www.nickknight.com

Two of Japan's Most Visionary & Free Spirited Women

Bringing together two of Japan’s most visionary and free spirited women, an installation from SANAA’s Kazuyo Sejima for Rei Kawakubo’s Comme des Garçons has opened at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo. (2009-2010)

The spacial design by Sejima is reminiscent of the instillation that was held at SCAF Gallery in Sydney earlier this year, but the experience of the curved and subtly reflective space with Rei Kawakubo’s extraordinary shapes and colours floating throughout is overwhelmingly beautiful. The clothes cease to exist as individual garments and become unified as parts of one work, the full effect of which is best experienced from above, on ether side of the museum’s upper level The show makes evident many similarities between the architect and the designer; while Kawakubo shocked the fashion world in the 80s when she presented collections that showed complete disregard for things as fundamental to fashion as finished seams and hems, Sejima is well known for radically reconsidering accepted notions of space and built environments, also demanding thought and participation from anyone who experiences her work.

Separate to the installation there is a section dedicated to the artful interplay between two dimensionality and three dimensionality in Kawakubo’s work. Displaying garments on mannequins alongside photographs of the same garments removed from the body and laid flat, viewers can see how the clothes completely change form when they are on the body. The are virtually unrecognisable in the photographs, reminding us how closely aligned Kawakubo’s work is to the realms of sculpture and architecture.


Source & images from biginjapan.com.au


I like that the exhibition/installation is so spaced out because it give people enough space to interact around the work and immerse into each design with a 360 degree view!

Futuristic Flowers

London department store Harvey Nichols has unveiled window displays created by two Royal College of Art graduates, to coincide with London Fashion Week. (back in 2007)
The seven displays – called Futuristic Flowers – were created by Taiwanese designer Hsiao-Chi Tsai, who graduated from RCA Constructed Textiles course last year; and Japanese artist Kimiya Yoshikawa, who graduated from the RCA Sculpture course.

Harvey Nichols store in Knightsbridge has commissioned two recent Royal College of Art graduates, Hsiao-Chi Tsai and Kimiya Yoshikawa to create seven site-specific sculptural installations for its window display during London Fashion Week.

Both artists use inexpensive materials, but innovatively transform them into extraordinary creations. Tsai uses a unique 3D foam cutting technique to create individual organic, plant-like structures, together with intricate and colourful large-scale floral shapes. In extreme to the bold scale of the main installation, Tsai also produces small-scale pieces for the mannequins to wear as fashion accessories.

Source & images from www.dezeen.com

I think the window installation is truly futuristic as I believe it can be used even now in 2011 and not look dated. Its bold and colourful aesthetic really captures one's eye but I think the clothes could have complimented the installation better by maybe possibly choosing more robust designs and colours.

Hermes New Store Aesthetic !

Hermes new store in Paris has been given an amazing interior design and aesthetic, almost doesn't look real too me! Watch the video because it will blow you away!

Video from www.hermes.com

Nike Store Display/Decoration

Just came across this picture of Nike shop in Berlin and thought it was 'cool' how they created a clean cut and simple but connecting aesthetic through the their shop decoration. Using gymnastic sport equipment in a very straightforward but smart way to creating a great ambience for the store and of course reflecting sports!

Photo from Hypebeast.com

Fashion Trend coming from the EAST!

Image from British Vogue-The ultimate spring/summer 2011 catwalk report- February 2011 issue

Image from Look Magazine 31st Jan Issue

Seeing this is almost the kind of aesthetic I thought my collection would be like from the beginning, I was attracted when I saw that it was trending for the up and coming spring season! I love the mixture of colours, prints and volume in the all the different designers take on oriental theme, also nice to see the east is inspiring the west more and more in the fashion.

Do-it-all Denim!

I remember back in the days when wearing all denim was not right and a miss in the fashion trends but for spring 2011 its the opposite story!

Image from British Vogue-The ultimate spring/summer 2011 catwalk report- February 2011 issue

My Picks for best Golden Globe 2011 fashion

Glee Girls did an amazing job in looking fabulous for the golden globes as

Jane Lynch gets it so right on the red carpet again wearing an Ali Rahimi gown, the colour of the dress is so pretty which matches her skin tone, making her stunning in the gown and....

...Heather Morris was one of my favourites of this group wearing a Lorena Sarbu gold beaded gown with a satin Amanda Pearl clutch and Diamond in the Rough jewels. Eventhough she covered up with the silhouette and her body she looks sexy! While...

...Dianna Agron wore a J. Mendel beige silk chiffon pleated beaded strapless gown with peplum. Looking so classy and feminine. Finally...

Lea Michele stuns in a pink Oscar de la Renta structured drape grown. Another dress which caught my eye and thought look amazing was Kyra Sedgwick looked absolutely radiant in a marigold Emilio Pucci Spring 2011 gown, which was modified to better suit her style. The dress originally featured a fully open back and cut-out sides, so I’m glad Kyra got it modified to be a bit more tasteful for this particular event.Although some might not have loved Leighton's dress I thought it was quite fresh compared to all the other colour splashing gowns and she works the long sleeves well. She pulls of this long Burberry dress with elegance and glamour. Love her!

Finally this Versace number is surely red carpet perfect! The fringing makes it contemporary, while the sharp red and silhouette keeps is classic. Plus January Jones looks extraordinary in the number and I didn't even know her name before this, so she sure made a good impression!

Source & Photos from Mydailynews.com & Guardian.co.uk

Golden Globes Fashion 2011

Lawrence Zarian hosts TV Guide's Fashion Wrap from the 2011 Golden Globes! Lawrence and special guests give a rundown of the best looks, trends and other major surprises!

The show is entertaining and nice having a look at the golden globes 2011 red carpet!

Kirsty Mitchell...Amazing Photography !

Kirsty Mitchell's photography work is a spectacular piece of art. Inspired by the beautiful stories her mom used to say, she created the amazing Wonderland series, a collection of fairytale characters, all shot with natural light and in real locations.

Kirsty's background as a costume designer and fashion creative has a great influence on her pictures. She personally attends the styling using extraordinary couture costumes with vivid colours and spends several hours in searching for the perfect location.

All her stories are adorned with beautiful props, special flower combinations and impressive set designs, all created by a strong design team consisted by friends and volunteers.

KIRSTY MITCHELL STUNS WITH HER WORK! It truly is art meeting fashion!!

The preparation of each shot may take up to one month, depending on the weather conditions and the studies required on each detail. Make up artist Elbie Van Eeden, a long time partner of Mitchell, spends many hours on hair and make up,as all the stories demand complicated hair props and colours that match the scenery.

The Wonderland series took up to one year to complete

Her work is totally breathtaking and have great emotion that exudes through the photos. I just feel in love with her work and especially the wonderland shoot, with so much effort having gone into that just one shoot is amazing and which you can obviously tell from just looking at her work ! Not only are the final photo stunning but looking at the sets and backgrounds, it much have been a mesmerizing shoot. I think she just became my favourite photographer!

Check out more of Kirsty's work on her website: http://www.kirstymitchellphotography.com/galleries.php

Source from Fashioninstallation.com

Photos from Kirstymitchellphotography.com

HYPER COLOUR- Spring 2011 Style.com Trend Report

Nina Ricci
Loewe
Lavin
Issa

Giambattista

Burberry Prosum

Christian Dior

'We can't remember a season in which fashion has wrapped its arms around color like it has for Spring—and it wasn't just the designers you'd expect doing the hugging. Haider Ackermann tried teal and electric blue on for size; Aquilano.Rimondi combined poppy citrus hues; and Mr. Understatement himself, Raf Simons, served up a Crayola cocktail at Jil Sander. The best part? As Simons so cleverly demonstrated, brights look great with black' (http://www.style.com/ Note: all images are from spring 2011 collections)

Bright and sweet colours are the reasons I love spring/summer collection! There's so much to catch your eye and wish it was yours, whether it's just the use of one robust colour or a mixture of clashing!

Source & images from style.com

My Final Major Project...From My Foundation Course

My final major project was inspired by origami and my development stage was spent playing around with paper, folding and cutting and created shapes. I really enjoyed my foundation course work and also really proud of it, especially now looking back and remember what I had created. I created both pieces through the folded flying star dagger forms and slotted them together and created the garments. The dress also included using needle and thread to lace them together. (Work from my London Metropolitan- Art & Design Foundation Course 2007/2008)

Photos, Work & Designs by Me..Virginia Man :)

Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest

So cool wedding dresses made out of toilet paper!? And they actually look nice too, quite a interesting competition but too bad I couldn't find their 2010 competition video.

Intricate Paper Frocks !!

This 'Pratt + Paper & Ralph' Pucci Exhibit is Sure to Amaze

'After a long semester of study in texture and form, 50 multidisciplinary Pratt Institute’s School of Art and Design students were challenged to dress Ralph Pucci’s mannequins entirely in paper. The stunning fashion paper works created during this project are now part of an exhibition titled ‘Pratt + Paper & Ralph Pucci,’ available to be viewed in Pucci’s Gallery Nine Showroom .' (Trendhunter.com)

'Furthermore, these paper dresses and sculptural pieces within the ‘Pratt + Paper & Ralph Pucci’ exhibit can also be seen at the displays of some famous stores like Macy´s New York.' (Trendhunter.com)

The textures and form created through just plain paper is absolutely amazing and inspiring. Makes me want so start cutting paper and creating a dress or garment! This reminds me of my final major project for my foundation course when I created garments out of folded paper. I love paper its such a great resource, you can write, draw, colour, dye, change, cut, fold and more on/with it !!

Source & Images from Trendhunter.com