The Parisian store is located on 277 rue Saint-Honoré and the first ever collection (SS/13) spins around four separate fashion stories. With inspiration from masculine tailoring, industrial aesthetics, feminine chic elements and the poetic bohème it provides pieces for endless styling choices.

Contradiction & Minimalism
This look is inspired by sharp masculine tailoring with Bauhaus influences. Great attention to linings and details are the basis for the look which is seen in the key pieces; the blazer, the trousers and an updated trench coat. Contradictions become evident in the silhouette where hard graphic shapes get a feminine touch from the more draped materials and accessories.

Industrial & Effortless
Inspired by industrial aesthetics it has a rugged feeling with bold contours, worked surfaces and materials. Skinny denim with leather patches, the biker jacket and the parka are key pieces that show a fitted silhouette with oversized elements. Loads of blacks are enhanced by contrasting surfaces, combined with greyish tones and primary accents.

Sophisticated & Architectural
These feminine garments are the new power dressing. Chic two-piece ensembles and dresses are key items that show the signature sophistication of this theme. Geometrical curves and graphic lines meet softly sculpted contours and create a flattering silhouette. Neoprene and heavy satin fabrics enhance the graphic elements and show a contemporary take on elegance.

Poetic & Dandy
Part chic bohème, part boyish dapper sums up this look filled with contrasts. Feminine quirky details are styled with masculine shapes. Floaty dresses, boylike trousers and delicate chiffon blouses are key pieces that show the poetic parisienne with a touch of modern tomboy.

More info at: www.stories.com

The Fashion in Film Festival is the kind of event that gives one hope in fashion – or, at least, its representation and historiography. Always the occasion to see half-forgotten or utterly impossible to find masterpieces in beautiful locations (BFI, Barbican, Horse Hospital, Ciné Lumière), the festival is also the perfect bridge between fashion and the septième art. Not a history of costume design in film: rather a reminder of avant-garde dreams from both media.

The theme of its fourth edition is particularly fitting: director Marcel L’Herbier, one of the leading figures of French cinema, of which perhaps the most well-known films – if, again, half-forgotten – are L’Inhumaine (1924) with its wonderful Art Déco sets by Fernand Léger and Robert Mallet-Stevens, and L’Argent (1928), starring Metropolis‘ Brigitte Helm as the hero of this Zola adaptation.

L’Herbier films are painterly in the most admirable sense: a construct of the newest creations from architecture, scenography, music, plastic arts… and fashion. Today’s lecture at the Horse Hospital, Your Guide to the Fashions of the Future, presented a 30 minutes film, La Mode Rêvée (1939), directed by L’Herbier in the context of the 1939 New-York World Fair. Writer Ken Hollings and festival director Marketa Uhlirova introduced us to ‘the today of the world of tomorrow,’ the ’39 fair as a “science-fiction drama of the future.” Salvador Dalì’s Dream of Venus pavilion, everlasting clothes, Miss Chemistry (aka the Princess of Plastics), new synthetic fabrics, living magazine covers… the Fair was both a dream-like stage and a highly technological fashion affair.

L’Herbier’s film, in contrast, was much more Parisian couture propaganda than L’Ève Future. It is a rather delightful fantasy: a famous, beautiful American star arrives in Paris and after a night in Montmartre visits the Louvre; a man is lecturing on Antoine Watteau’s L’Embarquement pour Cythère (1717 version). As the woman falls asleep, the figures of the painting become animated in her dream: their eighteenth-century fête galante attires ruined by a storm, they are in need of new clothes and hence escape the canvas to pay a visit to the most exclusive Parisian ateliers. Alix, Jean Patou, Jeanne Lanvin, Paul Poiret, Nina Ricci, Lucien Lelong…, in short the crème de la crème of 30s couture dress these characters in dream-like gowns in which they parade around town, gazing in awe at the monuments before re-entering the frame to form one last 1939 tableau vivant.

A declaration of love for both Paris and its couturiers, the film embodies the dream quality of Haute Couture: the capacity of creating alter-narratives, dresses fit for utopic islands such as Cythera and its operatic ghosts. Couturiers become the Pygmalions of the twentieth-century, as France’s future celebrates its (glorious) past.

While American designers and department stores struggled with hyper-tech women of the future (I was delighted to date this clip, which I had used in When did we stop being futuristic?, back to 1939 Vogue and the New York Fair, ed.), France showcased the beauty of both its sartorial and pictorial heritages.

Plenty of highlights from Fabricating Dreams are still to come: I whole-heartedly recommend Claude Autant-Lara: from the Inter-war Avant-garde to New Wave Pariah (15 May, BFI, 18:10) – a rare opportunity to see Antonin Artaud on screen; Looking at L’Herbier: French Modernism Between the Wars (17 May, CSM, 14:00-18:00) and of course the screenings of L’Inhumaine and L’Argent. Check out the full programme here and be sure not to miss any of it!

Pictures: FIFF, screencaps of L’Inhumaine, Queen’s Museum, Wikimedia.

This is your only opportunity to see them in the UK this year: Modeselektor, a Berlin-based electronic duo will surround you with their unique blend of sounds  during their live performance at the Roundhouse this Friday, 17 May.

The exclusive screening of the documentary We Are Modeselektor  is set to introduce to Modeselektor’s music, following the friendship and creative practice, as well as the environs of Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

With support from Mouse on Mars, Apparat and Siriusmo, this night might turn out pretty incredible.

Friday 17th May 2013

7pm – 11.30pm

the Roundhouse, Chalk Farm Rd, London, NW1 8EH

Line-up:

Modeselektor LIVE

Apparat

Siriusmo

Mouse On Mars LIVE

Tickets: £20 + BF

The Roundhouse: http://www.roundhouse.org.uk/whats-on/productions/modeselektor

Resident Advisor: http://www.residentadvisor.net/event.aspx?452253

There are five lines in the collection. Mya Maris: a macro view of a shell, made of rose gold covered with cognac diamonds, the inner part being on H. Stern’s Noble Gold. Pompylius: a reinterpretation of this cephalopod also known as Argonaut, where tentacles are represented on pendants and rings made of yellow gold covered with diamonds.

Myriades: in Greek meaning countless quantities, like the shells in the world. Small, rounded shells made of gold, are linked to form striking pendants. Tellina: these shells have large, irregular oval shapes; perfect for earrings made of Noble and rose gold. Axis: the spiral motif typical of shells and cephalopods, gives a free inspiration to do rings and pendants.

Mounting anticipation surrounds Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of the captivating classic, The Great Gatsby. With many rereads, Scott Fitzgerald’s 1920 parvenue American Dream emulates images of champagne clinking between the epic characters, Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan. A gilded fantasy set during the Jazz Age, in the lavish backdrop of Long Island.  With an aristocratic appeal, Miuccia Prada collaborated with the Moulin Rouge costume designer, Catherine Martin, who created over 40 looks from their fashion archives. Inspired by the early twentieth-century East Coast establishments like La Selva and Beacon Towers, Catherine Martin brought this dazzling vision to the screen. She overlooked 42 individual sets that were created in and around Sydney. The entrance, terrace, garden, grand ballroom, library and master bedroom were built, painted and furnished within 14 weeks.

To channel Carey Mulligan’s incredibly chic appeal as she plays the beautiful Mrs Buchanan, begins with a hair care routine. To ensure a sleek shine, combine Rahua Omega 9 Hair Mask and their Elixir. The angelic appeal of Rahua’s new conditioning treatment contains Ungurahua Oil – rich in omega-9. With the soothing scent of Lavender and Eucalyptus extacts, the mask will boost the roots with life, whilst the sunflower seed oil and Quinoa Protein preserving colour vibrancy and strength. Combine with Orico’s award winning Jazzy Moisturising Body Wash with orange and mandarin to gently cleanse and refresh skin. Once a week after shampooing, apply generously from roots to ends and leave on 5-15 minutes; then rinse, style and revel in glossier, smoother and healthier hair. With a touch of liquid gold, ensure impeccable hair with Rahua Elixir. This is a limited edition product that is also 100% natural. Apply to hair after conditioning paying special attention to the ends, leave in for 15 minutes, rinse and style as usual. As the hair dries, why not paint the tips of your nails with Kure Bazaar’s Paris Fashion Week’s decadent tones of gold or green?

Then prep one’s skin for the summer sun with a layer of Kiehl’s Rare Earth Pore Redefining Tonic, an excellent toner for warm weather. Remember to protect your complexion with the aid of a little Activated Sun Protection for the face as it has a high protection of SPF 50. Combine with a dust of Micabella’s mineral pressed foundation which comes in 10 shades. With a long lasting, naturally luminous fininsh. Minimize the appearance of pores and fine lines while creating a matte finish and a coverage ideal for summer. Moreover, the antioxidants help calm your skin and defend them against future damage.

Fully succumb to the lavish lustres with the recently published edition of “A Cautionary Tale On Luxury”. William Howard Adams traces the roots of human extravagance and addresses core issues surrounding social, economic and political ideologies. Leaving his reader wealthy with tales to be told – a compelling conversation starter at the very least. Lacquer your lips with a coat of Micabella’s Vitamin B infused lip plumper in Bronze to spark a conversation. Emulate an effortless literary chic attitude with a touch of George from Jardins D’écrivain (referring to the iconic French literary figure, George Sand). This scent is a compelling bouquet of neroli, bergamot and white musk- sensual sleekness at its best.

If music be the food of love, play on the soundtrack!

http://www.oricolondon.com

http://www.micabella.co.uk

http://kurebazaar.com/

http://rahua.com/

http://kiehls.fr

http://www.jardinsdecrivains.com

Nowadays, more and more men are discovering the importance of caring for their skin. Annemarie Börlind products are formulated for every skin type and skin problem, with a bouquet of natural ingredients and no animal extracts, petroleum derivatives or silicones. The For Men care system includes an Anti-Ageing Revitalizing Cream, a Revitalizing Body Lotion, an After Shave Gel or Balm, a Shower Gel and a Shaving Cream.Carefully selected natural ingredients, such as aloe vera, gingko and liquorice root, they moisturize and soften the skin, and have soothing and calming effects. They are PEG-free. The face products contain power ingredients such as Q10 and vitamins. The result of this mixture is to strengthen the skin, offer long-lasting hydration, and support the natural regeneration of the skin.

More info at: http://www.boerlind.com

NIFE

model: Marta Pawlik / A S management

photographer: Kamil Majdański / Art Of Publicity

make-up: Julia Wojciechowska / Art Of Publicity

hair: Grzegorz Wojtowicz

style: Alex Kawałko

This new LifeWear season features eleven design projects. Each one takes into account how human body functions and feels in this clothing. The aim is making the clothes to adapt to people’s life, and not the opposite, which is rather common in nowadays fashion. There is a clear –positive– Issey Miyake influence behind this concept and its output; that is not a surprise since the new Uniqlo design director is Naoki Takisawa.

Heattech. Clothes that are like a second skin, and, for this season, adapted for extreme cold, since they are 1.6 times warmer than before. The stretchable material of Heattech retains warmth in tiny air pockets created between the woven fibers and quickly dries by absorbing and releasing any moisture in the skin.

Ultra Light Down. Gilets, jackets and quilted skirts made of extremely thin nylon with a special wax coating for a smoother surface texture. They can be folded and pocketable with ease, and used as innerwear or outerwear.

Fleece. This fabric was original reserved for sports and the outdoors before Uniqlo promoted as an everyday item. Jackets are made from bulky fleece, of two types of yarn for a fine, rich feeling. Stitching has been kept to a minimum to maximize the texture of the material.

Silk. Referred as “the Queen of fabrics”, silk has always had a special meaning as a fabric. The democratization of silk is an on–going project for Uniqlo. The challenge is: providing high quality silkwear at affordable prices. Blouses and shirt–dresses are the pieces offered on this elegant, luxurious material.

Cashmere. If silk is the Queen of fabrics, cashmere definitely occupies another high spot on the court of textiles. It breaths, it retain hues as no other fiber, it is soft and warmth, that is why is a fundamental garment investment. V sweaters and cardigans are the point arrow of this Uniqlo project.

Cotton flannel. The iconic classic flannel shirt is revisited by Uniqlo and deprived from its workwear and casual roots has been transformed into a today’s classic. Clashing plaids appear for the first time as well as mixed patterns in a single garment.

Ultra stretch jeans. These jeans feature a revolutionary fabrics technology that renders a stretch rate of 40% and a recovery rate of 80%. They mould to the body and are cut to lengthen the leg line. Ultra stretch cargo pants is a première for this season; they have the same textile abilities than the normal jeans.

Topics. This year, Topics project presents a collaboration with 10–gruppen Design, a Swedish team of ten designers specialized in quality printed textiles. The mixture of Scandinavian and Japanese design has produced a striking series of pieces.

Warm easy pants. These trousers represent the traditional Japanese notion of indoor and outdoor warm. Frequently modeled on waterproof and windproof mountaineering styles, they are adapted to both men and women. They have soft fleece linings, adjustable waists and hems to keep the cold air out. Available in cargo, track and line designs.

Denim. Talking about denim is talking about flexibility, a polyvalent fabric that goes almost everywhere nowadays. Japan is famous for its denim fabric mills and weaving processes; so is Uniqlo denim. This season the project focuses on simple masculine styles for both men and women, with a particular focus on the classic denim shirt.

Leggings pants. A mix of cotton and polyurethane is the knit material for this season leggings pants. Natural to the touch, it feels more like a woven fabric than a knit material. The pants are slim–cut and fitted, offering more hold and support and, very important, they stay snug around the waist, without sacrificing comfort.

]]> http://www.160grams.com/news/mode/lifewear-by-uniqlo/feed 0 http://www.160grams.com/news/mode/tales-of-water-georgia-hardinge-and-iris-van-herpen http://www.160grams.com/news/mode/tales-of-water-georgia-hardinge-and-iris-van-herpen#comments Tue, 30 Apr 2013 08:04:27 +0000 Isabel Formica Jakob http://www.160grams.com/?p=28922 ... Read more]]>

As Gaston Bachelard wrote in Water and Dreams, water is, more than any other element, a complete poetic reality. That water has always fascinated artists, writers and philosophers is undeniable; in fashion, its ephemeral yet quite graphic structure has inspired all sorts of gauzy, billowy or sea creature-like garments (of which none surpasses McQueen’s Atlantis pieces). Mermaids have resurfaced as a common trend of SS13 (for instance at Johnatan Saunders, Helmut Lang, Christian Dior, Jane Bowler, Teatum Jones, Krystof Strozyna…), sheen and long light gowns adorning beguiling and mysterious women, no longer the dark ladies of Riccardo Tisci’s home port of Taranto, but rather softer, more fairytale-friendly models of femininity.

Georgia Hardinge’s Still - http://vimeo.com/49754472

No designer has formulated this quite as well as Georgia Hardinge, whose film Still remains one of the highlights from Spring-Summer 2013. The entire collection is a play on ephemerality and the delicacy of merely suggested patterns and prints. The ink-blot technique she used is of course itself based on water; one can say that water is truly the primary element of Still. One of Hardinge’s strongest talents is to create impalpable, impossibly ethereal clothes, as if indeed made of water. The palette of washed out hues did not have much in common with the overdone pastell-itis that is wrecking fashion at the moment: here, light orange, aquamarine or soft grey had a clear purpose in seeming optically deformed by water, like reflections of faraway light rays in the ocean.

The film, directed by BretonLabs, stars Julie Bruyère as a mermaid emerging from a grim concrete London location to unlock a box, and ending up immersed in water in a dream-like sequence. It powerfully showcases the grace of the designs, whose vertiginous Bernini-like draperies catch the light beautifully and, of course, truly dance and come to life in water.

The inkblots suggest not only a Klimtian aesthetic but also Freudian psychoanalysis – i.e., the realm of dreams. Towards the end of the short film, kaleidoscopic images open up to all sorts of mental connections – arguably in a more alluring way than those creepy 70s psychological tests. Water can stand for innocence; purity; death; rebirth: or, more simply, rêverie.

A still from the set -  ©Nic Schonfeld

A more recent project by Showstudio featured couture designer and fashion prodige Iris Van Herpen creating a dress, live on camera – a dress inspired by water splashes. The premise for the piece came from a shooting by Nick Knight of Daphne Guinness quite literally being splashed with water. This birth of Venus plot became Crystallization, an absolutely jaw-dropping sculptural piece that will be exhibited at Showstudio and later at the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

Geoffrey Lillemon’s Sonomorphic Mirror - http://showstudio.com/project/splash/sonomorphic_mirror

Though the dress is made of acrylic, it retains the illusion of water in motion: a paradoxical fairytale made possible because of fashion and because of technology. Much like Georgia Hardinge’s title, Still, Crystallization is about immobilizing water, turning its running waves into solid, wearable pieces. Both the dress and the film, Sonomorphic Mirror by Geoffrey Lillemon, show the ambivalence of water as both ephemeral and sculptural. As a whole, the Splash! project is not simply a self-referential showcasing of craft – it truly embodies the contemporary mermaid, a contradictory being of which Guinness makes the best model.

At once strong and vulnerable, dangerous and charming, these Nereids are the characters of 2013 fairytales, as scientifically perfect as otherworldly sublime.

Photos ©Showstudio

Tissue is a metaphorical journey through the world of passages of life and death. Its goal was to approach the mystery of the evolution via the human body and its organs. The initial concept was provided by Bogna Rząd, stylist and theatrical costume designer; the project evolved further under Tomek Jankowski‘s photographic direction. The project consists of imaginary phases of a human body’s development, starting with birth (Fetus), moving to adulthood and the procreational phase (Viscera Femininum, Viscera Masculinum) and ending with death (Rigor Mortis). The shootings lasted over two months, including very uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous environments. Most of the photographs were shot in roughly 2 on 2 meters in a closed water tank. After theproject was finished, we had the opportunity to show the work as an exhibition in a medieval cellar structure hidden under one of the parking lots. The photographs were accompanied by a video showreel displayed on one of the cellar walls. The response of the public was outstanding and strongly polarized… from illumination to blasphemy. In a very conservative and religious oriented community like Poland, this was inevitable…

Photographer: Tomek Jankowski

www.tomekjankowski.net

Model: Tomek Graczyk

Initial concept: Bogna Rząd