Inspired

We finally started the process of designing our grad collections! The first step is to find an inspiration, which I found. I won't give it all away, but as a preview, here's a link to my inspiration Tumblr that I'll be showing in class!

http://apollonmusegetes.tumblr.com/

Thoughts thus far?

Too Much Fierce

I don't have adequate words. Look.

Lingering Lingerie

I couldn't tell you why, but I've been feeling a shift in my sense as a designer as of late. Previously, my tastes leaned towards the hard and sharp aspects of dress culture; but lately I've been favoring sexy, romantic lingerie inspired design. I think it's because I've been obsessively listening to this stunning cover of What's My Name by Hobbie Stuart.

The only word I can use to describe this song is "sexy". It's so incredibly sexy. I feel like it's the perfect soundtrack to go with the collection that Jean Paul Gaultier did for La Perla.

It's soft and romantic, but with a slightly dominating edge to it. The detail work is fabulous.

McQueen Pre-Fall 2011

I know, I know.... ANOTHER McQueen post. But I love the label, so...... Deal with it!

Moving on, the Alexander McQueen Pre-Fall 2011 womenswear collection has just been released.Can I take back my post on my 3 favorite Pre-Fall looks and just show images of this collection? There was a very heavy dosage of utilitarian and military influence, but it was done in a cool and interesting way, ie: this officers jacket - cum - evening dress.

And, is it just me, or did the mens show and the womens show HEAVILY influence each other as well?

I'm really loving this new take on an obi (really really loose usage of the word, it's not even really an obi at all, or anything close to something like one. For lack of a better word, I shall call it an obi) style belt.

And the evening wear, it's very reminescent of some of the flower dresses from the McQueen archives (think Spring 2007)

Ah, McQueen.... What do you think of Sarah Burton's Pre-Fall collection?

Thierry Mugler

A while back it was announced that Nicola Formichetti (aka LADY GAGA'S STYLIST OMG) would be taking over the position of creative director at the famed haute couture label Thierry Mugler.

Whenever someone says the the words Thierry Mugler to me, I think drama and I think glamour. And glitter, lots and lots of glitter. He was known for taking the 80's power shoulder to new extremes, and for his fun catwalk shows that featured the hottest models of the time (Naomi, Linda etc...) in outfits that ranged from the space age to the classically demure with a futuristic twist.

I don't know much about cars, but this tire suit is uber fierce.

A classic Mugler gown. As a learning seamstress, I can appreciate what must have been the hundreds of hours that went into this breathtaking work of art.

Yesterday, Mr. Formichetti showed his first presentation for the label, which was for menswear Fall 2011. I thought it was quite good, though it strayed a bit from the Mugler look.

I LOVE THOSE PANTS. As soon as I saw those, I died a little inside knowing that I can't have them. I thought it was really interesting how he covered the tattoos of the model, which were applied to the models as a nod to the muse of this collection (Rico, a Canadian covered in skeletal tattoos).

I loved this very Mugler take on the classic suit.

However, about halfway through the show, he started to introduce this neon orange, and then left it. I was thrown off by it, it was confusing, and while the pieces are nice, I didn't feel like they fit in with the rest of the collection.

Another re-imagining of the suit. With a little tweaking (ie: more fabric), I could totally see myself wearing this.

Finally, Formichetti hired Lady Gaga as the musical director of the show. She did not disappoint and premiered a remix of a track coming off of her upcoming album! I especially love how she''s speaking German!

Lady Gaga - Scheiße (Remix) by gagadaily

Menswear Fall 2011

One word to describe menswear? B-O-R-I-N-G. Designers often don't experiment much with their menswear presentations, as cultural and societal norms usually clash with what could be a phenomenally quirky menswear design. It's usually not saleable to most men.

However, I always look forward to the Alexander McQueen show (surprising right?). Sarah Burton did not disappoint.

There is a sense of drama in her clothing that I like to emulate in my own wardrobe. And who wouldn't want to make an entrance in a splendid red coat and leather pants!

I was rather intrigued by the layering in this ensemble. Normally I would just wear the vest under the coat, allowing only flashes of leather to peek through, but this works well because the revers on the vest are larger than that of the coat.

I ADORE THIS PRINT. This makes me want a printed blazer so bad.

Taking the unfortunate trend of vampirism and making it modern, the coat is what sells this look for me. A classic black coat is a staple in mens wardrobes, however, the oversized collar makes me fall in love with this even more.

I was fascinated by this new take on the double breasted coat. Interesting.

And of course, the suit. This continues to pursue an idea Sarah presented in her first womenswear presentaion for the label, the slashing open of the shoulders. I never would have imagined this working well with menswear, but the just-perfectly-crooked-to-look-like-an-accident-but-it-really-wasn't tie brings the casual aspect of the shoulder into sharp professionalism. Blue socks with a suit! Ugh, perfect.

But of course, menswear is still presenting. Nicola Formichetti's first menswear collection for Thierry Mugler shows on Wednesday.  Lady Gaga is the musical director. Am I excited? You bet your fierce blue socks I am.

Tom Ford

No designer will ever EVER take Alexander McQueen's place in my heart and soul, but Tom Ford runs a pretty damn close second. After "retiring" (I use this term extremely loosely) from the fashion industry, Mr. Ford began to make his triumphant return with his directorial debut, the 2009 film "A Single Man".

A Single Man was one of the most visually stunning films I have ever seen, with imagery reminiscent of the work of Sofia Coppola and of the extreme poppy-ness of Tim Burton. I could go on forever about this film; the flawless portrayal of very deep and emotionally scarred characters, the stunning camera work and the fabulous costuming all made for a breathtaking film experience.However, while the film was very fashion centric, this was far from a return to the fashion industry. 

After helming as creative director at the house of Gucci, Ford moved on to YSL, where, like at Gucci, he greatly improved profits and brought both houses into a modern age. In 2005 he left the Gucci Group and launched his eponymous label. Although he never really retired, he never released a full womenswear collection. That is, until now. 

The thing that I adore most about Tom Ford (aside from his designs), is his attention to detail and true value to customer service. He kept his presentation personal and intimate, the focus being on the clothes and the women wearing them, rather than on spectacle. 

And the clothes themselves were amazing. Beautifully structured suits,sequined gowns, and above all, that pink fringe leopard print dress. Such a concoction of fantasy and glamor! The collection felt expensive, it felt polished, it felt correct. If this is a premonition of what's to come in the future for Tom Ford, then I can't wait to tag along for the ride.

Pre-Fall 2011

Personally, I am a non-believer in the concept of "between season" collections. Pre-Fall, Pre-Spring, Resort, Cruise etc.... No. Just no. There's no point! To make a brand exclusive, and keep it at a luxury state, one must keep it exclusive and at a luxury state. Spring and Fall. That's all you need to show.

Having said that, I don't make the rules when it comes to fashion, and like most others in the industry, I obsessively wait for a designers next collection. So, these are my 3 favorite Pre-Fall looks.

No one captures effortless cool quite like Alexander Wang does. I chose this look simply because of it's versatility. While the color may not be flattering on everyone, there is no denying that it is a gorgeous color. This dress would look great for day paired with some leather pieces, but because of its length it could easily transition to evening with the simple addition of a sheer nude, floor-length slip dress underneath.

Nothing screams fall more to me than a trench coat. And who does trench coats better than Burberry? Nobody. Christopher Bailey has done an admittedly fabulous job with Burberry, with a special mention for the Prorsum line. Everything about this look works as a whole. It's seductive, it's dramatic yet demure, it's wearable, it's many things. But above all, it is FIERCE. LOOK AT THOSE BOOTS!!!!!!!

Yes, yes, I know that fall is meant to be a rather dreary season. But who ever said that fashion couldn't be used as a form of escapism? Crystal Renn looks amazing in this cerulean concoction courtesy of Zac Posen. I especially adore how upon first glance the color is the only thing that really stands out; however, one begins to notice all the detail that has gone into this dress. A perfect example of entre-deux and cutwork.

So, those are my 3 favorite Pre-Fall looks. What are yours?

Polaroid Grey Label

A while back, Lady Gaga was appointed the Creative Director of the slowly dieing Polaroid brand. This was quite possibly the smartest thing Polaroid could have done.

Last week, Lady Gaga announced at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show her first line with the label: The Grey Label. Yo say that I am excited to get my hands on some of her products is an understatement. The Grey Label maintains the instant quality that Polaroid is most famous for, yet moves it into the 21st century. Products shown included an instant portable printer, and a digital version of the original Polaroid camera.

However, I am most excited to get my hands on a pair of these bad bitches: The Camera Sunglasses.

Looking super ballin' AND taking pictures from your direct viewpoint? Sign me up.

Collection

I haven't even started my Design Collections class, and already I have a million and one ideas flying through my head at light speed. Do I go super flashy with lace and latex and vinyl and all of those trashy (yet strangely compelling) fabrics? Or do I go soft and romantic, with chiffon and organza? I have no clue! But I DO know what I'm inspired by. This time, it was hunting.

Not to go too much into detail, but this collection will (as usual) have an avian influence, there will be feathers, plaids, over embellishment etc.... It could be the tackiest shit ever. Or not. Let's hope not. 

Swan Song

I watched Black Swan last night. To call it anything less than a work of artistic mastery would be blasphemy. I have been waiting for Black Swan to come out for over 8 months, I was prepared to be disappointed. Building up that much hype about a film inside yourself generally tends to lead to disappointment. But Black Swan was far from disappointing.

First off, the characters were flawlessly played, deep and intriguing. I know a lot of people felt that Nina, beautifully portrayed by Natalie Portman, especially seemed to be shallow and one dimensional. But I whole-heartedly disagree. I felt a very deep, and very real connection with her character. I understood exactly her plight regarding her fears of replacement. Having acted my whole life, I know what it feels like to be in constant competition not only against others, but with yourself. I have reacted in very similar way as her, it was almost like watching my acting career in the third person.

People said, "But it didn't even seem like she enjoyed any of her dancing though!" But I know why that is. As an actor, you strive to perfect every little detail, to feel the emotions of your character, to lose every fiber of your being into theirs. The same can be said about dance. And until you get on that stage, with the lights burning in your eyes and lose yourself, you are never truly happy. 

But, enough about the fabulous acting and the personal connection I felt with the film. The costuming was FABULOUS. Rodarte designed two looks for Portman, one for her role as the Black Swan, and one for her role as the White Swan. They also designed a look for one of the principle male leads for the production of Swan Lake, Von Rothbart.

While I loved the softness and delicate femininity of the White Swan, I preferred the dark theatrical nature of the Black Swan. In fact, my favorite scene from the film occurred when Nina danced the part of the Black Swan. Not only was the makeup flawlessly edgy, the dress really made her seem to be like an overgrown (but still darkly beautiful) black swan.

Final Words: What are you still doing here reading my blog? Go watch Black Swan!

Alexander McQueen

I am a die-hard Alexander McQueen fan. Those who know me best know that my heart really, and truly, only belongs to him, and it is an absolute tragedy that such a force has been lost. My greatest dream is to one day work at the McQueen label, prior to his death, it was to train underneath him. Sadly, I cannot train under him, but I will work there! One day... 

For me, Alexander McQueen is more than a pretty label to look at. It is an idealistic view at what can be attained through human ingenuity. It is more than fashion, it is art. It is psychology, it is macabre, but most importantly, it is a kick-start to what I hope will be a long career in fashion.

Long before the thought of fashion design ever wandered its way across my head, my heart was dead set on acting. I was young and naive, I thought I could make it. Sure, winning the award for Best Actor in a Stageplay or Musical four years in a row at regional competitions meant that I was pretty damn good, but I knew that the chances of me succeeding in that particular industry were slim to none.

Then one day I was home sick. After several hours of bored channel flipping, I finally decided to watch a rerun of Fashion Television. I hadn't seen it and I liked fashion, so why not? What seemed like an innocent half-hour of television viewing quickly grew to be life changing. It was coverage of the Fall / Winter 2007 show, whereupon Lee drew inspiration from his own background. He discovered that one of his ancestors was burned at the stake at the Salem Witch Trials. People didn't like it. They said that it was too dark, too sinister. But I adored it! I was instantly drawn to the theatricality of the pentacle shaped runway, the inherent drama of the Egyptian make-up, and the clothes were simply marvelous. I skipped to the computer and spent the rest of the day watching his runway shows.

It was that moment that I knew that I was meant to be a designer, and that nothing would make me more happy. Sadly, I cannot thank my hero in person for introducing me to my future, but anything I do in this industry is for him.

RIP

Alexander McQueen

Millinery

Today in school we learned about hats. Normally, I look at a hat and I think " Golly gee, that sure is a fine hat, but I can't pull it off." And then my teacher busted out the Philip Treacy and I changed my mind. The problem with me and hats was that I was looking at mediocre hats. A hat should be extravagant. It truly is a metaphor for ones self. Your entire being is carried inside your head, why not adorn it with something fabulously you? And I believe Lady Gaga said it best when she said (and I'm paraphrasing) "A hat is a social canopy". I love the idea of that!

My absolute favorite hat Philip Treacy for Alexander McQueen. Spring / Summer 2008.

Your Fantasy Is My Finale

Final Fantasy. Say those words and a billion geeky memories and dreams dance through my head.Most prominently so is Final Fantasy VII. Or 7 for the Roman numerally challenged. FF7 was my first real foray into video gaming, and not only did it introduce me to the wonderful world of video games, it also helped establish another one of my career goals.

Designers these days do a lot of collaborations. David Dixon for Barbie, Alexander McQueen for Puma, Rodarte for Target.... The list could easily stretch miles long. Designers collaborate with everyone from make-up companies to toy manufacturers. Picture this: A designer collaboration to do all the costuming for a Final Fantasy game. Hold that thought, digest it, because that shit is amazing!

Just imagine, Alexander McQueen x FF. My two favorite things mashed into one. My eyes would probably explode from the visual orgasm! Thus, I have made that one of my career goals. To do the costuming in a Final Fantasy game. Not only because that would be so totally sweet and cool and other such adjectives, but their would be no creative limits. There would be no fabric or gravity limitations. "That pattern is simply impossible to draft!" Well, it just got digitized. Done. So awesome.

Muses fit for a Musing

It seems to me that I have a constantly revolving door of new muses. It includes everyone from video game characters to random fabulous women in the street. However, I do have a core set that I consistently go to for inspiration. It might be simply for their beauty, but more often than not, it's an intrinsically instinctual connection that I feel with the muse in question.

LADY GAGA

OMG I KNOW. "That's so cliched. She's so overdone. She's unoriginal. She sold out. Blah-blah-blahbbity-blah". I know what you're going to say. And I refute every little bit of that, there is NO ONE more inspiring to me than Lady Gaga. Not just her the person, or her the performer, but everything she stands for carries a great personal meaning to me.

FLORENCE WELCH

I don't know what it is with performers, but they always inspire me. Maybe it's because I come from a really strong theater and music background. I don't really know. I don't know why Florence inspires me the way she does. But everytime I look at her, visions of Grecian statues and perfect drapery dance through my head. Maybe it's her brutal honesty, maybe it's her imperfection, or maybe it's because she is just flawless.

DAPHNE GUINNESS

FIERCEST BITCH EVER. Like, ever. From a very young age, Daphne has been inspired by the armor collection amassed by her parents. As such, her wardrobe is largely influenced by that. She is so cultured, but so wacky and wonderful. While reading an interview with her, I was continually surprised by the answers she gave, not because they were shocking, but because they were so unexpectedly Daphne Guinness.

KARLIE KLOSS

Of course, no designer is complete without his model muse. Models are meant to be perfect, but Karlie is not. Which I love. Yes, she tall thin and gorgeous, but her eyes come off too strong, and runway walk is quite sloping. But I love it. I love every second of it. I am transfixed by what she does to the camera. She's edgy, she's cool, but most importantly, she's versatile.

So, those are my main squeezes! Who are your muses?

Conquest

This dress didn't QUITE turn out as well as I had hoped. Mostly due to a lack of experience and procrastination, both on my part. But, lesson learned, don't try and rush finish a dress 2 days before you intend on shooting it. Never. Again.

FINALLY. I get to work with an experienced model. I had lucked out on my models before, they all worked well in front of the camera, but all of them needed a tiny (and I mean infinitesimally small) push. But she needed no direction. I was like, woah. And my photographer was like, woah.

And she fit the dress so well! The skin, the hair, the burning intensity in the eyes! Ugh, perfect.

I was having a lot of difficulty thinking of locations for shooting this dress. With all the other dresses, I knew where I wanted to take pictures. Be it on a sound stage with flashing lights, on a rocky outcrop by the beach, in a natural area by a city center or by a construction zone, I knew immediately where I wanted to photograph my collection. But with this dress, I couldn't think of anywhere to shoot. As luck would have it, my photographer and I were scrambling for places the day before the shoot, and we stumbled upon a mossy, overgrown set of old stairs. It was like someone had captured an 18th century villa and forgot about it, allowing nature to run it's course. It was a natural fit.

Dress: Evan

Shoes: Models Own

Pestilence

This shoot was a NIGHTMARE to put together. First, both my original model AND photographer ended up getting really sick, and the shoot needed to be done that day because I would be going on vacation the following morning and working for quite some time after. Thus, I called my friend (OMG I LOVE MY FRIENDS) who happened to be a similar size as my original model, if not a tiny bit shorter, grabbed my shitty camera and trekked out to her house at 12:30 in the morning.

She was such a trooper! I had never been behind the camera, she had never modeled, my "art-director" (loose term for her sister haha) was drilling her with details, and it was pouring rain. Did I mention that this was at 12:30 in the morning?

It started out super awkward. I can't lie, shooting with a cheap camera with an unexperienced model (and photographer), in the rain late at night, I didn't have very high hopes. But this shoot was magical, frame after frame, pictures came out perfectly disheveled. Shots were blurry, there were watermarks on the lens, but it added to the atmosphere of the collection. It was spectacular. And that pose! I taught her the single ladies dance, and I started the shoot telling her to do the dance, but end at the pose she was in. Marvelous. 

I learned a lot from this shoot. A lot about preparedness, a lot about spontaneity, and a lot about the wonders of a labor of love. 

Dress: Evan

Tights: Evan

Belt: Ardenes

Bangles: Ardenes

Shoes; Models Own

Death

Ah, my first attempt at pattern drafting. It really wasn't that hard to do.

Like, seriously, this dress took me all of 20 minutes to draft and make. Lazy? Maybe. Stylish? Definitely.

There's something to be said for the simplicity of a pure white gown. And my model, having a darker complexion, made the dress glow. I absolutely love her. She's one of my friends, which made working with her easy, but she knew what she was doing.

Dress: Evan

Belt: Ardenes

Bangles: Ardenes

Shoes: Models Own

Famine

Famine, the second dress from my portfolio collection. This dress was my favorite! I loved everything about it, the construction, the idea, the model, the photo shoot, everything pulled together for an INCREDIBLE experience! I take a lot of inspiration from birds of prey. I adore the intriguing mixture of grace and ferocity. I tried to ensconce that with this dress. I also listened to a lot of orchestral music while I was designing this collection, but I played this pretty much on constant repeat when I was making this dress.

I LOVE FINAL FANTASY 7. Such an enormous source of inspiration for me! Nobuo Uematsu is a genius. No words describe the level of awesome that this song encompasses.

This is my favorite image out of all of the photo shoots done for the collection. It's so perfect in its imperfection. Sure, the eyes are a little dark, and maybe it's not the best compositionally, but it best captures the emotion and feeling I was trying to get out of the collection. The lightly tousled hair, the agony written across her face... Sublime.

At this point I felt a little bad for my model. "Hey, I know you're wearing 5 inch heels and everything, but do you mind posing on a tiny rock in the middle of that pond over there?" doesn't exactly get one brownie points. But she did amazing and was a total professional. I always try to get girls with personality for shoots, they do the best there, hands down.

The only problem I had with the dress were the feathers on the shoulders. But I figured out an easy way to do them. I ended up snapping 5 needles on my sewing machine by doing so....... Whatever, it turned out, which is all that matters.

Dress: Evan

Belt: Ardenes

Bangles: Ardenes

Ring: Ardenes

Shoes: Model's Own

An Introduction to Manufacturing

So. I'm blogging. It's something that I've been meaning to do for quite some time, but now I feel like I have enough of a voice to actually say something intelligent about the wide, wonderful and wacky world of fashion. Recently I started studying to become a fashion designer. One of my favorite classes (which is saying a lot, seeing as we only just started taking it last week) mentioned the impact that bloggers have had on the fashion industry in recent years. And you know what, I totally agree. Thus, this blog serves as my (as of yet unheard) voice in the industry. Also, the class is called An Introduction to Manufacturing, hence the name!

So.... How does one become a student studying fashion design? One must make a pretty fantastic portfolio, that's how. For my portfolio, I submitted LOADS of artwork and fashion illustrations, but I also put it upon myself to execute and create a whole 5 look collection. While it isn't technically proficient by any standards, the ideas are there and that is what's important! 

The collection was inspired by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Each dress is inspired by one of the Horsemen. 

"Wait, but there are 5 looks," one might query. And you are right. There are 5 looks, but 4 horsemen. That's because there is one Horseman that can be switched in for another. Theoretically, the Four Five Horsemen are War, Death, Pestilence, Famine and Conquest, with Famine and Pestilence being interchangeable. Problem solved.

The first look is War.

With War I took a rather abstract inspiration. That is, explosions. The center portion (the red satin minidress) being the flames, while smoke embroils the dress (the grey tulle).

OMG. Corey, the model, was something ferocious. It was both of our first photo-shoots ever. She got in front of that camera and worked like you wouldn't believe. I'm looking forward to working with her again.

This dress was my first proper foray into learning how to sew. I'm the kind of person who will take a leap when it comes to things I am passionate about and hope that I fly instead of fall. But it turned out pretty good. An "A" for effort. Sewing? Uh...... Let's leave that.

Dress: Evan (AKA Moi)

Belt: Ardenes

Bangles: Ardenes

Shoes: Wal-Mart (I KNOW! Way too amazing for Wal-Mart standards...)