Glamour and Glitter

Pantyhose

There's something pervy and awkward about these 2 images of girls in pantyhose that we are really in to.  Maybe it's the layering of lingerie underneath, the transparency, the graphic element of the centre front seaming....  as well as the interesting problems of fit one encounters with such a body-conscious garment, like the low crotch of Kate Moss.

Photo by Eric Guillemain

Photo by Corinne Day

Rainbow Prints

For Resort 2010, we saw lots of multi-colour prints.  Many patterns mixed organic and graphic elements, with gradations of colours crossing the entire colour spectrum.  Saturated versions and pastel versions were apparent - we can't decide which we liked better.

 

Basso & Brooke

Matthew Williamson

Versace

An Effective Use of Lamé

It's apparent that lamé fabrics are a Resort 2010 trend.  Whether incorporated in a jacquard as at Alexander McQueen or woven so fluid that it looks liquid as at Roksanda Illincic, shiny, metallic fabrics are a big deal.  We like it best when used in seperates: tops, jackets, etc.  The full out shiny dress, as seen at Versace or Malandrino, is a little much.  

Yay: Roksanda Illincic

Nay: Versace

We were disappointed to not find some lamé skintight pants à la Menudo, though....

Danny Roberts

We are presently enamoured with Danny Roberts, a California based Illustrator that draws oh so pretty girls. From since we first saw the blog Igor + André, we thought that Danny was a girl.  The drawings have a certain sweetness mixed with angst that we thought only young women can capture.  But upon further research, we learned that Danny is a boy!  His blog is super popular amongst the Personal Style blog set and he has done portraits of many (including Karla of Karla's Closet, Jane of Sea of Shoes, and Susie Bubble of Style Bubble).  He also recently collaborated with Harajuku Lovers, using his illustrations as prints for handbags.

The illustration below, more of a sketch for him than a finished work, really blew us away.  Prints of his illustrations are for sale.

He has also just launched the Dream Walking Society, an image-only blog, an excellent source for inspiration.  These images caught our eye this week:

Martin Parr

THE exhibition of the summer: Planète Parr at the Jeu de Paume, Paris.

Predicting saturated, bright colours for Spring 2010...

Haute Couture Inspiration

The Moment did a great wrap up of the Haute Couture Shows last week.  They revealed each designer's source of inspiration - the kinda stuff we love - but then they go one step further suggesting other, not so deliberate sources, usual with much humour.  For example Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy was inspired by jewelry and veils of Morocco, but perhaps also Destro, the villain from G.I. Joe?  Jean Paul Gaultier was inspired by old Hollywood glamour and actresses like Mae West, but there was a bit of Jane Fonda as Barbarella too, n'est pas?

 

Mae West

 

Jane Fonda

Jean Paul Gaultier Fall 2009 Haute Couture

We think there's also a bit of Beyonce going on in that look as well....

Cowboys

July has become a time where we reflect upon our love of cowboy dressing.  

The Calgary Stampede, the world's largest outdoor rodeo, runs this week.  Here are some authentic shots of real-life cowboys doing what they do best.

Loving the Hockey Helmet... so Canadian

Also in Cowboy news, Adam Kimmel's Spring 2010 collection was inspired by champion bullrider Rocky McDonald, as well as photographer Jim Krantz's images (best known as the creator of the Marlboro Man campaigns).  Adam's lookbook captures cowboys at work in what at first glance we buy as authentic cowboy garb...  On closer inspection, we see more fashionable details like reversible jackets and luxurious fabrics.

Further images from Jim Krantz taken during the Lookbook Photo Shoot.  Super amazing, totally inspiring:

Couture Sewing Techniques

We are becoming more and more obsessed with Couture details.  That's why we're asking for this book for our birthday.  Writen by Claire B. Shaeffer, sewing techniques from the legendary ateliers of Chanel, Givenchy, Dior, and Balenciaga are revealed to all.  We hear that she is preparing to write another book, in which she interviewed at length one of Yves Saint Laurent's cheif modelistes.

Related is this video of the making of Look 39 from the recent Chanel Haute Couture show.  This shit gives us tingles.  We die.

Chanel Haute Couture Fall 2009

Holy crap, there were so many amazing glitter moments at Chanel.  The dégradé sequins, the hammered studs, the shoes, the embroidered interiors of the trains of the mullet dresses, the subtle bronze chain mail... not to mention, the fifty other glittering embroideries and embellishments in this collection.

So much is worth posting but glitter this good has to be savoured.  For now, we'll focus on the hats.

 

 

Geez, there's something about this couture season that has us all emotional.... tear.

Sparklers

We're somewhere in the middle of Canada Day (July 1) and U.S. Independence Day (July 4), and Bastille Day (July 14).  Thinking about sparklers and fireworks making for good prints... Bonne fêtes!