THE YUKATA DOUBLE-BREASTED BLAZER, STUDIOPRETZEL

 

The very  first collection by StudioPretzel  was all about simple exquisite t shirts and shirts:  it seems a very long ago but just  one year has passed since that debut and things are getting serious at Emiliano Laszlo’s Florence Headquarters. If Darwin’s evolutionary theory could be applied to the art of creating clothes, StudioPretzel would be a great example of how, in few months, a simple project can mutate into something more complex. The never ending fashion enthusiast Emiliano,  who is the mind behind it,  proved that the step by step philosophy is working quite  well.  Reflexive and sensible, the guy had been moving slowly and wisely, enriching his  collection with some sartorial pieces that are like little masterpieces.  Shorts and jackets  had been introtuced this Spring Summer 2012 , and it’s not a game of just teeshirt anymore.

Among SP’s racks,  I have chosen the Yukata double-breasted jacket as the item I would wear this summer and as the symbol of this SS 12 collection. The Yukata is a Japanese garment, a casual summer kimono usually made of cotton. People wearing yukata are a common sight in Japan at fireworks displays, bon-odori festivals, and other summer events. The Yukata is also frequently worn after bathing at traditional Japanese inns so what’s best than welcoming summer in this kind of garment?  The Yukata by StudioPretzel had a classy-blue tone, the fabric used for the internal pocket (yes, anchors, a symbol of being stable and attached to earth) is made with  a traditional Japanese  fabric. The lining inside, reduced to the minimal not to weight down the garment, is crossed on shoulders to give the sensation of being freshly and nicely wrapped. How to wear it, how to enjoy it it’s  all up to you, but Emiliano had it clear when this jacket came into his mind. “I wanted to create a comfortable jacket. I wanted to give it  a new twist and some  lightness to a garment that in summer is not easy to wear”. In my opinion it’s a  mission accomplished… and I just can’t wait to wear it on a warm summer night.

http://studiopretzel.tumblr.com/

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Author : Marco Maggetto

02/16/2012
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

THE DUQUETTE FACTOR

When times are poor, imagination gets  rich. When minimalism gets sad,  it’s time  to turn to Baroque. Do you remember that pendulum? Yes, that one which makes people change their image once in a while. Those cycles, called epochs, that go  from an extreme to another with nonchalance. It’s called life, or fashion, but maybe they are fused in one thing and  bothering  in search  for a meaning is needless, we can only let it go.  One day you go essential as a black line can be, in one year you find yourself walking inside sequined fringes. The pendulum says it’s time to decorate and what’s  more normal, healthy, correct, than a  bijoux to transformate your existentialism into something new ?  Bijoux is one of the most  dramatic and radiant  things in life: the last of the conquers,  is this beautiful  Coach Tony Duquette’s line. The Coach design team has assembled this collection taking inspiration from the superstar “decorator’s”  home, archives, works, books,  photographs and has produced one of the best jewellery collections ever seen. Clearly 50ies inspired,  each hand made piece has inside the Duquette factor and it’s  made with a combination of enamel, glass, swarosky elements and natural lapis or malachite. Always loved the way that genius was working with precious and non precious materials? This is the time to Tony.

Photo: Coach Tony Duquette, Duchess Bib necklace

http://www.coach.com

 

Author : Marco Maggetto

02/09/2012
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

VITTORIO VALERIO, THE HOSIERY MASTER

Among all designers exposing at Artisanal Inteligence in Rome last weekend, as you have been able to see from photos we have been posting, Vittorio Valerio is one of the names we devote our plenty admiration. That table full of hand made hosiery woven with care by wise and skilled hands immediately captured our hearts, and not only ours. Certainly Spring is near and  Elitism doesn’t write about something too many seasons before  but this time it’s an exception. We seriously think you should make a memo on your agenda or put an alarm in your mobile phone not to forget that “tricot” will be a hot item for next autumn and that Vittorio Valerio fall winter 2012-13 collection  simply marks the lines of excellence.

Vittorio Valerio is a creative factory that  believe in quality and in the value of authenticity.  They  produce, entirely in Italy,  a wide  range of  hosiery made of best wools. Capes, sweaters, cardigans (Vneck and crewnecks) , scarfs and caps.  Everything is made with extra care and love: it’s the classical Italian hosiery school coming from grandmothers wisdom and memory to our days with a revisited approach and allure. VV  also produces a line of t shirts that aims to be  an ensamble of unique pieces inspired by vintage apparel and it’s  starting exploring the territory of accessories with unusual luxury crocodile bags and snake ski holders. Memory, tradition and a strong desire to be and live differently: Vittorio Valerio’s philosophy is simple and clear.

Photo: wool cape , maglia rovescia+punto semi sparsi  and wood buttons

http://www.vittoriovalerio.it/index.html

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Author : Marco Maggetto

02/02/2012
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

SONIA BOYAJIAN, THE NEW GENERATION JEWELLERY

Here at Elitism we love Jewels. They bright up our page and make us feel beautiful. Sonia Boyajian is a new generation jeweler with a certain “pizzaz” and she  presented us  her Spring Summer 2012 collection called “The Beginnings”. It’s a  solid  ensamble of creations made of 22 karat gold, bronze, silver, glass, semi precious stones, ceramic, silk, onyx, resin, dried flowers, as well as sculpted porcelain figurines made by French Artist Sylvie Auvrey. It’s a journey into past societies and movements, it’s a collection that takes inspirations from the primitive and the opulent. It can be Egyptian, it can be Bizantine.  It’s  brisk and the style is unique.

Sonia Boyajian was born in California and majored in Fine Arts before graduating from Otis College of Art and Design with a degree in fashion. Young and attracted by adventure,   she moved to Antwerp and started working under the wing of  famous jeweller Pascal Masselis. In few years she not only learnt how to work metals and stones but was  also noticed by Bernhard Williehm who appointed her to create jewels for his Paris Fashion Shows.  At the age of 23 Sonia went back to Los Angeles and settled up her Studio from where she now sells to clients and selected boutiques all over the world.

W magazine has defined her an “explosive mix of surrealism that remembers Elsa Schiapparelli”. She declares to be inspired by Romanian artist Constantin Brancusi and Calder. She is an artist that found in shining metals and stones  her way to express herself.  Needless to say, Elitism was  in love with her at first sight.

Photo above : Oyster Necklace, handmade chain with discs

http://soniabstyle.com/

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Author : Marco Maggetto

01/20/2012
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

SPON DIOGO WINS 2012 MAX FACTOR NEW TALENT AWARD

Copenhagen Fashion Week and its top sponsor Max Factor, the fashion industry’s leader in supporting young design talent, proudly announce SPON DIOGO as their winner.   Selected by a highly esteemed jury and over one hundred thousand on-line public votes, following last year’s prize nomination, this year Spon Diogo takes home the prestigious Max Factor New Talent Award 2012. Mia Lisa Spon and Rui Andersen Diogo Rodrigues, the dynamic design duo behind SPON DIOGO, launched their namesake label in 2008 and have since quickly gained both local and international acclaim with their signature style of sleek, architectural, graphic designs that are instantly recognisable with urban yet organic forms. Keep an eye, or two, on them.

http://www.spondiogo.com/

Photo above:  pointed shoulders black dress from Spring Summer 2008 collection.

 

 

Author : Redazione

01/17/2012
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

GAZZARRINI SPRING SUMMER 2012

Gazzarrini‘s Spring Summer 2012 collection owns a romantic mood and it’s mainly inspired by  the art of travelling. Discovering new places and absorbing new cultures plays a big part in this collection that seems to trace new lines in the chapter of “soft urban sportswear”. Nothing is really casual  for the Gazzarini men, but nothing is really “stiffed” too. Elegant, relaxed, fresh  and never dull, the Gazzarrini approach to the male universe is politely modern. The silhouette is shaped with slim jackets and trousers that are convex and soft. The focus point is, indeed, not only in marvellous details, of whom the collection is full, but above all into legs.  The colour palette is something also reamarkable: cottons and linens are composed of nuances.  Bamboo, rope, “whisper”, white, birch tree, pumice, yellow and Ceylon that are dye by hand. Marco Ciampalini, artistic director at Gazzarini  visualizes a modern man in search of identity and dedicate his collection  to those that doesn’t want to be nor casual nor too ”classic”. For me, for you, for the modern thinker, for the “Boho 2.0″, for the next door guy. Not too much is better.

http://www.gazzarrini.eu/

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Author : Marco Maggetto

01/12/2012
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

A BRIGHT FUTURE

Only God knows why I’m starting the new year with a photo of Charlotte Casiraghi. I loved this portrait by Mario Testino and it’s a marvellous image of a young woman looking brightly into the future. With a 2012 opening up with insecurities, a “famous” calendar that is ending, a “huge” change coming (are ufos finally appearing and offering us a beer ?), the Stock Market permanently going clubbing yet waking up in hangover….what should we do if not searching for a positive  future into a young beautiful girl’s eyes? It is of a certain relief to see there is still beauty in normality: this girl is a radiant example and it won’t be that difficult to be stylish and fresh like her  in 2012. Just switch off all the news applications, watch less TV, read more books about happy times and buy yourself something cute – it doesn’t matter if it’s in Bergdorf or in Zara. Don’t stop refreshing your look and your mind. Don’t stop supporting who is less fortunate and don’t forget to be good. Smile as often as possible, get all the love you can grab. Same old resolutions? Maybe, but it’s good to remind them. The world, afterall, will be spinning for other 365 days. Lady Gaga will be out with a new record and she will look uglier than ever. You will buy another pair of silly shoes you don’t really need. You will probably get tired of electric blue.  The world will be going on and we will too. Under the modern incon’s glance, only a beautiful future can exist.

Author : Marco Maggetto

01/08/2012
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

THE CENTRIPETAL FASHION OF ALESSIA XOCCATO

I am a fan of minimalism since my very first Helmut Lang. I stand in my corner and watch waves o maximalist fashions knowing that no matter what they really do, simple  is always modern: behind something apparently elementary there is always a fantastic concept and a surprise. I am also a fan of  Arte Povera  since my fiancé once took some time to patiently explain me what is behing a Giuseppe Pennone work of art, so no wonder if  I had been intrigued by Alessia Xoccato Spring Summer 2012 collection.  Alessia is a young  “conterranea” designer. Her concepts are so interesting and illuminating  that you can smell it from the LookBook  partially published here. Among quotations of Italo Calvino and inspirations to the work of Anish Kapoor, Xoccato examines the territory of the pure and simple  and modify it on her taste. Reassements of the classic wardrobe in a completely new key: jackets and coats that never close, “ourlets coupe’ à crou”, baggy shaped dresses and amazing colours. Total white counterpoised to green, acid pink, electric blue, violet and coral-red. An amazingly surprising collection that got me “curioso” about Alessia… and here is our conversation.

You are a young designer but your creations look  very mature, like you have been in the industry for 40 years or more. Can you explain how did you get all this experience in such a brief period of time?

Good teachers and great contest!First of all I have to thank the important support that I get within a family already working in the field. I’ve been also lucky in meeting great people supporting me and sharing with me their experience. I think it’s necessary to be always ready to learn and open-minded. I’m used to pay great attention to the others work, I absorb as most as I can from people, sometimes I feel like a kind of thief, stealing from anybody, anywhere!

Indivudual, minimalist, never dull despite its simplicity. How do you manage to stay true, and pure, to your line?

I’ve learned to follow my instinct and try to express directly myself and my aesthetics through out different contaminations and inspirations. I found out that trying planning how it should be or how it should look like it’s useless and can possibly let you drift away from what you are really supposed to do. When it comes the time to analyze everything from another outside point of view, it’s just a matter of adjusting things and putting pieces together.

You come from a family of “fashion makers”, how was your childhood?

I was very attracted from what was going on in the family’s factory, especially I liked to walk around the production area, where the dress makers were working, and I was used to grab the discarded fabrics with the ambitious project of realizing then dresses for my dolls.

You come, again,  from an Italian region famous for being efficient but close called Veneto. How much of your city , Vicenza, do you carry around?

I’ve been surrounded from art, culture and long great history, in Vicenza is enough to name Palladio and his architectures and what about Venice and its splendour.. The territory still brings along today many excellences in terms of quality, research and innovation. After all, this is the strenght of Italy, that carries different potentials within every region and we should be much more aware and proud of our culture, enhancing ourselves and the new generation that can bring Made in Italy forward.

If you could predict  your future, what would you see in yours?

I’d love my brand to be recognized and appreciated around the world, pushing especially a more conceptual and artistic point of view.

Three designers you took as role models and never disappointed you.

Martin Margiela, Hussein Chalayan, Yohji Yamamoto.

I know you admire Anish Kapoor, what other contemporary artist do you like?

Just to name a few of them.. I’d say Y.Klein, B.Viola, G. Pesce, F.O.Gehry

They say best things in life are free, what is you favourite priceless item?

Freedom

Fashion is that “insane” creature….

So insane that I rather focus myself just on designing, exploring and expressing ideas.

What does the word Elitism mean to you?

It is a great attitude which people could aim to and from my point of view it makes sense more as an emotional peculiarity, rewarding the research of beauty,  the real quality of things but especially the quality in the human relations. Therefore I intend it more as a state of mind, rather than an ephimeral materic state of the being to which my idea of elitism is not necessarily corresponding with.

 

 http://www.alessiaxoccato.com/
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Author : Marco Maggetto

12/20/2011
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

A CLUTCH BAG, DARA BY CINZIA ARAIA

The clutch mania  has exploded  in the latest years. No matter where you shop, you will always find a complete selection of little purses that  can contain your world. Rigid, semi rigid, soft made of shell, wood, plastic, leather or whatever comes around: the clutch is a symbol of “resizing” and a seductive weapon if used with the right grace an attitude. I’m thrilled about this object and  I can’t help but think about the 90ies  when girls were purse less and clutches were only those little luxury objects you would have find in grandmother’s closet. Time passes, time heals and time change everything. The perception of  a bag had been literally reinvented.  The way women are carrying around their stuffs, the way they have been minimizing their portables had been moving forward rapidly. In some years the clutch had been reaching the status of “essential”  and  from morning till night, winter or summer, its presence had been constant. Between all the choices and colours, shapes and sizes, I have found Dara by Cinzia Araia.

Cinzia Araia was born in Venice in the 1974. Daughter of  a “Riviera Del Brenta” shoe maker, she had the opportunity of working  for the best brands of the globe since the very beginning of her career . In 2010  she decided to go solo and  inaugurated  the Cinzia Araia  signature label. Her bags and shoes are the result of a “design” vision which decomposes structures and deconstruct models.  Entirely produced in Italy and  realized  with the best materials, Araia’s Spring Summer 2012 collection includes  Dara: an unique clutch, made of soft  horse leather, that takes inspiration from an envelope and plays with asymmetry. Its irregularity and artisanal look are impeccably elegant. From 6 p.m. onwards this is one of the best pieces to squeeze under your armpit.

http://www.cinziaaraia.com/

Author : Marco Maggetto

12/16/2011
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

INK REMOVER, MARC GULDEN

 

Marc Gulden Spring Summer 2012 collection is an ode to candor and innocence. Composed by few simple pieces, it is a mixable and coordinable ensemble of clothes  that goes with almost everything . Gulden’s collection is surely out of the mainstream but stays easy and unpretentious at the same time.  Airy tank tops and t shirt, fresh shorts made to be  elegant and comfortable at the same time.  Everything is urban and  cut “ à la haute”,  hooders and Turkish pants included. Selected illustrations  on teeshirts, indeed , are completely devoted to the contemporary drawing. Gulden takes inspiration  from the fresh art scene and turn  it back  faded, laser erased. Like canceling a tattoo from your skin, like trying to hide something that once was very well marked . I particularly loved this concept of  gentle  printing and since I’m really intrigued by the tattoos removing process ( I want to get rid of mines as soon as possible) I can only congratulates with Mark and his avant gardish way of doing fashion. Simplicity, had been always the biggest of transgression.

http://www.marcgulden.com/

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Author : Marco Maggetto

12/09/2011
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

BEST 4 YOUR IPAD, DODOCASE

It took me some time to understand what was this: I was buying it to contain  my collection of boarding passes. Ohoh. After many passages at the counter, and many questions, I finally understood that this DODOCase is meant to dress an IPad. I don’t have one but I have noticed how horrible those original magnetic plastic covers are and think  this worthed a post.  The DODOcase cradles your Apple device in a strong, yet gentle, bamboo tray and precious tissues. The multifunctional design also allows  to use the case as a stand for typing or watching videos. It gives  IPad a retro touch and it comes in a varieties of colours and editions ( The J.Crew ones are just AMAZING). Let’s wrap technology in a more romantic way, please.

http://www.dodocase.com

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Author : Redazione

12/06/2011
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

THE OLIVIA BRANSBOURG’S APPROACH

 

 

ICONOfly is a publishing house founded in Paris in 2006 by Olivia Bransbourg. Olivia is the kind of person with a sparkling mind  in a constant process of creation. Magazines, catalogs, art and more recently a perfume, she works on what she really loves.  In few word, she is an entrepeneur of herself and everything she does  is an invitation to travel, to go in depth. Iconofly magazines,  for example,  are monotematic issues about  accessories. I particularly appreciated The  bracelet Issue because it  is a celebration of an object that starts from historical  academic  notiions ending with essays and pictures made by contemporary artists, writers, intellectuals. Everything appearing in the small format of this precious  magazine, which is intended to go straight to our libraries,  is special made and very exclusive.

It has not been easy to catch this very busy woman but here is our conversation about fashion and much more.

What was your very first approach to fashion?

My grandmother, an epitome of elegance, refinement and beauty. As early as five or six, I could spend hours in her closet or in her bathroom, sorting the powders, the tubes of lipsticks, the shoes, everything, truly “inhaling” them. Hoping they would be mine. On the contrary, my mother who used to and still does challenge conventional dresswear. Then, growing up in a small town, Romans (in the Rhone Valley) once the epicentre for shoe excellence (Charles Jourdan, Stéphane Kélian, Robert Clergerie all come from Romans).

 I’d like to think about you as a “fashion curator”. Few are the persons who can actually have that title. Why is it so difficult to reach a great curatorial level?

I don’t consider myself a “fashion curator”. Diane Pernet is one, she truly reached this curatorial level. Could I for me invent a different title, like “curator of the unexpected”?

How would you change the fashion system/industry if you could?

I don’t have any pretention of changing it; or if I were given complete free reign, it would be to bring more love, passion and originality in the ways fashion houses communicate to the media and inside their stores.

Your magazine ICONOfly is focused on accessories. People in the streets have come to think accessories are more important than clothes and creating debts for themselves just to buy their LV Monograms. Even if your focus is on more artisan products, do you somehow agree with them? Is it really not so much about the clothing we were but more about splendid complements?

If it is important for these people then yes, and if the accessory they are craving makes the complete difference, then even more. This is all about addictions, the kind of beautiful ones.

What clothing/brand/designer do you wear most (accessories excluded)?

Vintage (Dior,YSL, Torrente, JP Gaultier …). But my most recent purchases this year were a beautiful black dress at Ferragamo and a patterned cardigan coat from Ina Label in NY. I would love to buy a dress by Felipe Olivera Baptista. My next addiction?

You have been collaborating with more than 40 artists since the first issue of Iconofly. Do you find that artists are still these “tortured” beings creating in pain and “sufferance” or have they all been forced to evolve into more business-oriented persons?

I’ve met both types and I keep admiring the ones that create without any compromise. The work being a true labour of love and of constant thinking.

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Author : Marco Maggetto

11/29/2011
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

MEETING POINT, PAOLA HERNANDEZ SS2012

Paola Hernández launched her label in 2006 after graduating at Saint Martin’s School of Design. “Fashion is a manifestation of collective consciousness,” says Paola, “my creative process starts with a question of how to understand human evolution.”  Paola utilizes fashion design as a mean of exploring ideas and proposing ways of life that can inspire humanity towards a better state of mind through self-development. Her designs are based on philosophical concepts. They translate to the pieces with symbols and details chosen to represent each concept. Spring Summer 2012 collection was presented during New York Fashion week at Hotel Americano and named Meeting Point after an idea of intersection between the physical and the spiritual. The materials are sheer and signify the clarity of consciousness.  The color palette reflects the idea of the Heaven and the sky (blues and whites) and the Earth (beige, reds, and pinks).  A young designer with a strong personality where strong personality doesn’t mean she has to create mad clothes to leave a sign.  A designer that can create sexy flat shoes, who plays with simple lines without being boring. There is a lot of  pure thought behind Paola Hernandez way of doing fashion and this is something great we will never stop appreciating here at Elitism.

http://www.paolahernandez.com/

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Author : Redazione

11/25/2011
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

WE DIDN’T START THE FIRE, PONY

I was talking with a friend remembering the 80ies – for a change-  when something I had been removing ever since came up to my mind. Omg, I used to be a baseball player! I had been playing for 4 years! Why did I forgot about that?  The fact I was  palying in “the bench” position could be one of the factor of this strange amnesia. Now that I think about myself as a baseball player I remember all I wanted was to wear the uniform.  The cap, the striped short sleeved coat – boxy as a Balenciaga , the leggings attached to the foot with a gaiter -as fashionable as a Gaultier. Every single piece of that white and green  uniform was by  Pony. It was an unexpansive ensamble – our sponsor was a local Auto Body Repair Shop- and fabrics were spongy, made of  futuristic fibers. Despite scratching my skin  all the time, I have a very good memory of those clothes. They were made to last decades and were  killer fitting :  no need to iron, no holes after slipping, we were always the cutest guys in the “diamond” .

I was so nostalgic about that old Pony uniform that I have decided to ask google and it was a joy to see that Pony is still producing after 40 years. Fashion passes, new crisis are invented every 2 years and  it’s good to find companies  that still runs after so long. The Salm Dunk Mid in the photo is an example of how the American brand maintained all his characteristics. Functionality, durability together with a simple yet sexy design. No frocks for freacks, this is a real sneaker… I’m  telling you this from the bench of my youth.

http://www.pony.com/blog/ponyblog/

 

Author : Marco Maggetto

11/22/2011
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

THE MEANING OF TRIANGLES, BAOBAO BAG

BaoBao bag by Issey Myake  had been entering the hall of fame of best sellers this season. It’ s practical, it has the right price and his modern twist had conquered women (and men) bored about same old materials. Rigid but adaptable, precisely shaped and with movement the BaoBao is enriching in details and shades for Spring Summer 2012. Laminated , pastel, neon:  there is a whole new colour palette ready to inspire everyone in need of an extra dose of  pigments. Studs are also appearing for the first time and combinations are ready too . In search for some high energy accessories? BaoBao is definitely for you. Did you know that in Western society, the triangle most often has highly Christian meanings when used in a religious context. Because the Christian God is a trinity – Father, Son and Holy Ghost united in a single godhead – he is commonly represented by a triangle?  Did you know that as a three-sided polygon, the triangle represents the number three, which is meaningful to many groups?  The orientation of a triangle can also be important to it’s meaning. For example, a point-up triangle might represent a strong foundation or stability, as it is rooted to the ground through a solid base. The elements of earth and water formed from point-up triangles, even thou these are the two more material elements. Symbols for air and fire are formed from point-down triangles. The point-up triangle can represent male energy, and fire and air are masculine elements. The point-down triangle can represent female energy, and water and earth are feminine elements. The  BaoBao, once again,  is the key for an high energy spring.

http://www.isseymiyake.co.jp/en/news/

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Author : Redazione

11/18/2011
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

NUPTUS, SYLVIO GIARDINA’S S/S 2012 COLLECTION

 

The Eternal City had rarely been a  hatchery for avantgarde designers. Sleeping in his beauty, Rome is finally paying more attention to people like Sylvio Giardina, maybe one of the few  that is betting on innovation and building a future on new shapes. The Nuputus collection is inspired by the idea of a cloud: its changing shape, its roundness, its lightness.  Nuptus is a research for a new silhouette, a subverting way of thinking about clothes that goes against standardized imagery of the traditional fashion circuit. The Spring/Summer 2012 collection re-design  the body of a woman with soft shapes, new lines and sinuous volumes that are thought to make her more “spherical” without losing the allure. Who says that “round” shapes cannot be used in fashion?  They are reassuring, they are pleasant to the eye, sexy to the mind and they give tenderness to the soul.  If movements are kept  fluid and new materials ( polyethylene foam and jersey melted together) are  used to maintain a certain ease , the result cab be very good, if not perfect.  Sylvo Giardina dresses seems to come from a fairytale:  always in equilibrium despite  the absence of  symmetry, this young designer, like others before him, has a mission of  liberation which will probably send him straight to the podium. The Eternal City is waking up.

“If you obey all the rules you miss all the fun” Katharine Hepburn

http://www.sylviogiardina.com/

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Author : Marco Maggetto

11/08/2011
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

OH THAT RED

 

 

Hermes Balcon du Guadalquivir wide enamel bracelet contains all the popular elements and the cultural atmosphere of Andalusia. Inspired by wrought iron balconies of that Spanish region the plaque is red like  passion, simple and irregular for an artisanal look. Usually defined as a  summer bracelet, we  like to think about this fabulous accessory  as a super classic item to be wear all year long, especially as a Christimas “booster”  for a plain dress.  There is no better red than this one ; Balcon du Guadalquivir is also a ceramic table ware line, a complete set of vases and a complete set of ashtrays to decorate your house.  The Guadalquivir  is the fifth longest river in the Iberian peninsula and the second longest river to be its whole length in Spain. Travel down there, to discover how much history can be wear on you wrist, and how beautiful a woman can be … just with a red touch.

http://www.hermes.com/

 

Author : Redazione

11/07/2011
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

ALEXANDRE PLOKHOV, WOMEN’S SS 2012 + INTERVIEW

There are colors of maxi shirts . There’s the softness and the rigor of leather. There are fluid lines but  also a strict silhouette. There are laser cuts and simple/ totally new “stuffed belts”.  There are  zips and extraordinarily simple shoes. There are many details inside the simplicity of Alexandre Plokhov Women’s Spring Summer 2012 collection.  It seems like Plokhov’s exercise of style can really cover  the complexity of a woman and her different  moments. From the motorbike moment, to the cocktail one, to  work . Every aspect is developed and this collection seems promised to be one of the very hot ones at Barneys New York next Spring . Here is a short interview we made to Mr. Plokhov, here is his message of sobriety.

How would you define yourself better: are you a designer ? Are you a tailor?

Most certainly a designer because I am not skilled enough to qualify as a good tailor.

What are the things you love most of creating clothes?

The transformation of an idea expressed in a sketch into a garment rendered in cloth.

Fashion is that absurd thing that add some happiness to life. Do you agree?

Only on rare occasions do I find fashion to be absurd (shows, personal appearances, interviews)… For the most part I find fashion to be a demanding and engaging undertaking. I do not know about adding happiness… Maybe it adds a certain allure/panache/swagger to one’s perception of oneself.

Why did you decide to start up your own label in such difficult times?

If you pay too much attention to everything that is going on in the world – you can always find a reason not to start. You have to live in a bubble of sorts or an ivory tower (whatever is your preference). Details »

Author : Marco Maggetto

11/03/2011
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

KOKON TOZAI GLASSES

If you need a pair of sunglasses that really stands out, this is maybe the best choice you can make. Jeremy Scott For Linda Farrow futuristic handmade cage sunglasses with rainbow lenses are practically one of a kind. Flashy and high-tech, they brings exaggeration to every face without even using a milligram of make up.  Suitable for your clubbing,  perfect if you still have the energy, and the age,  to make after hours.

http://www.jeremyscott.com/

 

 

Author : Redazione

10/31/2011
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

THE PRESENCE-ABSENCE OF BUTTERFLIES, ALBINO

 

Albino’s fashion show is becoming more and more one of the  best Milan’s appointments. This darling brand ,everybody talks about, premiered in 2004 and its fame is becoming something big. Albino is the result of the synergy between the Parisian-trained stylist Albino D’Amato and designer-architect Gianfranco Fenizia. D’Amato handles the creative side of the project, while Fenizia looks after the organisational aspects directly from the dedicated space in via Gallina 11 in Milan. Italian fashion’s Capital finally has new vibes and names that are trying to reinvent its allure after a period of slackness where “fresh air” was rare if not absent.

Albino 2012 Spring Summer collection is inspired by surrealism and its expressive techniques. Silhouettes, in fact,  take shape from the 1958 painting of surrealist  Max Ernst: “33 fillettes partant a la chasse d’un papillon blanc”.  This painting, dated 1957,  at first look, emerge for its rigorous lines with some touches of lightness. An explosion of elements that  looks  similar but of course are not.  Details »

Author : Marco Maggetto

10/28/2011
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

TIME TO CHOOSE A NEW TOILETRY BAG, ANORAK


Anorak is a specialist in durable products for the home and outdoors. The brand was launched in January 2008 by textiles designer Laurie Robertson  and inspiration come from childhood memories of family camping adventures. Anorak’s  products are decorated with a design inspired by the great outdoors and its mission is to encourage people to bring a touch of the outdoors inside and a touch of the indoors outside.

The Anorak’s Seagulls toiletry bag is one of the pieces we recommend. It’s made of  coated printed cotton outer, waterproof nylon inner. It’s practical, big enough and made in Britain.

http://www.anorakonline.co.uk/

Author : Redazione

10/25/2011
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

ALEXANDRE PLOKHOV MEN’S SS 2012

Alexandre Plokhov is a guy born in 1967  in  Russia who went to Chicago to study fashion . In 1998 he moved to New York and got a job at Marc Jacobs’ where he worked as men’s patter cutter. In 1999 he started   ”Cloak” in his apartment, a men’s line devoted to minimalism and sleek lines, pureness and sobriety. Cloak was as revolutionary as Hedi Slimane for Dior Homme was, but without all that press coverage.  The label lasted from 1999 till 2006 and was a big success,  not a commercial one : everything was made with the Plokhov touch, every single pice was edited by him. It was all about spectacular clothes but with costs that were superior to profits, it happens.  Despite that, everybody still remembers the quality and the allure of Cloak , but most of all  the romanticism of his founder. That Russian  Don Quixote trying to survive  his company - crisis,  big groups absorbing it all -  still remains in fashionistas hearts . Despite awards, enthusiasts  feed backs and half of living fashion editors at his feet, Cloak closed down leaving a sense of bitterness on everybody’s mouth. Cloak was more dream and passion than marketing and Plokhov gave up to start a collaboration with Versace, which clearly helped the Medusa House to bring back some coolness on their men’s line. But Don Quixote  is stubborn, still dreams and doesn’t want to give up to his project which revives again  after 4 years. And here we are talking about Alexandre Plokhov Spring Summer 2012 collection.

Details »

Author : Marco Maggetto

10/20/2011
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

TIME TO CHOOSE THE 2012 DIARY

2011 is almost over and it’s time to choose your new ” best friend”. The only item doing the same amount of kilometers, your diary,  needs to be choosen with a certain attention . Colour blocking is still that hot so this limited edition 2012 diary produced by Smythson of Bond Street in collaboration with Jonathan Saunders seems a good choice. Featuring two shades of colour-blocked goatskin leather divided by an inlay of black velvet and a brushed gold and black enamel slide closure, the diaries are lined in Saunders’ signature flora and fauna-inspired printed silk.

“I’ve really enjoyed my collaboration with Smythson. It’s been exciting for me to see prints and colours from my collection translated into such beautiful products. I’ve always felt a strong affinity between what I design and Smythson. Both brands share a love for colour, with a focus on detail and quality.”

http://www.smythson.com/

Author : Redazione

10/17/2011
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

SMALL TREASURES, L.G.R. SUNGLASSES

 

Discovering L.G.R.  sunglasses was like finding little treasures . There is nothing more tempting than an artisanal old style pair of sunglasses that can stay with you  over years despite fashion and whims of massified market. Investing in a great classical is always the best you can do and  Italians, moreover, have always been great experts and users of this very important accessory. Did we invent it? I don’t know, but  we do believe you cannot exist without a pair of shades.

As a guy who grew up in Italy Luca Gnecchi Ruscone, born in Rome in 1982, have always been conscious of the importance of an object, well balanced on your nose, like glasses.  Italian but linked with very strong roots in Africa, Luca grew up between Tuscany and that marvellous country.  On a trip to Eritrea in 2006 he visited one of the optical stores in Asmara owned by his grandfather and discovered a box of sunglasses coming from the colonial period which had been imported from Italy 50 years earlier. Details »

Author : Marco Maggetto

10/14/2011
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

SHEARTH, THIS SHIRT IS MADE OF WOOD

MyPersonalDresser is  an innovative online concept store. It is able to realize and to personalize with unusual touche the male and female wardrobe of the brand The HERITAGE. You can choose online how to customize your piece and just wait home for your beloved one of a kind item.  This “Online Sartoria”  is also launching a new product entirely echo-luxury : “ShEarth”, the first shirt realized in wood fibers. Much more comfortable  in comparison to traditional fabrics, 100%  biodegradable and done with echo-compatible processes, ShEarth is characterized for being a sartorial product of extreme quality embellished by unique characteristics: it is ecological, because the lumber from which it derives is cultivated, therefore out of a cycle of unnatural deforestation. It is hygroscopic, that means it absorbs humidity  (35%  more compared to cotton). It is thermostatic since it is a textile product composed by fibers that are easily able to keep  body’s temperature and transpire at the same time. It is permeable to vapor and able to transmit fluid. On top of it, it’s anti stress because it doesn’t accumulate electrostatic power that can be harmful for the body (90%  more protection in comparison to  cotton).
The result is an elegant refined shirt with more than one secret that can be  personalized on your pleasure :  neck, cuffs and monograms can be customized  in the best tradition  of The HERITAGE by Mypersonaldresser.

http://www.mypersonaldresser.it/

 

Author : Redazione

10/12/2011
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

MARTA FERRI BY PANTOFOLA D’ORO

Who said no more shabby chic? Promising designer Marta Ferri and the historical brand Pantofola D’Oro met to create a capsule collection for woman with some vintage taste . Marta Ferri by Pantofola D’Oro  is composed  by several models departing from the classical ballerina and the pantofolina, up to the decolleté heel of 4 and 8 cms. Sober, rigorous,  in perfect equilibrium between classic and contemporary, masculine and feminine. Soft, comfortable, made with materials that go from the skin nappata to suede, from satin to yuta with a  finishing that gurantee the worn look. A contemporary vision that  doesn’t neglect traditional elements, typical of Pantofola D’Oro, quality and comfort on top.

Ferri got inspired by the colors of Pantelleria ( earth,  burnt,  military green, blue and saffron) and named the models after visiting some small cities of the paradise island: Nikà, Khamma, Sibà, Suvaki, Gadir, Zighidì and Garland. Pantiddirìa – as they call it in Sicily – walking on the streets.

http://www.pantofoladoro.com/?lang=en

Author : Redazione

10/05/2011
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

COMME IS COMME

Whenever I see something unique, Elitism is the place to share. Whenever I feel like giving an advice, well Elitism is still the place. I had been shopping online and trembling when this t shirt appeared on the screen. It is basically made adding together two vintage t shirts and it is totally Comme Des Garçons ,  a label that had been in my heart since my debut years as compulsive shopper. Clothes, candles, perfumes, sneakers, lotions, to me  Comme is a guarantee of success. You will love it, people will love it, everybody will understand you are not a new comer or a conventional mind.  This short-sleeved capolavoro is quite an example of the Maison philosophy.  Every t shirt is different from the other, so if you can grab one at ln-cc  (they do sold out almost immediately) you can be sure of having a one of a kind piece by Comme.

On the top of it, Comme des Garçons Homme is still designed by the Rei Kawakubo despite all the rumors that wanted her away. She is still full of energy and managing her company. She is not gone painting in India like Martin Margiela, so you can still buy her products without that sensation of being cheated. Kawakubo  founded the label in 1969 and launched the menswear line in 1984.  A pioneer, an avant-garde mind, a deconstructionist with a clear mission : redefine and reinvent  the notions of beauty. This t shirt, without any doubt, has all the Comme spirit and goes naturally to the point.  An affordable simple piece, unique as you are, that won’t fade in allure at the first coup de vent.

http://www.ln-cc.com/page/home/

 

Author : Marco Maggetto

10/04/2011
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

GO, ISSEY MIYAKE

 

Seiko Instruments Inc. presents some new montres to celebrate the 10th anniversary of ISSEY MIYAKE WATCHES. After the series “OR” by Tokujin Yoshioka, introduced in June 2011,  it’s time for a new project called “GO” designed by  Naoto Fukasawa. As suggested by the name, this special watch  have been created taking inspiration from the tactile feeling of the Go stone which is used in the homonym table game of ancient origins.
Harmonious curves and square-convex shapes are extended until the back body of the watch to create a sense of smoothness and  an organic glass is also add in order to produce a pleasant feeling on who’s wearing it. Like holding  a Go stone in your hands, it is exactly the same feeling.

Tactile, easy to wear, unpretentious and very well designed from the box till the strap, this new Issey Miyake watch is devoted to minimalism but aim to stimulate senses and inner peace.  As Culture Club said in their famous song “Time” , time is like a clock in my heart… and watches, I add, are like pieces of heart on our wrists.

http://www.isseymiyake-waTime is like a clock in my heart
tch.com/

 

Author : Marco Maggetto

09/30/2011
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

GIANNI MILANESI

The Gianni Milanesi shoes collection launched in 1998 and was active up to 2005. Since its debut, Milanesi entereded in the market of luxury shoes with important commercial partners as Bergdorf Goodman. Loved by celebrities and Hollywood stars, the brand is now coming back with a collection that will be on sale in Spring 2012. Eclectic experimentations combining precious materials and handicraft workmanship are a main theme of this shoe line and the result is a kaleidoscope of tropical colors rarely seen before.
Exotic leather have been matched with a certaind dose of  wisdom and balance: opaque crocodile,  highly tactile python, natural texture ostrich and shining shark are all getting together  in Gianni Milanesi splendid creations.
The palette varies  from the classical tones of the white, black and beige to the most hazardous approaches of violet, turquoise, orange tree, yellow, coral, emerald and blue. Start to put this name on your shopping list, Spring is due to come back in only 5 months.

 

Details »

Author : Redazione

09/27/2011
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT

PREP ANTIDOTE, DAKS OF LONDON

There are difficult times but there is always an option. This option consist in choosing the best way to pass into the  tunnel in the smoothest way. There is people trying to be excessive in order to exorcise, there is people choosing the opposite. When insecurity gets you, and you have that heavy bunch of  prickles in your stomach , there is nothing more appalling than driving back to what you know best,  going to places you loved, meeting people you have been sharing great moments with. Increasing sense of security is also choosing  great classic clothes, the ones your mother bought  you when you were a baby and the ones you managed to hate as a teenager.  Classic is calming and  I’m not talking about brands infusing an overdose of hyper design to their lines and  shooting  a 12 years old girl to promote a rain coat. I’m talking about keeping a memory and a certain line. Daks  is a classical label from London which is not  going extreme with his modernization. Sheila McKain-Waid, the designer,  is in fact not pushing that button so much and admits  inspiration always comes from the Daks archive. Simplicity, timeless and with a British accent that’s what I thought when I saw this image from fall winter 2011 advertising campaign. Did I fell in love with that long sweeping skirt? Apparently yes, I did.

http://shoponline.daks.com/

Author : Marco Maggetto

09/20/2011
Category: / FASHION DEPARTMENT