spring 2012 RTW: rock & refinement

All images from vogue.com.  a little Portishead for these collections…

videosource: 24Adrian21 on youtube.com

The past fall season at Givenchy showed a dreamy, ethereal, angelic gown focused collection (F2011), but for the spring, Riccardo Tisci layered smart looking silky shorts and pants (not pictured) and cocktail dresses with gorgeously tailored and detailed jackets.  I’m loving the straight-jacketed inspired glittered pink cocktail dress, the shark’s tooth inspired necklaces, ruffly creamy layers and badass laser-cut leather cocktail dress (pictured last) – edgy, yet romantic and feminine!  I was surprised to like virtually every piece in this collection!Boy-wonder designer Joseph Altuzarra has infused his sharply cut, black and white collection with bright floral patterns and sweaters (not pictured) – giving his clean, but edgy collection a splash of colour for spring.  I’m not usually a fan of primarily black and white clothing for spring, but the detail and shape of these clothes makes it hard for me to not picture myself strutting around in these clothes!  These girls look confident and powerful (the harsh eyebrows help a little with that ) and i’d love to be one of them!Oooooh Balmain, home of the 1500$ shredded t-shirt (hey i’ve got a few of those that survived 2-3 turns in the field, maybe i could sell them on ebay? “Bamfield/Bella Bella distressed T? no?), but MAN does she look cool wearing it?!  No shredding in this year’s collection by lead newcomer Olivier Rousteing at the helm, but i still have a touch of Balmania!  The Balmain girl is still über sexy, intimidatingly powerful (while wearing almost acid-washed looking jean material) and devastatingly chic – i think we’d all like a leather pantsuit that looks like a badass super heroine in her day clothes (maybe Catwoman or the Black Canary)? I know i would, my superheroine name would be Rat Girl… ok that’s another story all together…Next post, some offbeat fashion week picks…

spring 2012 RTW: print perfection

All images from vogue.com.  umm ok. Along with the rest of the fashion world, I am INFATuated and obsessed with Mary Katrantzou.  Ever since I saw her spring 2011 RTW collection, i’ve been in love with her use of pattern and print, i’ve never seen anything like it and this season was nothing short of incredible!  Using ocean life prints wrapped and swirled and poofed into dreamy and vibrant cocktail dresses, gowns and separates, i think i would feel like the most special girl in the world if i wore one of these pieces! (Ryan and I visited The Room at Pacific Centre Hudson’s Bay a few weeks ago and i TOUCHED one of her Fall RTW dresses and it MADE my day – sad or die-hard? both i think )

another designer collection i can never wait to see is Kate and Laura Mulleavy’s Rodarte.  I didn’t feel as though the collection had as much character as previous seasons I’ve loved, but the Van Gogh-inspired (and literal) prints were beautiful, luxurious and colourful nonetheless!Finally, definitely never a stranger to prints – Peter Pilotto!  Another collection that i feel had a sort of ocean-inspired feel to it, perhaps more in the cut of the gowns (looks 1 and 2 pictured below remind me of neoprene scuba wetsuit shapes?)  I love the ease of the mix of shapes, colours and prints (as Mary Katrantzou also flawlessly achieves)…Only a few more fashion week posts – more to come…

Sunshine Coast Art Crawl 2011, part 3

After Susanne Biden’s rad ceramic studio, we drove along the highway, past the ferry terminal to the Mellon Glass Studio!  Mom and Dad visited the studio last year and have been eyeing the whimsical jellyfish Wayne Harjula creates, and i was excited to see he was using one of the marine photography books i’ve been coveting for inspiration!! Absolutely amazing glasswork, truly inspiring – and i like how glasswork is the perfect medium for visualizing how the evolution of these creatures might take place. Wayne said it best himself – he sees a shape, starts moulding and bending the glass until it cools, then progressively alters the design/colour/shape of the creature until it becomes the best/most functional it can be (like evolution!) and I got a treat – Mom and Dad bought me a glass squishy of my own.  He’s now resting comfortably with my other invertebrates in my collection:Wish I’d taken more shots of this next house we visited, the home/studio of design build team of Sandrin Leung Design Build!  The U-shaped house has wrap-around floor-to-ceiling windows/doors facing a porch that connects the two arms, and one end of the U is built into the rock-face at the back of the property!  The whole house is bright and open, despite being very modest in actual size – perfection!(The above pictured election sign is by no means an endorsement, i just really liked the cheeky sign.)  So it took Mom, Dad and I all day to visit only a handful of studios, but we were pleasantly worn out by the end of the day!  So many great local artists, I’m already looking forward to next years Crawl…

Sunshine Coast Art Crawl 2011, part 2

After visiting Molten Spirit Glass Studio, we drove back along the highway to visit “This Is It.”  the AWESOMEST multi-use studio hidden in the trees!  Felted Children’s Toys, furniture, glass work, etc – a feast for the design and inspiration-hungry eyes!   Some of my favourite work they do (and we saw at the Roberts Creek Daze parade this past summer) are the huge metal spheres they have made and cart around in this cute truck! They remind me SO much of coccolithophores, i love them!Our next stop – another awesome studio (with a totally rad name too)!  Nico Spacecraft is a design build studio specializing in gooooorgeously made and chic wooden furniture, streamlined and modern custom kitchens and sculpture – a tree on their property died so instead of chipping it down, they casted and hung it on the wall as art – love it!Our next stop, something completely different and out-of-this-world – Susanne Biden’s world of natural curiosities!  Her ceramic work was SO much fun to see (email for inquiries: susannebiden@hotmail.com) and it was obvious that she had a blast making them!  Prickly fruit, beautiful flowers, marine invertebrates gone awry, anatomical hearts, and anything you can imagine!  Probably my favourite studio visit on the Crawl!Last part of the Sunshine Coast 2011 Art Crawl coming up next…

Sunshine Coast Art Crawl 2011, part 1

I went up to the Sunshine Coast to visit with my parents and to tour this year’s Sunshine Coast Art Crawl!  Mom and Dad went last year and had so much fun they insisted I tag along, and I was happy to join in the fun!  Such a great event, over 100 artisans participated in this, only the 2nd ever Sunshine Coast Art Crawl – over 100 galleries, studios and homes opened to the public for viewing and purchasing varying forms of art – from music, fabric arts, woodworking, metal-working, pottery and ceramics, painting, ice sculptures, glass-blowing, design build/architecture, and more!

Our first stop – Goldmoss Gallery in Roberts Creek, owned and curated by Lee and Bon Roberts (also the featured artists in residence).  A divine space, beautifully situated in a gorgeous space landscaped and maintained by Bon herself (who also runs and teaches the in-house art school for youths).  I highly recommend visiting the Goldmoss Gallery if you find yourself in the lovely Roberts Creek!Our next stop, “Lotus in Motion” by artist Gordon Halloran (whose other work includes ice sculptures made for the Turin 2006 Winter Olympics).  These beautiful watercolour paper and beeswax lilypads he has created, float colourfully in the artists pond – the detailing on the leaves include coloured light microscope images of insect wings and leaf veins! So beautiful:Next stop, still in Roberts Creek, the Molten Spirit Glass Studio!  My favourites were definitely the blown glass pumpkins – perfect for fall and they’ll never rot!  Visit his Etsy Store to purchase a pumpkin! (The jellyfish were pretty darn amazing too!Phewf so much beautiful local work!  Our Art Crawl Adventure continued in the next post, next stop – This Is It…

spring 2012 RTW – dreamy drama

All images from vogue.com.  ooooo some of the heavy hitters on the blog today to spruce up your sunday!  all going for high drama, theatrics and above all else, drop-dead gorgeous style!

sarah burton at alexander mcqueen has been in the headlines for designing kate middleton’s wedding dress, but pictured below is what she does best.  like from out of a dream, burton’s creations are whimsical, other-worldly and take risks – truly the essence of what alexander mcqueen is.  i felt as though the dress kate middleton wore could have been designed by anyone, though it was very beautiful and classic – but i didn’t really see anything mcqueen in it at all (but maybe that’s just my ignorant eye?) – if you’re going to wear a mcqueen as a wedding dress, why wouldn’t you pick the second runway look pictured below? or even the first with the golden trim bodice?! i sure would if i could wear a mcqueen!!marc jacobs at louis vuitton captured the prim and proper and effortless elaborate elegance that we’ve come to expect from the luxury brand.  The models walked off of a dreamy white carousel looking polished and sweet.  I’m loving the laser-cut tear-drop detaling, the head-to-toe styling (hairpiece, clothes, bag, shoes) and interesting shapes that he came up with this season – who knew a boxy white dress could look so cute and flattering?ooooooooo and chanel! karl lagerfeld never scrimps on the dramatic show – one year giant gold lion, the next a roll in the hay from a barn, giant icebergs, and this year – florence welch serenading an “under-the-sea” themed show complete with giant white corals, sting-rays and corals! ooooooo what i would have given to have been there!
video source: style on youtube.  i looooove the creamy, pastel colour palette, the structured fitted blazers over the frothy skirts, the iridescent aquatic-skinned dresses and the urchin jewelry and pearly mollusk shell inspired clutches!!
only a few more fashion week posts – i promise i just can’t get enough though!

spring 2012 RTW: pretty & polished

All images from vogue.com.  ladylike, little bows, pinks, flowers, nothing says spring more!  when i see these next collections i think of spring tea/garden parties!

jason wu is the prince of pretty and polished ladylike looks, and this season he does not disappoint!  my favourite is the show-stopping chartreuse ball-gown with the black-bowed waist belt (reminds me of oscar de la renta’s spring 2004 RTW pink dress with the black belt that AlekSANdr Petrovsky gave to Carrie in Season 6 Episode 14 “The Ick Factor”) – i’m loving the bold red lipstick with the soft spring colours:**update** felt i HAD to include this backstage photo of the “crown-of-thorn” headpiece worn at the jason wu show (image from vogue.com) now THAT would be a challenging DIY project**:

nina ricci’s peter copping produced a romantic, dreamy, ladylike collection for spring.  I would have never guessed it, but i’m loving the spanish high comb or peineta inspired hair pieces that were used to style the looks (and cute little thin waist-belts seem to be the favourite accessory)!even the name “Preen” suggests the delicate action of a beautiful bird tidying its feathers – it makes me picture a canary gingerly arranging the barbs of its feathers with its beak in order to be smooth and streamlined again.  this spring 2012 Preen collection is beautiful in its simplicity and cut, soft and fresh in its colour palette:hope everyone has a great weekend! i’m off to the Sunshine Coast!

spring 2012 RTW – elegant evening

All images from vogue.com.  back to picking out my favourites from spring 2012 RTW collections! silky, shiny, sequins and brightly coloured evening wear!  i’d wear any of these next pieces out for a night!  pictured below, haider ackermann showed another gorgeously luxurious impeccably layered collection! i love how he has made pants SUCH a glamorous idea!  i loved last seasons silky, exceptionally cut blazers and layers, and this season, the layering, leather and beautifully cut clothing is making me drool! (ruffled leather vests under sharp-shouldered patterned blazers?! count me IN!)

pictured below, a few of my favourite things from Bottega Veneta!  i love the idea of pairing (brown) leather with a silky vibrant flowy dress! and the gorgeous green dress reminds me of butterfly wing patterns!and finally, one who never disappoints when it comes to drama, roberto cavalli! i was pleasantly surprised with this seasons collection!  i’m not usually a fan of his clothes (usually too much leopard or fur or too many leather tassels or doodads), but i’m a big fan of sequins, patterned leather pants and vibrant colours!more collections to come! hope you’re having a great thursday!

currently rocking out to, The Ting Tings:

screenshot from the video, video source: TheTingTingsVEVO on youtube

wooooohooo! new music from The Ting Tings!  fun, funky and quirky, they are perfect for a dull, dark early morning in need of a pick-me-up!

taylor tomasi hill in The Block magazine

all images scans by fashiongonerogue.com.  yay! an editorial in Fall/Winter 2011 The Block magazine featuring my style crush taylor tomasi hill photographed by Tetsuhara Kubota. amaaaaazing!