2 For 1: Deer Cape

In my internet travels today I stumbled upon this cape which is quite possibly the best thing I've ever seen. I had to put it up straight away, so I know very little about the designer Christophe Coppens- except the fact that he is Belgian (of course!). It was part of the "Art of Fashion: Installing Allusions" exhibition at the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam along with experimental works by Viktor & Rolf, Commes des Garcons, Hussein Chalayan and Walter Van Beirendonck to name a few. (images from we make money not art)



The thing that got me about this cape is that I feel waves of emotion towards it. One the one hand, I think it is hilarious and amazing because well, I've just never seen anything like it before. Who would think of a cape that is shaped like a deer? Genius! But then I started thinking, what if other people just look at it and think it's just another ridiculous fashion indulgence because nobody would wear it? But why wouldn't anyone wear it? Why do designers have to tone down their "show pieces" for retail? If it still keeps you warm and you can move in it then what difference does it make if its plain black wool or checked and shaped like a deer? Then of course I start thinking that there is a lot of ridiculous fashion that I find disgusting, so maybe it's just personal taste. This is something I'm struggling with at the moment, finding the balance between beautiful avant-garde design and scary wearable art. I guess when it comes down to it I love this cape and I would wear it simply for the fact that it would make me laugh all day, and if fashion can't make you laugh then what can?

One last thing... a bit more digging found this image of songstress Roisin Murphy wearing the cape during a performance, and I think she looks pretty amazing. (image from sound bites)

Total Art Total Colour

EE [Total Art] are a Korean electro duo with high octane, club-catchy beats. Whether you love or loathe techno their lo-fi, psychedelic eighties film clips are a sight to behold. Bowie-style makeup, glittering costumes, fireworks, rainbow lighting and some old school post-production are the gaudy eighties at their best- which isn't saying much I know, but the lack of studio polish is refreshing. This, coupled with high energy and passion, produces a highly entertaining clip with a bit more soul than the usual MTV perfection. (clip from youtube)

Kids Get Colourful

With the exception of a few designers, this Autralian Fashion Week was decidedly lacking in colour. I'm not sure if it's a reaction to the GFC or if everyone just decided to jump on the Phoebe Philo/Celine bandwagon and go for the neutral simplicity which has been making waves of late- either way there was a definite trend towards beige, camel and pale grey. With that in mind, here are some of the more colourful highlights of RAFW 10/11. (all images from Vogue.com except Marni Skillings pic from Harpers Bazaar)

Both images: Romance Was Born

Fernando Frisoni

Marni Skillings

Camilla and Marc

Kirrily Johnston

Dion Lee

Starry Eyed at Ellery

Fashion Week strikes again with this amazing Zodiac-inspired collection from Ellery. From the very first look's insane ripped bell-bottoms and shimmering beads I knew this was going to be a standout range. Silver foiling and heavy beading (which I am usually vehemently opposed to) adorned the garments, turning the models into a shimmering sci-fi dream. They appeared through the rising smoke as if emerging from some post-apocalypic wasteland. I particularly loved the grey and blue tonal palette as the black pieces didn't give that "wow" effect on the catwalk. The cut-out jackets, double-looped belts and layering pieces show that underneath the extensive styling there are actually some amazing, wearable pieces- which is more than I can say for some designers. (all images from Vogue.com)

Camilla and Marc S/S 2010-11

The second day of Australian Fashion Week kicked off with a stunning show from Camilla and Marc. Set in a dimly lit, moody interior, this season the designers took us around the world with a exotic looks perfect for the glamorous nomad.



(images from Zimbio)

Their signature elements such as soft tailoring and beautiful frocks were a strong presence in the collection, however overall it signalled a definite shift towards colour and print. Cobalt blue, lemon and tangerine lit up the elegant palette of khaki, earthy greys and subdued pink. The tortoiseshell and sandstorm prints were perfect on draped georgette dresses, with one of my favourite looks working a featherweight safari-style shirt and baggy khaki leather pants.

(images from Zimbio)

Ethnic influences came through heavily in the accessories, which are so beautiful my only problem is deciding on the pieces I love the most. Rows and rows of layered chain jewellery adorned the model's arms, and continued to some amazing earrings which moulded around the back of the ear. The gold, rhino-head rings and luxurious leather turbans which topped some looks were absolute standouts and perfect for the exotic traveller.

(images from Vogue.com)

See the whole collection and backstage photos at Vogue.com.

Hyères Fashion Finalists

The Hyères International fashion and photography competition is one the most prestigious in Europe. The festival opened on April 30 and there is just so much creativity pouring out that it's hard to decide where to begin.

This year the judging panel for the fashion competition was lead by none other than Dries Van Noten, with Maria Cornejo (designer and founder of Zero), Olivier Lalanne (Vogue Paris and Vogue Hommes International), Sarah Mowers (style.com) and Nancy Rohde (fashion stylist) among the judges. Images from the catwalk show are out and I have to say the standard is amazing. It's especially inspiring for me to see fully realised collections like these when I'm just starting mine. The designers that really blew me away explored form and drape with perfect execution. Their collections are conceptual and experimental without becoming a fashion circus. (all images from A Shaded View on Fashion)

Designer Lucille Puton

Designer Tsolmandakh Munkhuu

Designer Jasper Sinchai Chadprajong

Designer Alexandra Verschueren (Grand Prix Winner)

Read more about the designers at the Hyeres 2010 website, or check out A Shaded View on Fashion for more photos from the catwalk and backstage.

Volcanic Beauty

I know the volcano in Iceland caused a lot of chaos for a lot of people, but at least it gave us some absolutely astounding images. The northern lights over the eruption is a pretty amazing sight to behold. The constrast between fiery orange and sublime green, shattering rock and ethereal cloud is nothing if not otherworldly. (images from smh.com)