Strange Architecture: Swoon and Comme des Garcons

I guess I could say I knew about Swoon even before I knew anything about her or her work, what it was called or where it came from. When I lived in NY I would see these pieces of "Graffiti" around and thought they were truly something beautiful but, in that classic fleeting "Big Apple" head down, too busy to eat, blink or compost a thought fashion that embodies the Manhattanite lifestyle. It wasn't until I moved away and learned more that it really sunk in how breathtakingly powerful her art actually is. As is so often the case, we can't see the beauty of what is happening until it has long passed out of existence and we have time to reflect. Such is the case for me and Swoon.

Anyhow, I find some interesting parallels with some of Swoons' work and the Comme des Garcons latest Fall collection. At any rate they made me think of each other. They both incorporate seemingly in-congruent patterns and colors but manage to make it work together with a crazy brilliance that can't be ignored.

P.S check out this Video on Swoons' process. You won't be disappointed.

Fall Fashion Mash Up: GARY GRAHAM

This fall Gary Graham answers the age old question. What would happen if one decided to Blenderize handwoven kilim rugs, a propensity for 80's rock and roll, sneakers and mullets. The result is one of his most quirky, young and unique collections.

Personally I want myself one of those evil giant screen printed t-shirts!!!

The Princess of Grunge All Grown Up.

Frances Bean Cobain - Stereogum.com

These photographs were just too gorgeous to ignore. The talented photographer is Hedi Slimane (check out her work). Of course everyone is predicting doom and gloom for the decedent of Curt Cobain and Cortney Love. But can we even attempt to put ourselves in her place? We are all so quick to divine her fate. I could not conceive of a childhood where my parents were so famous and so notorious. All I will say is this: having to live in those shadows must require a great deal of bravery.

Chloé The First House of Prêt-à-Porter: A Short History

"Prior to Chloé's launch, luxury fashion houses had only ever produced Haute Couture (i.e. made-to-measure) clothing. This was fine for the few who could afford it, but it left everyone else in frequently poorly-made copies, supplied by the local seamstress.

Chloé's creator, Gaby Aghion, rejecting the stiff formality of 1950s fashion (and sensing a gap in the market), decided to create a line of off the rack, high quality, soft, body conscious clothes from fine fabrics, which she called 'luxury prêt-à-porter' and thus, the Prêt-à-Porter (Ready-To-Wear) market we know today, was born.

The couturiers quickly followed suit (the first being Givenchy, with their 1956 Ready-to-Wear collection; 'Givenchy University') and today, designer ready-to-wear heavily outweighs couture."

In the 60's and 70's followers of the label included Brigitte Bardot, Jackie Kennedy, and Grace Kelly.

In 1997 Stella McCarntney Headed the label bringing a fresh romantic sensiblity to the label and

Pheobe Phillo joined the design house in 2001 also added her own distictive sensual touch to the brand. This draws a whole new generation of young fans to the label like Kirsten Dunst, Natalie Portman and Chloe Sevigny.

2002 Marked the begining of the Chloés' addition of leather goods to the brand. The "paddington" bag becomes an instant classic.

A Birds Life: Pt. 2 In Space

Sadly I do not know the originator of these images but oh how I love them. Inspiring.

Ralph Lauren and Yigal Azrouel Introduce Space Deco

Fall 2011 Ralph Lauren and Yigal Azrouel Collections were amazing. I have to admit I don't often stand up and take notice at Ralph Lauren, but wow what a collection. Very 30's, very Metropolis. Yigal Azrouel is more modern but I'm sensing some Science Fiction and some 60's inspiration. One thing is for certian, that head peice is seriously cool.

Blonde Space Ladies Have More Fun

This is Why....

"Every day we slaughter our finest impulses. That is why we get a heartache when we read those lines written by the hand of a master and recognize them as our own, as the tender shoots which we stifled becaused we lacked the faith to believe in our own powers, our own criterion of truth and beauty. Every man, when he gets quiet, when he becomes desperately honest with himself, is capable of uttering profound truths. We all derive from the same source. There is no mystery about the origin of things. We are all part of creation, all kings, all poets, all musicians; we have only to open up, only to discover what is already there."
-Henry Miller, Sexus

Freedom: A Birds Life

Photopgrapher Robert ParkeHarrison- "My photographs tell stories of loss, human struggle, and personal exploration within landscapes scarred by technology and over-use... I strive to metaphorically and poetically link laborious actions, idiosyncratic rituals and strangly crude machiens into tailes about our modern experience"

We all put ourselves in cages. The cage of who we think we are, and the cage of who we should be. We design the shape, color, and material of our cages. No one can put you into a cage. The only cage that holds you is the one of your own making.