February 2012 Memories

It's the last day of February which means it's time to review what we have done this month.

3 amazing artists are featured this month in the [Un]Discovers section and they are: Adamo de Pax, a really amazing emerging fashion photographer; Hana Pesut, a photographer with an amazing on going project called Switcheroo; Stuart McLachlan, a great paper art artist whose works will blow your mind.

As for Swide, we have released the 2nd part of the Dolce & Gabbana S/S 2012 illustrations and thank you so much for all the positive responses (We have received more than 3300 likes on facebook for this particular entry). Then on Valentine's week, we have created a special article for Swide which features works by Gerardo Larrea, Lisa Nishimura, Berto Martinez, Jennifer Lilya, Wendy Ding, Anja Van Herle, and Helen Huang.

Stay tuned to this site and see what we have in store for you in March!

P.S Don't forget to check out our Time[less] section to see some amazing watches!

Trendology: Alexander McQueen Woven Skulls Bracelet

It's great to see Alexander McQueen is finally exploring the men's jewellery area.

I woven texture is making the bracelet masculine and I am in love with the 3 skulls with Swarovski crystal accents. My goal for this year is to explore more in the accessory field so if I get a chance to see this piece in real life, I might want to give it a try.

Please click here for more information.

Courtesy of Ssense 

Walk the Walk: Dries Van Noten F/W 2012 Collection

Dries Van Noten is taking the Oriental route this season by applying Japanese prints on his womenswear collection. Pieces are very colourful because of the print and some of them even have the kimono silhouette reference that I like a lot. Also, please look at the shoes as those are some pieces you will want to invest this coming season. I have a strong feeling that the silk graphic pants will be selling like hot cakes in the coming months.

P.S Tilda Swinton, I want to see you wear this collection one day.

Pros:
- This collection is the hybrid version of Oriental clothing, I really like the print.
- I love the pants a lot, they look very comfortable.
- The colour palette provides something for everyone.
- The oversized coats work very well in this collection.

Cons:
- I would like to see more accessories, especially the print is that great this season.

Eye Candies: 
- Green/black print silk pants
- Kimono print shirt
- White/kimono print long coat
- Japanese figure print oversize blouse
- Gold crane (or phenix?) embroidered blazer
- Shoes

Please click here to see the complete collection.

Time[less]: Corum Miss Golden Bridge

This one is for the ladies!

The Bridge design has been one of the stables of Corum and in here, I want to show you one of the best skeleton watches for women. As you can see, all the mechanical parts are concentrated on the golden bridge and the bridge is trapped inside a 21mm wide by 41mm tall sapphire crystal case. If you are a fan of details, you are going to love this because the word Corum is engraved on the bridge.

You can click here for more information.

Courtesy of Corum

Fashionist[On The Go]: A Model Comes Clean

Where I am still catching up with all the fashion shows in Paris, let's take a look at this non-fashion show related story below.

Agyness Deyn has always been my favourite model of all time and this week, she finally admits she is 29, instead of 23. The reason why she knocked off a few years back in the days was because she thought it would not be cool to enter the fashion industry at the age of 18. Well, I have no comment on it but still, I am a fan of her works. [Read Here]

So she is similar to my age after all. (source: the Fashionist)

See you next week!

Graphicology: SurrealispicT

I love surreal arts so when I see Georges Le Mercenaire's works, I just instantly fall in love with them. There is one very special element about this series is Georges only uses a maximum of 8 colours for each piece. I find the whole series to be very interesting and it will for sure make you think about your imaginary world. What do you think?

Courtesy of Georges le Mercenaire (source: Behance)

Ray of Inspirology: Eco-Beauty

TOMAAS has been on my radar ever since I saw his Plastic Fantastic editorial some time ago. This time, he is using different fabrics to put on Alexandrina to create some stunning portrait images. I really like the dark and edgy feeling of this spread. Below are 3 of my favourites.

Please click here to see the complete editorial.

Photographer: TOMAAS
Hair: Seiji Uehara, Represented By Ennis, Inc
Make-up: Emi Koizumi
Model: Alexandrina Turcan @ Major Models

Courtesy of TOMAAS (source:Behance)

Walk the Walk: Dsquared² F/W 2012 Collection

Last time we looked at the Dsquared² menswear show, we were at a classroom. This time around, the Caten brothers are bring us to the school prom. We are all going back to the 70s era as the clothes are very conservative and classy. The colour palette is very colourful and I am in love with the oversized jewellery pieces (this is a modern twist). This collection is not about breaking any fashion rules, but rather, let us revisit the glamours 60s era with a modern touch.

Pros:
- So this is the continuation of the men's show, from classroom to school prom night. I am a fan when the collection has a storyline.
- I love the strong 60s - 70s retro vibe. The silhouette, the hair, the big bling accessories. (and you know that era the clothes are very conservative)
- This is such a cheerful collection because of the colourful palette.
- The oversize jewellery and shoes are not something you will want to miss out.

Cons:
- That Toronto's Caten Twins sweat is pretty cheesy.

Eye Candies:
- White high neck dress
- Silver sweater
- Jewellery
- Pink coat
- Blue floor length cardigan
- Shoes

Please click here to see the complete collection.

Trendology: Givenchy Two Tone Collar Shirt

When it comes to menswear, there are only very limited things you can do to make the particular piece special and here is one of them.

The special feature of this Givenchy shirt is on the collars. The black and white collar may not look special to you at first glance, but I can promise you that once you put this piece on, your out fit will pop immediately. If you want to be a little more formal, put on a black tie and you will get a very smart and neat look.

Please click here for more information on this shirt.

Courtesy of Ssense 

Trendology: Chi Yuen A/W 2012 Collection

Now this is an interesting collection!

This is a very strong debut collection from footwear designer Chi Yuen. She was born and raised in Hong Kong and now she is based in London UK. This collection is about surrealism, as you can see the designs are very unique. All the shoes are produced using luxurious materials so this will assure you the money you invest in any of the pairs is well worth it. I personally really love the entire collection and if one day she decides to create the men's collection, consider I will be lining up for it.

Please click here for more information.

Walk the Walk: Dolce & Gabbana F/W 2012 Collection

Hands down, this is the best collection in Milan Fashion Week.

This collection has the same inspiration as the menswear, which is the Sicilian Baroque and you can see a lot of golden embroideries pieces in the first part of the show. Then it starts to transit into some wonderful lace pieces pairing with some wonderful jewellery pieces (I have my eyes on the angels). The final part of the show consists of some amazing oil painting print dresses which transform the models into modern movable art pieces.

I am in love with the Victorian style silhouette as it makes the girl to look very elegant and sexy. The accessories are unique and also, how can the girls not fall in love with the shoes? They are just stunning!

This collection really shows class (and romantic) and I guarantee the money you spend on these pieces will worth every single penny. Just look at the craftsmanship!

Pros:
- The brocade series is so nice. This section mirrors the menswear collection.
- The details on many of the pieces are impeccable. Pearls, metals, ceramic roses...
- I love to see the oil painting print is on the dresses. These pieces become modern movable art.
- I love the shoes. From brocade heels to flora heels, every pair is perfect.
- The Victorian silhouette is making the girls look very elegant and beautiful.
- How can you not drool over those jewellery pieces, the little angels earrings are very pretty.

Cons:
- None. This is the best collection I have seen so far in Milan Fashion Week.

Eye Candies:
- All the brocade pieces
- The shoes and jewellery
- The handbags
- Oil painting dress

P.S watch the video below to experience the wonder of this collection.

Please click here to see the complete collection.

Walk the Walk: Jil Sander F/W 2012 Collection

It's such a bittersweet moment and Raf Simons has decided to exit Jil Sander with a bang!

In my artistic world, I see this collection as the flower blossom through Raf Simons' eyes. The colour palette is so soft and cheerful. Couture elements still apply on many of the clothes to make the Jil Sander girl to look elegant and modern. The last few black pieces are mirroring the dark and edgy menswear collection, with the PVC/black leather element to add a fetish vibe to the gowns.

If the rumour is true, this might be a good preview of what you can expect to see the new S/S 2013 Christian Dior collection from Raf. No matter what the future holds for Raf, at this moment, I think Jil Sander will have to find a way to top all the success Raf has created for this brand. Good luck to Raf and I am excited to see the return of Jil Sander!

Pros:
- I love the colour palette, so soft and feminine.
- Couture elements still exist in this collection, but pieces are highly wearable.
- The accessories are beautiful, especially the high heels with metallic accents.
- Even though the last part of the show is all about black gowns, the PVC and black leather have made the pieces unique.
- Oversized cotas can never look that good with such great colour combinations.
- The collection gives a very cheerful and elegant vibe.

Cons:
- None, such a dreamy collection!

Eye Candies:
- Pastel pink & white coat
- Pastel purple dress with white PVC
- White strapless dress
- High heels with metallic accents
- Nude & white dress with pastel pink knit sleeves
- Black gown with horizontal pleats

Please click here to see the complete collection.

Walk the Walk: Versace F/W 2012 Collection

Donatella continues to bring back the 90s element (from the Gianni Versace era) to the modern fashion and this time, her weapon of choice is the crucifixes. The models are turned into modern Roman warriors with the help of edgy fishnet boots and chainmail. I also like the splash of orange and yellow colours in this collection, as these colours help to lift up the spirit a bit. The built out hip design helps to make the pieces look futuristic and robotic. The only element I am not too sure is the alphabet print, I am not too feeling it at the moment.

What do you think of this collection?

Pros:
- I like the crucifixes concept, it is one of the major elements of this fashion house back in the 90s.
- The chainmail is a surprised element which helps to create the Roman warriors.
- The whole collection is very dark in general, but the orange and yellow have helped to bring out a little positive spirit.
- The fishnet boots and the crucifixes boots are pretty awesome!

Cons:
- The alphabets pieces do not really work for me, they scream cheese to me.

Eye Candies:
- Fishnet boots
- The crucifixes jacket
- White one shoulder gown
- Orange/silver dress

Please click here for the complete collection.

Graphicology: Eurovision Song Birds

If you live in Europe, you should be familiar with the Eurovision singing competition. Recently, Metro Sweden has commissioned Morris Pinewood to create an animation campaign for the show. Hanna Moe and Mattias Frodlund, the designers of this campaign, have used song birds to represent different genres of music and I think this concept is brilliant. You can click here to see the animations of this campaign.

Ray of Inspirology: The Ever Changing Face of Beauty

This is probably the coolest editorial I have seen in this season and it is shot by Sølve Sundsbø .

Well, actually, the following photos are snapshots of the short film called "The Ever Changing Face of Beauty". Lara Stone's body is divided into 4 parts and as the video goes, different images will replace her body parts to create some surreal images. I would suggest you to head over to W Magazine and watch the video because there are more things to make your jaw drop.

Walk the Walk: Moschino F/W 2012 Collection

Moschino continues to show a strong collection this season by sending out some colourful pieces to the runway. Even though the inspirations are quite out of place (military, sportswear, cheerleaders...), somehow Rossella Jardini can pull everything together with this concept: a cheerful theme with bright colours. When I look at the images, I feel like there is something for every Moschino lover. Everything is so fun to wear and I cannot wait to see them appear on editorials! What do you think?

Pros:
- I like the inspiration a lot. Military fits the fashion house well.
- The colour palette is beautiful. Bright and cheerful!
- There is something for every Moschino girl, from biker jacket to whimsical dress, or military inspired blazer to oversized cape dress.
- I like the small waist bags a lot.

Cons:
- Would love to see some different colours on the shoes.

Eye Candies: 
- Heart shape biker jacket
- Navy blue military inspired blazer
- Black/white star pattern suit
- Black cape dress
- Pink ruffle dress
- Colour block ski pants

Please click here to see the complete collection.

Trendology: Bape x Porter Jacquard ABC Camo 3Way Briefcase

So by now, you should know Porter is having a collaboration with Bape this year and now the products are out on Zozotown. I like the dark navy Bape Camo print because it is iconic to the brand and applying it on Porter products is beautiful. Out of all the products, my favourite is the 3Way bag. I do have a tanker version and yes, I wouldn't mind to upgrade it to this version.

For the complete collection, you can click here.

Courtesy of Porter (source: Highsnobiety)

Walk the Walk: Prada F/W 2012 Collection

Let's play with retro design and oversized embellishments, shall we?

No more automobile related pieces, for this coming season, Miuccia is bring us back to the retro geometric prints. To make sure you are getting the retro feeling, the prints are paired up with the pants suits which I think is a brilliant idea. While a lot of designers like to use small gems to decorate the clothing pieces, Miuccia decides to exaggerate this idea by making them big (as if they look like insects now) and this idea applies on both the clothing and bags. I find this collection to be very interesting and yes, it does mirror the menswear collection. What do you think?

So, there will be no pre-fall collection for Prada this season?

Pros:
- The colour palette is very nice, and Miuccia always aces the print department without any problem.
- There are a lot of pants suits this season.  These pieces are mirroring the menswear.
- The bags, are without a doubt, the most eye catchy pieces in this collection. The oversized embellishment is the key.
- How can you not like the sunglasses? They look very edgy.

Cons:
- Clearly the high heels need to be modified a bit before they can be released to the public. (Check the video out if you haven't seen it yet, even the designer herself almost fell down).

Eye Candies:
- Geometric print pants suits
- Bags
- Gems embellished pants
- Sunglasses

Please click here to see the complete collection.

Fashionist[On The Go]: David and Tavi?

It's the time of the week again! Let me start with the following story...

So Banana Republic is collaborating with Janie Bryant, the costume designer for Mad Men, for a second Mad Men inspired capsule collection (Mad Men 2.0?). The collection will hit store on March 1st and at this moment, I am just attracted to the campaign. [Read Here]

I am attracted to this collection because of David Gandy, ad sells (source: the Fashionist)

Uniqlo has released the new campaign and it features 2 very familiar faces: Cyndi Lauper and Tavi Gevinson. While I am all right with Cyndi's image, I still find Tavi to look very awkward. Maybe this is the reason why she is behind the scene now? [Read Here]

I personally do not know if this gimmick works. (source: the Fashionist)

See you next week!

Walk the Walk: Fendi F/W 2012 Collection

Perfection!

In my memory, I have never highly praised Fendi until now. This collection is simply beautiful. Even though the colour palette is very safe here (expect the last few pieces), the silhouette and the use of materials are what caught my attention the most. When I look at the collection, I feel like there is a hint of Native America flare when I look at some of the pieces. Also, I am certain that Stingray has to be involved in the mood board, or else how can you see those cool leggings and structured pieces around the should area? Lat but not least, those accessories and boots are something ladies will die for next season!

Pros:
- For some reasons, I feel like there is a hint of Native American flare and truthfully, I think it creates magic in this collection. Also, I believe Stingray is definitely one of the inspirations.
- A very safe colour palette choice, except for the last 4 fur coats, these 4 are the items of the season.
- It's interesting to see the moth/butterfly print on the fur coat.
- The boots are amazing! I love the colour combination and the height is perfect.
- I just cannot get enough of the bags, they are so pretty.
- Love the shoulder structure on some of the pieces, it makes the girls look like warriors.

Cons:
- None, I can't think of anything that I don't like. (Leave a comment and tell me if you have anything you do not like)

Eye Candies:
- Yellow fur coat
- Moth/butterfly print fur coat
- Boots and bags
- Corset belts
- Grey Stingray inspired ruffle blouse
- Stingray skin texture print leggings

Please click here to see the complete collection.

[Un]Discovers: Stuart McLachlan

I am always a fan of paper art so when I first came across Stuart McLachlan's website, my heart just immediately fell in love with his works. Today, it is such an honour to have Stuart on this site and hopefully you will enjoy this Q&A session as much as I do.

Hi Stuart, it is my pleasure to interview you on this site as I am such a big fan of your paper art works. So can you tell me how did you get into paper art? Did you have any paper art training before you entered this industry?
Initially it was due to boredom actually,I have been woking as a freelance illustrator and was searching for a fresh approach to what I did. I was doing well but I didn't seem to be challenged as much as I could be by my work. I also was getting frustrated that my work was being more and more taken over by the computer and really yearned for doing more hand made artwork. While doing crafts at home one weekend with my young daughter, she inspired me to try something out. I really enjoyed what I was doing and the technique of paper seemed to be very natural to me, more so than any other technique I have tried before. I haven't ever had any previous paper art training, actually, I don't know where I would find such a course.

Walk the Walk: Gucci F/W 2012 Collection

Frida Giannini shows the F/W 2012 Gucci collection on the first day of Milan Fashion Week and she brings us to a darker side of the Gucci universe. Even though the colour palette is still associated with the jewel tone, it is rather darker than the previous seasons. Artificial flowers are now being crystallized and they are embellished on the evening gowns. Floral prints are also heavily used in this collection but they are emitting a very dark vibe than what you may have expected. As for the silhouette, Frida is staying the classic Gucci woman look, which she should be elegant and classy, with a little hint of dramatic. This collection may not be as strong as the last F/W season, but still, there are many strong pieces that I can imagine showing up in the future editorials.

Pros:
- Frida is pretty much bring us on a luxurious wildlife field trip by showing us the floral prints, fur, feathers and crystal flowers.
- The floral prints are pretty and help to show the elegance side of a Gucci woman.
- The last few gowns, in my opinion, are almost custom made for Florence Welch. She can totally rock those outfits without any problem.
- the dark jewel tone colour palette actually makes the clothes to look heavier, even though there is sheer material.
- The high boots are very nice.

Cons:
- Even though I like this collection, I think this is not as strong as last F/W collection.

Eye Candies:
- Floral suit
- Floral print skirt
- Feather skirt
- Gowns with crystal embellishments.
- Boots

Please click here to see the complete collection.

Ray of Inspirology: Lady Luxe

How beautiful is this spread?

This editorial is featured in the latest issue of Vogue UK and it is shot by Mario Testino. Karlie Kloss, one of the hottest models in the world at the moment, strikes some killer poses here. The whole spread is full of energy, and it also has its elegant side. I cannot take my eyes off some of these images.

Walk the Walk: Mary Katrantzou F/W 2012 Collection

While I was not really feeling the S/S 2012 collection because of the slightly off track prints, I am totally in love with this F/W collection. As usual, you have to look at Mary Katrantzou's collection in a more artistic angle to appreciate her "print collage" technique. I really like the silhouettes she created for this collection as they make girls look bold, edgy, confident, but still remain feminine. If I had a daughter (provide I were also a billionaire), I would not mind to purchase the entire collection for her to treat the clothes as collectable items.

Pros:
- Katrantzou's print is always the main gimmick of her collection.
- I like how the show is organized according to colours, this makes the whole show interesting.
- Katrantzou's silhouettes, to me, are always dramatic. She knows how to make a girl look bold and confident.

Cons:
- Are the pieces wearable, that might be the ultimate question for all the fashion lovers.

Eye Candies:
- Everything. Each piece is simply an art piece.

Please click here to see the complete collection.