Kenley Collins

Leanne Marshall

Korto Momolu

The PR season 5 finale was a close race. All three finalists displayed strong collections on the Bryant Park runway, unique in their own right. It was a tough pick for the judges.

Leanne’s collection inspired by waves won the viewers hearts and the judges liked the fact that she produced a variety of garments: shorts, pants, dresses, jacket, skirts, tops. I think that her pieces are wearable and feminine and her technique is outstanding, but it was a tad too many petals for my liking.

Korto pleasantly surprised me with the fluidity of her collection. Her garments look better “live” and in movement rather than on hangers or photos. There was a unity in color and cuts and impressive detailing. The little fold-up fans were a nice touch. Previously unimpressed by her use of bright tropical colors, I felt that it all came together really nicely on the runway and translates better in video.

Out of the 3 collections, I would wear more of Kenley’s pieces than any other; I love her hand-painted fabrics and her use of color and cuts.  Sadly she didn’t win, but what’s even sadder is the end of this season…

MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA ( 20) The exhibition celebrates 20 years (already?) in fashion at MOMU museum in Antwerp now through February 2009. This unique show is curated by Bob Verhelst (once part of the Margiela fashion house) and highlights the incognito Belgian designer’s conceptual genius and master tailoring. The exhibit explores various themes used throughout Martin Margiela‘s career as a designer, as well as fashion shows, store & office designs, house style and communications policy. Exclusively for this event, Margiela will have limited-edition items on sale at the Fashion Museum reception.

MMM Background: “In 1988, after graduating from the fashion department of the Antwerp Academy and working as an assistant for Jean-Paul Gaultier, Martin Margiela and Jenny Meirens established Maison Martin Margiela. Their first pioneering fashion show followed in October of that same year. Margiela’s was a radically new visual language, with a silhouette – long, with strikingly narrow shoulders – that diametrically opposed the power dressing of the 1980s. He furthermore declines public appearances. Early in his career, Margiela emphatically decided to let his fashion speak for itself. All interviews are consistently given in the name of the Maison as a whole and no photographs of the designer are distributed – a sharp reaction against the star status that dominated the fashion scene of the 1980s and 1990s.

Maison Martin Margiela is especially known for its deconstructivist approach and its use of second-hand materials or materials with low commercial value. Margiela shows the inside of a clothing item, exposes its construction and focuses on that which fashion anxiously tries to conceal. Unravelling the grammar of clothing, Maison Martin Margiela reveals the strategies of the fashion system as he constructs something radically new. The working method produces an analysis of the system that underlies fashion and is followed through in the many varied aspects of the fashion house.”

MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA EXHIBIT
Sep 12 ’08 – Feb. 8 ’09
Tue. – Sun. 10am-6pm

MOMU – Fashion Museum of Antwerp
Nationalestraat 28, 2000 Antwerp
Tel: +32 (0)3 470 27 70
Fax: +32 (0)3 470 27 71
www.momu.be

LA Fashion Week is in full swing and my friend Raquel Allegra is showing her Spring ’09 Collection this Sunday, Oct. 19 at Box Eight. From the invitation alone, her new pieces look gorgeous. She has been transforming LA county jail rags into riches for a while now; turning them into beautiful, lacy and super soft tanks, t-shirts, tunics, dresses and scarves. I’ve always loved the concept of recycling, taking something on its last thread and giving it another life of wear and tear, and Raquel’s execution is superb. The proof is in the pudding: I own one and adore it! And… of course, want more.

Watch a video of Raquel’s design process after the jump, minus the shredding secret, sadly…

The countdown to this season’s Project Runway finale is riveting. I had my heart set on Jerrell for a while, because I admired his aesthetic throughout the show, but it seems that he does best when given direction, but if you give him too much freedom, he tends to go over the top. And as a result, last night he lost the wedding dress / bride’s mate’s dress challenge. We’re now down to top 3: Leanne, Korto and Kenley. I don’t know about you, but I’m rooting for the underdog Kenley. Her wedding dress is phenomenal and blows the rest of the contenders out of the water. As far as I’m concerned, that girl deserves to win. She has been ceaselessly berated for her attitude, but that tough skin has come in handy in her fight to the top. It sucks that the other competing designers have ostrasized her from the group, but that also served as a catalyst for her kick-ass final collection. Kenley went all out with hand-painted fabrics and beautifully crafted designs to really prove to the judges that her skills precede her personality. Vote for Kenley!

Designers, left to right: As Four, 1999; Gareth Pugh, Spring/Summer 2007; Twin-Turbine Powered Exoskeleton Wing Suit, Atair Aerospace, Inc., 2007; Hussein Chalayan, Autumn/Winter 1999–2000; Thierry Mugler, Spring/Summer 1991; Thierry Mugler, Spring/Summer 1992; Julien Macdonald, Autumn/Winter 2003-2004; Alexander McQueen, Autumn/Winter 2007–2008 (images via MET)

Source: Digital Camcorder Redux

A tragic day in fashion. Yves Saint Laurent died last night at 71 after a long battle with brain cancer. The official YSL site posted the following hommage to the designer:

“The entire Yves Saint Laurent organization is overwhelmed by the news of Monsieur Yves Saint Laurent’s death. His unmatched genius revolutionized the world of fashion and left on it an inimitable mark. We are profoundly saddened by his passing, yet also humbled by the great heritage he leaves with us. The DNA of a brand is essential, and Stefano Pilati and I will do all in our power to preserve it. Our thoughts are with his family and friends, and particularly with Pierre Berge.” – Valerie Hermann, CEO of YSL

Pierre Berge was YSL’s close friend and business partner for the last four decades. Yves Saint Laurent was one of the original true genius creators that cemented Paris as the capital of Haute Couture. He inspired and empowered women by breaking the fundamental rules of fashion for them. He not only made it ok for women to wear pants, but he transformed them into elegant and sexy. Truly daring for his era, YSL was the first to experiment with color combinations: black & brown, orange, red and pink, violet & yellow. The fashion idol extraordinaire and the man behind the thick signature black frames will be kindly remembered and deeply missed by the fashion community.

Yves Saint Laurent’s iconic Safari Jacket from 1968.

Sofa Hammock – for SNL

File Hammock – for The Sunday Times

Fur Hammock – for a nap in Neverland

I’ve been really into the plain Jane look lately, but in a good way. It feels purifying to shed stripes, patterns and ruffles and trade them for a simple, minimalist summer me. A spring cleaning of sorts, if you will. Helmut Lang is the perfect candidate for my summer threads. King of subdued palette and understated quality apparel, Lang really knows how to turn plain into classy. His 2008 Resort Collection pieces are easy to mix and match, and with the right accessories, can work for most occasions. His cuts are flattering and fabrics soothing. What can I say, I’m having a profound Helmut moment. In other words, I must have that dress!

Let Bless accessorize your gadgets with taste, like this Wooden Fruits cell phone charger adorned with wooden beads and bangles

or the White Lace Multiple adapter.

]]> http://design-bitch.com/gifts/bless-their-hearts/feed/ 3 http://design-bitch.com/fashion-designers/mcqueen-scene/ http://design-bitch.com/fashion-designers/mcqueen-scene/#comments Mon, 19 May 2008 22:54:14 +0000 Design Bitch http://design-bitch.com/?p=192

Still dreaming of the McQueen dress… yet I haven’t set foot in his new store on Melrose (which opened over a month ago) out of fear of um… going bankrupt. You see, I’m not a window shopper. I’m an impulsive buyer. And the all or nothing kind, at worst. So, I’ll be admiring from a distance until the wind of funds changes course. In the meantime, if you check it out, feel free to submit your reviews.