MENSWEAR SPRING/SUMMER 2014: PART 1

The chaotic and ephemeral moment in menswear is here once again. The Spring/Summer 2014 Menswear collections kicked off a week or so ago and has been going strong with a cacophony of different ideas and points of view coming from heavy hitters such as Prada, Calvin Klein Collection, Dolce & Gabbana and many others.

Tropical landscapes were the inspiration behind Muiccia Prada's joyful yet tense array of bright colored florals and Hawaiin prints. The set was aptly named "Menacing Paradise," due to it's palm fronds, sunsets and helicopters, the latter of which could be heard in the soundtrack. The destructive tendencies of humans seemed to be the underlying meaning behind the collection. Beautiful weather, beautiful surroundings and the ugliness of human nature.

Tropical tension at Prada's collection.

Nature played an important part in Italo Zucchelli's Calvin Klein Collection show as well, drawing inspiration from the ocean. Using virtually every shade of blue, the colors transitioned from royal blue to iris and ultramarine. Zucchelli stayed true to his cool and controlled aesthetic with a bit more of a street style inspired silhouette. Seascape printed color-blocked sweatshirts and t-shirts reminiscent of Balenciaga's sci-fi Fall/Winter 2012 collection appeared in flowing shades of pink and orange; the only colors seen in the collection other than blues, whites and blacks.

Favorite looks at Calvin Klein Collection,

Vivienne Westwood looked to India for her collection, drawing on kaftan prints and textured style in earthy hues against cool blue and cream tones. That is not to say, however that Westwood did not also draw on her London punk roots by designing white tartan suits and jackets.

Indian influences at Vivienne Westwood.

Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana once again represented Sicily, previously interpreting the Cathedral of Monreale and Sicilian menfolk, on their olive tree fledged runway. This time, Sicily's Greek-influenced mythology was the theme of the duo's collection. Zeus, Apollo and ancient ruins were printed on t-shirts, sweatshirts, button ups and shorts, paired with gladiator sandals.

Favorite looks at Dolce & Gabbana's collection.

Christopher Kane's collection was a wave of digital renditions juxtaposed on t-shirts, sweats, shorts and slacks. Prints of stark 3D faces and isobar-like patterns appeared in blues, yellows and reds as well as solid colored outfits. This digital age 19 look collection is like something out of the future, presenting Kane as some sort of technological shaman.

Digital renderings at Christopher Kane's collection.

An Adonis of a collection, Dolce & Gabbana's Sicilian daydream is one of my favorite collections thus far, as well as Christopher Kane's strikingly graphic and futuristic approach. Interestingly enough, these two shows interpreted polar opposite muses. Dolce & Gabbana's mythological approach created a light and effervescent mood, whereas Kane beckoned to the future with blunt and robotic accuracy.
Many more shows are imminent! I am most looking forward to Givenchy, Rick Owens and Saint Laurent's collections.
What has been your favorite collection thus far and who are you most looking forward to? Comment below and let me know!

THROWBACK THURSDAY

I've always had an affinity for iconography, film, fashion and pop culture in general and love seeing how it changes throughout decades, so I thought it would be fun to do something different than my previous posts and (hopefully) post a series of fashion-related videos, images etc. from the past that I find interesting or beautiful.
Drew Barrymore has long been one of my favorite 90s icons, so you can imagine my delight when I discovered this series of ad campaigns she did for, one of my favorite brands, Miu Miu in 1995.

Have a look below and let me know what you think of the photos as well as my new post idea!

Spring/Summer 1995 ad campaigns.

Fall/Winter 1995 ad campaigns.

STREET STYLE'S IMPACT

Unlike previous posts where the topic discussed impacted both high fashion and street fashion, street style is a branch of fashion that has most recently been muse to high end designers. Never before have bomber jackets, sneakers and hoodies shown up on the runway as they have these past couple seasons. With the advent of blogs, photographers are able to upload photos onto the internet of interesting outfits they see on the street, creating a whole new world for fashion advertisement. Many people, myself included, frequent blogs like Street Peeper, The Sartorialist and The Locals instead of browsing endless pages of online catalogs. Fashion week is no longer only about the collections, but also about what people are wearing while they wait for taxis and leave the shows.This has created a whole new type of fashion icon, where anybody can inspire others and can initiate trend that flows from the streets to the wealthy.

Balenciaga's space age sweater.

Although designers have looked to the streets for inspiration for many years- Isaac Mezrahi has said he was equally inspired by what someone on the street is wearing as he is by decadence- it was not until recently that these themes really showed up on the runway in abundance. Balenciaga had an array of spacey sweatshirts, Rag & Bone filled their collection with motocross jackets and quilted leather shorts and Saint Laurent looked to 1990s California grunge for inspiration, with a soundtrack by garage-rock band Thee Oh Sees. Jeremy Scott has worked with Adidas, and Céline has designed love-it-or-hate-it over sized hockey jersey-dress
Givenchy has gained huge commercial and urban success thanks to creative director Riccardo Tisci's new vision for the brand. Although he refers to his collections as "romantic," they are clearly street-inspired with boldly patterned bomber jackets, silk t-shirts and luxe sweatshirts flocking the runway. Creating the, otherwise nonexistent, menswear collections for the brand and collaborating with artists such as Jay-Z and Rihanna he has made a name for himself as the go to streetwear designer.

Jeremy Scott's collaboration with Adidas, Céline's jersey-dress, Saint Laurent's Fall/Winter 2012.

Givenchy's street-inspired collections.

In 2002, Humberto Leon and Carol Lim set up the Opening Ceremony store, collaborating with heritage brands and maintaining a downtown aesthetic. Nine years later, they were named the creative directors of dormant brand Kenzo, inducing a brand frenzy by working with skater brand Vans.
Alexander Wang has been name dropped by Die Antwoord and A$AP Rocky, both of which were featured in his T by Alexander Wang ad campaigns. Not surprising for a designer who had his start by designing a hoodie and expanded this aesthetic through his downtown cool collections.

Rag & Bones, Kenzo and Alexander Wang have all been influenced by streetwear.

Street style icons Gwen Stefani, Kanye West, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky.

Many people are on the fence about this low-end meets high-end style, so comment below and tell me if you love or hate it!

ART'S IMPACT

The centuries-old love affair between art and fashion is easily one of the most recognizable relationships in creative industries. From the Renaissance, when painters attempted to capture the texture, color and form of clothing in their works, to today, where models are sent down the runway in wearable works of art, the influence has flowed both ways.
Possibly the most notable example of this relationship is Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. Contracting polio at age six and suffering serious injuries in a train car accident, she opted for long skirts and flowing blouses that covered her thin right leg and stiff corsets for her back pain. An exhibit opened in 2012 at the Frida Kahlo Museum in Mexico City, displaying over 300 items of clothing, jewelry and headpieces worn by the artist. Also featured in the exhibit is a Kahlo-influenced corset designed by Rei Kawakubo.
Jean Paul Gauliter's Spring/Summer 1998 collection was admittedly inspired by Kahlo and her legacy is evident in present day fashion, from Dolce & Gabbana's Spring/Summer 2013 collection to the re-popularization of the floral headband.

The Broken Column's impact on fashion, seen through Rei Kawakubo's corset.

Kahlo's iconic floral headbands have impacted current fashion icon Lana Del Rey's personal style.

In 1965, Yves Saint Laurent debuted the Mondrian Dress, a color-blocked shift dress with the famous painter's Composition II in Red, Blue, And Yellow printed across its front and back. Its positive reception lead to it being featured on the cover of Vogue and launched Saint Laurent's career to new heights. Similarly,  Jean-Charles de Castelbajac has reproduced Andy Warhol's famous Campbell's Soup Cans on dresses as well as created an outlandish dress incorporating the same artist's Self Portrait. Warhol also influenced Versace; in 1991 the brand did a collection of evening gowns and tailored jackets splicing his world renowned Marilyn silkscreens with portraits of James Dean.

Composition II in Red, Blue, And Yellow, the painting behind YSL's iconic shift dress.

Andy Warhol's Self Portrait (top) and Marilyn (bottom) silk screens' impact on fashion.

Austrian painter Gustav Klimt has also inspired designers over the years. Sarah Burton's Spring/Summer 2013 collection for Alexander McQueen saw models walking down the runway in headpieces reminiscent of Klimt's signature gilt and gold-toned mosaics. In 2008, Dior's Spring collection was undeniably Klimt inspired, featuring floor-length tunics encrusted with gold appliqués, blown out hairstyles and bejeweled geometric patterns. A more subtle homage came from Rick Owens in his Spring/Summer 2013 collection. Like Dior, the blown out hair was a necessity, but the golds were more washed out and ethereal.

Dior and Alexander McQueen have looked to Klimt's paintings Hope II (Vision) and Adele Bloch-Bauer I for inspiration.

Rodarte have been open about their affinity for Renaissance artwork, reprinting some of Vincent van Gogh's most influential paintings, from The Starry Night to Sunflowers on airy dresses for their Spring/Summer 2012 collections. In 2011 they unveiled "Rodarte: Fra Anglico," a collection completely inspired by the Italian artist's work, at Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Of all artists, surrealist innovator Salvador Dali has perhaps had the closest relationship with fashion. Although his iconic moustache has changed facial grooming forever and is what most people associate with him, it was his collaborations with Italian designer Elsa Schiaparelli that gave him fashion credibility. The two worked intimately, recreating some his most iconic works; The Lobster Dress was an homage to the mixed-media Lobster Telephone and The Tears Dress referenced Necrophiliac Springtime, The Dream Places A Hand on a Man's Shoulder and Three Young Surrealist Women Holding in Their Arms the Skins of an Orchestra. In 1933, Dali was photographed by his wife wearing one of her slippers on his head, prompting Schiaparelli to design a shoe-like hat for her Fall/Winter 1938 collection.

Artists continue to inspire fashion, with Surrealism being the inspiration behind Tilda Swinton's recent cover shoot for W Magazine, in which the actress poses in a variety of surrealist-inspired garments in the heart of Xilitla, Mexico. Dali references are prominent throughout the spread and quotes by English eccentric and surrealist collector Edward James are painted in cursive in the margins.

Schiaparelli and Dali's collaborations alongside the works that inspired them.

Dali's Ruby Lips brooch and a photo from Swinton's shoot for W Magazine.

Who are your favorite artists and why?