The ART ~ Agnieszka Kurek

The perfect view, 2008, oli on canvas, 140x200 cm

Born on 1984 in Cracow, she now lives in Bassano del Grappa close to Venice. A degree in Fine Art from the Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts in Caracow and a scholarship from Painting Faculty of the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence. With individual exhibition at ’Salotto Fiorentino’ in Florence, ‘Raven Gallery’ in Cracow and Paris, she's an emerging artist to have eyes focused on.  "While painting, with the very classical medium of the oil paints, I'm creating an extremely esthetic spaces, situations, recently landscapes, or portraits, or just selected fragments of reality. The world in canvas is described with perfect, precise lines. Colours are always intense, contrasting, and saturated.Ultra esthetic paintings suddenly become minimal with surrealistic poetic. 

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The RUNWAY ~ (Wo)Man Ray

Jean-Charles de Castelbajac Fall-Winter 2011/2012 Ready-To-Wear collection takes varied inspirations: Disney's 101 Dalmatians, Dracula and Strangler in the night. Though the expertly fashioned garments, the results it's a lot of confusion and not a main clear theme collection. He should't have let the 101 Dalmatians out of the showroom!  

Castelbajac's show draws upon a surrealism undercurrent with citations of Elsa Schiaparelli eccentric hats, Dalì's mustache and Man Ray's masterpieces. A collection he dubbed "Woman Ray". Nevertheless it's another example that can be added to the long list of the use of art icons in fashion. Unfortunately not a good one. The positive thing is that using famous photographs by Man Ray on the dresses might be an efficient way to practise art history these days. There was no creative effort. Castelbajac creative phase culminated in the presentation of the moodboard. A mere copy and paste on the dress that is symptomatic of a lack of inspiration. Or to be precise, inspiration it's the only thing which he have thought. 'A propos, do you remember Victor and Rolf Fall 2008 collection? ...

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The ART ~ Igor + André ♥ Proenza Schouler

Here it is again. 

I love Danny Roberts artworks. And I love how his work turned out even this time. He got inspiration from Proenza Schouler Spring 2011 Campaign. Danny make also a video and put one song of a band called "Foster the People". One of his best friends, Sean Cimino, is part of this band.

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The ART ~ Édouard Vuillard

Edouard Vuillard, Jeanne Lanvin, 1935, Musée d'Orsay, Paris

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The MUSTHAVE ~ Feathers Yesterday and Today

Natalia K by Pierre Dal Corso for Zink Holiday 2010

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The ART ~ Igor + André

The paintings today are from the Top Newcomers Spring 2011 Series that Igor did for Models.com. The first painting is Britt Maren. Igor wrote about his model: "Britt has a really interesting look, it's very versatile. Basically before i did any of the paintings, i looked through about 100 pictures of each of the girls so i could get a sense of their personality. I found that usually helps me alot. But Britt really has a wide range of looks. When i saw this picture, i instantly wanted to paint it. There was just something in the pose & expression that i really liked. :)".

He promised that soon he'll have some new different stuff for us.  

I´m so impressed of his works, each portrait is so luminous. Totally inspirational for me...

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The RUNWAY ~ Diana

I know that usually Diane wore a very short tunic so she could hunt and run easily and is often portrayed holding a bow, and carrying a quiver on her shoulder, accompanied by a deer or hunting dog. But when I saw this Alexander McQueen gown I immediately associate it to the Diane myth.

Diane, or Artemide, was the goddess of the hunt, being associated with wild animals and woodland, and also of the moon in Roman mythology. In literature she was the equal of the Greek goddess Artemis, though in cult beliefs she was Italic, not Greek, in origin. Diana was worshiped in ancient Roman religion and is currently revered in Roman Neopaganism and Stregheria. 

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The RUNWAY ~ Demetra

When I saw the show of Alexander McQueen SS 2011 yesterday, first thing came to my mind was the myth of Demetra. 

Demetra was the goddess of the harvest, who presided over grains, the fertility of the earth, the seasons (personified by the Hours), and the harvest. One of her surnames is Sito (σίτος: wheat) as the giver of food or corn. Though Demetra is often described simply as the goddess of the harvest, she presided also over the sanctity of marriage, the sacred law, and the cycle of life and death. She and her daughter Persephone were the central figures of the Eleusinian Mysteries that also predated the Olympian pantheon. Her Roman cognate is Cerere.

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The ART ~ My René Gruau collection

I'm all-happy cause among the bounty of things I bought Sunday at the vintage market of Piazzola sul Brenta there are some old advertising drawn by René Gruau (1909 - 2004), renowned advertising illustrator of XX century.  Gruau became one of the best known and favorite fashion illustrator of the haute couture world during the 1940s and 50s. Elegance, grace and luxury characterise the work of "the man who loved woman" as called by his peers.

“Elegance is aura (…) it is composed of will and knowing, of grace, sophistication, perfection and distinction”. G*

Can't wait to frame them and hang it up on my room. Here are some pictures of the old advertising.

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The RUNWAY ~ Alberta Ferretti

At Alberta Ferretti S/S 2011 Show today the atmosphere - both visual and aural - was like in a garden of Eden. Models were dressed in ethereal dresses of flora pattern silk. A soft silk voile wraped their bodies. Romanic colour palette: pale acqua green, tender ecru.

When I saw these gowns some of paintings i love the most come to my mind. Resemblances and redundancies are undeniable and clearly evident. VIEW MORE >>

The PHOTO ~ Quentin Shih for Christian Dior

It's time for round two. Chinese photographer Quentin Shih was commissioned by the house of  Dior to produce a series of images, using the last couture collection. The images would be displayed in the boutiques windows for the reopening of the Dior boutique in Shanghai. I like the douce colours.

The Chinese photographer Quentin Shih already collaborated with Christian Dior back in 2008, producing the beautiful series of photographs titled "Stranger in the Glass Box".

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The ART ~ Cecil Beaton

"Perhaps the world’s second-worst crime is boredom; the first is being a bore".

Some people claim there is art in everything, others that there in an art of doing everything more or less well. Surely Cecil Beaton was an exception: there was definitely art in everything he did, but he also had a very special skill, a sort of art in composing perfect images and putting together inspiring scrapbooks.

No wonder then that publishing house Assouline decided to release a volume dedicated to Beaton's wonderful collages. Introduced by James Danziger, Beaton – The Art of the Scrapbook is a 392-page volume dedicated to a man who was also a chronicler of fashion, style, people and places. The scrapbook pages collected in this thick tome are selected from the forty-two volumes owned by the Cecil Beaton Studio Archive at Sotheby’s in London and are a sort of revised version of the 1937 anthology Cecil Beaton's Scrapbook.

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The ART ~ Igor + André

Artist Danny Roberts was born in Newport Beach, California, USA in 1985. Danny's interest in fashion started early as he established and operated his own clothing company in his teens, screen printing his designs on t-shirt, sweatshirts, and sweats, until the end of his first year in college. He majored in photography at Cal Poly University in San Luis Obispo, California, and Fashion Illustration at the Academy of Art, San Francisco. Robert's meteoric rise in the fashion art world began when he launched Igor and Andre in 2008. His blog, Igor+andré features Roberts' art works, videos, illustrations and commentary which almost immediately found worldwide appreciation. Igor + André has been featured the US Canada, China, Australia, Europe, UK, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, and Japan. Publications include Vogue Spain, Germany, Brazil, and Japan, Women's Wear Daily, Elle, New York Times, The Examiner, Dazed and Confused, Marie Claire Spain, N*Style, Vision China, Fashion Magazine, and many web publications. Danny has collaborated with Lancome, Gwen Stephani's Harajuku Lovers, Aldo Shoes, Heutchy Shoes, Sundance Channel, Forever 21, to name a few. Here the drawings I love the most. I hope you enjoy the series.

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GaGa has Raw talent, & she was 'Born This Way'

images via celebritycenter, mtv

Andy Warhol, the infamous pop artist, who turned everyday commodities and products into fine art, is known for his commercialism depicted in his work. Having his share of controversy and fame in his art, the post-modernism movement would not be quite the same without him. Sound familiar?

Lady Gaga, the Mother Monster of all pop culture today, carries Warhol's legacy through her behavaior and style as a pop artist herself. (You can read my tribute to GaGa here ). As for last night's VMA's, she sparked the internet once again, giving the world -or atleast her little Monsters- another reason to love her.
Paying her respect to the late Alexander McQueen, she came dressed head to toe from the designer's final collection. Her unicorn mane-colored hair contrasting against the rich details of the dress demanded attention & marvel. As for her Franc Fernandez meat dress, it is simply the latest of her controversial attires. Was she going for "Best Dressed"? No. Was she sending a message to the world? heck Yes. GaGa explains:

“Well, it is certainly no disrespect to anyone that is vegan or vegetarian. As you know, I am the most judgment-free human being on the earth. However, it has many interpretations. For me this evening, if we don’t stand up for what we believe in and if we don’t fight for our rights pretty soon, we’re going to have as much rights as the meat on our own bones. And, I am not a piece of meat.”

From my interpretation, the touch of diamonds added to her look, was part of the irony. The diamonds had little significance on the look which was dominated by the mass meat on her body. Objects have as much worth as you give them, & are signified by the consumer's demands. I didn't hear one comment on her bling, but headlines on her meat dress are everywhere. This is the very notion where I draw connections between Warhol and GaGa. Whether it's Warhol's Campell's Soup painting, or GaGa's raw meat dress, these insignificant objects were made into fine art, not because of their beauty, but relevance.

Her anticipated album name was also announced to be called, Born This Way. Can't wait !

- Maria

The VINTAGE ~ Look back to go forward

This saturday I have been to Padova Vintage Festival with my boyfriend. We have visited an amazing exhibition dedicated to the history of fashion of the nineteenth century, curated by   A.n.g.e.l.o. Vintage. An historical archive of vintage garments gathered from all over the world. The peculiarity of this collection rest upon the presence of evening wear designed by great taylors such as Emilio Pucci, Pierre Cardin, Christian Dior, Chanel, Emilio Schuberth, etc... Here are the photos of the ones I loved the most. So, enjoy this retro voyage through these breathtaking gowns.

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a peak through my blackberry

I can almost see the wizard through the curtains

fifi in the forest by jasminelaini on Polyvore.com

Sorry for the lack of posts. I have been up to the ceiling in things to do. Still am. I've nearly got my UCAS application sorted which will be a relief! My bedroom is nearly presntable and once I get my bed in and tidy a bit outfit posts will be soon to follow.
I have decided my outfit sets on polyvore seemed a little boring. I am good and putting outfits together but as sets they dont look so great so I am trying this whole art & expression type set thing instead. What do you think?

Oh and has anyone in the UK been watching Misfits? I am sooo hooked. As a major Skins fan, having never missed an episode since the day it started, dare I say, I am starting to wonder if Misfits might be better. It may just be because the new series 3 Skins was a bit rubbish in comparison to the first but Misifts is blooming amazing! If you havent yet seen it, I strongly recomend it!
J xxxx