Guaranteed Nightlife

seeing people.

2011-07-18T19:30:00.002-04:00

All photos by Vivian Maier.

Vivian spent most of her working life taking care of other people's children. On her day off, in New York and Chicago, she took her hasselblad into the streets, and looked around. After her death in 2009, boxes of negatives were happened upon at an auction (proceeds from her belongings would go to pay delinquent rent for her studio apt).

Some of Maier's photos are so familiar, you can hear the sounds of the street around her subjects. With this sense of familiarity, for a woman standing at a cross walk with bags, we realize we don't know her, though we may see her everyday. Therefore, we stare at the photo wanting to see more of the familiar figure's life, don't we? My limited understanding of life (and photography) lead me to believe this is what makes a good photo. All city dwellers, I think, can identify with the observer, Vivian Maier. http://www.vivianmaier.com/

Simone Rocha, leader of the newbs at LFW

2011-03-01T07:03:00.003-05:00

...because the finer details of WordPress are foreign to be, this post was is a bit outdated (happened a week ago) and will never be seen on 1883 :(

check it here, and then check out what else i write here.

Simone Rocha was the third and final designer to present at Fashion East on Tuesday. Judging by the expressions of the buyers, writers and photographers around me, I’m sure I’m not alone in thinking the best was saved for last.

Simones’ collection was in tans, black, white and a subtle take on the bright reds we’ve seen sprinkled across many collections in London. What I most appreciated was the practicality. Simones’ girls seemed to be the only ones who could get down the runway gracefully! (See cute black Brogues with cheeky cut-out.) Other looks featured wedges worth a double-take. Sling back Brogues were lifted at 90 degrees with a little translucent wedge. The red version looks just like cherry candy!

From the ankles up, we saw bare legs and lots of them. Simone, and the grand majority of designers presenting in London this season, seem to be predicting a temperate winter. There were nicely cut black blazers over just slightly longer mesh button-ups, starched white shirts with elegant high necks, and a lovely red gingham collar on an airy, translucent tan top.

With hair neatly tucked behind ears, and one model carrying a wire crown on her head, I could not help but think of Max’s crown and his wild rumpus. The Mountain Goats provided soundtrack for the parading models, who could have been marching to Where the Wild Things Are. One beige fur mini dress later I was convinced.

A very happy collection, crowd pleaser indeed.

Fashion East is a Top Shop sponsored platform for new designers to showcase their work. I hope to see a solo show from Simone very soon!

Bryce Aime

2011-02-24T11:49:00.004-05:00

Snagged a front row seat ;)

Little Gareth Pugh, eh? Unfortunately this was the first bit of the avant guarde I came across during LFW. Talking to Bryce was a whirlwind, he's got a whole lot to say about his urban warriors. I'm seeing a bit of Sparta in the headwear. The accessories, I think, will sell. (backpack esp, I want). A few skirts had panels with nice movement, and blazers had a structural quality fit for the 20-something CSM grads populating east London. The bit of rock candy in the last image is made of plexiglass. Got to admire a man who isn't afraid to vary his materials.

Ancient. Roman. Bath.

2011-02-24T11:16:00.004-05:00

A pretty incredible opportunity to handle (with white cotton gloves) garments dating back to the 18th C. Imagine, absolutely everything hand done, no zippers/snaps/rivits/etc, and gold thread, is in fact thread made of gold. The last image is a print from a Fortuny velvet cape. Dreamland.

From the Museum of Costume, Bath.

here.

So many Everydays

2011-02-11T06:43:00.005-05:00

From a warehouse in Brooklyn Heights...Organic by John Patrick, FW11

This collection actually encompasses everything I want to wear everyday. Selection would be my only anxiety . Drafting sequences already. Apparently the designer was macro-raised, living on a commune on the Hudson when he picked up a W and could starve his soul of fashion no longer. Good for him, good for us.

Portlandia?

2011-02-11T05:55:00.003-05:00

Vena Cava going 90s. I like it so much i might start wearing it it through Londons' rainy drawn out winter. Actually I think we could all find some of those pieces in our current wardrobes...headwear especially :)

treasure

2010-08-17T20:31:00.004-04:00

Found at Anastacia's Antiques in Philly.

Plated metal top with jems and deco snail. Black suede with pale green silk lining.

Impeccably made but no sign of designer/manufacturer label.

From 1920/30s?

Anyone have ideas as to the designer?

I'm moving to London

2010-07-30T23:18:00.005-04:00

Anyone know what this label is about?

WWDs Fresh Talent

2010-04-28T14:48:00.003-04:00

I was absolutely thrilled to see HD on the WWD launch page last night!! The company is making huge strides, the line is lovely and images are popping up everywhere! Congratulations girls!!

Some of the other designers are note worthy as well, check out the full article on WWD.

Hunter Dixon

Nprpa

Kal Reiman

Odilon

Kaelen

Queen Astrid of Belgium

2010-04-27T23:26:00.002-04:00

Leon De Smet. The Potrait of Queen Astrid (1935)

Congo. 1933

impression and intrigue

2010-04-27T21:56:00.008-04:00

Van Dongen, Kees. Woman in Black Hat c. 1908. oil on canvas.

Renoir. Luncheon of the Boating Party

Manet. Boating 1874

James Abbot McNeil Whistler. Portrait of Whistler with Hat (1858)

Hats are more than a look.

New Mediums

2010-04-27T21:20:00.004-04:00

Maiko Takeda

Check out her write up on Dazed.

you're so cool

2010-03-14T20:36:00.004-04:00

Yes.

Alexa Chung.

lostmyhead/Knighttcat

The World Is My Home: My Closet Proves It

2010-03-08T16:54:00.005-05:00

In my favorite James Michener novel, The Drifters, the narrator is a is a very successful and important executive with World Mutual bank. He travels to great cities and obscure points of the earth regularly making and checking up on business deals. His San Fermin companion refers to his travel experiences by the names of airports rather than cities, and his present residence in coordinates, noting cities you would pass flying due east. It really is a fantastic book.

Anyway, our narrator has a monologue about the secret wardrobes of busy business men in airports throughout the world. (This is the late 1960s.) Wardrobes usually made up of a few Brioni suits, climate appropriate shoes, a shave kit.

Now to stray...

Other airport wardrobes contain luxurious furs and full coats bought in Moscow, not needed in Torremolinos. Wraps and hoods from Damascus, impractical baggage for Cape Town. Maybe petticoats purchased on a whim and stashed away for lack of luggage space-or luggage existence.

This is Jean Paul Gaultier FW 2010

He is creating (mildly) simple and chic looks out of very interesting pieces. Some more extravagant than others. Every piece is as if it's been pulled from a separate city with individual purpose. The girl is crossing borders with every step. At points it seems a girl got to the airport with a one way ticket and a plan, and her bag was too heavy. At points it is suited for the head of the UN General Assembly (if it were a she and very, very chic).

Oh also, there are virtually no repeated patterns in the 58 looks of the collection. Amazing?

See it all on Style.

London Fashion Week Rules

2010-03-01T18:23:00.005-05:00

Erdem FW 2010

Images of nature printed on silk and spliced into geometric cut, impeccably tailored dresses and gowns.

Falls collection is obviously inspired by nature, not a supprising subject for Erdem Moraillglu, whos twin sister makes geography and natural history documentaries. Though the elegant hourglass shapes and floor sweeping silk won't encourage roughing it.

I love the peter pan collar, the puffed sleeves (3rd image from bottom has it all) and the amazing effect created through the quilting of the printed silk on the skirt of the gown. Other pieces were done in a dusty gray lace, some looks incorporating brilliant teal and red embroidered organic shapes peaking through the lace, crawling out like vines through leaves.

Some of the day time dresses done in wool have applique silk sections, the print of which looks like a beautiful washed out forest floor.

The vision is complete-the boots (omg) came out in rusty red as well as prints to match the gowns. The hair is pulled back and wind blown, faces are clean. Casting was dead on as well- Lindsey White and Imogen Morris Clark bring Morallioglus' vision to life.

LIFE by Nina Leen

2010-02-25T22:09:00.007-05:00

Photography by Nina Leen for LIFE magazine, 1946-1949

(photos from myvintagevogue.com)

Impossible Things (before breakfast)

2010-02-25T21:01:00.006-05:00

The chain goes something like this: Carroll>Burton>Binns>Bloomingdales

Anticipation of Tim Burtons' Alice In Wonderland is awesomely high, and the fashion world's got a slew of colabs to tide us over. Id est; Bergdorf windows, Stella McCartney necklace & bracelet, Alex McQueen couture collection.

Tom Binns, however, has created a line of jewelry...that I will let speak for itself.

This is just a peak-the collection features 40 pieces mused by the White Queen, Mad Hatter, Red Queen, the Tea Party and the Cheshire Cat.

Binns told Vogue UK he spent a lot of time thinking about...

“psychology of the story and what Alice means as a character to adults, and what she means as a character to children. It is totally different as a child's imagination is something us adults used to have, but have forgotten.”

i see it. and i can not WAIT for the movie.

Into the Sunshine

2010-02-23T14:04:00.003-05:00

Listen to Into the Sunshine (#35) here

Lovely Swedish girl, records her own music. This song sounds really good on a rainy day in Philadelphia. At least the snow is melting.

No Leaving New York

2010-02-17T23:11:00.005-05:00

Christian Cota FW 2010

cubism/retro-futurism/late50sscifi/thenuc/uptown/BK/Pollock/

and the last few..

"I have just walked up and down five flights of stairs. I'm Peggy Guggenheim."

Absurdly Beautiful

2010-02-17T22:15:00.008-05:00

Rodarte FW 2010

mexicanbordertowns/nuclear/desertflowers/ghost/sleepwalk/soft/skeletal/whitewaxcandles/

delicate/lace/fridakahlo/roots/handmade/naive/corpsebride/

music? "I only have eyes for you" by The Flamingos. perfect.

I call them Mystery

2010-01-25T22:56:00.003-05:00

‘SUPER TROUPER’ editorial with Natasha Poly photographed by Sølve Sundsbø and styled by Marie Chaix for Muse Magazine – September 2009.

I'll admit to not being crazy about the editorial- you can check it out here -but these shoes are amazing and I must know who designed them.

Norman Parkinson

2010-01-25T15:57:00.001-05:00

The 9th photo from the top could be mid any Annie Lebowitz spread for modern Vogue. It is in fact from the October 1949 American Vogue, Edna Woolman Chase was editor at the time. I'd love to know the name of the model and whos dress she's wearing.

The rest of the photos span 1938-1960, published in British Vogue, Am Vogue, Harpers Bazaar and Queen.

The New Look

2010-01-25T11:24:00.000-05:00

Sadly the novelty of blogging wore off and I fell out of the habit of posting. Apologies. However I'm back with more purpose than before. You'll notice a theme for a bit at least; very New Look. This all inspired by a couple out of print books by Arona McHugh, called "A Banner with a Strange Device" and "The Seacoast of Bohemia". So I am scouring the internet and vintage shops for anything with that beautiful reclaimed hourglass of the late 1940s. Would love thoughts & comments as well.

HC @ the Design Museum

2009-11-05T12:02:00.000-05:00

These are some of my favorites from Hussein Chalayans' retrospect at the Design Museum in London last year. It is art and technology in its best joint effort.

Manifest Destiny (SS03)

Kinship Journies (AW03)

Genometrics (AW 05)

Airborne (AW07)

Inertia (SS09)

Etienne Aigner

2009-11-05T11:19:00.000-05:00

Vintage bags by Aigner. Classic, artsy, worn in and cozy. Mr. Aigner started making his staple leather goods in Paris about the same time of Diors' rising. Once the European market had been showered with bags, shoes, belts and wallets in the classic burgundy and "A" symbol, the company came State side. Aigner bags are still in production in a variety of updated colors. The company is celebrating its 60th anniversary with a "Vintage Collection", but if you ask me the oldies are the goodies. I got mine for $6 at a thrift store on South St.

Vamos a Mexico

2009-09-24T17:09:00.000-04:00

Lanvin Resort 2010

It's like the Rum Diary, but very chic, and without HST. Alber Elbaz apparently got his inspiration for Lanvins 2010 Resort collection from Acapulco. I wouldn't exactly pin it as coastal Mexico but it does certainly have a South American feel. MANY of the individual pieces are amazing ( floor grazing airy dresses, the white blazer and everything in the silver sequined fabric...) but the most wonderful thing about this collection is how it was styled for these shots. Even the more basic pieces look like a dream in combination with the bright accessories, hats, and smiling, prancing models. The barefoot girls are my favorites. Truly a Resort collection, it is everything I would want to pack on my (hypothetical) future vacation to South America. 4 countries in 6 weeks, perhaps. Oh yes, you also have RTW bridal. You know, just incase.

Great Expectations

2009-09-22T23:03:00.000-04:00

I say this as if it were disputable: John Galliano is fantastic.

I'm in love and completely inspired, thinking of lush Dickens characters in great heaps of silk and taffeta, and opaque technicolor tights?! Amazing.

This is FW07, by the way.

Genius.

Completely Random

2009-09-22T14:08:00.000-04:00

Found on my desk top from last nights vodka & sparatic style.com designer hunting get together....can anyone ID these looks?! If for no other reason than so I can find more....I think I did have the name of the photographer...but then my computer was made jukebox and all was lost. Vanessa and I will do nearly anything for the first outfit in its entirety!!

Hunter Dixon S/S 10

2009-09-21T03:16:00.000-04:00

I'm just dying over this line!!! it's been a LOT of work over the past few weeks getting it ready....with fashion week going on as well...but the samples have come together perfectly and I'm just so pleased :)
Lindsey Cragg shot the entire line for us around Soho and the meatpacking district, hope you love as much as we do!
You can see the whole shoot on Lindseys' blog here: http://lindseybelleblog.com/fashion/

Bike Envy

2009-09-08T19:16:00.000-04:00

Philadelphia has the best bikes, hands down.

This one i love everything about. Color choices are awesome. I would take the great leap to riding a fixy if it were this one.

Spotted outside American Apparel. Surprise?

Bianchis are perfect <3

Schwinn Collegiate! what a classic! Spotted this again outside U Arts dorms...whos are you?!

Someones serious about their color scheme. Outside AI allllll the time.

Our current household collection, bit dingy looking, eh? The maroon in the back (Andrews) is actually lovely <3>

Hussein for J Brand

2009-08-29T12:10:00.000-04:00

Im going in search of J Brand by Hussein Chalayan tomorrow. Their at Barneys and I don't mind traveling an extra day to NY if shopping and a Grizzley Bear show in Brooklyn are involved. Luckily, my house mate can afford the jeans and the shows free :)

Heres the looks from Augusts issue of Vogue, anticipation has been high since the colab was announced in March. For some reason only the first two styles are on Barneys online....already sold out?

The Legging

The Circuit

Thanks J Brand for getting me one step closer to my personal fashion icon <3

Dannijo

2009-08-03T01:08:00.000-04:00

This stuff reminds me why im obsessed with big notice-from-a-distance jewelry. Obviously makes any outfit, and a lot of the necklaces are "pre-layered". I had the great pleasure of trying on so many pieces at a fabulous roof top trunk show Dannijo did with Hunter Dixon (my amazing internship-much more on HD in future posts). The heavy chainy stuff is awesome but my fav styles are from the Haring collection (first pic). Its neon and its metallic and its so NYC of the future/80s glam. Gitzy would wear it, and so will I.

Camera Obscura

2009-08-02T21:50:00.000-04:00

French Navy

I can't stop singing this song, or watching the video. Doesn't it just make you want to go everywhere? Something about the striped shirts and climbing on statues... I highly reccomend downloading the whole album, and you don't want to miss them live :)

Lara Miller

2009-08-02T19:55:00.001-04:00

and one from spring..

I love what this designers doing. Shes from Chicago, into geomectrics and garments that can be worn just about any way you like. The simplicity of the shapes enable them to morph from a cardigen to a skirt to a dress to a....scarf? Its all luxeriously soft, reversible, and yes, organic. Plus super short hemlines! I dig. Check out the fall look book : http://www.laramiller.net/media/fall-09-lookbook-EMAIL.pdf

(especially in love with the black jacket on p.2!)

hello world.

2009-08-01T18:33:00.000-04:00

Since today i am cut bruised and not willing to get back on a bike to go anywhere, i will start the blog meant to be maintainted with the help and superior taste of a good friend. Come back to the US already, Sem.