PlayLust

comments (0)

SCARY MONSTER

Note to self: if another menswear label comes up with another identikit military or granddad inspired look in conjunction with the words ‘heritage’, or ‘back to the roots’ must put on me trench and declare war on fashion designers fighting for dead empires. Men, if you want to dress to kill, get a killer outfit. Think Tom Ford.

While on the subject… I just remember the v scary looking cage dress by New Zealand label Jimmy D.. I’d love to send out an army of those to Milan and Paris right now.

Front:

Back:

© PLAY HUNTER

Just how lethal this elastic suit of armour will be once you put it on I dare not imagine. But I highly commend you listen to boudoir protest song Underwear / FM Belfast. Everybody now: we’re running down the street in our underwear because nothing ever happens here…
Trench boys beware.

comments (0)

FROZEN SUNSETS

Imagine this: sun-bleached surfer babe collides with abstract expressionist painter Mark Rothko. Out leaps Kristof Strozyna’s SS10 collection. For which, I suspect, he freeze-framed riotous sunsets and cut them into a cool contemporary silhouette with the aid of a scalpel.

© PLAY HUNTER

It’s only logical Strozyna chose Daul Kim to be his non-bubbly surfer girl. But who could possibly imagine the lookbook would turn into a tribute to the late model.

© Patrick Lindblom

comments (1)

AFROBEAT THE BLUES

Note to self: put on your guitar shoes and afrobeat the blues.

© PLAY HUNTER

comments (1)

WEEK IN FASHION NO 2

The fashion hots and nots which got tweeted and blogged about this week.
Jan 11-Jan 17 (Well, this week it’s just one SCREAMING FASHION HEADLINE)

+++ ANNA DELLO RUSSO WEARS PANTS!

Yesterday, The Sartorialist posted a picture showing the Vogue Nippon fashion director at PITTI UOMO in a PARED DOWN PAIR OF BLACK PANTS (see also Stil in Berlin) . Even more shockingly, her outfit is so black&white, it actually makes her friends stand out! Let’s remember, we’re talking QUEEEN of flamboyant cocktail dresses.

Remember also, when Vogue Nippon dedicated their July 2009 issue on fashion and manga comics, they actually featured a manga based on Anna’s life, called Anna’s Story. Dialogue is Pullitzer-prize worthy. Take this nugget from primary school kid Anna (via Superqueen):

Anna:”Today I’d love to wear an all-pink outfit. Mum, can I borrow your bag?”.
Anna:”Tomorrow I’ll wear the yellow dress, so I need matching gold jewellery”.
Mum:”Oh, Anna. Why don’t you juust wear tees and jeans, like anybody else?”.
Anna:”Mum, I don’t like child clothes”.
Anna:”I like clothes with an inspirational design”.

Oh. Surely, this must count as one of the most candid lines ever said on what fashion is all about. Made me weep. That’s why the sight of Anna Dello Russo in pants makes me shitting mine. Fashion really must be in a deep deep crisis.

Compare: this is what Anna wore last season in Paris:


© PLAY HUNTER

Anna in the July 09 manga version published in Vogue Nippon:


© Riyoko Ikeda

comments (0)

TWO TONE

Note to self: Start messing with your tights.

© PLAY HUNTER

comments (3)

WEEK IN FASHION NO #1

The fashion hots and nots which got tweeted and blogged about this week.
Jan 1-Jan 10

+++ Ab fab or ab flab? V mag’s february issue dedicated to the plus size zero figure, aka real women, is making big waves in the blogging world. The consensus is Terry Richardson’s One Size Fits All shoot looks ab fab. But opinions as to whether Chanel’s take looks simply ab flab or v vulgar remain divided. My pressing question is: will V still love us the way we are in their march-issue?

+++ Meanwhile, over at Céline heads are rolling in the first campaign in a year. Shot by Jurgen Teller, it is modelled by beheaded top models, like Karmen Kass. Officially, this is a move to focus on the understated luxury of Phoebe Philo’s intricate creations. Inofficially, it stands for the headless chicken attitude, Céline and fellow labels Balenciaga, Prada or Dior displayed when their SS10 campaigns got leaked on fashion blogs, notably Fashionologie, and LOVE’s blog prior to their publication in the February magazines. Oh the dinosaurs. Like it or not, we live in the age of social networks. Gatekeeper mentality is not working anymore. Adapt or die. Or better: get your own smart app. Thus you keep content control And kiss the bloggers.

+++ Still, if hype is to believed, 2010 will be the year of the fashion bloggers. When 2009 was about the conquering of front row, this year will be about modelling in fashion campaigns, starring in a photo shoot for U.S Vogue in spring, or creative-consulting major fashion labels. Hype aside, our influence on fashion advertising, and retail certainly is mounting. Why? Hopefully, Berlin Fashion Week’s Blogger Panel , will offer insightful answers. It’s hosted by the fabulous Mary Scherpe of Stil in Berlin, and participants include Suzy Menkes (via video) and Business of Fashion’s Imran Amed.

+++ Going green is not a rose garden H&M learned this week. Their cool new organic line, called Garden Collection, certainly is full of H&M green feelgood factor: ‘By choosing these garments, you contribute to a more sustainable world’, the Garden Collection micro site chirps. Shame though, the garments don’t appear to be sourced from H&M’s own textile waste.

A new decade, a new dawn, a new fashion world order? Will fashion bloggers take over the front row? Runway at Fashion Rio
© PLAY HUNTER

comments (1)

BEATING SNOWMAGGEDON BLUES

Stay cool, keep warm, kill the chill.

© PLAY HUNTER

comments (1)

THE RECONSIDERED ENSEMBLE

Yesterday, I got invited to be part of The Considered Ensemble collection. Fear not, I’m not entering the business of blogger fashion. Rather, The Considered Ensemble is a new style blog ‘showcasing meticulous outfit choices from individuals around the world‘. Participants are asked to give detailed descriptions of what they’re wearing, plus date and location. Crucially however, they’re NOT asked to provide a picture. By collecting snapshots of individual style sans camera, The Considered Ensemble team aim to ‘give insight into the creativity, coordination and thought behind each unique ensemble.‘

What a relief from streetstyle blogs. Yes, that’s right, I feel ever so slightly fed up with them. There’s still a couple I follow almost religiously, but there’s lots I simply de-followed. Before you accuse me of heresy: streetstyle blogs are here for a good reason. But what started out as as a celebration of the imperfect but authentic and style-savvy girl on the street rebelling against the glossy world of fashion magazines, has in turn become more and more about perfection: perfect outfit, perfect pose, perfect smile, perfect copy of The Sartorialist blog (which is still part of my breakfast).

Farewell innocence, streetstyle has come of age. Competitive conformity, it seems, is the new individuality. Streetstyle is the new glossy. The faux-thenticity of the street pic is fine by me, but personally, I find myself looking elsewhere for artistic and stylistic inspiration.

In comes this simple but superbly edited text blog.

What a joy to read about individuals from all walks of life, be that Vogue people, artists or designers describing en detail their look of the moment for you to picture. You can’t get any more individual.

Now, let’s read my (not so considered) look:

© The Considered Ensemble

comments (1)

POVERTY IS NOT A CRIME

Some people, apparently need a little reminder. So just to get the record straight: poverty is not a crime, full stop.

© PLAY HUNTER

comments (0)

FLASHBACKS OF COOL

Just when I was wondering whether I should do a Best of 2009 post, I received an email from blogging colleagues Les Mads, asking me for three highlights and three resolutions for 2010. So here we go.

The entire year turned out to be one big highlight, really. But curiously, all my best 2009 moments involved Bryan Ferry, flying, and Brazil.

Let’s begin with a song, no my personal Übersong of the year, my sound DNA: U Can Dance by DJ Hell featuring vocals by Bryan Ferry.

Took it along wherever I went. Played it on autorepeat on those night flights to Brazil. Helped me kill the 8 hrs or so extra time at Sao Paulo’s Guarulous airport due to missed connecting flights on two occasions.

Bryan Ferry moment number two happened on the flight to Fashion Rio back in June. The Swiss inflight entertainment featured Flashbacks of a Fool starring Daniel Craig as a has-been Hollywood actor caught up with his English childhood. There’s a key flashback scene set in ’70s England featuring Roxy Music’s If There Is Something. It’s got everything I love about English style and music, which is so often about failing glamorously:

How fantastic is this song? How could you choose between Bryan Ferry and David Bowie? They’re gods.

Moment number three happened in Ipanema. After an epic 20-hrs journey (that missed flight) I finally hit the beach. It was already dark. I walked to the surf, taking in the salty breeze, imagining the horizon, wondering what it would have in store for me. Next, I sat down and put on Your Painted Smile feeling happy beyond words.

The morning after
© PLAY HUNTER

Oh, my three resolutions for 2010 are:
1. NYC. I no longer want to say ‘I’ve never been to New York’.
2. Read a book, after a decade long abstinence. Apple, hurry up with iSlate.
3. Not joining Fashion Bloggers Anonymous.

comments (0)

WALKING INTO HAPPINESS

Good morning 2010. Let’s stride into the new decade with a look fit and ready for a rollercoaster-ride of surprises.

Laquered mussel wig headpiece by London-based milliner Noel Stewart whom I met at a swimming pool party in Sao Paulo last January. A chance encounter which evolved into an instant fashion shoot on Halloween. I love fashion stories like that.

© PLAY HUNTER

comments (0)

PLAYLUST KOMPAKT NO 6

+++ Stürmt den Christbaum! Gute Nachrichten für Sparfüchse und Tanzmiezen: Diese Saison sind Accessoires angesagt, die durchaus auch als Christbaumschmuck durchgehen können. Auch Pyrotechnik sorgt für allerhand Knall-Effekte. Stichwort: Lady Gagas funkensprühender BH. Das wäre doch ein Silvester-Outfit, das garantiert abgeht wie eine Rakete mehr

© PLAY HUNTER
Feathered headpiece by Zurich-based designer Monika Milakovich

+++ FREITAG I’m In Love II Freitag-Taschen standen bislang nicht auf meiner Wunschliste. Seit der Magazin Edition in puristischem Weiss ist alles anders. Sagte den Brüdern Freitag an der Launch-Party, diese Tasche würde ich sofort tragen. Aber nur, falls persönlich von Magazin-Chefredaktor Finn Canonica signiert und gehuggt. Heute ist das Paket eingetroffen. Geht mein Wunsch in Erfüllung? An Weihnachten wissen wir mehr.

© PLAY HUNTER
A parcel from Freitag Bags arrived. Does it contain a happy ending? We’ll find out on Christmas Day.

+++ Anonyme Alkoholiker war gestern Heute vergass ich mein iPhone zuhause. Vier Stunden offline gingen nicht ohne Entzugserscheinungen vorbei. Ja, es ist verdammt hart, nüchtern unterwegs zu sein. Wenn das so weitergeht, erzähle ich meine Sucht-Bekenntnisse am nächsten
Jahrestreffen der Anonymen Blogger.

© Spiegel online
Annual meeting of Bloggers Anonymous, aka leading journalists & Editors-in-Chief of Germany’s leading papers and magazines. While on the subject, I find the time is now for the first meeting of Fashion Bloggers Anonymous

FROHE FESTTAGE / HAPPY HOLIDAYS

comments (0)

SOLSTICE SOLITAIRE

Winter solstice today took place at 6:47 local time. For optimistic me, this marks the beginning of S-U-M-M-E-R. Even though the start may be a frosty one. Let’s close our eyes for a sec or two and fast forward to June 21 2010. I predict, we’ll be seeing geometric jewellery clashing beautifully with blurry florals.

© PLAY HUNTER

comments (0)

TUX DELUXE

It’s now, it’s wow: let’s tuck into tux deluxe and clip on a fascinatingly pared down fascinator. It’s mega mega eye magnetic.

© PLAY HUNTER

comments (0)

COURAGE AND CLEAVAGE

Was the term ‘goggle eyes’ invented for eye-popping orange situations? Or is it here to describe the moment when you realise for a dress like this you need courage AND cleavage?

Oh, and seeing this made me I think of that.

© PLAY HUNTER

comments (0)

LOVE IN TRANSLATION

I love nothing more than a graphic statement. And no, I’m not going to translate the Swiss German. Seen at 2nd Zine Sezession, Perla Mode, Zurich (it’s a scream and it’s still on til midnight)

© PLAY HUNTER /© posters: GRILLI (Goldy looking Arnie)

comments (0)

MEMORIES OF MONSIEUR MARTIN MARGIELA

On Tuesday Dec 8, The New York Times finally confirmed the fashion world’s biggest open secret and longest good-bye.

PARIS — The avant-garde Belgian designer Martin Margiela has quietly left the fashion house he built — and he will not be replaced at the company, which has been majority owned by the Italian group Diesel since 2002…

Monsieur Margiela, you will be dearly missed. I say good-bye in 10 MMM key-pieces.

[View with PicLens]

 

comments (0)

MORE BRAIN THAN BIRKIN-BAGS: THE BLOGETTES MAG DELETE CONTROVERSIAL SS LIVING ROOM PICTURES

The Blogettes have deleted the controversial living-room pictures of a girl posing next to a portrait of a SS-member. In the comments section they distance themselves from NS-ideology. They explain their decision to remove the pages was made yesterday afternoon and implemented in the evening. They are keen to stress they did not delete any content on the sly, pointing to a statement on their website.

“zur allgemeinen information: wir ignorieren diesen fehler nicht. die macher von the blogettes distanzieren sich entschieden und eindeutig von nationalsozialistischem gedankengut. WIR nehmen dieses thema ernst, daher haben wir gestern nachmittag beschlossen, diese zwei seiten zu löschen, das aber erst gestern nacht durchführen können. das löschen erfolgte nicht heimlich, wir haben auf der startseite von http://www.theblogettes.com darauf hingewiesen!
wir wollen unter gar keinen umständen, dass the blogettes und seine macher in einem falschen, nämlich rechten licht dargestellt werden, deshalb auch dieser kommentar.”

There isn’t really much to add except a big thank you for your overwhelming feedback and lively debate.

a note on comments policy: I retain the right not to publish insulting, derogatory, racist, or any kind of abusive comments. Thank you for your understanding.

comments (0)

PLAYLUST KOMPAKT NO 5

Ich gratuliere! Das ist Affa. Affa wer? Affa, Coverboy des langersehnten Facehunter-Buchs von Yvan Rodic, dem unbestrittenen Popstar der Streetstyle-Blogger. Zwei Schweizer Jungs mit Migrationshintergrund erobern die internationale Modewelt. Das sind doch endlich einmal gute Nachrichten aus dem Land des Minarettverbots.
weiterlesen

Uuuups! Weniger gut verlief der Launch des schweizerisch-oesterreichischen Modeblogger-Mags The Blogettes: In einer Modestrecke posiert ein Mädchen mit Birkin-Tasche und Totenkopf-Foulard im elterlichen Wohnzimmer vorm Bücherregal. Dumm, das darin auch noch ein SS-Portrait steht. Mein Post darüber löst in der Blogosphäre gerade eine hitzige Debatte aus. Sie hat bewirkt, dass die Betreiberinnen das kontroverse Bildmaterial inzwischen gelöscht haben
weiterlesen

© The Blogettes

+++Vorabmeldung+++ Das Magazin launcht Die Tasche!
Am Donnerstag, den 10. Dezember launcht Das Magazin (Samstagsbeilage u.a des Tages-Anzeiger) eine eigene Freitag-Messenger Tasche! Das Leib-und Magenblatt des urbanen Establishments gibt seiner Leserschaft die Gelegenheit, sich von den Trägern der NZZ-Messenger Taschen abzugrenzen. Wurde auch langsam Zeit.
ZE REVOLUTION WILL BE TWEETED AND BLOGGED

© Das Magazin / Freitag

comments (0)

MORE BIRKIN BAGS THAN BRAIN: FASHION BLOG MAG IN SS-DISASTER

UPDATE: THE BLOGETTES HAVE REMOVED THE OFFENDING CONTENT. THANK YOU. CHECK STATEMENT IN COMMENTS SECTION. MORE ON THIS HERE

The Blogettes is a brand-new online mag by self-proclaimed Gossip Girl bloggers Julia Basagic (Austria) and Mirjam Herms (Switzerland). Key features include: How To Turn Your Blog Into A Ca$h Cow or This Is How A Gossip Girl Does A Fashion Shoot. So far, so innocent teen fodder.

But then I stumbled over a portrait of Material Girl Aurela from Austria. Aurela loves fur, and Birkin bags which she shows off to full effect in front of her parents’ bookshelf. Unfortunately, she strikes her sexy poses next to a framed portrait of a SS-man (granddad?). The situation isn’t exactly helped by the skull-print scarf pimping up one of the Birkin bags:

[View with PicLens]

 

Now. The SS ran the Nazi concentration camps, including Dachau and Ausschwitz. It was key in implementing the Holocaust. The Waffen-SS, known for its ferocity and fanatism, participated in WW2 massacres in France and Russia. The Totenkopf (Death’s Head) was the universal cap badge of the SS.

Which makes referencing Nazi-insignia in a fashion context a bit hmmm… tricky. It is textbook knowledge in German speaking countries that channeling Eva Braun or Hitler Youth will only lead to troubles. Even for Birkin-bag heads like Aurela. In fairness, it should have been the publishers’ responsibility to prevent the poor girl from starring in the worst fashion disaster in a blog publication.
Dear Blogettes, why not take your Birkin-bags to a trip to your local Holocaust memorial, for a change?

Unfortunately, this is only the latest incident in a string of recent Nazi-related style disasters. Last week, Pete Doherty had to apologise for singing Deutschland Über Alles, the first verse of the German national anthem which is banned, at a Munich gig. In November, budget airline easyJet was forced to withdraw their inflight-magazine because it featured a fashion-spread shot at Berlin’s Holocaust Memorial.

——–
ps1: Dear Aurela. I did not suggest you are a Nazi. I only pointed out using SS-imagery in a ‘Gossip Girl’ (Tussi) fashion context is very problematic and your publishers should have advised you better. You are very welcome to have your say (Gegendarstellung) in a separate post at any time. Threatening with legal action is not very cool. As mentioned above it’s usually people playing with Nazi-insignia who owe an apology not the other way round.