Felder Felder A/W 2013

When I first watched Baz Lurhmann's Romeo and Juliet  I was intrigued by two things Leonardo DiCaprio's hair naturally and the vast operatic enormity of opposites used in the ingenious work. Opposites are obviously found everywhere not just inside the Verona walls but the appearance I constantly strive to portray and what I see reflected in the extrinsic Felder Felder autumn winter collection 2013.

The German identical twins have created a new and open prism where their opposites and aesthetic rock symbolism flows freely. Only in 2010 were they offered a place at London Fashion Week now two years later they are only looking sharper and more prominent in the Fashion world. This years A/W collection posed sophistication and Miss Grunge skipping down the catwalk arm in arm. The first piece  that jaunted down the catwalk was a smart red trench coat with very favorable detached features the skirt of the coat penciled and looked almost separate from the coat. Accompanied by the alternative fabric on the bodice of the coat adding faux complexity to a simple piece. At the end of the catwalk the model lazily turned a half smile constructed across her face this carefree relaxed attitude fell with all the models some turning or pouting slightly often contradicting the collection. The definition of skinny was kicked into another gear with the use of latex cigarette pants offering new and exciting elements contradicted in one case with a classic cable knit sweater again opposites being a big theme. 

The makeup for Fleder Felder was sensational despite being very simple a stand out feature was the bright rouged lips. Mel Arter did created bright featured lips that stuck out and evoked a fixed assertive image but with fun ever present.  

Its own clothes day uh oh

The one thing that American's do every day and thrive to cope with it but the one thing, the one thing (may I emphasize I am not quoting a One direction song, bless them!) that British teenagers madly dance around their rooms flitting from mirror to heap of clothes know as wardrobe in the threat and preparation for Own clothes day. The onslaught and desire to socially conform or not socially conform and lead to that impervious word that has gripped teenage minds; "indie". Interestingly enough i got called that on a all too regular frequency possibly due to my very low cut Nirvana vest and my spray on jeans however as shocking as it was to me I was referred to as a "trendsetter" which naturally pleased my ever compliment eager ear! This sort of analysis seems to link arm in arm with all own clothes days, not that it is a bad thing it actually gets teenagers of my gender thinking about fashion and assessing what is good and bad or what everyone is wearing. I even was in a conversation where the words "fashion sense" came up a huge rarity at my ho-ray Henry rugby mad boys school. With this judgement and opportunity to define bearing down upon I noticed a huge trend scurrying through the school corridors, the sweater.

The sweater was certainly a logical feature for today's weather and people certainly dressed well for the season. There was a lovely use of winter fabrics like wool and heavy ski coats but then quite neon colors contrasting, I saw the above Jack Wills jumper above over three times in different colors then another in cable style. This is certainly often the case at a school own clothes day, there are 500 kids all looking identical, I can recall one last summer where almost everyone bar myself was in Chinos. However the current trend gracing the doors of my school wasn't as bad as my arch enemy the hoodie usually dominating the hallways, it contained some refinement and slight sophistication. My classmates were no longer dressing like boys who dress for what they can run around in but something that  develops an image an identity. 

What I Wore 

Nirvana vest: Happy shack

Spray on black jeans: Topman

Bomber Jacket: Asos 

Feminism Rules!

I like to call myself a feminist despite actually being a boy and will regularly scream at any sexist remarks that hit my sexism alert ear. I like to live in the steps of the brilliant activist Gloria Stienman in the fervent belief that; "A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle". A quote that is almost amusing in the fact it is so irrevocably true! In this years A/W Fashion I have seen one collection which embody's this quote. I introduce to you  a 29 year old Taiwanese-American fashion prince awaiting his inevitable coronation.

Of course I speak/shout of the  the newly appointed Alexander Wang who has blown the fashion world apart. On Thursday February 28th the Fashion world looked on some from a meter away others from a country away. Some say all took a say of relief I say everyone took a resounded cheer for they knew Mr Wang was going to impress they just weren't sure his entrance into Balenciaga would be quite what his entrance into the fashion world itself was. The contrast between Wang and Cristobal Balenciaga could not be more vast, Cristobal had remained mysterious and hidden away while Christen Dior took to the stage. Now Wang is in the corner of everyone's eye and the least I can say is on Thursday he did more than impress. His first ever collection for Balenciaga took us back to the old Balenciaga but kept a huge image of the Wang we know. Cristobal would certainly be proud, Wang delivered to us a collection comprising near entirely of black and white matching the cracked marble catwalk. The clothes were beautifully crafted into structured shapes giving a hugely masculine vision which was matched with the gel back hair. A very clever affect of Wang's was to combine bodice with skirt or trousers with shirt, either the bodice came over the skirt or the skirt entwined with the it, always appearing as one entity together. The models came out striding down the cracked catwalk with heavy black boots which appeared to have a sort of barbed wire wrapped around the ankle, a very Wang element. He was presenting us with a strong woman who was mixing old and traditional with the new and the more edgy unconventional. The lack of much makeup certainly accompanied the raw new start look again very masculine. I simply loved the cracked leather which in some respects fitted with the masculine image for leather being such a smart elegant fabric then adding the cracks creates an opposite affect giving a edgier more risky look. Alexander Wang has done more than impress us and he currently waits patiently as prince of fashion for his ever inevitable coronation. 

Fashion something's

I got this Army jacket back in December at the Clothes show live at the NEC. I really like wearing his whenever i'm in a city to sort of create to contrary the big building metallic image of the city world and create a more earthy hidden identity. I never buy jeans that are remotely baggy, I just can’t stand the lack of shape and structure, I also prefer clothes to combine with the body not be separate. As you can see this obviously isn't the vibrant city life, it is in fact a forest. I decided to wear the jacket anyway because I really like the way it matches the trees and natural life. Everything is dead and bare but at the same time is active and messy the way the trees slouch over each other and the branches interlock. In parallel the army jacket is just a jacket but because of the messy and complex camouflage it is more exciting and less simple. I chose this specific location because of the sun lines coming though the trees which sort of made everything seem a bit more ready and alive. This is why I wore my black Chelsea boots as being a bit more exciting and contradicting the simple outfit with the part mod part rock & roll bearings. 

                                                     Jacob

                                                      xxx

Buzzing..

There always is a song to accompany the models as they grace or march (if its the Topshop Unique show) down the catwalk. i find that music really does help to add that uniqueness to the particular show and love to hear a good song during a fashion show. With more and more shows being filmed and put on you tube etc there really is even more of a musical involvement. I almost enjoy scouring the internet desperate to find the song that clung to me as soon as the first shoe came down on the catwalk. Obviously with it being fashion week Designers are offering us many a different song choice to accompany their collection. So on this note I decided to create a playlist for some of my favorite songs from the shows so far.

This song Celebrity Skin was used in the Betsey Johnson show in New York. There collection was very wild where the models leaped down the catwalk in vibrant colors plastered across hoodies, fluffed up skirts and bright leggings. Even the catwalk had shoes, sunglasses and champagne bottles strewn across the side. It was audacious and gave you a great big kiss and a smack on each cheek. This was exactly where the song by the Hole celebrity skin came in; loud, in your face and oh my god innocence  is lost it uses the word "Sluts". 

The Smiths are known for being quite a bit sad and this song certainly upholds that reputation thanks to Mr Morrissey's sulky enticing voice. For Elizabeth and James this was certainly deliberate, their collection shadowed 1930's fashion with the two tone jazz shoes and the indeed almost sulky, sexy, dark appearance mixed with the more structured modern styles, I loved the pleated skirts which weren't just to be seen at Elizabeth and James.

I cannot stop listening to this song! Since Cara Delevigne and Jordan Dunn stepped out underneath the Tate Modern I have been transfixed by this song it equally joined with how superb the topshop Unique collection really was. The heavy leather skirts contradicted the normal school girl pleated skirt image. The oversized trench coats were suave and rested lazily on the models shoulders. The whole show had huge 90's bearings which only led me to feeling really nostalgic after watching The Perks of being a Wallflower.

 

I first heard  this song in Baz Luhrmann's production of Romeo and Juliet which remains one of my favorite films. I really loved the collection by Alice + Olivia with its large themes on love but in an edgier almost darker way which was shown through the bright red lipstick on all the models and the frequent use of red in the clothes. I really liked the use of leather throughout the collection also PLEATED skirts again not that i'm complaining I prefer them to the 40's pencil skirt. 

                                                                Jacob X

Marc by Marc Jacobs Autumn/Winter 2013

You may have noticed I have a distinct tendancy to give my posts fancy, deep and arguably pretentious titles. For this blog post I decided to simply give it the title of the show because that is what it is and that's what  its all about (Sorry that's a quote from a poem). I really did adore this show simply because of the clothes, the bags, the hair and the makeup. They still did all mean something in my opinion, they all had a bearing on obviously the 1970's and above all feminism but for me the clothes was really what mattered this time. Marc certainly did let the models frizzy hair down. 

This piece was the first dress to come down Marc's simple grey catwalk. The regular occurrence of the floppy dress with the fabric folding over itself and curving in at the knees in almost a pencil skirt style was not glamours or bold but simple and offered a new feminist outlook. For me what really made the outfit was by far the belt I utterly adored how it supported the dress and created the separation between the bodice and skirt. In the precise detail the buckle on the belt is so simple in terms of it geometry being a square it offer's nothing outlandish and just gives a withdrawn refinery to the outfit. Throughout the show Marc draws on geometry in a lot of the pieces just look at the triangle  handles in the circular bag in contrast to the laissez-faire dress with a mind of its own. I really love this as it emphasizes the solidity of the 70's woman strong and confident in the face of society. The bag was delightful it was strong and simple and even a little fun with the bow sitting atop, again nothing audacious. 

This was not my favorite piece but I truly adored the coat, in particular I really like the sleeve length ending just before the wrist exposing the equally dark red to the dark navy blue of the coat.  The way the coat is done up all the way to the top is really simple and looks gentle almost. It almost looks hung of the model and appears to have little support and structure despite its very generic appearance. 

They're back boys, throw out your jackets with its tiny thin lapel's its time again for those large monsters of the 40's that graced all suits and jackets. I do prefer overall the larger lapels as you can turn them up if you want to create a more structured look or have them one up one down creating a lazy image which certainly fits with the baggy trousers dominating the catwalks. Along with the large lapels of the 40's jaunts the small collar which was certainly present in Marc Jacobs collection left undone which I liked in  contrast  to the large collar in Raf simon's menswear collection. 

I found the hair and makeup accompanied the clothes perfectly in contrasting ways though. The makeup is obviously very simple apart including the bright red lips which seemed smacked on the face and gave a very human natural look to the models which certainly matched the clothes but gives a slightly extra flirt to the image. The hair struck the 70's cords of free spirit and fun but showed an almost transitional similarity between that and the made up new look of the 40's and coming out of that. The way the hair was very free and crazy contradicted with the structured simple clothes. 

1962 meet 2013 but be nice

Last night I had a brain wave to adapt my school shirt into something more Parisian and creative but altogether still very simple.

The riskay plan is to shorten the sleeve length so the cuff rests halfway down the forearm and at the same time create a slightly heavier shoulder pad.

I did this by folding back about two cm of the sleeve to the first seam and pinning it together. I could have cut of a triangular segment of the sleeve but decided I would create more of a shoulder pad doing it this way which was part of the Parisian traditional theme altogether. I then pinned the new seam all the way around the sleeve hole and began to sow sadly as my sowing machine is broken. This is all together very easy to do and will fingers crossed have a good end result. I will wear it with all the buttons done up and probably some metal necklaces to create the slightly aggressive newer traditional look. 

I mainly got the idea when after seeing the inspiring film Ginger & Rosa staring the supremely talented Elle Fanning, I watched an interview she had done on You tube where she was wearing this shirt. I really liked the shirt and thought that since it was so simple it shouldn't be so hard o create including a makeshift shoulder pad. I decided to do it partly because of the actual film Ginger & Rosa about the events of two teenage girls caught in the terrifying fears of the Cuban missile crisis. The film really was a coming of age film and I really recommend it to anyone especially any girls for the friendship between Rosa (Alice Englert) and Ginger (Elle Fanning) feels real and offers so many parallels. The date the film is set also inspired me to make this shirt as being the 1960's i really wanted to mix the traditional with the new in a slightly different way to the norm which actually reflects the culture and feelings of people living now and then and most of all of society has changed and shaped us into these two different generations of teenagers. The shirt being the old 1960's youth who were shadowed from the real world and suddenly thrown into in a innocent unavoidable way and the youth of today who grow up understanding the world and feeling not fear but excitement but also anger this represented by the jewelry.