Eva Niyiri’s senior thesis collection at Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design officially puts Hungary on the fashion map. It’s like something out of Dune. Samurai armor (similar to Third Floor, NY) and exaggerated silhouettes made of black crackled patents position her interchangeable pieces far from the rest. Her heavily-referenced use of dangerous imagery is insanely appealing. I’d die for a stab.
Posted in fashion
For those confusing Mary-Kate Olsen’s elusive quilted leather coat for Chanel: come corrected – it’s J Mary. A demi-couture LA institution headed by artist cum designer, Jennifer Gheur, sold exclusively at Maxfield. The pieces are all handmade, and retail for $10,000+. The aesthetic is comparable to Ellen Barkin’s fave, L’Wren Scott. Fans include (how appropriately) Janet Jackson, the Olsens, and Diana Ross. Nice lil’ base ya got there Mary – keep on mama.
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World Premiere: “The Thrill” – Wiz Khalifa
Now that Empire of the Sun is common knowledge (hence Entourage and Blueprint 3), it’s time for hip-hop to exploit the shit out of it (see: MGMT and Peter Bjorn & John before them). Wiz Khalifa (one of my favorite emcees) is the first to sample “Walking On A Dream” and give it some hood relevance. While it’s nothing to rave about (he delivers a meager few bars, freestyling aimlessly in the studio), it sufficiently plays to his apathetic stoner persona while pleasing his skinny-jeaned fanbase. Fresh from his forthcoming mixtape collaboration with DJ Ill Will (Burn After Rolling), the track is a feel good announcement to the world – hip or not – Wiz will not to be slept on. His time will come. Trust the kid.
Posted in musicology
World Premiere: “Every Other” – Bow Wow
To say Bow Wow is/was an interesting pop entity would be an understatement. I wouldn’t be caught dead listening to [Lil'] Bow Wow – that is, until the shorty dropped his mentor JD (So So Def) and signed with Cash Money (Wayne and Young Money, Juvenile, Baby, Mannie) to face his manhood. He has yet to prove to the game he can abandon his teeny-hopper past for street-worthy material and has employed production duo Cool & Dre to help in the attempt. Since the sign, Bow’s released his Greenlight mixtape to over 500,000 downloads in a day and a half, proving there’s more than just a lil’ interest in his mature repositioning. (I’m not saying he’s rhyming like Mobb Deep now by any means.) On this track, Bow does his best Drake impression and goes the singy-rap route atop a shuttering key-laden accompaniment. The production is on point – it’s worth a listen and one hell of a double take.
Posted in musicology
Dolce & Gabbana / Spring 2010 / Milan Fashion Week
(Bring Neve Campbell back!!)
Posted in fashion
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If you’re into the apathetic tone of Brazilian hipsters, CSS, then, boy, do I have a treat for you. The Phenomenal Handclap Band, hailing from Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan is less of a band and more of a musical collective. Each member brings along with them their own quirky spin on world, funk, and rock music. Their music is hard to pin down to one genre. Their debut album’s sound is a cross between Blondie and Rusted Root. The video for their single “15 to 20″ is something of a “Sabotage” remake (Beastie Boys), only this time with each member’s POV.
Posted in artist spotlite
Smoke & Mirrors’ curated list of highlights from the latest designer RTW collections
10. Rad Hourani / Spring 2010 / New York Fashion Week
Rad’s latest proves to be more than recession-ready with its transformable, reversible, zippified creations. Jackets become vests. Pants become shorts. You get the picture. You only need one.
9. Manish Arora / Spring 2010 / Paris Fashion Week
New Delhi designer, Manish Arora’s S/S ’10 collection presented a tougher take on his rhinestoned obsessions. Tech-warrior body apparatuses looking like astro-armor covered the heavily boned party dresses. Arora’s imagination proves once and again that there’s much more than tradition to India’s fashion community.
8. Rodarte / Spring 2010 / New York Fashion Week &
Balmain / Spring 2010 / Paris Fashion Week
The Mulleavy sisters and Christophe Decarnin must’ve felt like the rest of us while designing their most recent collections. Bleak, apoco-looks reigned supreme in what looked to be the designer’s next big blockbusters. Tina Turner in Mad Max played muse to both collections’ new world order premises, adding a level of toughened tread to the lines.
7. Burberry Prorsum / Spring 2010 / London Fashion Week &
Marios Schwab / Spring 2010 / London Fashion Week
Beauty never looked so good. This spring, it felt as if designers were stuck under their own shadows, pessimistic in their views of tomorrow. Instead, London’s rising stars brought the pretty back. Schwab put three-looks into one while Bailey draped for days. The looks represented a shift away from their peers’ preoccupations with apocalyptic distopias.
6. Gareth Pugh / Spring 2010 / Paris Fashion Week
The young Brit’s costumed gothic predispositions for the first time veered away from blacks and whites to develop a foggier feel. Essentially overcast. In the process, Pugh has brought an entirely new light to the grayscale. And for that, we’re thankful.
5. Mary Katrantzou / Spring 2010 / London Fashion Week &
Mark Fast / Spring 2010 / London Fashion Week &
Fashion East x Holly Fulton / Spring 2010 / London Fashion Week
Classic? What’s that? The British fashion council’s equivalent to the ‘Brat Pack‘ delivers the most forward in prints, knits, and shapes. Consider their looks to be those you’ll see in lights ten years from now.
4. Lanvin / Spring 2010 / Paris Fashion Week
For Elbaz to add me to his fanbase, he had to look to J.Lo, toilet paper, and serpents. Strangely enough, it worked luxuriously.
3. Viktor & Rolf / Spring 2010 / Paris Fashion Week
The design duo took a chainsaw to classic Cinderella ball gowns to create optical illusions on the runway for Spring. The best way to describe it: impossible.
2. Haider Ackermann / Spring 2010 / Paris Fashion Week
I’m a sucker for Ackermann‘s aesthetic. His trademark silhouettes elongate any and every figure. His in-depth experiments with pigment have assisted to provide the line its signature earthy aura. His latest outing delivered some of his most delicious offerings to date; cinched and gathered, he provides peasantry a safari alternative.
1. Alexander McQueen / Spring 2010 / Paris Fashion Week
I grew up in the theater, so, when it comes to fashion, McQueen‘s always been my savior. His theatrics have never ceased to amaze both the drama and fashion lover in me. His latest show boasted some of the most mind-blowing pieces seen on the runway since Thierry Mugler’s day. The practicality argument doesn’t apply when deciphering McQueen‘s studied creative approach. Thinking to 2095, he’s designed the post-icecap human; one with fins, gills, and hooves. His brilliance goes beyond ready-to-wear and lands closer to the range of couture mindsets. Always a forward thinker, don’t expect him to dull down anytime soon. McQueen pushes fashion in directions no one thought fathomable.
Honorable mentions: coming soon.
Posted in fashion
[vodpod id=Groupvideo.3660272&w=425&h=350&fv=]World Premiere, Pt. I: “Thinkin’ About You” – Mario
The Runners have taken Mario‘s name literally on their latest collaboration, “Thinkin’ About You.” Applying a beeping Super Mario Bros. tune behind a vox-y synth and Mario’s falsetto, The Runners have finally got their hit. The video for the single finds Mario serenading his lost love throughout the streets of London, England – a setting fit for such a regal beat. Now that Usher’s reign has passed, Michael’s gone, and Ne-Yo’s in the studio, Mario may finally catch his break. I’m happy the SoundZ-produced “Emergency Room” duet with Rihanna made the album, but sad it’ll never see a single release. The track which leaked after the Rihanna-Brown fiasco last Grammy season (but recorded prior to the incident) was too close to the police report to ever receive radio play. I’ve included it below so you can hear the hit that never had a chance. (Speaking of Ri-Ri, it’s been confirmed: her next album hits stores November 23, 2009.)
World Premiere, Pt. II: “Emergency Room” – Mario & Rihanna
Posted in musicology
Sandra Backlund‘s S/S 2010 collection is off the wall.
A rollercoaster ride as per usual.
Posted in fashion
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Song of the Day: “Lullaby” – Shawn Mullins
This trucker had a hit back in ’98 and then quickly evaporated along with the rest of your parent’s favorite soft-rock/VH1-Adult Contemporary fare. His lurky “Lullaby” has got to be one of my favorites. Favorite for taking advantage of unconscious Jersey girls after sloshed nights out on 27th Street. Mullins’ rapist gap-toothed muttering is just enough creepy to work as a sedative for the lay. Especially when he says something about Sonny and Cher. The maniac was only worth one-hit, but his stankness earned him a Grammy. P.S. Speed this shit up and take it to the streets. This song is the next great hip-hop sample.
Posted in song of the day
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Shouts to my girl Julia on over at Modelizing for re-introducing me to The Daily Show. I love it, just sucks I don’t have cable. I’m up in this mug makin’ it hail – throwin’ quarters. I’m still in school over here. At least I have Slim Thug to sympathize with me. (Click below to watch part II.)
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Posted in musicology
Lee either reads my mind or my blog. That said, I would and will sell my soul for McQueen’s next-gen bracelet/best handjob-of-all-time. Note the pro-nails.
Smoke & Mirrors, baby!
Posted in fashion
Andrea Klarin‘s Grace Jones portfolio reminds me a great deal of Missy Elliott’s classic breakthrough video, “The Rain.” I miss Missy! Come back!
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Posted in fashion, musicology
Song of the Day: “Medicine” – Plies (Feat. Keri Hilson)
Sorry for the lack of updates but I’ve fallen victim to the SWINE. The doc prescribed me some doses of Plies and Miss Keri’s new joint, “Medicine.” But I still feel a lil’ woozy.
Posted in song of the day
As ridiculous and gimmicky as the latest Louis Vuitton may have been, I must say these trash bags are creepily cool.
Posted in fashion
World Premiere: “Gangsta Luv” – Snoop Dogg (Feat. The-Dream)
Woke that ass up. Just to put it to sleep. Dream helps put the G-mack down on Snoop’s first single off the forthcoming Malice in Wonderland album. Hear it here first.
Posted in musicology
Spotted! Vote for your boy on lookbooks.com here.
Big ups to Catharina.
Posted in fashion
Piper-Heidsieck Limited Edition ‘Le Rituel’ Champagne x Christian Louboutin comes with this sweet collector’s glass-shoe thingermabob. Available beginning October 19. More info here.
Song of the Day: “Don’t Think 2wice (Messenger’s Remix)” – J Period & K’naan
I wish I could say I had a deep relationship with Bob Dylan. Instead, I have my friend Roxana Salehoun. The girl exudes Dylan’s love and longing for life. “Don Think Twice, It’s Alright” gets a new-age tune-up by producer J Period and rapper K’Naan on their newest mixtape cut. Hear the new ‘Pimp Daddy Dylan’ here.
Posted in song of the day
Alexander McQueen / Spring 2010 / Paris Fashion Week
Platformed hooves, acid digi-prints, asexual shapes, and pro-nails… all Smoke & Mirrors favorites. McQueen once again saves Fashion Week! My favorite collection of the season by far: McQ4life.
Posted in fashion
Direct from Paris via satellite! Buffalo’s own Amanda Weinberg holding things down in Kawakubo’s latest creation, for Comme des Garcons Spring 2010
by Jackson Moad
Posted in fashion
Song of the Day: “Big Noise” – Cory Gunz
A haiku 4 u foolz:
Boy can spell. Boy can spit.
Boy gotta Queen sample.
Boy da shit.
Posted in song of the day
Lanvin / Spring 2010 / Paris Fashion Week
Spring brings the fluff and flutter to the runway. Giambattista: feather overload. YSL: strawberries? Marant: lost it. Stella: too purdy. Ungaro: disaster. But not for Lanvin. I’ve never been a die-hard Elbaz follower, but I must say ‘he done did it with this one.’ Talk about a critically acclaimed and commercially viable collection! Who said a recession had to be without embellishments? For his latest collection under the french frontier label, he adorned his signature cuts with detailed Deco jewelry made of sequined serpents and glitzy clusters. His dresses alternated from tulle to Charmin-looking silk to Fortuny-inspired pleating. I wear a lot of robes, so, when I saw Elbaz adeptly venture into robe-y realms, I couldn’t help myself. What caught me most about the collection was Elbaz’s switch from one-armed dresses (which still stand as a Lanvin highlight) to one-legged jumpsuits with plunging necklines a la J.Lo. Elbaz has finally caught my eye.
Posted in fashion
Have been lurking around Meatpacking District, hoping to find a lucky chicken to lay this McQueen egg for me.
Posted in fashion
Celine / Spring 2010 / Paris Fashion Week
Wow. I’m pleasantly surprised by Phoebe Philo’s debut runway collection for the legacy brand, Celine. It’s surprising to me since I’ve not been the biggest fan of her past work. This time, her pieces look much like past season’s YSL by Pilati, which I have liked. Too bad for YSL, they’ve retreated back to the originator’s initial vision for its most recent RTW collection. Strawberries, anyone? Oy.
(see below)
For real?
Posted in fashion
One of the most popular posts on the blog, “pro.nails,” gets an upgrade…
Beau Sam is an up-and-coming student/artist at MICA (Maryland Institute College of Art) whose work meshes fashion and fine art seamlessly. His experiments in foreground-background relationships are astoundingly tactile with textures taut enough to cut your eye. His works are playful and real. Have a look at his recession appropriate receipt paintings and more at his efolio here.
Posted in ish
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