NY Fashion designer - Winter Collection
Posts for January 28th 2008
A/W 08: Pre-Fashion Week Studio Visit With Sylvia Heisel
Last week, we visited Sylvia Heisel at her garment district studio (immaculate!) to see her A/W 08 collection and catch up with her preparations for fashion week.
Last week, we visited Sylvia Heisel at her garment district studio (immaculate!) to see her A/W 08 collection and catch up with her preparations for fashion week. Part of Heisel's collection is represented by classic silhouettes in new colors (where the other part is concept-driven), the deep reds in this section were the most striking. One fantastic hot pink frock, served as the perfect example of a 'what might this dress become' moment. Heisel's global sensibilities and mature taste make for an aesthetic that is highly marketable and appropriately modern.
More: Pre-fashion Week Studio Visit With Joanna Mastroianni
More: Pre-fashion Week Studio Visit With Sue Stemp
More: Pre-fashion Week Studio Visit With Chris Han
S/S 08 Marcel Ostertag
Marcel Ostertag, the German born St. Martins graduate, has only a few women's collections under his belt.
Marcel Ostertag, the German born St. Martins graduate, has only a few women's collections under his belt. Having started with menswear, Ostertag cultivated a reputation based on precise tailoring and a tough urban aesthetic. The S/S 2008 women's collection, references previously trendy downtown staples (the laquered leggings, the ethnic scarf print) and re-imagines them as high-end garments. Overall, the collection's biggest success is the balance of dense masculine elements with clean, weightless ones. Osertag's A/W 08 collection was presented as part of Berlin fashion week, where network partner, f&art, covers the shows.
Trend Report: Textured Summer
When you think of summer a common visual that comes to mind is the beach.
When you think of summer a common visual that comes to mind is the beach. Within this geographical point of reference are pebbles, waves, seaweed, driftwood, and tall wind blown grass. In other words, a dynamic combination of natural textures. With that in mind, it's possible that what we see on the runway pays homage to those organic shapes and patterns (without necessarily being the primary inspiration). Here's our roundup of interesting texture for S/S 08, those which especially remind us of summer's natural landscape.
More: Complete collections from Three As Four, Aurello Costarella, Brian Reyes, and J Mendel
Clothing is a Tool
The popular perception of clothing as a cultural force is ever in flux as we struggle to place it in the wide spectrum of potential categories.
The popular perception of clothing as a cultural force is ever in flux as we struggle to place it in the wide spectrum of potential categories. Some deride it as a poor substitute for art. Others demand a utilitarian construct. But a tidbit we dug up suggests a far greater potential role. Marshall McLuhan's The Gutenberg Galaxy asks a critical question "what drives history?"
And indeed, the popular conception of a tool in the McLuhan universe is something that is an extension of the body. Clothing is a tool that is infinitely flexible. It helps us extend ourselves in many capacities. Not only does it help us send signals about who we are and what we wish to be, it protects us in climates both natural and man made from the Arctic Tundra to the M&A boardroom. Not only does allow us to experience physical extremes it helps us weather mental, emotional, and psychological extremes. Clothing is a tool that helps extend our natural flexibility as a species. In which case, clothing is a tool that drives the history of man. Perhaps that is why in the proverbial Eden the first sign of humanity's freedom was becoming clothed. That fig leaf was the first tool of man to cope with a harsh outer world.
more Coutorture Editorials
Is it revolutionary ideas, manifest destiny, great individuals, something called “the life force”? McLuhan denied none of these causes but, following one of his most influential mentors at U of T, Harold Innis, he asked: “How about tools?”
And indeed, the popular conception of a tool in the McLuhan universe is something that is an extension of the body. Clothing is a tool that is infinitely flexible. It helps us extend ourselves in many capacities. Not only does it help us send signals about who we are and what we wish to be, it protects us in climates both natural and man made from the Arctic Tundra to the M&A boardroom. Not only does allow us to experience physical extremes it helps us weather mental, emotional, and psychological extremes. Clothing is a tool that helps extend our natural flexibility as a species. In which case, clothing is a tool that drives the history of man. Perhaps that is why in the proverbial Eden the first sign of humanity's freedom was becoming clothed. That fig leaf was the first tool of man to cope with a harsh outer world.
more Coutorture Editorials
nostalgia
brace yourself
spin me right round
subversive