Posts for January 2008

Marcel Ostertag spring summer 2008 collection and participation in berlin fashion week by showing autumn winter 2008
Story

S/S 08 Marcel Ostertag

Marcel Ostertag, the German born St. Martins graduate, has only a few women's collections under his belt.
by coutorture

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.

Brian Reyes

Trend Report: Textured Summer

When you think of summer a common visual that comes to mind is the beach.
by coutorture

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.

View 9 Photos ›



More: Complete collections from Three As Four, Aurello Costarella, Brian Reyes, and J Mendel

How Marshall McLuhan's Gutenberg Galaxy Helps Us Understand History and Clothing As a Driving Force of History
Philosophy

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.
by coutorture 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?"
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?”
Image of Marshal McLuhan's The Medium Is The Message Clothing Is An Extension of The body 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
Grey Ant Gold Lamé Sack Dress
gold

Immaterial: Grey Ant Gold Lamé Sack Dress

by coutorture

The say the internet is an echo chamber but fashion's ability to to remain insular is unparalleled. And so as once was the way of Courrèges so now is the way of many designers with the sack dress. It would seem that relative lack of subtlety involved in a direct contrast of high and low is lost on many. And while we believe that style can involve three thousand dollars worth of accessories or twenty bucks worth of stolen goods and found items, we do ask for some vision or rigor in application. We cannot of course all be Mugatu's as the joke has been told. Nevertheless it is no difficult matter to find designers like Grey Ant with their darling Gold Lamé Sack Dress who imagine that the material can go just a little bit farther. A plain form, some precious material and the endless cycle of fashion searching for the immaterial inspiration that powers the material continues.

Coutorture Community Partners

Coutorture Community Partners

Coutorture Media is an online fashion community of over 240 of the most insightful, inspiring, and well-read style websites and blogs.
by coutorture
Coutorture Community Partners

Coutorture Media is an online fashion community of over 240 of the most insightful, inspiring,
and well-read style websites and blogs. Coutorture.com works to serve the best interests of our community through quality editorial content that highlights not only our editor's original work but the wider work of the style blogging community through blog promotion, blogger services and community support. Network sites are hand picked by the editors to reflect the highest commitment to editorial integrity. Together we represent the best and the brightest of the online style community, working together to highlight the diversity, impact and reach of fashion and beauty bloggers. Coutorture is THE community for great independent style content. Email our editors Julie Fredrickson, Megan Zanke and Sarah Conley for more information on becoming a partner or learning how to interact with our community.

<a href=http:/... Minute Beauty Fanatic</a> <a href=http:/... Fashion</a> <a href=http:/... Lacquered Up</a> <a href=http:/... Dressed <a href=http:/... Girl <a href=http:/... Almost Heeled</a>
View 287 Photos
Red

Trend Report: Looking At The Summer Through Rose Colored Glasses

In addition to the boom of floral prints expected for Spring, we'll be seeing a lot of rose-colored frocks.
by coutorture

In addition to the boom of floral prints expected for Spring, we'll be seeing a lot of rose-colored frocks. Red is a classic color, and appears every season, but the most common shades this season are rose and poppy colored. So it seems, florals are back in more ways than one. Click through our gallery with rose and poppy colored garments from Carolina Herrera, Rebecca Taylor,Three As Four, Temperley, and Tracey Reese. To drive the point home, we've even included a few red floral prints.

View 12 Photos ›

The Peoples Shoes Import from Shanghai China and Donates to the Starfish Project
Sneakers

The Next Big Thing: The People's Shoe

So you've got your Easy's, your Chucks, your Toms, and now you've got your
by coutorture

So you've got your Easy's, your Chucks, your Toms, and now you've got your People's Shoe. It's just a little canvas and leather, an easy rationalization to have goof-around shoes for less than 50 bucks. So what's the deal with these one's? They're a common shoe for migrant workers in Shanghai and someone was smart enough to import them to hip American kids who'll spend $40 on their basic kicks. The company donates a percentage of their yearly sales to charity (this year to The Starfish Project) and their packaging is green and simple.