Diane, A Shaded View on Fashion

GEORGETTE KONING ON BAS KOSTERS LIAISON WITH HEINEKEN

OOPS! (left) Dutch designer/DJ/artist Bas Kosters (right) is going to design a collection for Heineken. That's no coincidence because he used a lot of Heineken in his work - think skirts of Heineken banners. Below, some of his hysteric designs.

Asa Johannesson-photographer

Dear Shaded Viewers,

While in Trieste for ITS7 I had a look at the work of the photographer Asa Johannesson. Currently a student at the Royal College of art, her portraits of him /her are a study in the ambiguity of sexuality.

PORTRAITS OF HER
'Portraits of her' is a comment on femininity, drawing on the historical role of the photograph as a method of classification. In the nineteenth century photography became a means of defining human faces as classified types. The project is a suggestion of a parallel between the role of the historical and the contemporary photographic portrait. The series aims to challenge classical notions of feminine beauty norms and traditional representations of femininity as portrayed in the photograph. Although stylistically reminiscent of the use of typology as aesthetic, the series comments on and contradicts the notion of the human type. Thus, 'portraits of her' encourages a reading of femininity as a fictitious category, suggesting diversity and challenge to the very order of femininity.

PORTRAITS OF HIM
'Portraits of Him' is a project commenting on and challenging masculinity as a form of identity. By focusing on men identifying as FTM (female to male), the series aims to use the sitters' embodiment of masculinity to explore notions of desire, fantasy and dreams. Masculinity thus becomes an allegory and an ideal but simultaneously also a form of loss. 'Portraits of Him' attempts to portray a longing, culminating in the desire to become Him.

www.asajohannesson.com

Later,

Diane

Kei Kagami- 10 years of images NVU to follow shortly

Dear Shaded Viewers,

I asked Kei to choose one image per year of his most memorable pieces from his shaded ten years.

photo by Philip Gay
from 1999 s/s collection.
this dress is made of LUMINOUS ZIPS , so it glows in the shade .
in 1998 i signed with YKK for sponsorship with this idea and YKK used the series of clothes made of zips for their promotion .
This idea inspired many designers , as a result YKK has sponsored me ever since .
i thank the designers that made clothes in zips .

From 2001s/s collection .
it is quite modest and not so strong but very memorable for me because it was the first pair of shoes i ever designed .
a respectable shoe maker and designer Paul Murry Watson made them for me. i always wanted to do shoes and finally ...

From 2002 s/s collection ' escape ' .
there was a time i wanted to escape into somewhere surreal pure and beautiful .........
it is simply my favorite shoe but i decided not to produce it because of the weight ....... i originally wanted to make the heel in aluminum and titanium mixed to make it lighter but i had to compromise using mild metal because of a problem with the cost . only a dream was left there ........
i remember i spent ages to make the model of the heel for casting . the heel was made by a German metal artist Axel Hinterseh . Eversince then he has made metal heels for me . a few years later this shoe was used for YKK poster as well .

photo by Enamul Hoque
from 2004 s/s collection ' industrial revolution , good old days ' .
an antithese against computer civilization , i wanted to give an hommage to the machine civilization by expressing the coexistence of humans with machines (or something mechanical ).
i love machines because i can physically see, understand and repair them if they go wrong . it means i can live with them but not with computers ................
this piece has got a winding jack and you can control the hight of a bar .
the series of 4 showpieces were bought by TIGI for their promotion .

photo by Enamul Hoque
from 04/05 a/w collection ' mental disorder ' .
the previous collection put me into depression for a while and ended up doing this ......
this showpiece is not the strongest from the collection but i like this now because it looked slightly healthier than others ( to be honest i could not choose the strongest because they all depress me ) .
the skirt can be open and closed like an umbrella controlling strings on the shoulders .
this image was used a cover of invitations for an exhibition ' Body extension ' in Swiss .

photo by andy tommo
from 05/06 a/w collection ' correction and its paradox ' .
this piece could be a device to make your figure straight .
when 2 main arms on front and back are close , the end of the arms hold your head and you have to stand straight .
this collection was presented as a catwalk show by Camera Moda in milano.
an italian paper described the collection as Torture Couture ........
italians did not get it . it is not a torture device ...... healthier than that .
however i don't blame them ..........

from 06 s/s collection ' ecology ' .
this is definitely the healthiest show piece i have ever done !!!
fresh watercress growing on the fabric , it has got a water tap on the skirt and a pumping device is hidden inside .
if you open the tup , water is sprayed from the middle of the wig and looks like a tree .
(being careful , you can see it on this photo , i love it . )
by this outfit i wanted to ask people the meaning of ecology and how it should be ........... creature , nature and their environment .
i wanted to be healthy but i got depressed again when i saw an article and picture of this dress on Hello magazine( a gossip magazine which is worse than tabloid papers in england , it says ' a tribute to Kate MOSS ' ) .

from 06/07 a/w collection ' losing the meanings '.
no no no don't say ' depressing again ' ........ a deep meaning is actually there .
a long story behind it ......... the explanation would take too long .
in this story there was a section which described life of a lady from a noble family and this outfit was for it .
it has a small trick . if you release a string , the 4 bells go down by their weights and pull the parts of skirt hem to make them reach to the end of bars . you can hear the sound of bells and can see the light of candles ........ romantic .

photo by Enamul Hoque
from 07 s/s collection ' organic futurism '.
speaking of something futuristic , generally people still imagine something simple , plain , in silver , inorganic and post modern .
however rather than that , i can see futuristic images in something organic and biology .
for ex. i don't think human being are physically able to create Robocop but we might be possible to create Blade runner like clone as a reality .
anyway this outfit has a funnel , glass tubes , clips , magnifying glasses to give something biological .
i named this outfit as ' anatomy ' , i am not sure it is a right naming .

from 07/08 a/w ' hope , start again ' .
Wings of desire , Nike samothrace ........ call it as you like .
a story of a bird reviving ......... surprisingly it has got a happy ending , mentally it is positive and healthy .
pulling strings , you can close and open these wings . i remember the moment when we experimented and it worked , and i got very happy like a naive kid .
actually i always wanted to fly in the sky when i was a kid .
and i occasionally dream of myself flying at nights . it is my favorite dream even now .

photo Junkichi Tatsuki
from 08/09 a/w collection ' neo gothic '.
the collection was inspired by a ghost rider who took me to a beautiful cemetery in north london .
i was haunted by the experience and ended up doing this collection .
surprisingly there isn't any hard stuff on this show piece but still dark you might think .........
we decided not to do cat walk show the season before ........ because we could not afford it anymore as we had to buy this studio .
it could be a one of the reasons why the show piece became visually weak to be honest ......
however this piece is very memorable for me in many ways .
this outfit was selected by Valerie Steel for an exhibition ' Gothic , dark glamour ' at FIT in New York .

All comments are from Kei Kagami, an interview will follow.

Later,

Diane

Georgette Koning on THE IDEAL MAN. FASHION FOR REAL MEN

THE IDEAL MAN. About men's fashion since the 17th century. The exhibition will run till 26 October 26th in Gemeentemuseum Den Haag. www.gemeentemuseum.nl

 

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Entrance The Ideal Man. Maarten Spruyt (right) styled the exhibition, he did a great job.The presentation is divided in several themes as: military influences, dandy's, rebellion, decoration,men in skirts and accessories. There are showpieces from Jean Paul Gaultier, Henrik Vibskov, Vivienne Westwood, John Galliano, Bernhard Willhem and Walter Van Beirendonck.

Left: sport theme. Right: Incredible men's 'gown'  showed by a man during a Dior couture show.

Outfit by Bernard Willhem s/s 2007. Right: ideal man Ton Hoogerwerf standing for a habit à la francaise from 1785.

The photo's below are made by Oof Verschuren and styled by Maarten Spruyt.

Left: John Galliano A/W 2008-2009. Right: Walt

Left: Bernhard Willhelm summer 2008. Right: Jean Paul Gaultier winter 2008/2009.

Both photo's: Vivienne Westwood

 

NVU with Yoshiko

Dear Shaded Viewers,

Yoshiko

I met Yoshiko years ago in Paris through my friend Kanako Koga. She is the designer of the ring that I always wear that has a crystal caught between it's claws. THe claws in fact are a signature of Yoshiko Creations.

Any new collaboration?
The new shop will open at Laforet HARAJUKU[TOKYO]. Xoomei artist, YAMAKAWA FUYUKI will perform at the opening ceremony of the shop.

Model Rinko Kikuchi.

What are you working on now and how has your approach to design changed since your first collection.
I’m working on new collection of YOSHIKO CREATION PARIS and the showpiece for the next collection of Y’s [Yhoji Yamamoto].

Do you think that that approach has changed much since you moved back to Tokyo and if yes, how and why?
Yes. I’ve studied western design in Paris when I was young. So from now on, I want to digest eastern design and create things in more global way

What have been the strongest influences on your career since you got started?
On my career, that may be the incident which I sold my first collection at Colette.

When you are not working what do you like to do?
Relaaaax!!! And do something not related to my work, hopefully....but everything will be related to the creation after all…

What is the last book that you read?
A Book of national anthem.

The last film that you saw.
The new film of MIYAZAKI HAYAO.

Do you take holidays and if so, where do you like to go?
I barely take holidays but if I could, I want to go to Antarctic.

Any chance of you moving back to Paris?
Yes.

What has been the funniest experience since you have been working in this field?
One actor asked me that he wants me to make rose using ‘my extracted tooth’.

Which designers do you wear now?
Thierry Mugler! The whole body!!!

Who is your favorite photographer?
Irving Penn.

Which magazines do you read?
Cultural magazines.

Who is your favorite shoes designer?
Christian Louboutin and Pierre Hardy.

Bag designer?
None.

Yoshiko's new shop will open on August 23rd.

Later,

Diane

Pablo Internacional Magazine launch this Thursday at Joiners Arms

paul gellman wears his own gowns

pablo internacional magazine is so happy to invite you to the launch of issue 4 this thursday july 31, 2008 from 11 pm to 2 am at joiners arms, 116-118 hackney road, London E2
pablo internacional magazine will be presented within macho city, joiners arms’ weekly macho men thursday nighter run by charlie porter and dan beaumont

pablo internacional magazine http://www.pablointernacionalmagazine.com/
macho not rough
art, men and architecture
summer 2008
issue 4
£5gbp, €5eur, $5usd, $50mxn, $15brl
*contains adult material

new energy
paul gellman wears his own gowns

Kai Kuhne shows in Berlin

Georgette Koning on AMSTERDAM INTERNATIONAL FASHION WEEK

Georgette Koning on SUPERSTORE 05

SUPERSTORE 05 is an expirimental shopconcept and part of Modefabriek. Themes were recycling and
crafts. OUDHOUT made these wooden portraits of Barack Obama and a Black Venus from driftwood.

The Tapepot has melted two teapots together inside a taped skin into a new teapot, by Pepe Heykoop.

Cupboard by Sloom & Slordig. Right: carpet made of old discarded woolen blankets, by Remy and Veenhuizen and Tanja Smeets.

Lamp by Els Woldhek. Right: Urban Woody's from old wood trash by Tweelink.

'Lace' fence by Demakersvan. Right: Phat Knits, giant treads that make a couch by Bauke Knotterus.

Individuals is the label of 3th year fashionstudents from the Amsterdam Fashion Institute.

Daphna Isaacs Burggraaf made this beautiful porcelain buttons. Right: Daphna.

Knitdesigner Emily Hermans used Daphna's buttons (right)

Seamstress makes scarves for Emily Hermans from leftovers.

Left: jacket by Lisanne Stoop. Right: Feathertop by Thijs van Herten.

Georgette Koning on AMSTERDAM INTERNATIONAL FASHION WEEK

GEORGETTE KONING ON MODEFABRIEK AMSTERDAM, July 28th.

I met Deborah from ANDREA CREWS at the entrance of the Modefabriek. She was busy designing a new
collection. It has to be ready for the Rendez-vous show in Paris.

What an entree at the Modefabriek Village.


Left: Mada van Gaans designed a collection for Just B. Right: Presentation by Iefke de Roos.

Iefke de Roos was one the 25 designers that showed at New Design, a section of Modefabriek.

Jewelry designer Hanna Hedman from Sweden. Right her chains inspired by the Victorian era.

Shoes from Elia Maurizi.

Italian shoedesigner Elia Maurizi, his father owns a shoefactory and produces classical shoes.

Designs by Sabrina Dehoff from Berlin.

Dutch men's designer Ivo Mittelmeijer.

Swedish label GRAM are Anna Stenvi & Alexis Holm. The design shoes, knits ans T-shirts.

GRAM.

Dinner tonight at La Coupole

Dear Shaded Viewers,

Antwerp comes to Paris, a fun dinner tonight with David Flamee at La Coupole.

Later,

Diane