Fanaberie. Louis Vuitton Resort’15

May 18, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

Nicolas Ghesquiere stays for good at Louis Vuitton- his latest collection was a first ever Resort collection presented on the runway. And as you surely know, it was in Monaco. The collection itself was a mash-up. The fabrics were mixed up (lace with knitwear), the colours were very radiant and vibrant and it all felt sweet and tasty. Ghesquière is still liking the fit-and-flare silhouette he introduced for Fall, but there was more diversity on the runway tonight. High-waisted, slightly flaring trousers will stir memories for fans of the leg-elongating pants he used to make at Balenciaga; on the other hand, embroidered slips with scalloped hems were among the least structured things he’s ever done. And because this was a Resort collection—in stores longer than any other season—the show ran the gamut, from a sheared fur coat to jersey T-shirt dresses. The handbag offering has grown, as well: The Petite Malle now comes with a chain handle, and he’s added a new, wide-mouthed bucket bag. In my opinion, it’s still not the fullest of what is hidden in Nicolas talent- but the collection has its strong points I like.

About the artist: Yves Klein was a French artist considered an important figure in post-war European art. He is the leading member of the French artistic movement of Nouveau réalisme founded in 1960 by art critic Pierre Restany. Klein was a pioneer in the development of Performance art, and is seen as an inspiration to and as a forerunner of Minimal art, as well as Pop art.

Dubai. Chanel Resort’15

May 14, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

Making it big for the shows is pretty natural for Karl Lagerfeld, who already took us to St.Tropez, Miami, Antibes and Singapore for his Resort collections. This time, we travelled to Dubai, the city of United Arab Emirates, that’s full of gold, petrol and luxury. So, no wonder… the collection was presented on a special Chanel island, that had a carved double C all over it! However, the collection itself was one of the worst, unfortunately. It didn’t have that Dubai opulence I wished of! It had flowers, moons, Scottish checks, blond version of Diana Ross curls and a lot of strange themes that seemed to be useless. I suppose Dubai summers are so cold you need to wear socks-up-to-knee… I certainly loved the camel gown that Joan Smalls wore with flats and trousers trousers. Oh yeah, trousers- I see Arabian harems are bag in beige! And I am a little bit disappointed that we didn’t see Sebastien Jondeau in a Chanelized sheikh costume. That’s it!

About the artist: Abdul Qader Al Raes is an artist from Dubai made famous by his monumental art works in palaces and distinguished public spaces.

Brooklyn Heights. Dior Resort’15

May 8, 2014May 8, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

Dior and Brooklyn sound strange in one sentence. The baby of Parisian LVMH and a district of New York? Believe that or not, but that’s totally true- Dior showed it’s Resort 2015 collection in Navy Yard Greenhouse, from which a beautiful view of Manhattan’s skyscrapers is seen. In my opinion, the collection (excluding the fact it was presented in Brooklyn) was one of the best that Raf Simons presented to date. The artistic director created a smart, lovely and energetic collection that is a mix of eternal Parisian chic and the new New York style. Simons took up the silk scarf—le carré, as they say in Paris—as the show’s leitmotif. It meant that these clothes were more fluid than the sculpted and molded silhouettes of some of his previous collections for Dior. And, of course, you had an impression you look at art- everything felt artsy and very free-spirited!

About the artist: Lucien Freud is known chiefly for his thickly impastoed portrait and figure paintings, he was widely considered the pre-eminent British artist of his time. His works are noted for their psychological penetration, and for their often discomforting examination of the relationship between artist and model.

Perfect Chaos. Ellery SS15

April 7, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

Australian Fashion Week for SS15 have just started and here is my first favourite: Ellery. Ellery is designed by Kym Ellery which comes from Perth and currently designs and most influencial label from Australia. It has in it’s account avant-garde, girlie dresses, flattering skirts and some seriously cool shoes… Ellery’s SS15 is kept in white tones- it’s full of cool tops and sporty pieces like sweatpants or easy gowns. The models wore piercing and chains on their faces, making a perfect chaos between these beautiful, peaceful clothes and the punk attitude… Looking at it, I would love to go on the Iceberg Pool that is at the famous Bondi Beach!

Perfection. Celine Pre-Fall’14

March 20, 2014March 20, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

Aah, Phoebe. You did this again. Your Pre-Fall 2014 for Celine is perfect. And, exclusively at Design & Culture by Ed, you can see the whole collection and new bags, as it’s first here! The collection is amazingly simple about concepts- sweaters tied around the waist, masculine white shirt with a coat and the blue plisse skirt are my favourites. The checked dresses are worn with fur stoles, while shoes are style with long, black socks. And to my surprise, the bags are… perfectly same. But in different, lovely colours. The Mini Luggage and Trapeze are here, but kept in pink and bordeaux. This Pre-Fall’14 collection is really great in my opinion! Art by Cy Twombly