Between Art & Fashion at Helmut Newton Foundation

July 2, 2018January 5, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

Carla Sozzani, former editor-in-chief of the Italian Elle and Vogue, has collected photographs for many years. Since 1990, she has also exhibited these works in her Corso Como 10 in Milan in close cooperation with numerous internationally renowned photographers – including Helmut Newton. The personal friendship between Carla and Helmut not only led to countless exhibitions, but also to the current presentation of her multifaceted photography collection at the Helmut Newton Foundation in Berlin, under the title Between Art & Fashion.

More than 220 photographs were selected from the collection (which actually comprises almost 1,000 works!). The exhibition not only presents numerous icons, it also contains plenty of rare surprises. Some of photographers are represented with only a single work, while for others there is a small group of photographs (like the mega-wall by Steven Meisel). The selection is not about completeness, but authenticity and visualization, about the quality of autonomous and representative images – in this case thematically adapted to the specific exhibition venue.

On display in June Newton’s room, on the occasion of the 95th birthday of Helmut’s wife, who worked under the name Alice Springs, are 22 previously unseen portraits – Yves, Azzedine, Karl, Vivienne are all here. But it’s also worth visiting the pernament exhibition on the ground floor, which features Helmut Newton’s office room display, posters, his wardrobe and favourite (and sexy, which isn’t shocking knowing Newton’s body of work) objects.

The exhibition is open until November 18th, 2018.

Helmut Newton Foundation / Jebenstraße 2 / Berlin

Men’s / Desires. Yohji Yamamoto SS19

June 23, 2018June 23, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

What a collection! I always have a soft spot for Yohji Yamamoto, but his spring-summer 2019 collection is exceptional. And, in a way, very sensual. “I wanted to explain that fashion became so boring.” Yes, Yohji, some who as well feel exhausted with those ‘must-have’ sneakers that are all over the industry can come to the same conclusion. “Essentially, I feel that ordinary people and fashionable people are all tired of fashion because there’s nothing kind of strong, cute, sexy.” Maybe I wouldn’t call his latest line-up ‘cute’, but the two other terms describe the collection precisely. From flowing, all-black looks, Yamamoto’s sensual style poetry progressed into more erotic fields. Some of the robe-coats were covered with depictions of women in various states of pleasure. The designer summed up them as “modern ukiyo-e,” a famous genre of Japanese art. Loose pants and tank-tops/man-dresses came in sultry leopard and flames prints as well. Yamamoto releases his wilder side this season, but not directly; there’s just a notion that can be grasped when you actually wear these garments.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Playground. Marni Pre-Fall 2018

June 14, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

While Marni‘s Francesco Risso discussed the Dada movement, primitivism and the need for deconstruction in our lives during his pre-fall 2018 presentation for the brand, one thing appeared to be instantly distinct while browsing the new season clothes – the approach that’s far from fashion’s typical ‘bourgeois conventions’. For him, Marni is playful. Francesco’s fascination with children’s intuitive way of learning translates in every single look, and that’s clear if you take a glance at his previous collections as well. From the bear toy necklaces and doll dresses with unfinished trailing threads to hilariously big hats and exaggerated buttons, Risso makes style a playground. But don’t think Marni is overly infantile. No. I perceive it as optimistic, joyously tongue-in-cheek in a way. Even the brand’s new Big Foot sneakers have that sense of humour about them. “Like a kid wearing his dad’s shoes”, the designer noted.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Joy. Rosie Assoulin SS19

June 12, 2018June 12, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

The fashion week calendar gets blurrier and blurrier with designers like Rosie Assoulin, who has presented her resort 2019 and spring-summer 2019 as one, fluent collection, long ahead of the usual schedule. The designer is planning to make two collections a year, keeping it at her pace – so, forget any ‘see now, buy now’ strategies here, or other confusing business tricks. For Assoulin, it’s the time that matters: to design and to produce her garments. And that’s quite visible, when you take a moment to look at the clothes.

For instance, a coat hand-painted with watercolours; intricately beaded midi-skirts. Note the pin-striped suits. As Vogue reports, “instead of engineering a print, each pinstripe was actually a space-dyed yarn that almost shimmered”. Indeed, not that simple as it seems. Not forgetting about the fantastic jug bags, one of Rosie’s well-known signatures among the New Yorkers. This time they come in even bolder colours. What makes Rosie Assoulin’s brand so distinctive is the joy and humour that are inseparable from the clothes. And what else could highlight that this season? The presentation’s venue, Raquel’s Dream House. It’s Raquel Cayre’s space, where the design lover exhibits some of the most iconic pieces – Masanori Umeda’s Tawaraya ring sits, Shiro Kuramata’s famously fragile Glass Chair and Ettore Sottsass’s Ultrafragola mirror, to name a few. A set that matches Assoulin’s arty gowns, skirts and outerwear just perfectly.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Algarve’s Pottery

June 10, 2018June 10, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

While travelling the Algarve region in Portugal, we came across a number of pottery ateliers where the true magic happens. Algarve is known for its incredible ceramic pottery heritage, quite possibly due to the natural presence of clay here. But I guess it’s also thanks to the local people, who make this craftmanship so alive these days. In the small, but charming town of Silves, Luis and Teresa of Al-tannur Ceramica create some of the most fantastic tiles, jewellery and plates using the ancient Arab dry-rope technique. The couple doesn’t fall into well-known clichés of sunny fields; rather, they choose to depict such motifs as sharks, dogs, people’s affairs and historical scenes (most likely kept in bold colours). Meanwhile in Monchique, we’ve entered Leonel Telo‘s studio by accident. The artist creates moulds containing herbs and flowers, but as well does incredible kitchen-ware and vases. Plus, the artisan’s garden filled with lemon trees just outside his studio-slash-boutique is a beautiful addition to his works.

Al-Tannur Ceramica / Rua da Sé / Silves

Leonel Telo Ceramicas / Rua Engenheiro Duarte Pacheco / Monchique