Art

TBT: Prada Fairies

| Design & Culture by Ed

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For her memorable spring-summer 2008, Miuccia Prada worked closely with artist James Jean on developing special prints for the clothes and the show venue. The inked drawings depict a lush and slightly scandalous landscape of flowers and nymphs (blending suggestions of Art Nouveau and Hieronymus Bosch). By projecting the actual imaginary world over the dresses and ball-skirts, then distorting and separating the various colour layers, the Prada fairytale seemed to breath throughout the entire season. And even though nearly a decade passed since the show took place, looking back at this intriguing collection takes you to another, magical place.

P.s. Recently, Prada has invited Jean for another equally fantastical collaboration – read about the brand’s resort 2018 collection here.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Madonna Day

| Design & Culture by Ed

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Although Madonna‘s birthday happens only once in a year, and it’s today, I wouldn’t mind celebrating her personality everyday. So if you’re one of those people who ‘hate’ Madonna for her being her, then you better leave this spot, as it’s a heavy appreciation post. Whether photographed by Steven Klein, Steven Meisel or Rankin; whether posing in boudoir, going dirty with Tony Ward or confessing her love on the dance floor; whether dressed in Italianesque black lace or an all-American gear – she’s Madonna. While exploring blogs like this one, fully dedicated to her persona, I’m awestruck with the way she has changed and keeps on changing. Just like in music, where she’s can be fully soaked with emotions and then become ecstatically happy. A style maverick and an extraordinary artist.

Happy Birthday!

#InstaLOVE – August 2017

| Design & Culture by Ed

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@helmutlang

I am an Instagram maniac and I openly confess that I spend too much time on filtering my feed. But it’s irresistible, when you have so many great accounts to follow! If you’re ready for a dose of beautifully curated walls, inspiring photos and delightful shots – see my August recommendations!

@clarissedemory / There’s an undefined aura around Clarisse Demory‘s work, which is called creative direction specifically. The Paris-based individual counts the likes of Sophie Buhai, Barabara Casasola, Maryam Nassir Zadeh and Christophe Lemaire as clients, revamping their showroom spaces and interiors with tactile elements and objects from local hardware stores. I personally had a chance to perceive Demory’s power-of-the-detail while visiting Lemaire’s showroom in Paris a few months ago, and – still unaware those vases and floral arrangements were curated by Clarisse – literally felt like home away from home. Following Demory on Instagram means a rare peek into the director’s haute-cozy, minimally-eclectic aesthetic.

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@helmutlang / For those who have a reasoned fear of New York Fashion Week’s downfall this season – Helmut Lang, the brand originally found by the Austrian visionaire, is having a major rebirth. Kicking off this fall under Isabella Burley (editor-in-chief of Dazed & Confused & the editor-in-residence at Lang) and Shayne Oliver’s (who launched Hood by Air) wings, I’m quite sure this will be one of loudest moments of the fashion month. The debut collection will take place on the 11th of September, but till the time comes, make sure to follow the drop of campaign images starring such off-kilter personalities like Larry Clark or Kembra Pfahler, and ‘The Artist Series’.

@blancamiroskoudy / Blanca Miró Skoudy is not your average Instagram girl, that’s for sure. Once with a face painted in blue, then smoking a cigarette with extremely pink cheeks, is she a modern-day, eccentric femme fatale? Blanca is an illustrator most of all. And her doodles and drawings are so, so good.

@miumiuwomenstales / There are many reasons to love Miuccia Prada. Miu Miu Women’s Tales is one of them. Here, Prada’s sister line generates a platform for talented female directors to present their vision on a wider platform. And, of course, they can use as many Miu Miu pieces as they want! Although the concept isn’t new (it launched few years ago and already had Chloë Sevigny, Miranda July and Zoe Cassavetes collaborate among others), the Instagram account appeared just recently. With collage as the main medium of visual presentation, it makes me really wonder what we can expect next from the world of Miu women.

@julystars / I couldn’t help, but select Jaja Hargreaves‘ feed for the August #InstaLOVE. Her content curation will make anyone dreamy, especially in summer. Margaux Hemingway tropical dress-code, Lauren Hutton wearing a bucket hat, Joan Didion wrapped in a blanket. Lots of sun-bathed flesh and straw hats. Need more? See it yourself.

AND, if you want to follow one more account on Instagram… why don’t you follow, ta-da, @designandculturebyed?

Quinten Mestdagh

| Design & Culture by Ed

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I know I wrote that before, but Instagram really is a treasure chest of creatives who deserve the spotlight. A casual morning scroll-down-of-my-feed later and here I’m with Quinten Mestdagh‘s powerful collection, which has been presented during the last fashion show of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. The designer is a third-year graduate of the school, which breeded the famous Antwerp Six, and already makes a unique mark on the Belgian fashion scene. Quinten’s voluminous garments electrify the viewer with their texture, colour and imagery. Speaking of the last, its the designer’s  visible strenght in ‘Dodge This’ collection. “I have always been attracted by highly stylized images in fashion magazines and advertisements. Last summer, I started collecting pictures in the archive of the MoMu library in Antwerp. With those images, I made collages and paper 3D experiments to create tension and roughness, contrasting with the beauty found in fashion photography. I then approached the garments as abstract panels for the images,” Quinten told ASVOF. With faces of fashion models and icons like Nico, Karen Elson or Princess Elizabeth of Toro as prints, the designer emphasizes and embraces extreme femininity in form of modern-day ball gowns and statuesque skirts. Just wow.

Photos via Quinten’s Instagram / by Michaël Smits.

Sterling Ruby’s Calvin Klein

| Design & Culture by Ed

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Collages by Edward Kanarecki (the above featuring elements from Sterling Ruby’s art).

Raf Simons‘ take on Calvin Klein is the biggest momentum going on in New York’s fashion, whether we’re speaking of his brilliant autumn-winter 2017 show or the visionary advertising strategy. As if that wasn’t enough to make a dusty brand take-off right away, there’s also the Madison Avenue flagship re-designed by Ruby Sterling, which reopened last Saturday.

Raf and Ruby are long-time friends and have collaborated on many projects – from a capsule collection of parkas and sweatshirts at Simons’ eponymous menswear line to fabrics for Dior’s haute couture show in 2012 (the Belgian designer designed womenswear at the French house for three years). Simons and Sterling’s paths cross again, but this time in form of a three-floor store covered in glowing yellow paint and the artist’s custom-made installations. As Ruby described his work in the past issue of 032c, his art is something cartoonish and illustrative, yet contains dark gothic humor of it. Knowing Simons’ signature style, that’s quite a match. Also, the artist often uses motifs connected to Americana – a theme Raf frequently relates to while working at Calvin Klein, the all-American fashion powerhouse. It’s worth adding that aong the clothes and accessories with CK tag, you are able to buy vibrant Italian glassware, Homer Laughlin coffee mugs and Rose Cabat’s ceramics in Raf and Ruby’s brand new empire.

Calvin Klein; Location: New York NY;

But if you’re not planning New York in near future and have no chance to get hold of Simons’ Calvin Klein garments, better get hold of those yellow sleeves, this jacquard blouse or that very in-demand turtleneck. Just saying.

Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein