Jacquemus AW16 in Southern France

July 7, 2016July 1, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

The young generation of Paris-based designers, like Demna Gvasalia or Glenn Martens, look towards night life, clubbing and this defiant, booze-fuelled attitude. But Simon Porte Jacquemus‘ namesake label approaches fashion in a different way – rather than seeing hoodies and dilapidated denim, Jacquemus is much more innocent and… happy. And as smily as the Southern French people, contrasting with rushing Parisians. That’s why Simon took his autumn-winter 2016 pieces near his hometown, between Marseille and Avignon, and with help of photographer Theresa Marx, created the e-campaign for his brilliant on-line store. The photographs present arty coats, skirts and knits, all in bold colours and styled in the most unpredictable ways.

“The collection is about reconstruction, when you have a lot of different clothes from a lot of different people, and you put them all together and you create something new. Like an art shirt mixed with a t-shirt. I wanted these images to have something to do with the idea of a washing line. I’ve loved washing lines since my childhood, so I wanted to do something like this.” Washing lines play a significant role in Jacquemus’ campaign this season. Being a boy coming from the South of France, he’s childhood was filled with washing lines everywhere on the streets and gardens… but in Simon’s world, they aren’t cliche.

Men’s – Robert Mapplethorpe. Raf Simons SS17

June 18, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

It’s the first time in a while, when Pitti Uomo feels exciting. This season, the fashion editors and buyers have seen Gosha Rubchinskiy take on Italian culture; the same day, Raf Simons presented one of his most defining collections in his career. The standing fashion show for spring-summer 2017 was a special occasion – it was a nod to Robert Mapplethorpe, a controvertial American, who was known for his unconventional black-and-white photography. During his lifetime, the photographer shot such extraordinary characters as Patti Smith or Andy Warhol, but also, he was famous for his highly BDSM polaroids, flower still-lives (often compared to erect phallus) and nudes of female wrestlers.

The photographer, who began the cult of erotic photography in the 70s, was the main, well-visible and fully acknowledged reference point for Raf this season. Rather than simply putting famous Mapplethorpe photographs as prints on tops, Simons challenged himself to make his inspiration something much more profound. “Every boy is a representation of a piece of work” – this is how the designer described the models, with dark, curly hair and skinny black pants. Some looked like the original characters taken out of Mapplethorpe’s polaroids, wearing leather biker caps and voluminous, white shirts. Oh yes, the shirts. The over-sized silhouettes reassembled white walls of a gallery, perfectly exposing these defiant and somewhat deviant visuals. Debbie Harry, with a stern face, looked at you from under a cropped V-neck sweater; a penis photo on a striped t-shirt wasn’t a surprise, keeping in mind Robert’s late obsessions. Wherever you turned, you could sense respect for the photographer, coming from Raf’s heart. The focus was on the clothes – the images weren’t shouting, leaving space for the pieces to speak for themselves. It’s not a one-season-only type of collaboration between an artist (specifically, Mapplethorpe Foundation) and a fashion designer. It’s a collection, where everything is about the rebellious attitude, with a very clear, labelled reference. Other designers should take a note from Simons on how to name their inspirations, in order not to become accidental copycats.

#InstaLOVE – June 2016

June 11, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

@elementzenski

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 are ready for a dose of beautifully curated walls, inspiring photos and delightful shots – see my June recommendations!

@elementzenski / This one comes from Poland. Paulina Puchalska and Monia Kucel write about beauty, but from a different, much more sophisticated perspective. Their blog posts are filled with real women’s stories (mentioning beauty tricks and favourite cosmetics), while their Instagram account looks like a constantly evolving mood-board of varying beauty cannons. My latest Insta-obsession, even though I know nothing about cosmetics.

@caramariepiazza / I wrote about Cara last summer, but I’m having a love affair with her moody feed up to now. She lives and produces in New York as a textile designer and natural dyer. Cara creates one-of-a-kind textiles, using natural dye stuffs such as plant matter, minerals and non-toxic metals. But lately, her most daring artworks (well, even a bra is an artwork in case of Piazza) are made thanks to bundle dying with flower petals. If you follow her (and you should!), you will see a great dose of colour and natural beauty on daily basis.

@flowernoritake / A flower shop in Japan’s Nagoya. These guys do magic with flowers, and their talent spans from making wonderful wedding bouquets to arranging whole boutiques (as pictured above). Photos from their Instagram page are striking, too, but unfortunately, you can’t smell the scent of these lilacs…

@sincerelytommy_ / In the heart of Brooklyn, New York, there’s a concept store which focuses more on lifestyle, rather than on fashion. They sell curated objects coming from around the world. A selection of traditional babouche shoes, handmade in Fez; abstract jewellery by Ruby Star; must-have bags by Building Block. And of course, the photos posted by Sincerely Tommy reflect the unconventional retail attitude of this New York best-kept secret!

@another_man / Another Man Magazine is where fashion and culture collide in the masculine world. The British magazine introuduces new designers (like Charles Jeffrey, pictured above by Ellie Grace Cumming) and looks back at male legends (Mick Jagger or Tom Ford, for example) in great interviews. However, this archive-photograph loving page has a lot to do with such iconic women as Siouxsie Sioux or Cher. So, girls, mind following Another Man on Instagram, just like as you do in case of Another Magazine.

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

Bold Essentials

May 28, 2016May 28, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Spring is here, so it’s the high time to supply yourself with fruits, fruits and once more, FRUITS! Or, if you like, accessories which will become your bold essentials of the season. A nutritious, fruity brunch is served – N021 best-selling “knotted” sandals and Ca & Lou double-ring with Swarovski’s stones, only at Concept 21 Store.

Photographs by me (Edward Kanarecki)

Gucci & Her Shoes

May 7, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

The creative director behind Gucci, Alessandro Michele, revives classics in the most refined, yet eccentric way that’s possible. To celebrate the season’s shoes that are on everybody’s lips, I’m happy to release the photos I took during my May vacations by the Polish sea-side. I thought that Ciekocinko Palace, with its splendour, 100-years old wallpapers originating from San Francisco and a respectable collection of historical books would perfectly match the elegance of Michele’s must-have shoes. The double G hardware, styled in a gold-toned, antique fashion, is set on the famous “jet-set” striped strap of these mid-heel loafers. The devil is the detail – both heels are embellished with pearls and studs, and the back is designed to be worn with the heel folded down or up (a comfortable shoe-trick favoured by Italians). Don’t they look like an irreplaceable detail of the palace’ interior?

Shop them here. #GucciGram.