Palazzo Mocenigo. The Ballets Russes. Venice. The Woman.

After all this time I finally made it! I was able to return to Venice.

As usual there is always a reason why I returned to this city: Palazzo Mocenigo, donated to the Civic Museum in the late seventies, later also became the Centre for the History of Textiles and Costume, houses Alexandre Vassiliev .Elegance in Exile. Between Fashion and Costume, the Diaghilev Era. exhibition. 
As I hope you all know, the Ballets Russes (1909-29) was an epic moment in the history of costume, as they are going to create  more comfortable and relaxed new shapes and silhouettes, totally opposed to the kind of dress used throughout the end of 19 century. High-waisted and narrow skirts , large sides and big skirts. 
Where  did the woman's body end? 
It is just from the first decade of the new century, that the "feminine" revolution starts. 
The body begins to break free from every coercion and constraint, the woman and her figure begin to be exploited. 
The Designers in this field are the costume designers / tailors of the company itself.
 Léon Bakst, Natalia Goncharova, Andre Derain. 
But it is also largely due to Alexandre Vassiliev, fashion historian and collector, if many of the dresses of the show have come down to us today.
One of my favorite outfits, which I believe could still be a quite contemporary piece, is a deeply plunging neckline beige crepe satin dress  (reminds me almost of a SS 2008 Roberto Cavalli ), with internal v-neck embroidered purple shirt; from the back it's surprisingly amazing the fact  that despite the two pieces (the shirt and the gown ) seemed to be separated, but they are not; the dress is sewn to the shirt, to its back shoulder line and a little further down on the sleeve itself, and then finally, just below the shoulder blades. 
Although it is now almost one century, it seems that the modernity of that time still invigorates today's fashion.
 Until a few months ago, the trend was all about 20s, but just in general terms; now with this research, it is good to go a bit more on the detail and give substance to our ideals of 
 what the figure of the woman is.


GS

Photo Credits: Gabriele Semeraro and Sterzing

Frequencies: Early Echo by Bruce Muller

Credits: Nowness

Armani goes Sporty - EA7

As we know, will take place in London on July 27 one of the most anticipatedevents, the Olympics!

As I mentioned in one of the preceding Articles, Stella McCartney will design the tracksuits for the English teams, so at this point we ask ourselves: Who designs the clothes for Italian teams? 

EA7 

 Emporio Armani 7.  

We all know the line Emporio Armani, simple, young and sporty, world far from the first line but always  incredibly well done.

 Perfect for the occasion. 

But what signifies the 7? 7 models? not exactly. 

Water Polo, Boxing,Volleyball, Fencing, High Jump, Swimming and Rhythmic Gymnastics. This is the true meaning of 7. 

7 disciplines. 7 samples.

 Will we win this year?

I have no doubt!

GS

Photo Credits: Giorgio Armani

Japanese Memories and Future Visions - Mugler Fall Winter 2012 2013

Finally I arrived at this post!

It was the first to arrive in my mail, and I deliberately decided to leave it for last, because it is rich of particularly interesting arguments and ideas. 

Nicola Formichetti, creative director of the maison now for the 3rd season, has decided to take advantage of everyday life, its history, its origins, in other words what is around him for this collection.

As we all know, Nicola has Japanese origins, and it is no coincidence that the central concept of the season is mostly focused orientalistic and in particular on his homeland. 

When we need to design, to find something new, contemporary and / or edgy, we just think of one and only place: the East. 

A tribute to Japan and its culture.
The clean lines, the cuts of the clothes, which, since the first exits, remind us architectural buildings like, for example, the Nishizawa's Teshima Art Museum; even if we take into consideration the color, where it's pretty clear that the predominant part is white, it seems that the issue is simply the minimalism, but of course, and fortunately, it does not. 
Always talking about Japan, color, and how tradition and innovation have central role, if 
we consider now the first 4 outfts (high processing with emphasis of the higher waist part, with fringes at the bottom starting from under the upper structure of the skirt. person.), there may be different interpretations. one of these is that of the aquarium. The firsts with fringes, in particular remind me of the giant Japanese jellyfish, news spreads for some years; however, for colors such as tangerine, orange, black and white, which fish, if not the most common Koi carp? 
Another element from the black and white corrosion animalier print , is the white tiger, which according to Eastern tradition, was the king of beasts.  

Not just from the clothing itself we can grasp the core meaning, but also from the makeup, the elongation of the eye and the resulting make-up for the 'thinning of the eye. 

Finally the music.
Who was The Last Emperor's composer? 
Ryuichi Sakamoto, is perhaps one of the greatest Japanese composers of our time; a song that I think, or rather I hope, you all know is "Tea in the desert."Nicola Formichetti has decided to undertake a new partnership with this outstanding artist, creating a soundtrack that recalls our minds to something we think we know but we actually don't really know; A kind of music between electronica and contemporary classical, which transports us in a future and absolutely modern dimension. 

But what the word "modern" means?

Construction, simplicity of form and colors, and look at the future; 
a future that is not in West, but in the East.

GS

 

                 

Photo Credits: IBTIMES and Gabriele Semeraro

The Virgins: Prima Materia

The Virgins: Prima Materia


Credits: Nowness.com

The Society Trend Rochas Fall Winter 2012 2013

We start talking about Rochas through two main points: ceramics and music.
Why the pottery?
Wilhelm Kage (1889-1960) was one of the greatest designers of Swedish ceramics, some of his most famous creations was the Argentea, Surrea, and Farsta. In this case the last named series are those that we take into account.

Farsta vessels are a collection, I would say, ethnic-ish, vessels that leads to a primitive conception of the term, however, to mean primitive (also considering the origin of the designer Kage), handcrafted primitive, with obvious references to the Nordic tradition.And you will ask me, where are these Nordic calls?

Hand line incised decoration to body, woodworking and the various cuts.Not to forget the use of colors: blue, light blue, yellow, tan and dark brown. But what illustrates more clearly the inspiration of Marco Zanini for the prints of this season, are the vases with impressed crosshatch pattern in the panels to front and back, yellow ocher and charcoal gray matte glaze.

In this print collection of antiquities is adjacent to the cutting heads rather contemporary and modern, and fairly simple forms.This simplicity has been designed on cocktail dresses with boat necklines, typical of the sixties, and with various constructions of the shoulders curled in creating a Raglan effect; the big double breasted 3 buttons up coats with slightly dropped shoulders. The shoulder characteristic is quite common this season, and still manages to give that extra touch of sportiness that serves to strengthen the collection, in addition to the 1960s, I dare say that the designer has tried, successfully, to add not only by leaders cutting and 70s prints (prints and flared trousers Kage), but also shapes and silhouettes that resemble those of 40 years, with a high waist belts and under-the-knee-skirts. 

40s, 60s and 70s.

The second point I mentioned is the music.
Irony is perhaps the right word.
The soundtrack of the show was a remix of "Noi Siam Zingarelle" from the Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata (1854). The lyrics of that song say: 

Venute da lontano;

D'ognuno sulla mano

Leggiamo l'avvenir.

Se consultiam le stelle

Null'avvi a noi d'oscuro,

E i casi del futuro

Possiamo altrui predir.

We are, therefore, faced with one of the few cases of fashion, where society and everyday life is analyzed and interpreted from top to bottom?

The economic crisis has hit all over the world, more or less, in each case has affected everyone.

Marco this season has decided to make fun, or rather to make his own this current topic.

 In what way?
Rochas, as old fashion house, has always had an image of elegance and always has to be respected, and this season it has reaffirmed the concept by taking a different path: the economic crisis.
The outfits are literally simple, suitable for every type of woman. Poverty-simplicity filtered and redesigned by a fashion house where the price is not exactly affordable, but the key concept is easily percebile.The crisis is there and must be combated, jeer, kill it.

Women can do it.

GS

Photo Credits: Rochas and Gabriele Semeraro

Dazed but Pugnacious John Galliano Fall Winter 2012 2013

If you expect me to be forgiving, you are mistaken.
Let's start.

I'm confused, why?

What I have seen throughout the collection was a huge mix ... lethal.

Riding. Heroin. Aubrey Beardsley. Musketeer. Heiress. 2012/3 trends. 1890s. 1840s. Any type of contrast. Heavy fabrics, Light fabrics. Brushed mohair wool, pleated chiffon. Covered - discovered. What I perceived from the whole collection, or at least the kind of woman I imagined was a sexy bondage-ish rider. The equestrian trend reminded me a bit of the highly romantic Dior by Galliano 's FW 2010/11 and 2011/12 collection. Do you remember? chiffon, leather? Pure Romanticism.

Bill Gaytten, tries with all his forces to replace John Galliano, but acting in this way does nothing but suppress and limit his own creativity, trying to invent something that will just slightly mention the work of someone else. When you are in the planning phase and the first question you ask is: What would John Galliano do? Immediately try to make an outfit relying completely on the designer who inspires you, but even if that outfit only vaguely resembles it, that doesn't mean that the entire collection is right. 

Rather the opposite.

I do not mean that Bill is not a good designer, in fact (by which I explain why the"Pugnacious" in the title, it represents my designer-spirit in defense of Bill Gaytten), and he is, but he just have not had the chance to prove it with his own line, or at least has not given us the idea of ​​putting himself in all collections, without diving into the Galliano's galaxy.

 I must admit that those who still carry on, spread the image of John Galliano co., and show great fortitude, skill and professionalism are those that constitute the soul of the house (press office, design offices, product, etc ...).

There's the substance , however, lacks the right mix.

Every designer needs support, the stress sustained is indescribable, especially in Galliano's and Dior's fashion house, and receive criticism and insults on something, on which we  put heart and soul is terrible.

I'm not saying that what we have seen so far is beautiful, indeed, disappointing.
My advice is to let us see what is his creativity, breaking away from the designer who came before him in his position, to design a collection that can be adapted to his house but with his touch, and if he does not fit,

 only then we would know that is not the place for him.

GS

Photo Credits: John Galliano and Gabriele Semeraro

Lanvin Limited Edition: 10th Anniversary Alber Elbaz

Do you remember this? I think so!
Rizzoli's book (2007) was probably what made ​​me a Lanvin-aholic.But what makes me even sicker is this picture; it is fine, however, that those who mightmisjudge me, do not look at this picture. Well I have sketched it all from top to bottom.

But this is not what I wanted to mention.

As It is well known to all, last week ended, with great regret, the fashion week.Lanvin, this year celebrated the 10 the anniversary of his creative director,Alber Elbaz.

And how to celebrate it even better, if not publishing a new book? The design of this book was undertaken in collaboration with the photographer But Sou Lai and especially with Pascal Dangin, who created and edited the book,with a sensibility and mentality deeply close to that of Mr. Elbaz and Lanvin.

                                                            Alber, finally, invites the viewer into His own private world.

I want to emphasize that with "private" I do not mean his home, private life, what he eats or drinks, as many might think or even hope; I mean Alber's path of creation, his process of inspirations and then the realization of what makes us dream, what we, or at least has always fascinated me, and I would add trained too.

"Each collection is always different but the process of creating is always the same" - Aber Elbaz

GS

 

Photo Credits: Lanvin and But Sou Lai

Sporty Yves Klein Stella McCartney Fall Winter 2012 2013

Blue. Damask. Construction. Sport. Those are the elements for the perfect recipe, or even better for the perfect collection. But let's start from the beginning. 

The Blue. Someone calls it Oxford Blue, but I'm not that sure about it.

What comes to mind if I mention "La Venus d'Alexandrie"? or "Victory of Samothrace"?

Yves Klein. 
Yes, this season Stella McCartney has decided to create something that goes against our expectations ... during the whole fashion week we saw lots of autumn colors: pink, yellow, brown, red, burgundy, blacks... What, if not the blue, to break this conformity? and even better its Master par excellence?

The type of blue taken into account, however, is not the typical quiet color, but it's strong, deep, shocking one. Related to this item, I would call, "root", there are few more key elements to emphasize.

First of all the damask. Shirts, strictly round neck, with small gathers, mandarin

or short collars, were the experiment, I'd say highly successful, of damask prints, devorè, embroideries, and jacquards. As always, the designer's imprint is characterized by knitwear, skills common among British designers, here with the use of alpaca, cashmere and mohair is strongly emphasized.

Now we turn to the third element: Construction. Natalia Vodianova at the opening shows a beautiful double breasted zipped coat, if we look at the diagonal zip, we would immediately notice the structure of the front of the outfit, which will include a hexagonal opening, that in a nutshell is what gives life to the whole look. Note also the slight descent down the sleeves, which gives that extra sporty touch, same case for the 3/4 sleeve jacket with pink large paw pants (hit of contrasting color).

Finally, as you all well know, this year there will be the Olympics in London, and Stella McCartney has been named designer of the official uniforms.

Then? Is not clear yet? The last, higly constructed and low-waisted dresses, remind immediately of the athletic suits, therefore, a symbol of sportsmanship and complete innovation of a piece common to us all. 

This was the fourth and the last key.

We can therefore say that the message, that Stella wants to communicate this season, is very contemporary, based on extreme building, and sportsmanship, but it doesn't mean inconvenience, indeed, quite the contrary, "comfort" is always the watchword.

GS

Photo Credits: Stella McCartney and Gabriele Semeraro

And for those who were asking that, here is Stella McCartney Fall Winter 2012 2013 Tracklist:

D'banj 'Oliver Twist'

Mattie Safer 'Is That Your Girl?' (Skeet Skeet remix)

Ceci Bastida 'Have You Heard?' (Skeet Skeet remix)

Ginger Ale 'Happy House'

Die Antwoord 'I Fink U Freeky'

Human League 'The Things That Dreams Are Made Of'

Wings ‘Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five’