style culture

Fashion: Can't wait, Won't wait!!

2010-01-31T12:06:00.000-08:00

Does the 'novelty factor wear off too quickly? First, it was kind of revolutionary that designers had decided to showcase their collections, live stream, for the masses, on the internet. Now everyone's at it -bored already?? Is it kind of taking the aspirational glamour out of the fashion show? and will they even bother having fashion shows in future? just live streaming? isn't that part of the spectacle? Every Tom, Dick and Harry (or should we say Susie, Tavi and BryanBoy) are offering their two cents worth even before the designer has even walked out and taken a bow. And then there's the impatience of waiting for the collection. Oh no, customers don't want to see the show then wait for the stuff to arrive in store!No they want it NOW! Burberry Prorsum answered the early-bird call by putting their manipulated sorbet trenches on pre-order, ready for pick-up in November! And shit, what does that mean for the mags? What's the point in showcasing the new merch to sell if everyone's already seen and pre-ordered it. It all becomes a bit of a pointless, expensive if not beautiful excercise(and this is bearing in mind magazine sales are plummeting anyway). Cheery times.

FASHION ON FILM: MARNI

2010-01-30T00:45:00.002-08:00

Another week another fashion film! It's the hot promotional media of choice- who wants to flick through a tome of advertising when they can enjoy an art directed filmic mini materpieces. We love Rohan Wadham's 'Summer Edition' animated short for Marni. Forget big-budget advertising shot in exotic destinations, instead think alien puppets in a tropical landscape clad in the latest collection.

MARKETING: MOBILE MARKETING

2010-01-30T00:35:00.000-08:00

Mobile applications are going to explode this year thanks to fruity pioneer, the AppleiPhone. According to researchfirm Gartner, consumers areexpected to spend are £18bn on more than 21m downloads globally by end of 2013. Advertising will help sustain the 'free' apps generating some £365m by the end of 2010. At the moment, the app sensation is just for fun with games the most popular followed by shopping, social networking and productivity tools.

FASHION ON FILM: PRADA SPRING 2010

2010-01-24T07:42:00.000-08:00

Loving, loving, loving Prada’s beautiful new film shot for their Spring 2010 menswear campaign. Tapping into the emerging Chinese arts scene, Mrs Prada commissioned artist Yang Fudong to produce a short film which was entitled ‘First Spring’. Based on the Chinese proverb, ‘the whole year’s work depends on a good start in Spring’ the working men featured certainly look dressed for success in the Spring 2010 seasons innovative mesh tops and tailoring. Think the glamour of thirties Shanghai meets surrealism.

PHOTOGRAPHY: TERRY'S DIARY

2010-01-24T07:16:00.000-08:00

For those of you who find Hedi Slimane too slick and too damn classy, Terry Jones provides the gritty, grubby antitheseis in his own new photo blog (does 'phlog' sound stupid? or disgusting?) http://www.terrysdiary.com/

ART: NEW VENUE, 'THE COLE'

2009-11-29T02:10:00.000-08:00

London's newest exhibition space, 'The Cole' has been developed as a multi-functional events venue in the East-end's The Old Truman Brewery. The brainchild of Wieden + Kennedy, The Cole will become an outlet forshowcasing collaborative projects with creative partners. For the debut, artist Alex Daw presents 'Cut out and Keep' who uses sliced up magazine tears and paint to create a series of reconstructed images on canvas and glass. The salvaged pages are an attempt to hold onto the beauty of tangible print in a world of on-line, digital dominance...

TECHNOLOGY: DISTILL MAG iPHONE APP

2009-11-21T15:22:00.000-08:00

As if there wasn't enough on the publishing industry's plate at the moment with ad sales on mags low and newspapers critical, bi-annual fashion editorial anthology Distil has employed an, 'if you can't beat 'em join them' philosophy by offering their third issue as an iPhone App . The entire issue is available in the palm of your hand, although we feel slightly bereaved we can't tear all that lush editorial out of the pages and paste them on our walls. iPhone free fashion folk won't benefit much but it experiments with future scenarios for magazine publication at least?

TECHNOLOGY: FASHION AND AUGMENTED REALITY

2009-11-21T15:11:00.000-08:00

So the latest WIRED UK magazine is dubbing 'augmented reality' is dubbing 'augmented reality the new virtual reality'. Online retailer Tobi.com features a virtual fitting room where customers are invited to 'try items on' via webcam and motion sensore and then post the results on facembook for that all important girlfriends' opinion. Meanwhile, a Taylor Swift covered US InStyle magazine features a 3D message from the December model plus a 3D gift guide featuring 25 advertisers. Each participating brand featured a 3o second video that opens out of a virtualgift box. This ups the game in the advertising stakes that's for sure- who's going to psettle for a single page missible ad when you can engage the consumer in an all-singing, all-dancing interactive clip? What's more, sooner or later web-cam and iPhone freeconsumers are going to want a piece of the exclusive, hidden bonuses so expect a surge in popularity of both of these devices. It seems the trend for anaglyphic prints (Marios Schwab style) seems to be taking the next step into an more interactive, technical reality.

With 'augmented reality' images can be super-imposed via video technology from devices like web cams or iPhones to simulate experiences or annotate surroundings.

FASHION: SEASONS? WHAT SEASONS?

2009-11-21T14:28:00.000-08:00

Alongside just about every other convention in fashion (from the fashion show and the fashion press) the anti-seasons movement continues to gain momentum. we've seen naked chiffon in winter and black leather in summer whilst we can expect the cruise and pre-fall collections to become increasingly important in the fashion calendar, often providing the money-spinning commercial product. Designers are even by-passing the idea of fashion-show-as-preview by hastily getting merchandise in stores simultaneously (and therefore employing some rip-off immunity.) Burberry Prorsum even opted to put a selection of their coveted manipulated trenches on pre-sale to allow their made-to-measure models to be ready for this November!

THE FUTURE: ON FILM

2009-10-07T15:16:00.000-07:00

The throng of apocalyptic Hollywood blockbusters continue to project dystopian visions of the future, or a future far-removed from our own at least. ‘Surrogates’ sees Bruce Willis take the lead in a world where people are living their lives remotely via robotic surrogates. These robots are sexed up perfecto models of ourselves in a utopic world where pain, fear and crime are non-existent. Obviously there’s a murder, which screws with the system. Next up Viggo ‘Aragorn’ Mortensen and his son stalk a singed and ravaged post-apoc America in 'The Road'. Its dark, cold and gray and the threat of canabalistic desparates prevails. James Cameron presents his anticipated Avatar, set on another planet, Pandora inhabitated by a human-like race Na'vi complete with another language and culture. Then there is always 2010, the pre-ordained fate-date as predicted by the likes of the Mayans realised in blockbuster glory. Think iconic world cities being blown to smithereens and budget blasting explosions.

ART AND COMMERCE ON THE CATWALKS

2009-10-07T15:04:00.000-07:00

As the Tate Modern presents 'Pop Life: Art in a Material World' , art and commerce couldn't be more bettter demonstrated than at this years London Fashion Week. Cheeky designers are cutting corners on their collections, instead supplanting look-book fare with their collaborative projects. House of Holland and Ashish did little to shake off their fashion-whore titles presenting Pretty Polly and Levis (HoH) and Nike (Ashish) included. In times like these, exposure's exposure and exposure means sales right?
House of Holland for Levis ss2009

FASHION HOUSES: ALL CHANGE

2009-10-07T14:44:00.000-07:00

Phoebe Philo made a very welcome return to the catwalk with her debut collection at Celine and it didn't disapoint. It was clean and modern comprised of sharp silhouettes and lots of soft indoor leather, sports paneling and surgical tailoring. At the other end of the scale was Lindsay Lohan's controversial debut at Emanuel Ungaro alongside Spanish designer Estrella Archs. The appointment at the Italian luxury brand caused raised, groomed brows at best and furious outrage at worst, unfortunately for Li-Lo she did little to hush her critics with a lack lustre offering of an inexperienced eye. Also this week, Renzo Rosso, major shareholder of Maison Martin Margiela revealed the designer is no longer actively designing the collection. Again, the fashionistas are proving a tough crowd and suspected as much fearing the house has lots its vision in contemporary fashion. Finally, titterings that the Grand Duke of Fashion, Karl Lagerfeld could be replaced by Lanvin's Alber Elbaz at Chanel should be enough to satiate the style sets rumbing tum for a rumour!Martin Margiela Spring 2010, Copyright Style.com

STYLE SMARTENS UP?

2009-10-04T02:37:00.000-07:00

Style, shallow? Wallpaper* magazines recent collaborative edition with Phillipe Starck saw the designer relinquish his pages to a host of scientfic practitioners he admires from those studing the beginning of life to the unknown cosmos. Then, the newly re-launched POP magazine saw the Mulleavy sisters of Rodarte dress a series of stem cell researchers in their latest collection whilst engaging in some probing interviews. Perhaps fashion is wising up to much wider global issues, issues about ourselves and our very being?...

STYLE CULTURE'S LONDON FASHION WEEK PICKS

2009-09-27T05:02:00.000-07:00

The beauty of London fashion is that it doesn't feel it has to pigeon hole itself into neat little trend stories, ready-publishable for the mags and buyers. The celebration of 25 years of London Fashion Week didn't dissapoint with London designers delivering what they do best, individuality, innovation and a dash of Brit wit. Marios Schwab delivered what's been pipped as the 'Twenty-First Century Silhouette' (wow, that's a label and a half) drawing inspiration from classical mathematics and injecting these theories into a series of innovative cuts and proportions. Meanwhile Bora Aksu delivered one of my shows of the season so far (a very personal choice mind you...) part Victorian thrift part flea-market treasures, the label combined feminine flourishes with layered lace and exquisite embellishments. Quirky Charles Anastase presented a topsy-turvy take on Victorian with a witty geek-sheek edge. We particularly loved the anti-practi crinolines. Burberry Prorsum, probably the crown jewel in luxury London fashion vacated Milan to present a remixed take on Burberry classics including manipulated trench coats and twisted chiffon minis in the season's palette of ice cream hues. Finally, because we love prints we've selected Basso and Brooke, who for this season gave us hyper-real, techno futuristic creations that look marvellous when paneled into sheer nude sheaths.

STORE SPOTTING: TOKYO'S ANGULAR ARCHITECTURAL SHOP FITS

2009-09-27T03:41:00.000-07:00

Nike i-D Store, Harajuku

TOD's Store, Harajuku
Prada
Dior, Ginza

VIRAL MARKETING BY SNEAKER FREAKER

2009-09-27T03:33:00.000-07:00

So we're walking across the footbridge in Harajuku when we stumble across a pair of lone trainers, aligned neatly. Facing the road. Er, anybody missing a shoe? Actually both your shoes? And then, we spot a neat little stack of Sneaker Freaker promo cards accompanying the odd pair. Strange but kind of genius too. It's too tempting to slip into the kicks and run but this is Japan and people are too honest to do that. Brilliant.

JAPAN STICKERS, CHARACTERS, COLORS AND POSTERS

2009-09-27T02:31:00.000-07:00

LIVE MANNEQUINS AT FASHION'S NIGHT OUT

2009-09-27T02:25:00.000-07:00

Yep, we hopped aboard the Fashion's Night Out shop crawl too. We loved Zara's live mannequins...

THE SERPENTINE PAVILION 2009: Kazuyo Sejima & Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA

2009-09-27T02:10:00.000-07:00

It's always a treat to have an annual piece of architecture to look forward to and this year's Serpentine Pavillion is a stark contrast to last year's offering. Japanese architects Kazuyo Sejima & Ryue Nishizawa of the SANAA were this years commision; a floating plate of curved aluminium suspended between the galleries trees like a captured whisp of smoke. The reflective quality of the structure appears to expand the sky and surrounding park. The ephemeral structure responds to its surrounding, softening with the heat as the weather permits.

We're Back!

2009-09-27T02:09:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of posting...we've been in Japan so you can look forward to the low down on whats been going on in Tokyo!

KYLE BEAN: DISPOSABLE TECHNOLOGY

2009-08-08T01:40:00.001-07:00

In response to our love with chucking stuff away whether its a plastic container or year old mobile, graphic designer Kyle Bean has created 'Disposable Technology' a series of real-scale objects created in cardboard highlighting this transitory relationship. In particular he focuses on the type of gadgets that are evolving so fast they become dinosaurs in their own time; computers, games consoles, cameras...

PHOTOGRAPHY…LIZ WOLFE

2009-08-08T01:35:00.000-07:00

Liz Wolfe’s photographs look good enough to eat in irresistibly tasty shades of sugared almond, candy pink and vanilla. These kitsch and super cute concoctions take their cue from frosted cup cakes, heavily-loaded icing, plastique figurines and artificial flowers. The candy-coated Canadian plans every image with dedicated precision, concepting and sketching to perfection every idea before taking to the lens.

TREND: LIFE FOR FREE

2009-08-08T01:31:00.000-07:00

‘The best things in life are free?’ actually they almost are...

Price: £0.00
The information economy provided by the internet has meant minute by minute updated feeds have replaced newspaper and magazine purchases, pre-historic library visits have been replaced by Wikipedia and premium consultations have been supplanted by a Google search.

Who even needs a TV when you can catch up with your favourite shows (at your own convenience) on BBC iPlayer and the like? What’s more, who actually uses a telephone these days when a simple tweet, msn im or the ‘classic’ email will do? Oh yeah and there’s Skype, which once it gains full momentum will render Bell’s invention obsolete.

The issue here is that whilst it’s well and good free-loading, its also chipping away business and revenue from the very companies that fuel our economy. Ahh. What’s more the problem with ‘free’ is that it also has to make money. Take YouTube, a phenomenally popular video-sharing ste that is still struggling to find a way to generate revenue. And even Facebook- people just don’t click through the ads.

Cashing in on the Cult of Free
In Chris Andersons new book, ‘The Future of a Radical Price’ he explores the common-place cult of piracy in China from music to dvd to designer fashion.
Whilst piracy is near-acceptable a host of Chinese musicians are utilising the culture as a form of marketing. Free publicity converts to celebrity that can be generated into £. Fight a losing battle with fire.

Anderson also discusses his ‘Freemium’ business model concept which includes; ‘time-limited’- 30 days free, then you pay like LoveFilm; ‘feature-limited’- basic version free, sophisticated upgrade paid for like Wordpress and ‘customer type-limited’- small firms get it free like Microsoft BizSpark.

Rent-a-Life
We loved WIRED UK’s august issue that offered rent-a-life tips, How much stuff do we possess that we actually need to own outright? Imagine a life where you could up and leave with everything on your back if you needed to. Don’t rip your CD’s once whilst they gather dust - use Spotify; don’t rinse a month’s wages on a one-season-pony – rent your bag from Handbaghirehq; don’t pay needless overheads one casual office space – rent a cubicle, from around £60 a month.

As the recession has walloped us with a slap round the face wake-up call, times like these make us more sensitive to price than ever and there is no better price that £0.00.. A few quid saved becomes a significant triumph. What’s more we come to re-assess the value of things, how much are things really worth? How much could we get it for? What do we need to possess and what do we need to possess sometimes?

NEXT INSTALLMENT…We examine ‘Freesumerism’ and our leaning to more experience-based forms of costless recreation from odd-ball events to at-home entertainment.

A TEXTILE FUTURE

2009-07-18T13:14:00.001-07:00

Air pollution absorbant walls? Wood textiles? Water textiles? These are just a few of the recent research projects created by Central Saint Martins MA Textile Futures graduates.
Environment was of course an intrinsic theme appearing in the several students work. Eunsuk Hur's beautifully crafted modular textiles included laser cut felt and sublimation printing on wood to create surfaces that can be interlinked and re, assembled. Chloe Alberts, 'Filter the Filth' wall coverings were designed to absorb toxic VCO's from the air, moving in and out as the levels changed- disguised in beautiful textile art of course.
Challenging Nature, Elisa Strozyk experimented with the possibility of wood as a fluid textile, piecing hand cut lino on to a fabric base. Andrea Monjo explored the possibilities of water as a 'material' for future design (see Hydropolis) experimenting with different states of the substance to produce a 'forecasting' book.
Magic, was another key theme realised exquisitely in Solenne Morigeaud's etched glass panes, antique-inspired mirrors and crafted wallpapers.

HYDROPOLIS: THE WORLDS FIRST UNDERWATER HOTEL

2009-07-18T12:53:00.000-07:00

Bigger, Better Dubai had to be the home of one of the worlds largest construction projects, the Hydropolis underwater hotel. A massive 260 hectares house 220 suites within a submarine complex 20 meters below the Persian Gulf, the complex is due to open at the end of this year. The project makes scientific fantasises a closer reality with no other venture yet succeeding in creating a liveable habitat for man under water. The design of the hotel itself is based on an abstracted form of the human figure, based on the principle that we are selves are made of 80% water. What's more the concept is very much designed with the appreciation of marine life and the fundamental relationshipship between life and water in mind; here you can experience the 'tranquility and inspiration' of the underwater world whilst the facility even holds a marine biological research laboratory. Such extravagance and ambition could only be found in Dubai, already home of 'The World' (man-made islands shaped in teh countries of the globe.)

TRANSPORTED FOR THE FUTURE: ASTON MARTIN'S LONDON BUSES

2009-07-18T11:18:00.000-07:00

Following London mayor Boris Johnson's 'Design a Bus' competition, super-luxe Aston Martin have collaborated with architectural firm Foster + Partners to concept a new design for the iconic London bus. The new design looks the closest thing to a first step towards futuristic London; comfortable, stylish and built with state of the art features. Electric motors, sunlight-charged batteries and reconstituted leather seating and recycled wood flooring. The first street prototypes should appear around 2011.

3D PRINT INVADES DAZED AND CONFUSED

2009-07-18T11:10:00.000-07:00

Leave it to on-the-money Dazed & Confused to integrate the hottest graphics trend- three dimensional onto their very pages. Playing as a backdrop to the Marios Schwab collection (that started it all) the eye-popping spread complete with free 3-D anaglyphic glasses are in another dimension to say the least…

143 POP UP STORE

2009-05-17T12:11:00.000-07:00

We love a good pop-up store, a temporary retail space to ease us from the fatigue of the ever-ubiquitous high street. This month cult London-based brand Silver Spoon Attire have teamed up with graphique guru Kate Moross (you will have seen her work for Cadbury's and her collabs with Topshop) to produce a meticulously curated selection of uber-cool merchandise and fashion concepts. Silver Spoon present their own capsule collection as well as their new eyewear range where you can select your own acrylic plastic design- (Nike ID stylee). Other cool items include printed tees and fab quilted hoodies by Electronic Poet, a bubblegum pink bike on raffle in aid of Banardos, vintage specs, candy, watch rings, records and jewelry by Fred Butler. The interior of the store itself features fab perspex hangings and plastic colored triangles adorning the walls. Its a must visit, freshing concept store- but hurry its only on for one more week!

YELLOW FEVER AT SELFRIDGES LONDON CENTENARY

2009-05-17T11:26:00.001-07:00

This month Selfridges' London Store celebrates 100 years of fashion, lifestyle and beauty with a month long celebration of Fashion DJ Saturdays, Cabaret Sundays and specially commisioned products from the likes of Coca Cola, Giles, Moleskin Notebooks, Toywatch and Juicy Tubes in trademark Pantone 109 Yellow.

STOCKHOLM STYLE

2009-05-16T15:24:00.000-07:00

Our Scandi pals from Sveden have always been highly regarded in the style stakes with their own brand of on-the-mark cool. A legion of cult brands have bred from Stockholm, now established as international super hits from Acne, Cheap Monday and Cheapo to designers Sandra Backlund and London based Ann-Sofie Back(who is now head of design at Cheap Monday). What's more London's own Fashion and Textiles Museum also dedicated an entire exhibition to Swede Style. Watch as we see even more trend defining brands and street style setters emerging.

KEITAI SHOSETUSU: JAPANESE MOBILE PHONE NOVELS

2009-05-10T06:23:00.000-07:00

KEITAI SHOSETUSUOnline publishing means we can read (and create our own) instantly produced blogs instead of magazines, communicate what we are up to via social networking sites or Twitter instead of handwriting letters. One of the last remaining threads of tangible media that we just haven't seemed to be able to let go of yet is the book. The Sony 'Reader' and corresponding e-books haven't quite managed to distill the comforting feel of leafing through crisp paper sheets. One could argue, who has time to read anyway these days? I'd wager most can only afford a few stolen moments on the daily commute or else an annual beach book-a-thon.
Leave it to techno-town Japan to kick start a revolution in the hard-to-budge book publishing industry. Japanese Mobile Phone Novels or M-Books are BIG news. Budding 'authors' are tapping out passages on their cells and uploading them to sites in bite size chunks that can be read anywhere. This fascinating new 'genre' is characterised by fragmented paragraphs, short and sweet sentences with minimal character development and description and tend to be written in a first-person diary format- all traces of a generation brought up on manga and comic books then. Launched around six years ago by established fiction writer Yoshi, the concept was soon adopted by inexperienced Japanese school girls who wanted to share their amateur-fict.
Followers can indulge in a daily update whilst the days of traditional writers having to conjure inspiration from their laptop screens and defeat the deadly writers block could be over. Critics have warned that not only has literacy declined from txt talk but it will also damage the quality of Japanese literature. Even literary journal, Bungaku-kai asked 'Will cellphone novels kill the author?' in there January issue. Perhaps this new concept could actually make reading alot more accessible, especially for children who could enjoy digestible bites without their attention waning.
On the one hand some authors are choosing to remain anoymous- many of their tales document their personal experiences, on the on the other hand these underground texters are finding stardom. It's a route to the book charts with several mobile phone novels being reproduced into real published books with writers like Rin making her way to number 5 in the chart with her tragic love story selling 400,000 copies (2007). Now anyone can be the next J.K.Rowling. The market is growing rapidly, sites like Magic iLand provide online libraries of thousands of these self-published novels. Now there are even mobile phone novel awards. If people weren't already absorbed with serious thumb tapping antics, people could be getting down to some serious work if this niche phenomenon spreads worldwide.

MORE LIBERTY PRINT

2009-05-10T04:03:00.000-07:00

We know the whole Liberty Print trend has been ongoing but if this throng of collabs are anything to go by the trademark ditsy florals and stylised peacock feathers have sealed the deal in street sport and youth credibility. Take a look at the latest 'X's with Nike, A.P.C, Cacharel and Kate Moss for Topshop...

FINE ART AND FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY COLLIDE

2009-05-10T03:22:00.000-07:00

There was a time when the only form of recorded portraiture was the medium of lengthy, painstaking painting. In the latest Another Man magazine Christian Schoeler presents the most exquisite oil paintings in place of a photogaphic editorial spread. Forms are suggested by the most remarkable application of color and animated strokes. A spread like this highlights just how far portraiture has travelled as well as the well out-moded practice of painted portraits. It's not just Schoeler who's at it, Rob Hefferan presents amazing photoreal images (with essence of Jack Vetriano) utilising considerable artistic technique.

LONDON ZINE SYMPOSIUM 2009

2009-05-04T06:48:00.000-07:00

Now in it's fifth year, the concept of the London Zine Symposium couldn't be more apt. First and foremost, thrifty times have prompted consumers and creatives to try there hand at DIY whether its a little home maintenance, a wardrobe rehash, a stick at home baking or an attempt at homemade beauty products, people seem more willing than ever to consider a self-sufficient crafted approach. What's more, the reason for this anewed open-mindedness- that freaking 'economic downturn' have seen more people re-assess their attitudes to corporately owned mass market culture favoring more community and personal based approaches. So, after all that waffle...the concept of producing your own self-published sheet on something you are passionate about has certainly struck a cord if the 60 stalls at this years symposium were anything to go by. There was a real warm, bohemian spirit about the place as tables were laden with stapled together photocopied booklets, pin badges, prints and home made cookies. As for the publications on sale, for a few pence you could follow the sad but beautifully illustrated adventures of 'Badger' read a 'Brief History of Anarchy' or flick through a comic book by 'Paper Tiger'.

BARBIE WINDOWS AT DOVER STREET MARKET

2009-05-04T06:41:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the 50th birthday of Barbie, Dover Street Market have created a window installation in her honour. A giant doll head with lipstick dominates the scene accompanied by an extensive range of Barbie Doll figures dressed in everything from decade-themed clothing, Grease costumes and even scaled down mini versions of the latest runway looks proving that in whichever and what ever situation, the girl's never out of style.

NEW THEATRE AND PERFORMANCE GALLERIES AT THE V&A

2009-04-19T04:50:00.000-07:00

Next time you take a trip to the V&A for fashion inspiration why not skip the costume galleries and visit the newly opened Theatre and Performance galleries instead. The new space features props, theatre ephemera, some fascinating stage set models and of course some impressive costumes and headpieces.

NEW MAGAZINES: WIRED

2009-04-05T03:21:00.000-07:00

It may seem like an odd publication to flag on a site dedicated to style and design but the UK launch of Conde Nast's Wired is likely to prove a valuable source of trends information if not a profound influence on some of culture's key thinkers. The publication is all about 'what's next' and a key indicator of how science, technology and communications could shape our future. In the premiere issue, fast-forward to their feature on our future in the next 40 years whereby a panel of experts from Faith Popcorn to Marian Salzman divulge some fascinating predictions...a war based on climate change (no thanks), and AIDS vaccine (lets hope), Minority Report individual advertising (most likely). Take a peek at the Twitter phenomenon and witness an imaginary cityscape of London underwater post meltdown. Well worth a read.

NEW ART: 'MOMENT OF ME'

2009-04-05T03:18:00.000-07:00

This weeks art piece represents the first in a series about how each moment is but a transitory glimpse from the former and the future.

ALTERMODERN @ THE TATE BRITAIN

2009-03-28T15:46:00.000-07:00

After post-modernism comes.....? 'Altermodern' coined by Palais du Tokio curator Nicolas Bourriaud attempts to define not only the state of art in 2009 but a new era of creative and collective culture. 'Alternative-Modern', it's an in-progress, visionary attempt at redefining modernity in an era of globalisation. It suggests that the expiry date on postmodernism is nearing, characterised by the global financial crisis. At the core of this megatrend? Globalisation. Whereas twentieth century Modernism was primarily a western phenomena, the new century Altermodernity embraces influence and collaboration from internationational cultures and geographies; 'the archipelago and its kindred forms, the constellation and the cluster function here as models representing the altermodern'. A key characteristic of the curated work is an unwillingness to arrive at a destination or indeed commit to a cultural identity, reflective of this ethnicity free approach. In terms of the art process, work now depicts a trajectory or 'journey form', we are now invited to travel with the arist in their discoveries and muse at their continuous findings. Space and time are no longer fixed nor essential to the understanding of the work. Look for further coverage of the artists and more of this concept in further posts.

LE CORBUSIER AT THE BARBICAN

2009-03-28T14:36:00.000-07:00

London's Barbican presented a series of insightful talks in conjunction with 'Le Corbusier: The Art of Architecture'. Known as 'the architect of the 20th century', the modernist protaganists' work was a complex layer of meanings and unlikely references. Three key threads could have been drawn from these fascinating lectures.

Corbusier and Nature

Ultimately, despite the rigorously urbane aesthetic Le Corbusier was all about nature, sometimes described as 'proto-ecological architecture'. Human Nature, Mother Nature, Nature. Early building was placed where one could best experience the horizon, an aspect which would become a perenial feature of his work. Constructs were initially situated within environments which celebrated one of the four elements; earth, fire, water, air. Buildings ascend towards the sky, rooms overlook spectacular views, the buildings himself were his own vision of a landscape. His urban gardens were best demonstrated by an omnipresent use of flat, roof top living spaces.

Corbusier and a New World

Corbusier explored the concept of the house as a machine using technology to escape from the superfluous. Seamless flat construction, pure space, elevated rooms and suspended ground all helped create a dreamlike, disconnected vision of a personal utopia. Many of his designs sought to compliment and follow the lines of what may have been considered unsightly, even ugly elements necessary in modern living like plumbing and radiators. For him, nature and the synthetic marks of a manufactured world needn't be at odds- they could embrace each others beauty.

Corbusier and Mythology

For Corbusier, everything had a meaning- it had to have a meaning. Things were elementised and thematised. It was all one big excercise in mythology- symbolic yet also very abstracted. He is often described as seeking to turn architecture into a religion, elevating it into a cosmic realm.

BRIT INSURANCE: DESIGN OF THE YEAR @ THE DESIGN MUSEUM

2009-03-15T11:03:00.000-07:00

HUSSEIN CHALAYAN AT THE DESIGN MUSEUM

2009-03-15T09:56:00.000-07:00

DOMINIQUE GONZALEZ-FOERSTER, 'TH.2058'

2009-03-15T09:12:00.000-07:00

Hows this for a Dystopian future? As part of the Tate Moderns annual turbine hall commisions Paris/Rio based artist Gonzalz-Foerster has created the ninth of the progressive, thought-provoking concept installations. Imagine London fifty years from now where the Turbine Hall has become not an art space but a human shelter for Londoners escaping a continuous rainfall. Resembling something of a film set, the space is dominated by repetitive lines of bunkbeds, linen free and each with a book attached. It looks cold and prison like. Piercing lights evoke an unseen surveillance whilst a large video screen plays extracts from Science Fiction movies depicting shelter and isolation. You may be suprised to see a Louise Bourgeois-style oversized spider alongside other replicated works by noted sculptors such as Henry moore, Alexander Calder and Bruce Nauman- artists who have greatly influenced the artist. Its the type of live-art that throws you into a shocking vision of a potential future reality, a little apocalyptic, a little 1984.

ANOTHER BOUT OF ANGLOMANIA

2009-03-15T08:57:00.000-07:00

So the Brits are clean-sweeping awards in the movies and music alike. Kate Winslet finally recieved her longed-for Best Actress award at this years Oscars whilst Slumdog Millionaire and grime-director Danny Boyle has stolen the show from the Academy Awards to the Baftas. Thats not all, British music is experiencing something of a second-coming with stellar acts like Coldplay, Duffy, Adele and Amy Winehouse flying the flag for Brit sonics. Finally, the recently opened British Music Experience at London's O2 venue pays homage to over 60 years of UK-based groundbreaking talent from The Beatles to David Bowie. An audio-visual feast and a treasure trove of priceless memorabilia tells the story of British pop along with trends through the decades and its inextricable relationships with art, fashion and politics.

THE DUTCH MASTERS

2009-03-15T08:09:00.000-07:00

The extraordinary work of the 1600's Dutch Masters are revelling in a fashion moment. The Tate Britains' latest blockbuster show celebrates a sumptous selection of portraits by Belgian painter Sir Anthony van Dyck. Each painting conveys many of the leading characters of the Stuart period and an extraordinary depiction of the fashions of the time. Its no coincidence that historical plunderer John Galliano chose to revel in the exquiste colors and structured silhouettes of the 17th century for his Spring 2009 Couture show. Think trademark Vemeer blue and yellow-golds (Prada Spring 2009 style) garnished with hand crafted Van Dyck Lace. If the voluminous constructed silks are a little too literal, look to Burberry's painting-printed tees for a cool nod to Flemish Fashion.

THE NOTION OF AN 'ICON'

2009-03-15T07:17:00.000-07:00

'Icon' seems to be one of the cliches of our contemporary culture. Once a literal translation for 'image' the term has come to encompass everything from a familiar kitchen appliance design to a television program, a color to a x-list celebrity. This month, two publications address this linguistic phenomenon. At one end of the scale Intelligent Life embarks on an investigation of a word that arguably once signalled a genuine honour and recognition of influence and achievement and now is so ubiquitous. At the other, new Katie Grand/ Conde Nast venture Love documents some of these so-called icons in their curated 'Icons of a Generation' issue.

Pop Style

2009-02-28T04:12:00.000-08:00

Lady Gaga 'Poker Face'
Pop's fiesty electro vixen presents a futuristic android clad in pvc, perspex armor and mirror ball plating. She cites her style icons as Grace Kelly, David Bowie and Donatella Versace.

Katy Perry 'Thinking of You'
Click 'mute' if you like but Katy's Perry's latest video for Thinking of You is a gorgeous forties fest of pin-up lingerie, wasp waist suits and tea room frocks. Love it!
Take That 'Up All Night'
Trust us on this one! Take That's British Ragamuffin look could have come straight off the Burberry Menswear Autumn/Winter 2009 Catwalk.

Copyright Images

One To Watch: Watchmen

2009-02-28T03:33:00.000-08:00

Pipped as the greatest graphic novel ever concepted with an intelligent, politically charged plot and a host of iconic masked vigilantes, the highly anticipated Watchmen has hit the screen. A must for those who visited the V&A's Cold War Modern exhibition, the film imagines an 1985 in which President Nixon still reigns the USA, the American/Soviet competitive battle is as strong as ever and the Doomsday clock sits at five minutes to midnight. A must see.
Copyright: Warner Brothers

Consumer and Culture: Re-wind

2009-02-28T03:08:00.000-08:00

The past twelve months has witnessed the phenomenal revival of bands attempting to re-live their glory days with one following suit of the other on an almost weekly basis. Some have been more successful (Take That) than others (ahem, Five). This year already Blur, Limp Bizkit and Blink 182 have announced comebacks after significant musical absences with no doubt more on the cards. So what do we think- is it a little cheeky to re-enter the scene when the cash balance looks a little low or are we glad our once-loved musical heroes are back for an encore? Either way, its an interesting phenomenon of our time to witness and a risky business. Either immortalise yourself or tarnish your lasting memory. In uncertain times, it feels kinda good to suspend ourself in a protected bubble and indulge in some shameless nostalgia, 'when times were good' and all that jazz. It's not just pretty recent bands making a comeback but songs too. You only have to switch onto Flaunt at any point to hear the lastest hideous cover of a popular nineties dance track. Initiatives like Radio 1's Live Lounge and artists like Mark Ronson have witnessed premature covers of contemporary tracks whether its Amy Winehouse's cover of The Zutons Valerie or Leona Lewis' take on Snow Patrol's Run.

Brands: NoiWear

2009-02-28T02:24:00.000-08:00

For their third collection, British label NoiWear comissioned six artists to design graphics under the theme 'Carnival of Fear'. Joanna Pallaris, Copyright, Twiy for Colt, Kam Rehal, Orly Orbach and Alec Doherty/ Lonely Punks Prints Collective applied their gothic illustrative styles to a series of 300 limited edition designs. Think all the trademarks of artsy macabre; liquidated blackbirds, ornate portraits and flat plane circus graphics.

GRAFITTI COLLAGE

2008-09-20T09:11:00.000-07:00

Spray cans render expressionist strokes, pasted with stickers, scrawls and ripped posters.

ARCHITECTURE: FRANK GEHRY AT THE SERPENTINE PAVILLION

2008-07-20T09:59:00.000-07:00

This year's Serpentine Gallery Pavillion is designed by Pritzker Prize winning architect Frank Gehry. His design is based on an 'urban street' comprised of angular timber and glass. The result is a multi-dimensional structure configured of different planes and angles. By day, the structure is a place for relaxation and reflection, by night the pavillion places host to a lively mix of music, performance and debates.Image: www.serpentinegallery.org

EXHIBITION: DANNY TREACY 'THEM'

2008-07-20T09:23:00.000-07:00

This small exhibition could be easily overshadowed by the glitzier, well-publicised 'Fashion In the Mirror' but 'Them' by Danny Treacy is an intellectual fashion treat. The photographer uses abandoned clothing to constract bizarre and slightly disturbing new garments. The clothes are worn, torn apart, solied and stained then re-composed into a new 'skin'. The photographer then wears them and photographs himself, shrouded in these new garments set against a black background to unnerving effect. These threatening figures have been described as 'urban warriors' or 'mythical beasts'. The clothing loses any definition of fashion adopting a purely artistic role; the pre-worn clothes are subjected to a ritualistic process where by they are discarded then reinhabited. The reappropriated concept is highly dissimilar to the vintage purchase it is not simply re-worn but re-identified.Image: www.dannytreacey.com

DESIGNERS WE LOVE: RICARDO TISCI

2008-07-13T12:02:00.000-07:00

It wasn't long ago that the reputation of the house of Givenchy was hanging by a thread (pardon the pun). Along came an Italian knight in dark armour to inject a pulse of life into the brand, Ricardo Tisci. Tisci has adopted role of head designer for the womenswear, menswear and Haute Couture ranges and has so far often season after season of exquisite craftmanship and beautiful ideas. From sinuous body sculpture, intricate laser cutting, lace applique and finely worked leathers the designer has single handedly brought the ailing French label back on the map. We expect to see Givenchy become what Raf Simons has created for Jil Sander and Nicolas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga.

Image Source: Frillr.com

EXHIBITIONS: FREE RANGE FESTIVAL

2008-07-05T16:56:00.000-07:00

Hurry and catch the Free Range Festival at The Old Truman Brewery in Brick Lane. For eight weeks, the East End buzzes with the cream of British design talent exposing the very best in graphics, product, web design and the rest. Discover the latest magazine proposal, graphic concepts, commercial design art-meets-design and above all, creative innovation.

EXHIBITIONS: SKIN + BONES

2008-07-05T15:21:00.000-07:00

The first offering from the newly opened Embankment Galleries at Somerset House is an impressive if a little small show celebrating the startling parallels between the two distinct design disciplines of fashion and architecture. From the design process, the structural body of the garment and architectural feat and the construction methods itself, the similarities in approach and eventual form are closer than you may initially think. Highlights include the spectacular garments you only see in fashion books like Hussein Chalayan's mechanical shift dress, Rei Kawakubo's lumps and bumps and Alexander McQueen's technical-textural experiments. Notable architects include Zaha Hadid (of course), Frank Gehry and Future Systems. Skin + Bones will leave you overflowing with inspiration. A must see.

ARTS: STREET ART AT THE TATE MODERN

2008-07-05T14:18:00.000-07:00

You know when the art of the underground has infiltrated mainstream culture when it's pasted on to the exterior of one of the worlds most famous modern art museums, The Tate Modern. Five world-renowned street artists were commissioned to create large-scale works in their signature style to adorn the iconic gallery facade; Blu from Bologna, Italy; the artist collective Faile from New York, USA; JR from Paris, France; Nunca and Os Gemeos, both from São Paulo, Brazil and Sixeart from Barcelona, Spain. From monochrome poster to crude cartoon and computer graphics, the wall is not to be missed!

WELCOME TO STYLE CULTURE

2008-06-28T01:55:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Style Cuture. A blog celebrating fashion, creative arts, trends and lifestyle. Expect reports, reviews, listings, critiques, interviews and inspiraton. Please feel free to leave your comments and suggestions.