Iris Schieferstein Hoofed Shoe

Last year a friend sent me a picture of these shoes as a joke since it looked like I was a hoofed animal in some of my high heels. The artist Iris Schieferson is a German artist that works with dead animals as raw material, cutting and pasting in a Frankenstein-like manner to create art and fashion.

The gun on the heel reminded me of The Chanel line of Gun heels Madonna wore a little while back.

With a touch of Nina Ricci Shoes Fall 2009

Schiefersteien's shoes are worth roughly $6000

I don't imagine it is something one would want to wear often if at all but it is certainly a morbid piece where fashion meets art.

Ralph Lauren Spring 2011

My favorite of NY Fashion week was the Ralph Lauren 2011 Spring Line. It had romantic feminine lady like silhouettes with a spin of a western look. Fringe and lace, whites tans and light blues. I simply loved it. Here are a few of my favorite looks below,

                                                         *See full runway show here

Shoe-gasim

These John Galliano shoes are epic in every way imaginable. Truly looking like neon sculpture rather that fashion. So far there are no sites showing them for sale as of yet.

Love the Burberry Prosum Leather Coat

                                                                                                            *Spring 2011     

Bone Daddy

                                   *Betsey Johnson Spring 2011 at NY Fashion Week

                                      *Jeremy Scott Spring 2011 NY Fashion Week

Alexander McQueen Memorial takes place in London

                       
                     February 11th this year, the fashion world lost an icon, Alexander McQueen.

 The designer took his own life nine days after his mother died and one day before her funeral was to be held.  On Monday at Saint Paul's Cathedral in London, a memorial service was held to remember the late designer. Sarah Jessica Parker, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Stella McCartney, Rachael Weisz and Vogue editor Anne Wintour were among the crowd of fashionista's that attended the memorial service.
Parker was in tears as she gave her final farewell. 

  

Wintour was the first to take the podium, "He taught us that the runway was a place where dreams become reality. There was no comfort zone with Alexander McQueen. There was no containing of his contradictions. Even his final collection was a literal fight between dark and light. His was an 18-year career of harnessing his dreams and demons," she said.

"He showed us everything was possible; dreams could become reality. But he has left us with an even more exceptional legacy, a talent that soared like the birds of his childhood above us all."

Inside the cathedral, Icelandic performer Bjork, dressed in white and wearing angel wings, sang 'Gloomy Sunday,' a composition associated with suicide.

He was remembered in March on what would have been his 41st birthday by a number of prominent New York-based designers, including Diane von Furstenberg, Michael Kors, Zac Posen and Calvin Klein's Francisco Costa.

The Alexander McQueen label lives on under the creative direction of Sarah Burton.

Vivianne Westwood Red Rocking Horse Platform Wedge

 

Found this gem of a shoe, reminded me of Hermes, the Greek God. the messenger and guide to the underworld. These babies run rough $198.00.  

I want!

Underwater Fashion Show

While out with a friend tonight, we talked fashion and she brought up something she saw on the news while in Europe. She said it was an underwater fashion show and I knew right away I wanted to look more into it.

Recently there was an underwater fashion show in Seoul Korea to celebrate to opening of a new department store called Lotte. Models swim with grace in ethereal brightly colored "hanbok" dresses, designed by Park Sul-Nyeo.

I also found this amusing clip from the 1950's of an underwater fashion show but with a toung and cheek satire tone rather than a fashinable one.

Burqa Banning: Imposing Religous Freedom or Bringing Freedom to Muslim Women?

Recently in France there was a vote to ban face covers including burqas. The measure must still go to the French Senate before it becomes law. The Senate is expected to vote on it in the week of September 20, Other European countries have hoped on board with banning burqa's or are at least discussing the possibility.

When first learning about this news I had a range of different feelings about the issue. At first I felt that a ban was a bit extreme and imposed on religious freedom. But then again, the burqa was only recently imposed on women and that it really has little to do with Islam, rather the government imposing these extreme morals.
 

This is a dicey subject because a burqa can represent a number of different things.Some women who may wear a burqa do so as a choice,  seeing it as a way to connect to God and show her faith. Others do so out of sheer protection from being a social outcast, who would be seen as a whore tempting men if not covered  or worse, raped and beaten. "Asking for it" so to speak, which isn't an unfamiliar phrase we hear rapist say anyways in a culture where burqa's are not the norm.

I'm curious to know how others feel about the recent decision France made about banning burqas....do you feel that it imposes on religious freedom? Do you agree that most women who wear burqas are forced to so banning them is a step towards more freedom? Could banning the burqa lead to more violence towards women by not covering themselves?

*To find out more about this please view Claire Berlinski's article.

"Oil and Water" Fashion/Artistic Statement

I recently flipped through the August issue of Italian Vogue and was taken by surprise from the images I saw in one fashion spread. The images are so powerful and shocking they boarder on offensive. I imagine American Vogue would most likely never do a spread this provocative.

In what is titled Oil and Water the model  Kristen McMenamy is portrayed as a one of thousands of Gulf of Mexico creatures that have fallen victim to the oil spill. Photographer Steven Meisel purposely created an atmosphere that makes the viewer uncomfortable  to capture the stark reality of  the situation.

I find it brave, maybe not so fashionable  but defiantly innovative and creative. A statement to say the least.



*Tulle dress with beaded embroidery, Ralph Lauren Collection. Rubber necklace, My Sister's Art. Hair by Orlando Pita for Orlo Salon. Make-up Pat McGrath. Fashion editor Karl Templer. Set design by Mary Howard.

Temporary Tattoo's pt 2

Did I call it or what with the designer temporary tattoos or what? Betsey Johnson just came out with a line of temporary tattoos as seen above. They are not nearly as costly as the Chanel temp tats which are roughly $75. These cost around $25. The design of the chains are similar but Johnson has put her own personal touch especially with her signature bold colors.