Sarah Burton for McQueen Menswear Spring/Summer 2011

Back in February, the greatest designer that the world have met, died. Now four months after, the Gucci Group is trying to keep his legacy alive (and also the incomes), so now, McQueen's fashion house is directed by Sarah Burton, who was his right hand since 1996. So her turn came and she presented her first collection, showing the house aesthetic.

The show was named "Pomp and Circumstance", it has some nice elements like high collars, morning suits, jackets (that was always a key piece in McQueen's). Of course it was not going to be the same, Burton might has worked for 14 years with Lee, but they would never thing the same way. I liked the collection, it reminds me a little bit of his work, but it's not the same. She's on a really hard position, everyone's waiting to see what' she is doing, if she's going to do it right or if she's going to mess it up.

In my opinion, the collection lacked of Alexander's theatricality, it was not enough with a gold brocade coat (which I loved) and some "smoky" coats. There were good pieces, unusual silhouettes, puffy sleeves... But there's something that I must recognized in her work, as Tim Blanks said: The truest reflection of the McQueen heritage was the sense of a story being told: Burton's interplay between aristo and working-class rough was the latest chapter in a book started nearly two decades ago."

It would be a matter of time and everyone's looking forward to see her work. She has potencial and she has the knowleadge to be leading the McQueen house, and maybe that's why I think she fits in this position, but we'll see...

Chanel Pre-Fall 2010

Menswear fashion weeks are starting now, plus the Resort collections, plus pre-fall. And I found this ad campaign from Chanel Pre-Fall 2010 and I thoight I should share it. It's not beyond anything we've seen, but Lagerfeld makes an amazing job as a designer and also his photography skills are great.

Simple, yet beautiful. A classic collection from Karl, presented in Shangai, where the city played a leading role. Presented in Huanpu River, with an amazing skyline on the back, that was the "set". Inspired by the city, the clothes has the Chanel signature all over, giving this time a twist with the accesories and also with the details on the clothes, bringing this country legacy and culture into fashion. This collection and ad campaign was inspired by "Paris-Shangai: A fantasy", a movie directed by Lagerfeld telling stories about Gabrielle Chanel and her visits to Shangai, where she experienced with different people and situations, of course Baptiste Giabiconi acts.

Other than being a special presentation, this Paris-Shangai thing is an answer to the giant power that China has over the world and of course if you want to be someone, you gotta go where the money is and this country has helped Chanel to grow as a brand. A sample of the success of the house is the majority of the audience dressed in Chanel from top to toe, the opening of a new store and this one been packed with people since they opened.

R.I.P Tom Nicon

Another model was found dead... Another tragic day for fashion. This time, model Tom Nicon aged 22, was found dead in Milan this morning when he supposedly "fell" from his window apartment. There has been no comments about his dead, but an unnamed friend that "he did the Versace fitting this morning, after that he was supposed to go to his agency but he never arrived. I don't know if it was suicide or if he fell."

It's weird that someone so successful, who walked for Burberry, Louis Vuitton, Costume National, Versace, Kenzo, Gareth Pugh, and Hugo Boss came to this ending but, we all know how fashion could be sometimes, how cruel it can be. In the last years Daul Kim ♥ and Ambrose Olsen killed themselves and many people think it was because of the pressure they had on them. I made an entry about Lara Stone and how hard it was for her to get to the top, where she is right now. Fame can be a tricky thing, it can get you to the top, but there could be many things missing... emotionally speakind.

An anonymous model told, "people think we are young and beautiful and rich and happy. But we're not. We go to castings and the directors take one look at us and then we're dismissed. You spend your whole life wondering what's wrong with you. Why didn't I get that job? You're competing with your friends, you're away from your family. The pressure is huge. It's not the fairytale life people would expect."

Daphne Guinness bought Izzy's wardrobe

A few weeks ago, I wrote an entry about Isabella Blow's wardrobe being auctioned, with which I though that it was sad the fact that a no one was gonna get this amazing pieces from her personal collection without even knowing the real value of each and every thing she wore or bought. This auction was supposed to take place at Christie's in September but... Daphne Guinness bought Izzy's entire wardrobe. YAY!

I think that Daphne having all of Blow's pieces makes me happier than a random socialite having them, at least we know that she would appreciate and value every piece and heapiece from this amazing collection.

Both Isabella and Daphne has a unique and excentric style, so I think that no one more than her is perfect to have the whole wardrobe. Rather than a girl from "The Hills" or "The City" buying something just to be hip. This wardrobe deserves a place in a museum and I hope that someday someone plans an exhibition like "When Philip met Isabella" or the one from Daphne Guinness or Piaggi's.

Update: "The planned sale at Christie's could only result in carnage, as souvenir seekers plundered the incredible body of work Issie had created over her life. Indeed, in many ways, the auction would not be merely a sale of clothes; it would be a sale of what was left of Issie, and the carrion crows would gather and take away her essence forever", said Daphne Guinness. ♥

Kois Associated Architects

As I said before, Architecture will always be part of my life, even if it's just to watch and appreciate great projects (from my point of view) or as an inspiration or just as part of somethings related with aesthetics.

I found this project to be made in Jordan by Kois Associated Architects, a greek firm who's proposal is a mixed used building, a trend right now that we can even find here in Costa Rica, but besides being trendy is very functional, I do believe in trends, sorry. Kois started with a study of Ammn's urban environment, its organization, typology of structure plus an analysis of the jordanian architecture.

The cover of the building is a grid, based on symbolisms and meanings from the contemporary city and culture. The purpose of it is to create a veil "which also defines the extent of the city’s flow into the building, allowing a gradual interplay between indoors and outdoors, differing from floor to floor". Also, the main circulations (vertical and horizaontal) to the upper floors are located on a space created next to the building, this is to accomplished circulation outside the main core of the building and to access it by small openings that reveal the interiors.

The stores are located on the first floors and are structured like a traditional bazaar, this because of the importance of the bazaar as a merchandising local practice. For the offices, the goal was to achieve maximum organizational flexibility for the user. The higher levels of the building is the residential part, that also includes two family lofts.

I dream of one day walking around San José and find interesting building to see... I know it's far from this, but there's too many creative people in this country, with amazing ideas. I've seen great projects from local architects, interior designers, engineers, people who's actually updated with what's going on worldwide, but of course, there's always a "wall", in some cases is breakable, in some others there's no other choice than walk away, but that's a society thing, that pushes away. What a shame!

CFDA Awards Part Two

As I promised, I got the rest of the photos from the Council of Fashion Designers of America winners and nominees. So there's not much to say (as lately...), but here are the pics from the CFDA Journal.

Enjoy.

Alexander Wang, winner of the Swarovski Award for Accessory Design.


Accessory Designer of the Year recipient Alexis Bittar poses with fashion maverick Iris Apfel, one of his greatest inspirations and which I love.

Christopher Bailey received the International Award for his work as chief creative officer of Burberry.

Eddie Borgo was also one of the nominees in the Swarovski Award for Accesory Design, here with model Anja Rubik.

Model Jaime Bochert poses with accesories and a dress by Marc Jacobs, who won Womenswear Designer of the Year, but was also nominated in the accessories category.


Michael Bastian poses with John Esposito, nominee for the Menswear Designer of the Year award.

Richard Chai winner of the Swarovski Award for Menswear.

Sarah Jessica Parker pays tribute to the late Alexander McQueen by wearing a look from his fall 2008 collection.

Tom Ford ♥, one of the nominees for Menswear Designer of the year, by his amazing and perfectly tailored suits.

Maison Martin Margiela 20

Martin Margiela is a Belgian fashion designer, graduated from Antwerp's Royal Academy of Fine Arts in 1980. His resumé includes many big names in fashion. First, in 1985, he worked for Jean Paul Gaultier, then in 1997 he became Hermès creative director for women's line. Following the avant-garde, one of his trademarks (same as Rei Kawakubo), he became an eccentric and ground breaking designer, who stood up against the luxuriousness of fashion, giving customers new proportions, different seams and of course, lots of deconstructive elements.

Personally, one of the things that make Margiela such a unique designer is his "artisanal" collection in which you can find garments made out of wigs, old belts, leather, christmas ornaments, etc. Something really peculiar about himself is his extremely low profile, there are no pictures of him and of his media contact has to be dealed via fax.

The brand, owned by Diesel, made the creative director leave the company and this was because Margiela had "creative differences" plus a "... a desire to enjoy his life outside the insistent glare of the fashion world", as he said. This was announced in December 2009, no head designer was hired, the brand will continue but designed by the creative team that has worked with the designer for the past years.

Now, there's a exhibition at Somerset House in London, celebrating 20 years of his influential and avant-garde contribution to fashion, the show explores his artistic and conceptual approach with installations, photography, video and film, this with the purpose of showing about the brand philosophy, its deconstructivism, subversive design aesthetic and unique couture.

Somerset House Director, Gwyn Miles says “we are delighted to be bringing Maison Martin Margiela’s major retrospective to Somerset House. This forms part of our aim to host an exciting year round programme of contemporary cultural exhibitions and events that reflects current trends in the creative industries, particularly in fashion and design. I hope this exhibition stimulates debate and ideas, and will go some way in establishing Somerset House as a genuine creative hub for London”.

♥

(Some of the previous entries I wrote got deleted before posted, that's why I've been away for a while. Apologies!)

CFDA Awards on Monday

So that we get all excited about the CFDA awards that will happen on Monday, I found come pictures that are always featured on Vogue, so that people knows who are all the nominees and that they can also see their work in fashion. This shoots are part of a journal, made specifically for this annual ocaccion, the Oscars of the fashion industry.

Different from past years, this one, the designers are included on the photo. I just got 6, but here you can see Alexander Wang with some friends, Donna Karan by herself, Joseph Altuzarra, Jason Wu, etc.

When I get the rest of the pics I will upload them so you can see the whole shoot.

I'm short of words today... But I also wanted to thank you for all of your hits and visits to A la mode, a la mort. We have more than 3000 visits and hopefully I'll keep counting! I've been away from the blog, but the thing is that I haven't found anything worth of being posted. Hopefully I'll find more so it can be updated more often. Thanks ♥

Alexander Wang - Womenswear designer of the year nominee


Joseph Altuzarra - Swarovski Award for womenswear nominee




Donna Karan - Womenswear designer of the year nominee


Jason Wu - Swarovski Award for womenswear nominee



Marc Jacobs - Womenswear designer of the year nominee

Prabal Gurung - Swarovski Award for womenswear nominee