The John Galliano Drama

It was about time to write a new entry, it has been months since I last wrote but I guess my head's been somewhere else and I guess is not gonna be fun to write something that might be boring and senseless. But now I felt like writing and what's more trendy than flower patterns and Stella McCartney's orange pieces or Prada's banana skirt!? Well, the whole John Galliano dismissal from both Dior and his namesake brand.

This situation is bizarre. We all drink and we all get drunk sometimes, from the boy who works at a supermarket to worlwide famous designers like Galliano. And I think this episode that happened in a Paris café just went out of everyone's hands.

"In light of the deeply offensive statements and conduct by John Galliano in a video made public , Christian Dior has commenced termination procedures against him".

"We unequivocally condemn the statements made by John Galliano which are in total contradiction to the longstanding core values of Christian Dior." Ok, his comments were a little racist and anti-semitic, but I also think it was a trap. If you start bothering someone by the way he's dressed and making comments of course there's gonna be a reaction and it seems weird that someone's taping a conversation in the middle of a café.

Anyways, more than trying to find a reason of why this happened, this post is focused on what a big loss fashion's having again. Fashion is going through lots of losses. I can't name them all in order but Alexander McQueen and Isabella Blow are the biggest of all losses, then Christopher Decarnin, Lacroix and now Galliano, who lost his job at Dior and his own brand. And I think exactly the same way I think about Lee, John's position won't be easy to replace. The way he brought Dior's house back to life it's amazing. The way the company gave him freedom to create was amazing. If we go back to see of all his work we could see how full of creativity it was and the great proposals he made.

I will never forget his Egypt inspired Haute Couture collection, one of my favorites. He is (or was) one of the greatest showmen that fashion has met. A Galliano show was not only about the clothes, it was a whole: lightning, fashion, stage, acting on the catwalk and of of course his finales, where he always came to greet the audience with his costumes.

Hope he finds a way to make a come back in the fashion world, couture and Paris Fashion Week won't be the same without him...

Nicola Formichetti for Thierry Mugler

I'm having an anxiety attack right now!

On Wednesday at Paris Men's Fashion Week, Nicola Formichetti, known for his collaborations with Lady Gaga, Japanese Men's Vogue, Dazed & Confused and V, will be presenting his debut collection for Thierry Mugler, called "Anatomy of Change".

Part of the anxiety I'm having is because of the work we all know from this amazing stylist/designer/editor, including spectacular images for the already named magazines. Plus, Mugler has always given a twist to fashion, creating looks that leaves lots speechless because of its materials, silhouettes, craftmanship, show, etc.

Here's a first image from his debut collection. Hope I get more photos to update you all.

Scott Schumann, aka The Sartorialist

A few years ago, I found out about a blog, The Sartorialist, filled with photos of street style. Of course there was a great eye behind those photos, not even a proffesional photographer but a guy a unique sensibility for style.

I've been watching his blog for quite a few years and I still enjoy each and every one of his photos. And today I found this video called "Intel Visual Life - The Sartorialist". It's a quite simple production, but same as the blog The Sartorialist, it has its special beauty and harmony.

Enjoy it.

El bien y el mal.

Just for a change I'm gonna post something in spanish and not fashion or design related. I just started a new book and I'm wow-ed by all the things its says and I just wanted to share it with you and especially those who know spanish.

"(...) Y no lo creo porque, por definición, el ser humano está dotado de libre albeldrío, y puede elegir entre el bien y el mal. Si sólo puede actuar bien o sólo puede actuar mal, no será más que una naranja mecánica, lo que quiere decir que en apariencia será un hermoso organismo con color y zumo, pero de hecho no será más que un juguete mecánico al que Dios o el Diablo (o el Todopoderoso Estado, ya que está sustituyéndolos a los dos) le darán cuerda. Es tan inhumano ser totalmente bueno como totalmente malvado. Lo importante es la elección moral. La maldad tiene que existir junto a la bondad para que pueda darse esa elección moral. La vida se sostiene gracias a la enconada oposición de entidades morales. De eso hablan los noticiarios televisivos. Desgraciadamente hay en nosotros tanto pecado original que el mal nos parece atractivo. Destruir es más fácil y mucho más espectacular que crear. Nos gusta morirnos de miedo ante visiones de destrucción cósmica. Sentarse en una habitación oscura y componer la Missa Solemnis o la Anatomía de la melancolía no da pie a titulares ni a flashes informativos. Desgraciadamente mi pequeño libelo atrajo a muchos porque despedía los miasmas del pecado original como un cartón de huevos podridos".

Anthony Burgess
Noviembre, 1986.

Sarah Burton on taking McQueen's position

"For quite a long time I didn't want the job," Sarah said. "I thought: how would I ever even begin to begin? Lee's mind was so different to everyone else's. I knew there was no way I could pretend to be him; but I had to ask myself, what did Lee work for? For all this to close down? I thought about what I wanted. What was best for me. Like many women my age, I do want children, but I came to think that that's not a reason not to take up a challenge. In the end, I decided to just get on with it: do my best." She also reveals details from her job interview with McQueen... "I remember Lee asking me, 'Do you believe in UFOs?'"

Hope I can get the British Vogue to read more about her.

Kate Moss for Balmain

There's nothing like a smart/creative mix. And like we all know, fashion is a specialist on doing that. To name a few: Comme des Garçons + H&M, Björk + Alexander McQueen on Fashion Rocks 2000, Rodarte + Target, Miu Miu + Lindsay Lohan, etc.

And now, Balmain, for their fall/winter ad campaign they worked with Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin to make a short film featuring Kate Moss wearing tight pants, leather jacket and a sequined top while she appears to be in the photo shoot view from a different angle. But that's not all, add Antony Hegarty's amazing and unique voice and a great animation of some kind of creature going around Moss' body and stealing her cigarrettes.

Enjoy it! I really think it's a great mix of model + music + animation + video + fashion.