Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Royal Academy of Art London Presents: 'Aware: Art Fashion Identity' Exhibition




GSK Contemporary – Aware: Art Fashion Identity
2 December 2010 – 30 January 2011

The third season of contemporary art at 6 Burlington Gardens examines how artists and designers use clothing as a mechanism to communicate and reveal elements of our identity.

The exhibition contains work by 30 emerging as well as established international contemporary practitioners including Marina Abramović, Acconci Studio, Azra Akšamija, Maja Bajevic, Handan Börüteçene, Hussein Chalayan, Alicia Framis, Meschac Gaba, Marie-Ange Guilleminot, Andreas Gursky, Mella Jaarsma, Kimsooja, Claudia Losi, Susie MacMurray, Marcello Maloberti, La Maison Martin Margiela, Alexander McQueen, Yoko Ono, Maria Papadimitriou, Grayson Perry, Dai Rees, Katerina šedá, Cindy Sherman, Yinka Shonibare, Helen Storey, Rosemarie Trockel, Sharif Waked, Gillian Wearing RA, Yohji Yamamoto and Andrea Zittel.

New work by Yinka Shonibare and Hussein Chalayan, commissioned especially for Aware by London College of Fashion and the Royal Academy of Arts, is on display. Hussein Chalayan presents a new dress inspired by the 300 year old Japanese tradition of Bunraku puppet theatre while Yinka Shonibare has worked with bespoke tailor Chris Stevens to create 18 designs based on 19th-century children’s dress assembled to form a wall mural.

Aware is divided into four sections. Storytelling acknowledges the role of clothing in the representation of personal and cultural history. Grayson Perry’sArtist’s Robe, 2004, an elaborate, appliquéd coat made of a patchwork of luxurious fabrics, comments on the figure and status of the artist in the world today.

Building covers the concept of clothing being used as a form of protection and the notion of carrying one’s own shelter, referencing the nomadic, portable nature of modern life. On display is Shelter Me 1, 2005 by Mella Jaarsma who in her work parallels garment and architectural constructions. Jaarsma defines shelter as the minimal construction needed for protection, not yet the shape of a house, but directly related to the proportions of the human body.

Belonging and Confronting examines ideas of nationality as well as displacement and political and social confrontation, recognizing the tensions associated with the assimilation of new cultures and traditions. In Palestinian artist Sharif Waked’s video installation, Chic Point, 2003, the contradictory interpretations of revealing flesh as a fashion prerogative or as a humiliation juxtapose two worlds, one of high fashion and the other of semi-imprisonment.

The importance of Performance in the presentation of fashion and clothing, and in highlighting the roles that we play in our daily life, is explored in the final section. It features film footage of Yoko Ono’s performance of Cut Piece at Carnegie Recital Hall, New York in 1965, for which the artist invited the public to cut strips from her clothing. While the scraps of fabric fall to the floor, the unveiling of the female body suggests the total destruction of the barriers imposed by convention.



An art installation by Greek artist Maria Papadimitriou entitled 'The Fabric of Life' is pictured at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, on November 30, 2010. 

A display by the late British fashion designer Alexander McQueen entitled 'Red lace dress covering head, from Joan' is pictured at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, on November 30, 2010.

Coats This Season

Clockwise from the top, left-right: French Connection All hours coat, Metradamo Wool Cloth Pea Coat, St. John Unstructured Coat, Ann Demeulemeester Asymmetric Three-Quarter Coat


Clockwise from the top, left-right: Space Wool Snap Button Coat, George Simonton Studio Wool & Cashmere Coat,  Giambattista Valli Felted Wool Cape Coat, The Cue Tan Pamona Coat


Clockwise from the top, left-right: Gianluca Capannolo Vivien Wool Coat, ASOS Net Underlay Coat,  Urban Outfitters tiered lady coat, Vivienne Westwood Red Label Giant Check Coat

Clockwise from the top, left-right: Dolce & Gabbana Jacqard Floral Coat, Stella McCartney Botanical Print Trench Coat,  Rainforest Ruched-Front Coat, Coat by Marni


Clockwise from the top, left-right: Rue Du Mail Cotton Double Toile Coat, A Wear 60's Waffle Coat,  Young, Fabulous & Broke Zoe Coat, Nina Ricci Cotton-Silk Coat

Clockwise from the top, left-right: Juicy Couture Striped Fringe Cardigan Jacket, Lulu Guinness Fragrance Night Mischief Knit Coat, Mike Gonzalez Biba Wool Blend Looped Crochet Coat, Lanvin Double Washed Wool Coat

Clockwise from the top, left-right: Jamie Coat from www.mackage.com, Giambattista Valli Raglan Sleeve Wool Coat,  Donna Karan Cashmere card-coat, Gryphon Grey Hooded Double-Breasted Coat, Gucci Long Sleeve Cavalry Coat

Clockwise from the top, left-right: 7 for all Mankind Down 3/4 Length Puffer Coat, Eileen Fisher Down Puffer Coat,  ASOS Full Circle Asymmetric Button Coat, Jil Sander Belted Down Filled Coat

Clockwise from the top, left-right: Rick Owens Micro Boucle Coat, Bloomingdale's Cashmere Maxi Coat,  Jane Post Ruffled Velvet Coat, Antonio Berardi Double Wool Coat

Clockwise from the top, left-right: Ann Demeulemeester Diagonal Twill Coat, See by Chloe Felted Wool Coat,  Valentino Ruffled Wool Blend Coat, Cavalleria Toscana Technical Cotton Trench Coat

Clockwise from the top, left-right: Julien Macdonald Long Curly Knit Parka Coat, Alexander McQueen Wool and Silk Coat, Givenchy Hooded Double Cloth Cape Coat, Giambattista Valli Rosette-Bottom Tweed Coat

Clockwise from the top, left-right: Stella McCartney Wicker-Weave Coat, Versace Zip Detailed Wool-blend Coat,  Valentino 'Voulant' Wool & Cashmere Coat, Calvin Klein Tiered Skirt Coat, Loeffler Randall Draped Pocket Coat

Pictures Courtesy Net-a-porterPolyvoreShopstyle

Monday, November 29, 2010

Budapest Fashion Week 2010

Hungarian designer Timea Hecendorfer 

Timea Hecendorfer 

Timea Hecendorfer 

Timea Hecendorfer 

Timea Hecendorfer 

Timea Hecendorfer 

Timea Hecendorfer 

Hungarian designer Renata Gyongyosi 

Renata Gyongyosi

Hungarian design studio 'SzS' 

 'SzS' 


 'SzS' 

 Hungarian designer Virag Toth 
Hungarian designer Monika Kiraly 

 Monika Kiraly 

 Monika Kiraly 

 Monika Kiraly 

Szikra Cool Tour House 

Hungarian design studio 'Essende' 

 'Essende' 

'Essende' 

 'Essende' 

'Essende' 

During the Mixchel show..

During the Mixchel show..

Haute Couture collection of Hungarian fashion designer, Gyongyi Varga 

Tuan Huy

Pictures Courtesy: Getty Images

RedPoppy's Exclusive Interview with Supermodel Maayan Keret

Israeli born redhead supermodel Maayan Keret lit up the fashion runways of top designers including Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Lacroix in the 1990's. Lucky for us she is back in full force via Verbmodels, and in addition to her gorgeous red tresses she's also bringing along an insatiable lust for life, motherhood, modeling, and a slew of new adventures coming her way. Best of all Maayan has graciously answered some of our most pressing redhead questions!...

What was it like growing up in Israel as a natural redhead?
It wasn't easy... as a child lots of kids called me in different names like "Giraffe" since I was too tall, freckled & redhead, but as I was a teenager I found the people who liked my colour & started to understand that being special is something I like & it fits me. Also growing up in a sunny country with a very pale skin wasn't a bingo, I get burned for a few times & couldn't stay in the sun too long as the other kids.

Are there certain colors you are drawn to which make you feel fabulous?
I like all the colours, I wear even pink & orange. I think everything can fit, but the best for me is green or red.

Please share with us some of your memories from your time with legendary designer Yves Saint Laurent.
Yves Saint Laurent- when I worked with him he was already not in his best... but I could see his desire through his eyes. He had a dog with him all the time, he was very quiet & concentrated on the clothes. We have never spoken so much but we have had some magic moments together.

Red hair and curls is a fierce combination. Which products do you use to keep your hair looking gorgeous?
I try to keep it as natural I can, I use moisture cream for my hair every day which I change every few months so that way It works better. During Winter time I put olive oil for two hours, sometimes.

How has working in the fashion world influenced your personal style and how you dress in the morning?
I've learned a lot from the fashion people, it gave me a lot of ideas & interest. I change my style, sometimes I just wear jeans or black pants & a simple shirt. People can always see what I'm going through in my personal life in the way I dress.

You're a mother, artist, writer, producer, traveler, and lecturer. What's your advice to other women who want to find balance in their personal and creative lives?
I think there are few important things for me - one is to plan my time efficiency so that I can do all different things (& not to be lazy). Second is to let myself always be open to different & new things, to ask myself questions all the time so I can see what I really want to do now, not be afraid of changes & not to think of what other people think or what it looks like.
Main image source: tfs
End Image via Verbmodels

Sunday, November 28, 2010