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It was the 1980s when designers such as Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto, first sparked fashion and portrait photographer, Harold David’s interest in Japan. But it was not until 2006, when David toured his last portraiture exibition, Tracksuits of St Marys, through Matto and Fujieda, that the he was finally able to experience Japanese culture first-hand and find inspiration for his next portraiture series. Shot during 2008 and early 2009, Uniform by Harold David portrays rubbish collectors, policemen, gardeners, nurses, house cleaners, bus drivers and even archers, in a completely new aesthetic context. Continue reading…
Not to seem fickle, but I think I’m growing out of the tousled, slept-in, homeless person hair thats been a staple for the last year or two. The low maintenance allure of the surf influenced style has enjoyed a long time in the sun, but as our overall fashion aesthetic is becoming more refined and succinct, it’s only natural that our concept of personal styling should also fall in step. When Chloe Sevigny popped up on Terry’s Diary recently, looking fresher than ever with a killer wet-look ‘do, my heart skipped a beat and I was suddenly excited by hair again. As Robert Palmer would say, the new direction is simply irresistible! Initially wet-look might seem trickier than a spritz of salt spray and blast with the diffuser, but in fact it’s super simple – the key is finding the right product. Click here for a pithy guide to slick hair for first timers.
Another one from the fashion world courtesy of Billy Bride
On my to do list while in New York is to visit all 5 boroughs. I have now ticked off 3, so have 2 more to visit over the next 3 weeks. The third came on Sunday when I ventured out to Queens to visit the Ganesh Temple in Flushing (Nanny Fine territory). I have been watching Anthony Bourdain’s TV series No Reservations, where he travels the boroughs in search of the multicultural cuisine of this city an all the hidden secrets out there, fearing that though he is a fully fledged New Yorker, like so many, he has not yet experience the amazing food on offer in some of the wider reaching locations when you stray adventurously from Manhattan. He too visited the temple, and, for what is the most enticing part, the food hall below. This is really just a canteen, where after praying to the gods upstairs, you can retreat below to fill your stomach with delicious Indian fare. We got a lunch special of a few curries, rice, some pickles, yoghurt, some naan and a papadum – much like a tahli plate you might get in a street cafe in Dehli. But what draws the crowds – and also makes them wait until they call your number repeately over the loud speaker like you’re at a bingo game – is the dosas. These are large crispy pancakes from Southern Indian, fried and then folded, sometimes containing spicy potato paneer with peppercorns, like the one above. It came served with a square of butter sliding around on top, a coconut cardamon dipping sauce, and a watery curry with broad beans and carrots.
I’m not sure what it is but I feel like I have become even more aware of food since I have been in America. For all of the people who have no clue or care for what they put in their bodies every day in this country, there are so many that do. It seems many are very self aware with regard to food, and consider every mouthful they’re eating. I have decided to take this upon myself. Not in a pedantic food crazed way, in a way that that makes me feel that I have some idea that most things I consume are in some way nutritious, even if it is a piece of New York cheesecake (is this possible?), or a beefy cheese burger. If only to be sure that everything that one consumes was made with the least amount of preservatives possible, and that in general it came for a good place, a healthy place, and for the most part, a humane place. So I have decided that perhaps Jonathan Safran Foer can help me here. I picked up his book Eating Animals today, and am so excited to get started. I don’t think someone can turn me vegetarian, especially not on paper, but we’ll soon see. I am eager to look at food with more skepticism if I don’t know where it is from, and more knowledge of it’s true form, and note that when I do know and it’s a good place, I feel so much better.
In the world of fashion design establishing a difference whilst retaining accessibility is a coup that is often attempted, yet rarely achieved. So when the creative minds behind the cult label PAM manage to strike gold for a second time with their new womenswear line, you know that something magical is going on. The label Pop! Eyes, beget by Misha Hollenbach and Shauna Toohey, is now running in its second season strong. Inspired by the exotic leisure time pursuits of its creators, and by way of shiny fabrics and sharply tailored finishes, it re-contextualises the PAM fan to a new (fancier) place. To uncover some of the secrets of their success Laila Sakini asked Shauna Toohey to shed some light on the creative process(es) they’ve employed to deliver the goods, twice. Continue reading…
This week’s Cheey Freak is you tube star Doodleburger. Ol’ Doods is responsible for the Alf Stewart video saga that made the news a few weeks back when Doods’ facebook fan page was removed from the internet. These videos have been floating a round for a while, but a revisit is recommended if you haven’t already indulged… it only gets better! While we dont condone this sort of behaviour, these videos are pretty genius… Click to see Alf at the Logies.
When Kris Moyes and Romance Was Born get together and work and something it’s probably best to take note. Moyes’ latest short film features costumes from RWB which should make it the best dressed horror flick ever!
Get down to Dendy Newtown on Thursday June 10 from 7.20pm (screening every 20 minutes until 8.20) to catch it, RSVP to alex@revolverfilm.com by Tuesday June 8 is essential.
Has Gaga made it OK for us to sport our underpinnings on their lonesome? First it was a case of the disappearing trousers (which achieved global success with the help of a large-ish designer following), and now it would seem that singlets/slips/sweaters are optional too. She is of course, not the first to appear sans-shirt, Madonna led the movement to popularity in the 80s, with her Gaultier get-ups, and it was considered pretty wearable back then (flick through this weeks NW for a cute pic of early days SJP in gold bra and bright red hammer pants), but will it be as big the second time around? As waistlines rise, do tops shrink in correspondence? Pixie Geldof trumped her fellows at the Elle Style Awards in February, flashing a Westwood bra and blazer combo which proves the concept has progressed from editorial exclusivity. Are we ready to branch out from the reticent bustiers-over-tanks that Sportsgirl is peddling, and move on to bolder, barer territory? I don’t know if mid-June is the season, but I think I could brave the cold if the end result is anything like the new Wonderland spread. Cue latex and suspenders…
