Les kooples m'incitent à vouloir être français.

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When I was in Paris at the beginning of the year I noticed 2 things (actually I noticed a couple of things but only 2 are relevant to this post). Firstly, French people wear black, A LOT of black, more then most people i'd say, and secondly French people look cool, wearing black and acting nonchalant all the time while they walk around being better then everyone because their French, hey its true... I wish I was French so I could justify being arrogant.

French label 'the Kooples' seemingly have a lot to do with this. I mean who doesn't want to evil eye the camera man with your armed wrapped around some hot guy when you're both wearing amazing clothes? The Kooples is a chain store in France, their on almost every big street that isn't inhabited by French high-fashion-- or thats what I noticed. Also, they always have pretty inspiring window displays (the one on George V featured an array of birdcages for a couple of weeks in January). The clothes are simple, barely venturing out of the 'essentials' category and mostly in black, white or grey, however there is something about the label that make people like me so curious... maybe its the fact that they use unconventional "models" like these guys:

(YAAAAAY AWESOME OLD PEOPLE)

Or maybe I just love the Kooples because of the way its marketed, the use of actual couples, the unconventional campaigns against the sometimes conventional clothing and that fact that the name isn't a profound word or pretentious. None the less their new collection is out and available for male order in Europe (if unlike me you have a European post box, in which case you should send me over a pair of "Pantalon Ciggarette" PLEEEASE).

I'm currently loving:

Their accessories are also mighty fine, such as these:

and the bondage inspired bags and shoes:

And lets bring back the winklepicker...

(The Horrors want you to)

That will be my last post for while, I'm in the middle of exams and need to ~focus~ Pfft...

I might consider studying after this, but now that I'm the resident Francophile I'll be listening to some wonderful French music on my ipod (cue: Second Sex, the Tatianas, BB Brunes, Eiffel, and the Parisians)

Sexy French breathing song.

aka. Nico Teen Love by the BB Brunes, you get it? its a pun... yeah... well it took me a while..

The Black Swan

If you thought Center Stage was scary...

I came across a couple of pictures whiles googling Rodarte after hearing on the grape vine that they did costumes for a ballet (ballet costuming is my dream job and Rodarte are amazing). I didn't even recognize that it was Natalie Portman, I thought it was an actual production and she was a ballerina. But no. I really can't wait to see this movie. Oh and Winona Ryder is in it too :)

Band Of Horses-- Sydney Concert

I saw Band of Horses on Thursday night at Enmore theatre, and I'm still buzzing from it three days later. "Why?" you may ask, WELL not only was it brilliant, amazing and excellent, and not only was I right in front of the stage, but I'm pretty sure that its the best concert I've ever been to (yeah, I said it) a title previously held by Kings of Leon.

The sound was great, it helps if you're in front of the bassist (who looked like Adrian Brody and changed his bass after every song) and seemingly the 'man-of-the-moment' Ryan (guitarist and keys) who was met with many a drunken audience member such as the "RYAN! RYAN! 2008 MAN! TWO THOUSAND AND EIGHTTTTTT! legend" guy.

The crowd was great, not full of (many) pretentious hipsters, which meant my friends carefully styled mohawk wasn't the elephant in the room. The crowd even rebelled against the security guard attempting to prevent one person doing the lighter trick to a slow song, by flashing a torch in their eyes, however, once (lead singer) Ben Bridwell started serenading lighter-person a third of the audience and their lighters joined in.

Just a side note, (guitarist) Tyler Ramsey looks like jesus:

But back to the this pathetic excuse for a review...

The stage looked great with the slide shows of landscapes and tour pictures, really suited the music and created a great atmosphere. All their songs were great, the songs they chose from their previous two albums blended into the rest of the set perfectly, this included-- shall we say "popular favorites" like Ghost and General Specific, which is still one of their best ever, I'm glad they played it. Their song 'the Funeral' was the highlight of the concert, it was the song everyone was waiting to hear and everyone knew the words to.

However, there was a slide guitar sitting in front of Ben (first name basis as of now) that wasn't even touched during the concert. I'm partial to a bit of slide guitar and was hoping I'd see and hear it being played... but no apparently not.

Oh and the support band (the Gentlemen of Fortune) were... they were alright. The keys player needed a Broadway Danny Rose sober-special to get him to play the right notes but other then that they were quite good, they sounded kind of seventies actually-- like the Rolling Stones circa '78 (ooh musical pretentiousness).

But yeah, this "review" does the concert no justice, you need to take my word (yes me, a stranger who you don't know but you stumbled upon my blog while trying to find stills from Alice in Wonderland so now you're entitled to listen to my opinions) for it.... because it seriously was sooo goooooood.

The Harvest.

The Harvest. Film trailer. from LOVER® on Vimeo.

I diss Australian fashion quite a bit, but there are some labels I just love (Dion Lee, Something Else, Romance Was Born, Ksubi, Injury, Lonely Hearts and more). I think sometimes designers in Australia have the tendency to make "wacky" clothes for coverage (we're a season behind and far far away from Europe) and sometimes it works, in the case of Romance was Born. But other times an aesthetic is based upon European collections, which really shouldn't be mimicked unless you are a European brand. Sometimes the styling of Australian collections gets me, because you can see that individually a garment is extraordinary, or detailed or... just beautiful. But again, it will be paired with something that doesn't complement it in order for it to be kooky or what not.

I know I'm ranting, and that I'm in no right mind to voice an opinion on Australian fashion as a dorky, school uniform wearing, teenager with hippy parents. But I just feel that Australia has so much potential to be different or cutting edge more often in terms of fashion and branch out instead of trying to be 'alternative' or look like a Stella McCartney show for the poor man.

Thats why I loved this Lover collection. Its not trying to look European, its focussing on drape and colour and fit. Its also quintessentially Australian at the same time as appealing to a person in France who may be freezing their ass off and need a beautiful pink sweater for winter for example. And you know, it touches on looking off-beat without it controlling the whole collection, it complements it-- its the kind of styling that makes you think about construction of each piece. Also, the whole campaign has never made me more certain of wanting to live in an isolated rural area with long brown grass and have an eloquent vocabulary.

Menswear Spring 2011

John Galliano

Charlie Chaplin and fashion.. who would have thought?

Jean Paul Gaultier

These looks actually made the Sydney weekend newspaper, embracing the 3d fabric. I love the fabric and the colours, his colour sense is just amazing. I especially love the outer space fabric and the kimono jacket.

Everything in this collection seemed so detached, like there were parts to the show that didn't really make much sense together, but it was so... I dunno... fluid-- the transition between each.

There are too many pictures I want to post so heres a video instead, it isn't the full show that you can view here.

Issey Miyake

All I can say is COLOURS!

And thankfully a lack of harem pants.

I don't think this hoodie was a good idea though:

Remind you of anything?

Speaking of Menswear:

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

Food for thought--How did I get from Charlie Chaplin, To a KKK reference to Dr. Who?

2 things..

So this post will be a two in one kind of thing incase I forget to write about some stuff.

Starting off is this editorial seen in the March issue of Italian Vogue, entitled So dreamy! Its just like a picture, shot by Tim Walker.

Images from Vogue Italia Website.

I love this editorial for a few reasons. Firstly, It changed my mind completely about the Prada S/S2010 collection which looked anything but special in the context of the runway, but here, in a beautiful old room... it just suited it so much. Especially as the collection featured unfinished hems-- they really should have included one of those outfits in this. I also love the grainy photographs, which reminds me of that one part in The September Issue where Grace is complaining that high-end fashion magazines never use grainy photographs, Italian and French Vogue seem to be the only magazines doing so. Oh and lastly, I of course loved the superimposed flowers, it reminds me of 1930s Women's Magazines, Women's magazines were so much better back then, now its all about B-Grade Celebrity Weddings and weight loss. This editorial would be a bit nothing without the flowers :)

NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!

(...which isn't really, because obvious that the majority of the time I'm speaking about one kind of thing)

That would be the Valentino Resort show.

I love the digitally printed florals, and the 60s inspiration. I love the unconventional leather and the styling. But theres only one word for the gowns... a word that doesn't exist but in my mind goes "gahh dfndkjfhdiushfgdifhsfknfkjnsk!!!" That said (I really did love the majority of the collection) there were some really shapeless/uninteresting pieces, a trouser and oversized shirt spring to mind (camel coloured) that looked like simplicity patterns that you find at vinnies. Also the model looked stunned or surprised ALL THE TIME! But overall... excellent :)

Atmosphere.

Stuck in my head right now.