Are the precise words written at the Maison Martin Margiela – the weird, innovative, one-of-a-kind, provocative and conceptual brand (derived from the name of a Belgian stylist – exhibition in London’s Somerset House.
Liking it or not and understand it or not – either or one has to recognise the brands ability to turn things upside down, be unique and fore frontal and last but not least create distinctive tailored conceptual clothing.
The first thing that hit me when I went to this exhibition was all the stylish and cool Japanese visitors – but of course they, with their unique taste and courageous style, would love a designer brand like this.
The things that stand out the most at the exhibition are the continuous reworked classics (trench, white shirt, tux and jeans), the trompe l’oil features, the creative invitations (made on chocolate bars, cigarette paper, as a newspaper ad etc.) and the ability to transform and innovate yet still be true to the brands DNA – definitely worth a visit!
Did you know that Maison Martin Margiela:
- communicate exclusively in the first person plural “we”, in order to focus attention on teamwork (16 nationalities) and to respect the creator’s wish for anonymity.
- have 11 stores in 8 countries
- ‘s employees wear white cats as a ‘uniform’ when serving the public
- ‘s main collection uses a plain white label with no writing, sewn into the garments with four white stitches. The other collections, of which there 12, are identified by a circled number on the label
See more on www.somersethouse.org.uk/margiela
Maison Martin Margiela's staff
When social responsibilities go hand in hand with fashion – it’s simply double jackpot. However, one thing is to know the eco friendly / organic / fair trade shops and events in the city you live in, another is to find them when traveling.
VERY magazine (launched in 1997) has launched VERY Ecological City Guides and VERY Ecological cities stylemap – guides that represent the cities through the eyes of who’s hip and knowing in fashion, music and art. With the launch of VERY ECOLOGICAL CITIES, each guide proposes ecological/sustainable/ethical options in our daily life. Current editions: LONDON, NEW YORK, PARIS, BERLIN; special edition: RIO DE JANEIRO, up-coming: MILAN and rumors says COPENHAGEN!
VERY FASHION guides are the essential pocket book for the eco-conscious fashion business-international traveler.
For more info: www.very-eco.com
Organic Rose Bakery @ Dover Street Market, London.
Burberry keeps pushing its digital frontier and now, taking inspiration from its 3-D runway show in February, the brand is launching a digital, interactive ad campaign that allows viewers to engage with models and merchandise.
At the click of a mouse, viewers can make a model pick up a bag, turn it and put it down again. They can do the same with trench collars, umbrellas and rain boots and the viewers can also spin models around 180 degrees to see every angle of a look. The campaign is an extension of Burberry’s video look books, where models move around, walk on and off the set and “live” in the clothes.
Christopher Bailey rules!
Christopher Bailey with Mario Testino who shot the campaign
The Goyard Book
Some might say the it-bag era is dead, but with their forthcoming 150 years anniversary and the release of The Goyard book the understated yet super exclusive Goyard brand might be the next big luxury brand to experience a revival period.
If this book doesn’t triumph them all, I don’t know what will: the exquisite large format book will be printed by Devambez, one of the oldest and finest publishers/engravers in Paris, and housed in a custom made trunk. And art director Pierre Tzenkoff worked on the book for more than 7 years, collecting images and conceptualising the project.
Every little detail is carefully thought off; the watermarks on the pages, the way the pictures are imprinted to make it feel three dimensional and the paper used for the book is made from the same cotton linen and hemp which covers their trunks and bags.
Destined not just to capture the house’s near 150-year heritage, the book, which will be donated to France’s Bibliothèque Nationale, is a mission statement and a reminder of what luxury once was.
233 copies will be made, after Goyard’s historic and current address at 233 Rue St Honore in Paris an will be on sale by appointment only at €6,000/45.000 DKK (€5,000 if you order before 30 June 2010).
For more information, visit the amazingly beautiful site at http://www.goyardbook.com/.
Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé
The phrase, ‘behind every great man is a great woman’ could easily be translated into ‘behind every great designer is a great CEO’ in terms of fashion language – Marc Jacobs / Robert Duffy /, Valentino / Giancarlo Giametti, Yves Saint Laurent / Pierre Bergé and Matthew Williamson / Joseph Melos – last mentioned who was interviewed at my last Fashion Business Club meeting in London.
One plus one somehow always seem to equals three… or more!
The interview of Joseph Melos by Imram Amed, founder and editor of The Business of Fashion, is now broadcasted on the Internet – watch, listen and learn.
Clic here – enjoy!
Imram Amed interviews Joseph Melos
Celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe has just announced she will launch The Rachel Zoe Collection – a lifestyle brand with contemporary accessories, shoes and apparel with the possibility of a home wear collection down the line. The collection will hit the stores in autumn 2011.
Rachel Zoe Inc. was established in 2005 when she was ‘just’ a celebrity stylist (current clients include Kate Hudson, Cameron Diaz, Anne Hathaway, Eva Mendes, Jennifer Garner and Demi Moore), and now comprises four subdivisions: styling, media (print, broadcast and digital), product development and consulting (she has an ongoing gig with Piperlime.com). In the last year, her Los Angeles operation has expanded from one to four offices with 14 full-time employees, including her husband, Rodger Berman, a former investment banker, now president of Rachel Zoe Inc., and Brad Goreski, her top assistant and flamboyant co-star of the reality TV programme “The Rachel Zoe Project.” Furthermore, she is very aware of promoting her brand. She currently has 181.000 followers on Twitter and counting.
Interesting to see if this is yet another stylist-turned-designer collection, or if Rachel will really hit it off like she’s done with her styling, books, newsletters and TV programme.
SHOWstudio’s founder and recognised photographer, Nick Knight, British Fashion Council’s chairman of the board and owner of Aquascutum and Jaeger, Harold Tillman and founder of Jimmy Choo, Tamara Mellon have been commended by the British Queen Elisabeth in her Birthday Honours list.
Nick Knight
The presentation will officially take place this autumn and reflects our own Danish Queen Margrethe’s recognition of Denmark’s grand old fashion journalist Didder Rønlund who was honoured earlier this year.
“I am very pleased,” Knight told Vogue.com. “It was a lovely surprise and not part of my game plan at all. I love my work and find it very exciting so it’s very gratifying to have it recognised in such a public way.”
Rasmus Wingårdh
Yesterday I was invited to lovely Stockholm to celebrate the second NN07 Project collection (designed by Rasmus Wingårdh) at the boutique hotel, Story. And indeed the hotel’s name echoed the theme for the evening – because if fashion isn’t about telling stories – what is?
With the title, ‘‘The Mustage Made Me Do It’, Rasmus presented an extremely nice and very thought through collection where nothing has been compromised. The designs are not ‘rocket science’ – as Rasmus said himself – but it’s nice, comfortable and yet with a twist – and the sort of styles that you would want to wear again and again and again!
The highlights were the smoking trousers with a linen stripe and the smoking jackets with linen lapels, the jeans with a chinos cut and the shirt with the ever so humoristic and memorable slogan; The Mustage Made Me Do It”.
Every single time I meet someone from the NN07 team, I’m fascinated and captivated by their passion for the brand and for what they are doing. Yesterdays story at Story was no exception and made me crave even more for the womenswear collection not hitting the stores until around this time next year.
Images will be uploaded later – watch this space!
Acne is set to open a new Acne store in London this month. Housed in the nineteenth century townhouse on Dower Street the store has three floors. Besides the men- and womenswear floors, the attic with its high ceilings and roof garden, will be home to the furniture and accessories ranges, in addition to regular installations and exhibitions. “It will be a place where customers to explore the Acne world,” elaborates Jonny Johansson, Acne’s creative director.
“This is the most important location we’ll ever do,” he reveals, who has named London as Acne’s flagship store.
