Style Gourmand

H & M Searches for the Next Big Thing

2012-01-30T13:21:00.001-05:00

H&M has been on the hunt for Europe's next big design talent, looking at the work of students in the UK, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, Holland and Germany, not to recruit new employees, but to support talented young designers. The H&M Design Award is an opportunity for one lucky student from one of six top fashion design schools in Europe, such as Central Saint Martins and Artesis, to win 50 000 and a a chance to present their collection during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Stockholm. The winner will be announced tomorrow.

Photo: H&M

Isabelle Lundh is a personal favorite because of her bold use of color and texture. Most of her work is modern, with very clean lines, but she manages to avoid bland minimalism with her unusual hues and mix of colors, as well unexpected touches of shaggy knitwear. Learn more about Isabelle and the other designers at the Design Awards website: http://designaward2012.hm.com/

Follow the journey from the beginning on vimeo

EP1: HMDA2012 INTRODUCTION from H&M Design Award on Vimeo.

This Week's Most Wanted

2012-01-25T08:49:00.000-05:00

Ngathe Nene necklace, £18.00, made.uk.com

This curved brass and horn necklace was designed by Sarah Andreasen in collaboration with Made, a fair trade workshop that crafts handmade jewelry and leather accessories in Nairobi, Kenya.

For more information, and to see the entire collection of accessories please see the Made website: made.uk.com

Berlin Fashion Week Fall 2012- Patrick Mohr

2012-01-22T02:18:00.000-05:00

Designer Patrick Mohr describes his design aesthetic as "sophisticated streetwear" and that is exactly what he delivered for his Fall/Winter 2012 collection presented during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Berlin. In the past, Mohr's more avant-garde styling choices, such as sending female models with bald caps and beards down the runway, have distracted from the elegant simplicity of his minimal designs. In his Fall/Winter 2012 show it was the clothes that took center stage with the accessories pulling together looks made up of very wearable pieces.

Photo: Image,net

The opening look set the tone for the show, a mix of vintage, street and glam. It was also a nod to Berlin style: the camel cape edged with leather piping over a belted knit dress topped with a statement necklace and a handbag in the crook of the models' arm, was a look put together of items, most notably the cape, that are popular with the city's most stylish inhabitants. Other elements of Berlin style in the collection included chunky knitwear, over-sized scarves, hoodies, utilitarian jackets, and beards (reserved for male models this time), but all were done in a grown-up way, more hip young professional than starving artist, including the beards, which were groomed and one even topped with a handlebar moustache, á la Patrick Mohr himself.

Photo: Image.net

Berlin Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2012- Eva & Bernard

2012-01-20T18:26:00.000-05:00

Fashion Illustrations by Sabine Pieper

2012-01-19T17:44:00.000-05:00

A Man's Story- The Story of Ozwald Boateng

2012-01-17T18:05:00.000-05:00

The Same Ten Dollars

2012-01-10T05:19:00.000-05:00

"If you produce, Idon't know, five thousand pairs of jeans, you probably make, like, ten dollarsfor every pair of jeans. You're using so much resources, so much gas, totransport it, to make it, and then so much hassle to sell it. Then it mightnot fit well, so it might sit in the warehouse. So all that and I thought, 'Why should I produce waste?' when I could offer the pattern, sharethe design with people and they could find a way to make it for themselves in away that fits them, the fabric they want to use, and I would still make thesame ten dollars."
Designer Lika Volkova (see video)

This Week's Most Wanted

2012-01-06T06:41:00.000-05:00

Carmina Campus clutch, 275 euros, yoox.com

Carmina Campus is an ethical fashion project based in Kenya which uses reclaimed materials and transforms them from waste into stylish products. Most of the materials are unconventional; salvaged tents, blankets and leather become jewelry, handbags, furniture and more. This clutch is made from recycled vertical blinds.

For more information, or to shop the collection, please visit: Yoox.com

Karl Lagerfeld for Orrefors

2012-01-02T07:30:00.000-05:00

Orrefors by Karl Lagerfeld from Orrefors on Vimeo.

This Week's Most Wanted

2011-12-29T06:30:00.000-05:00

Awesome Unisex t-shirt, 48 euros, aquestionof.net

Fashion for the Masses

2011-12-26T16:51:00.000-05:00

“You see, when I entered the profession, collections were made by professionals making clothes. Today, lending the name just for People magazine readers is the norm, and I hope it passes us quickly.”

Ralph Rucci, WWD

This Week's Most Wanted

2011-12-23T04:07:00.000-05:00

Cream Phoenix Shopper bag, 10 euros, weareaitf.com

A Question Of

2011-12-21T07:30:00.000-05:00

A Question Of wins major points for making the basic t-shirt and sweatshirt interesting again. By collaborating with hip artists from around the world on cool simple graphics for their clothing they have avoided fading into a sea of t-shirt brands, but beyond covetable t-shirts is a commitment to producing a socially responsible clothing. A Question Of’s collection is one of the few fashion brands in the world based soley on fair trade organic garments. All their products are made from GOTS certified organic cotton and produced under fair trade working conditions in Africa and India- great for anyone with style AND a conscience.

Watch this video to learn more, or visit their website: aquestionof.net

T.I.A. - THIS IS AFRICA part 1. from A QUESTION OF on Vimeo.

Friendly Deamon t-shirt dress, 48 euros, aquestionof.net

In Memory of François Lesage

2011-12-17T16:32:00.000-05:00

This Week's Most Wanted

2011-12-16T19:10:00.000-05:00

Luhkka cape, $299 by Fjällräven

Karl's Ultimate Luxury

2011-12-13T12:58:00.000-05:00

"For me the ultimate luxury is to be alone, to have time for myself, not look at my watch, and do whatever I want, whenever I want."

Karl Lagerfeld
(ANI)

Paris-Bombay

2011-12-11T14:00:00.001-05:00

Another masterpiece from Karl Lagerfeld

This Week's Most Wanted

2011-12-09T08:46:00.000-05:00

SUNO sneakers, $65, sunony.com

Marni x H&M

2011-12-05T17:27:00.000-05:00

New Things

2011-12-03T17:07:00.001-05:00

""Technology is really the only thing through which you can do new things.' I've always said this. Because everything has been done, really, one way or another. Technology allows you to create new things, new combinations, new relationships, new interactions. It's as simple as that, really."

- Hussein Chalayan

An old-fashioned way of thinking

2011-11-27T18:12:00.001-05:00

"We are generally a bit too materialistic. It’s the opposite of what a designer should tell you. Designers always try to sell more, but I think there’s something to be said for timelessness. The idea that we define our identity through what we own is an old-fashioned way of thinking."

Hussein Chalayan in WWD

(Un)Sustainable Fashion

2011-10-19T20:41:00.000-04:00

Designer Lika Volkova proposes a new business model that addresses the inherently unsustainable nature of the fashion industry

Vlisco x Sabine Pieper Fashion Illustrations

2011-10-18T11:54:00.000-04:00

For its "Delicate Shades" collection, textile house Vlisco, renowned for its African wax print fabric, collaborated with fashion illustrator Sabine Pieper. The use of the actual fabric in the artwork adds a nice sculptural element to the drawings, while showcasing the wonderful designs of the textiles.

Vlisco: Delicate Shades collection

2011-10-03T16:10:00.000-04:00

All images property of Vlisco

Fashion Illustrations by Jessica Durant

2011-09-14T18:19:00.000-04:00

All illustrations by Jessica Durant.

France 24: The Ugly Color of Your Clothes

2011-08-30T04:30:00.000-04:00

Fashion Illustrations by Judith van den Hoek

2011-08-18T07:54:00.000-04:00

All fashion illustrations by Judith van den Hoek

This Week's Most Wanted

2011-08-07T13:30:00.000-04:00

minimarket Black Zipper Wedge Ankle Boot, lyst.com, $260

This Week's Most Wanted

2011-07-23T13:44:00.000-04:00

Patchwork Hill Tribe Day tote, $106, shoplatitude.com

This Week's Most Wanted

2011-07-17T17:34:00.000-04:00

Article 22 Paris Bobo bag, shoplatitude.com $275

Article 22 is a sustainable fashion company that provides women in Laos with the means to support themselves by using their traditional hand-dyeing and weaving techniques to create unique accessories. The pieces are finished with re-purposed leather in a New York City workshop.
For more information about Article 22, please see their website: shoparticle22.com

This Week's Most Wanted

2011-06-30T08:30:00.000-04:00

Nicole Miller x Indego Africa shorts, nicolemiller.com, $65

These shorts are part of an on-going collaboration between Nicole Miller and Indego Africa, which supports womens' cooperatives in Rwanda.

Black Out in New York

2011-06-21T23:35:00.000-04:00

Backstage at Acne Spring/Summer 2012

2011-06-13T23:27:00.000-04:00

Amazing collection...

Backstage Acne SS12 Presentation from Acne Studios on Vimeo.

How Are Bloggers Changing Fashion?

2011-06-12T22:31:00.000-04:00

This Week's Most Wanted

2011-06-07T22:21:00.001-04:00

God Save McQueen scarf, $403, matchesfashion.com

This is My Dream

2011-06-07T02:30:00.000-04:00

Documentary "This is My Dream" gives a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the reclusive designer Yohji Yamamoto

YOHJI YAMAMOTO: THIS IS MY DREAM from Huge Conglomerate on Vimeo.

L'Amour Fou

2011-05-26T18:41:00.000-04:00

A documentary about Yves Saint Laurent, his life partner Pierre Bergé and the magnificent collection of art that they amassed in their more than fifty years together, is now showing in New York City.

Dirndl a L'Africaine

2011-05-22T01:54:00.000-04:00

Sisters Marie Darouiche and Rahmee Wetterich have taken their diverse cultural background, German and Cameroonian, and used it as the inspiration for their clothing line Dirndl á L'Africaine. Their collection is based around taking the silhouette of the dirndl, a traditional German dress worn in Bavaria, and giving it a colorful makeover by using African print fabric.

For more information visit dirndlalafricaine.com

Images: Florian Harrer

Maria Cornejo on Developing an Eco Aesthetic

2011-05-15T00:15:00.000-04:00

Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty Exhibit Art

2011-05-06T21:23:00.000-04:00

This is a great video about the Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty exhibit narrated by Andrew Bolton, curator at The Metropolitan Musuem of Art. In it, he gives a detailed description of each gallery and the key moments in McQueen's career. A chance to see inside the exhibition for those of you that might not have the chance to see it in person.

The Next Generation Couturier: Marga Weimans

2011-05-02T00:33:00.000-04:00

Piece from "Wonderland" by Marga Weimans

Fashion designer Marga Weimans is incredibly gifted at creating sculptural clothing that are also works of art. It's not surprising then, that she cites architecture as one of the inspirations for her stunning avant-garde pieces, but what is surprising, is her unusual choice of materials. She often incorporates things not commonly used in haute couture; mixing fabric with materials like fiberglass, wood, resin and tin. With her fearless sense of color, material and design; training at the prestigious Antwerp Royal Academy of Fine Arts and having two collections shown at Paris Couture Week, Weimans is well on her way to establishing herself as the most innovative couturier in fashion.

Please visit margaweimans.com for more information.

The Secret World of Haute Couture

2011-04-20T00:40:00.000-04:00

Part 1 of a fascinating documentary on the haute couture industry: the fashion houses, the clients, the costs...

Fashion Photography by Greg Lotus

2011-04-14T00:22:00.000-04:00

An exhibition of fashion photographer Greg Lotus' work is currently showing in New York City through April 15th. Please visit greglotus.com for more information.

All images: Greg Lotus

Chanel Robots

2011-04-08T08:56:00.000-04:00

A genius combination of Chanel make-up and stop animation.

Chanel Robots from sokakmood.com on Vimeo.

Julie Gilhart on Making Sustainability Mainstream

2011-04-06T00:27:00.001-04:00

“If we can become more educated, we can educate these people that have a lot of impact on the planet and we can also create models that are economically attractive because nothing's going to happen unless people can make money from it- that's the way this world exists and I don't think there's enough philanthropy in the world to change the world. I think we have to make philanthropy very successful and it has to make people money. That's how the big players are really going to take it on.”

Julie Gilhart

This Week's Most Wanted

2011-03-31T00:10:00.002-04:00

Bantu printed triangle bikini, $60 outnet.com

Bantu is a swimwear brand inspired by and manufactured in Africa. Its founder, Yodit Eklund, hopes that the brand's swimwear that features bright traditional prints will generate interest in both the continent's undiscovered surf culture, as well as Africa's manufacturing industry. For more information visit bantuwax.com

Hessnatur's Edgy Eco Fashion

2011-03-25T10:25:00.000-04:00

Green fashion goes mainstream | Video of the day
Uploaded by deutschewelle. - Discover more animation and arts videos.

Fashion Illustrations by Stina Persson

2011-03-22T22:54:00.000-04:00

All artwork by Stina Persson

2011-03-21T21:54:00.000-04:00

"I see designing, running a company, like a high-level athletic activity. I don’t want to hear anything about the fragility or any of those things. If an athlete is too fragile to run, he cannot run. And this is exactly the same. You don’t accept this kind of business if you’re too much of an artist."

Karl Lagerfeld

This Week's Most Wanted

2011-03-15T21:18:00.001-04:00

Forwood shoe, $90, aldoshoes.com

Moncler- Paris Fashion Week

2011-03-12T05:24:00.000-05:00

Moncler Gamme Rouge, Herbst/Winter 2011/2012, Fashion Week Paris from Nahtlos! Das Lifestyle Blogzine on Vimeo.

Miu Miu- Paris Fashion Week

2011-03-10T16:09:00.001-05:00

Yves Saint Laurent- Paris Fashion Week

2011-03-10T12:08:00.001-05:00

Louis Vuitton- Paris Fashion Week

2011-03-10T07:11:00.000-05:00

Pedro Lourenço- Paris Fashion Week

2011-03-09T13:30:00.000-05:00

Jean Paul Gaultier- Paris Fashion Week

2011-03-07T17:52:00.000-05:00

Viktor & Rolf- Paris Fashion Week

2011-03-07T14:38:00.001-05:00

Celine- Paris Fashion Week

2011-03-07T02:32:00.001-05:00

Ann Demeulemeester- Paris Fashion Week

2011-03-05T15:26:00.000-05:00

Balenciaga- Paris Fashion Week

2011-03-03T22:55:00.000-05:00

Bill Cunningham New York Trailer

2011-03-03T08:31:00.001-05:00

Dries Van Noten- Paris Fashion Week

2011-03-02T21:17:00.000-05:00

This Week's Most Wanted

2011-03-02T09:25:00.003-05:00

Balenciaga Panier straw bag, $1,119 on matchesfashion.com

2011-03-01T12:01:00.000-05:00

"The wider world percieves fashion as a frivolity that should be done away with. The point is that fashion is the armour to survive the reality of everyday life. I don't think that you could do away with it. It would be like doing away with civilization."

Bill Cunningham

Missoni- Milan Fashion Week

2011-02-28T22:54:00.000-05:00

Max Mara- Milan Fashion Week

2011-02-27T21:12:00.000-05:00

2011-02-27T09:39:00.007-05:00

"I saw the slim black ski pants and smooth hooded sweaters that appeared early in the show, then the egg-shaped tunic dresses in plush wools with carefully — obsessively — controlled volumes, and I thought of a spa or a chic sanitarium in the Black Forest. I mean, I was off on some trip. The ski looks, but done with exact proportions and vivid primary colors, with the pattern on the sweater collars or hoods vaguely suggesting a tucked-in print scarf. The couture shapes that the designer Raf Simons explored last season — the fixed waists, the loose-back jackets — and now shown in a sport way with black ski pants. He brought the couture shapes forward so that they seemed natural to the Jil Sander imagery."

Cathy Horyn for The New York Times

Jil Sander- Milan Fashion Week

2011-02-26T13:12:00.000-05:00

Roksanda Ilincic- London Fashion Week

2011-02-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

To watch more, visit roksandailincic

Burberry Prorsum- London Fashion Week

2011-02-21T21:10:00.000-05:00

The snow in the finale!

To watch more, visit designer_profile.aspx?DesignerID=1245

Vivienne Westwood Red Label- London Fashion Week

2011-02-21T12:04:00.002-05:00

To watch more, visit designer_profile.aspx?DesignerID=847

Central Saint Martins- London Fashion Week

2011-02-20T16:44:00.001-05:00

To watch more, visit designer_profile.aspx?DesignerID=66

Jean-Pierre Braganza- London Fashion Week

2011-02-19T01:54:00.001-05:00

To watch more, visit www.t5m.com

This Week's Most Wanted

2011-02-16T22:47:00.000-05:00

Loeffler Randall x SUNO lace-up wedge, $645, loefflerrandall.com

Rodarte_ New York Fashion Week- Fall 2011

2011-02-15T23:44:00.000-05:00

Moncler- New York Fashion Week- Fall 2011

2011-02-14T01:01:00.002-05:00

Moncler Grenoble Herbst/Winter 2011/2012, New York from Nahtlos! Das Lifestyle Blogzine on Vimeo.

Moncler's flash mob style fashion presentation in Grand Central Station

New York Fashion Week Fall 2011: Bright Spots

2011-02-13T00:23:00.000-05:00

Jenni Kayne Fall 2011, Photo: Monica Feudi / Feudiguaineri.com

Prabal Gurung Fall 2011, Photo: Carola Guaineri / GoRunway.com

Costello Tagliapietra Fall 2011, Photo: Filippo Fior / GoRunway.com

BCBG Fall 2011, Photo: Yannis Vlamos / GoRunway.com

Prabal Gurung- New York Fashion Week- Fall 2011

2011-02-12T20:37:00.001-05:00

Porter Grey- New York Fashion Week- Fall 2011

2011-02-12T12:32:00.000-05:00

Porter Grey FALL 2011 COLLECTION, MERCEDES-BENZ FASHION WEEK from Mooze Magazine on Vimeo.

Mara Hoffman- New York Fashion Week- Fall 2011

2011-02-11T19:52:00.002-05:00

Mara Hoffman FALL 2011 COLLECTION, MERCEDES-BENZ FASHION WEE from Mooze Magazine on Vimeo.

Steve Alan- New York Fashion Week- Fall 2011

2011-02-10T21:57:00.000-05:00

NYFW: Steven Alan Fall Collection 2/10/11 from Blackmarket Boo on Vimeo.

This Week's Most Wanted

2011-02-09T21:56:00.000-05:00

Proenza Schouler Ps1 suede satchel, $1595, ssense.com

Stine Goya- Copenhagen Fashion Week

2011-02-07T22:28:00.000-05:00

Baum und Pferdgarten- Copenhagen Fashion Week

2011-02-07T07:26:00.001-05:00

Day Birger et Mikkelsen- Copenhagen Fashion Week

2011-02-06T08:43:00.002-05:00

Fashion Illustrations by Lisolette Watkins

2011-02-04T16:17:00.002-05:00

Elle Sweden cover, January 2011

Elle Sweden

"Sara"

Collaboration with Miu Miu, Spring 2008 collection Image: style.com

All illustrations by Lisolette Watkins

Lovisa Burfitt- Stockholm Fashion Week

2011-02-02T23:56:00.003-05:00

All images: Kristian Löveborg

Thekeyto. Eco Fashion Event- Berlin

2011-01-31T16:42:00.000-05:00

This Week's Most Wanted

2011-01-29T14:59:00.001-05:00

Diego Gonzalez Cremer custom riding boots, casadelasbotas.com, price on request

Behind the Chanel Haute Couture Spring 2011 collection

2011-01-27T14:36:00.001-05:00

Karl Lagerfeld explains his inspirations for one of the most beautifully modern haute couture collections: the pale elegant palette done in modern silhouettes was accented by delicate shimmers of embroidery- genius!

Chanel Haute Couture Spring 2011

2011-01-26T21:20:00.001-05:00

Michalsky- Berlin Fashion Week

2011-01-25T16:25:00.002-05:00

Michalsky (Full Show) Herbst/Winter 2011/2012, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin from Nahtlos! Das Lifestyle Blogzine on Vimeo.

Lena Hoschek- Berlin Fashion Week

2011-01-25T09:33:00.001-05:00

Kaviar Gauche- Berlin Fashion Week

2011-01-24T22:25:00.003-05:00

Thank You, Robin Givhan

2011-01-24T11:15:00.000-05:00

"On the occasion of the Obama administration’s third state dinner...the American first lady wore an Alexander McQueen evening gown that offered rich fodder for examining the complex relationship between the designer fashion industry, the rising prominence of China, and the position that eclectic style can occupy in a world of protocol and tradition.

The red petal print, silk organza gown wasn’t so much an act of diplomacy as a broad statement about the new realities of the fashion industry. In choosing a dress from Alexander McQueen, Mrs. Obama championed the cause of artisan design, the legacy of bespoke tailoring, and the staggering creativity that can be nurtured in the frock trade when it is at its best. The sleeveless dress, with its asymmetrical neckline, was created by a house that represents the designer imagination at its most indulgent and devilish. And in wearing the gown to honor China, a country that many view with disdain for its abundance of cheap labor, counterfeit products, and poor labor practices, Mrs. Obama seemed to be recognizing the country’s inevitable place in the fashion cycle and giving it its due."

- Robin Givhan for The Daily Beast

First Lady Fashion Statement

2011-01-24T00:09:00.001-05:00

“My understanding is that the visit was to promote American-Chinese trade — American products in China and Chinese products in America. Why do you wear European clothes?”

- Oscar de la Renta

Schumacher- Berlin Fashion Week

2011-01-22T08:16:00.004-05:00

Dawid Tomaszeski- Berlin Fashion Week

2011-01-21T09:33:00.003-05:00

This Week's Most Wanted

2011-01-19T21:31:00.000-05:00

Fjällräven Greenland Jacket, $299

All on the Line

2011-01-11T02:17:00.000-05:00

Preview of the new fashion TV show "All on the Line" on the Sundance Channel. In each episode, Joe Zee gives advice to a struggling fashion designer.