Category: Fashion

W-eye by Matteo Ragni

These wooden spectacle frames are the result of a collaboration between Milan-based designer Matteo Ragni and wood-enthusiast Doriano Mattellone of the MA-wood research laboratory. The glasses are called W-eye, and are made from layers of wood which have been coated with aluminum. This mixture allows the wood durability and flexibility, and makes for surprisingly lightweight frames. The glasses are also hinge-free, with no hardware to interrupt the flow of sensuous wood. The glasses come in a variety of styles and are available in six different shades of wood: ebony, zebrano, mahogany, cherry, ash and walnut. Each pair of glasses is hand-crafted and guaranteed to sit evenly on the face, ensuring perfect vision.

It is the lack of hardware and integrity of material which attracted me to these glasses. The lack of hardware gives the frames a simple elegance; they look as if they have been effortlessly carved from a single piece of wood. The wood -the mahogany is my favorite- looks incredibly luxurious compared to the materials traditionally used in eyeglass design. W-eye pushes the boundaries of eyeglass design to give us a product that is both stylish and well-crafted.

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Adidas SLVR Spring/Summer 2012 Collection

Setting itself apart from the sport inspired garments, the Adidas SLVR collection stays one step ahead and releases the Spring/Summer 2012 collection, shot by fashion photographer Willy Vanderperre.

Inspired from the sport of fencing, the new collection is characterized by simple, dynamic lines and bold, primary colours that create a highly functional, well tailored and sophisticated result.

The concept behind the new clothing range is excellently presented in the campaign’s video, directed by Willy Vanderperre and starring Marique Schimmel. The video;

Extends the idea of fencing set to a beat which is reminiscent of the sport’s rhythm.

You can watch it here.

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Tibi’s Spring 2012 Collection

Pastel is the new black. At least for this spring. And Tibi’s proposal for this season is more pastel, elegant and breezy than many others I have seen lately. Amy Smilovic, the person behind the label, after graduating from the University of Georgia, decided to follow her husband to Asia and pursue her dream of creating a new fashion label. And the results justified her.

Her collection for Spring 2012 is definitely one of my favorites: chic, simple, clean and elegant. Soft and luxurious fabrics that highlight the best parts of any woman’s silhouette and are adaptable to various personal styles. And what about her inspiration?

modernizing and refreshing the nineties silhouette with streamlined cuts, sportswear elements and asymmetrical hems in natural fiber fabrics contrasting with modern techno textiles.

Photographs: courtesy of imaxtree.com and Matteo Volta

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THRIVE

Featuring my friends over at THRIVE Los Angeles, a fashion house founded by two technology innovators Rob Meadows and Ali Shahriyari.

Under the creative direction of a designer Cem Cako, a graduate of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Antwerp, Thrive’s Autumn/Winter 2012 Collection is stunning in its mature design, smart craft and flawless execution. I had a chance to ask Cem about the concept behind the collection and his answers emphasised the goal for timeless pieces, quality, respect and re-discovery of the art of making clothes. Cem was driven by the art of tailoring and expressed a satisfaction of making a garment without targeting the mass production.

There was no reason for me to go beyond this craft and start doing loud things.

Each piece in the collection can easily qualify for the classic every woman appreciating quality and beauty can add to her closet. Additionally, I believe the statement of not doing loud things when there is no reason can extend beyond Thrive’s mission and is able to resonate with many aspects of good design.

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Yi Fang Wan Fall/Winter 2012/13 Collection

I instantly fell in love with Yi Fang Wan’s new collection for Fall/Winter 2012/13 presented in London’s Fashion Week. A very promising young designer, from southern China who recently graduated from the Central Staint Martin’s College of Art and Design and was awarded the L’Oréal Professionel Young Designer Award at the college’s BA Fashion degree in 2010. College’s graduates also include Alexander McQueen, John Galliano, Stella McCartney and Hussein Chalayan.

Simple, elegant lines and high quality materials manage to create beautifully feminine and elongated silhouettes. I love the combination of blue and grey and the multiple layers of her clothing. Not to mention the oversized wooden pieces that give an architectural and theatrical dimension to the catwalk version of the collection. A great proposal for a contemporary style with all time classic elements.

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SMPLFD

Simplified Clothing, or SMPLFD, is a north-american collective from Detroit that believes firmly in “less is more” and strives to deliver thoughtful imagery by means of bold, clever and simple designs. Despite that straightforwardness, they aim to be thought-provoking:

We feel an enigmatic demeanor is more fashionable than the opposite so our designs merely elude to ideas, rather than state anything definitely. In other words, they are a door to enter, rather than a billboard that talks at you.

What I like about SMPLFD is their freshness. The world today is saturated with t-shirt designs that are a dime a dozen, and these just catch the eye in the middle of that busyness. I especially like the quirk of the featured cardigan and the reductionist Marlboro logo tee (which, admittedly, took me a moment to figure out).

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MTWTFSS 2012 Weekday Collection

A contemporary version of classic design. This is how I could describe MTWTF Spring/Summer 2012 collection by Weekday; a new line to celebrate Weekday’s 10th anniversary. Great, refined tailoring, simple lines and the finest materials – high quality cotton, cashmere, silk and wool – compose a collection that can easily become ageless.

I love the use of basic colours and the overall elegance that characterizes both men’s and women’s collection. Another great example of what Swedish knows to do best: minimalism.

MTWTFSS collection was launched in all Weekday stores on 22 February, 2012.

Images courtesy of Star PR / Weekday

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Tze Goh

Born and raised in Singapore but now living in London, Tze Goh stands out for his strikingly minimal and sculptural designs. He has developed a very interesting signature, strongly influenced by his roots, the geometry of Asian shapes, but with a clearly contemporary statement due to the high quality materials and the architectural, 3D constructions of his designs.

Yes, my designs are inspired by modern architecture. When designing, I like to start with a simple shape, such as a t-shirt, and stretch and mould the fabric into something new, modern, creating a serenely sensual and statuesque design. My design ethos is one of minimalism. Smooth lines, folded seams and intricate pleating create a clean palette that allows the garments to speak for themselves.

Tze Goh was also one of four designers chosen in February 2011 by Vauxhall Fashion Scout, to show on their collaborative catwalk event Ones To Watch.

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Haerfest Bag Collection

Brothers Tim and Dan Joo of fashion brand Haerfest, based in New York, have developed the beautiful B Collection of bags for Spring/Summer 2012 as well as the Capsule Collection. The bags follow a reducible aesthetic, aiming for an understated and urban sensibility. Familiar yet unexpected is always an underlying direction taken by Haerfest when designing.

Influenced by 1960s minimalism, the SS12 B Collection includes four bags – two backpacks, duffel and tote – in a range of four colours – black, grey, red and navy. The Capsule Collection includes a backpack, two duffels, and a two handle tote in black and creme, designed exclusively for the LN-CC brand in London.

Simple, stylish and wish-listed (at least a duffel is).

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Maison Kitsuné – Spring Summer 2012 Collection

A music-and-fashion label with french and japanese roots, Maison Kitsuné‘s collections often have a very classic, essentially Parisian feel to them, and this Spring/Summer 2012 collection is no exception.

Inspired by North-American classic film The Great Gatsby, the maison adds a Parision twist to the collection, featuring a mixture of timeless silhouettes with soft pastel colors and impeccable materials and tailoring. When patterns appear, they are muted in the seasonal pastel hues and classic shapes.

I’m usually a fan of bold, geometric, contrasting statements, but this aesthetic has a very fresh, light, spring-summery feel that works well with the elegance lines and the simplicity of concept.

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