The Red Dress

December 19, 2012

I always saw, I always said
  If I were grown and free,
I’d have a gown of reddest red
  As fine as you could see,

To wear out walking, sleek and slow,
  Upon a Summer day,
And there’d be one to see me so
  And flip the world away.

And he would be a gallant one,
  With stars behind his eyes,
And hair like metal in the sun,
  And lips too warm for lies.

I always saw us, gay and good,
  High honored in the town.
Now I am grown to womanhood….
  I have the silly gown.

-Dorothy Parker

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H&M x MMM: A Dilemma

December 11, 2012

The first time I got wind of the H&M x MMM collaboration, I remembered feeling rather indignant. After all, how could an anti-consumerist institution such as Margiela agree to a blatant commercial exercise with the leader of fast fashion? The snob in me did not like the idea of having non-fans jumping on the Margiela hype like lemmings for a multitude of reasons, mostly because Margiela’s works require a deeper commitment and appreciation than what most H&M’s customer base usually gives to clothes. I was rather curious and intrigued to find out what this collaboration had to offer, but at the same time dismissed it as I thought it’d be another watered down version of the brand.

Then came the news that the capsule collection consisted of archival reproductions. Long story short, I found myself at H&M’s door by 8AM.

The overall impression I had of the collection was far better than what I had expected. Yes, there was some point when I thought better materials could have been chosen, but for a tenth of the price of the real deal, one just can’t expect too much. I was floored by the effort they put into construction of the garments, the horizontal dress being the most interesting piece. It befuddled me for an entire 20 minutes, but as soon as I figured it out, I had one of those enlightened moments that made me realise why Margiela is still lauded as a visionary til today. Despite the number of Margiela books I have read or the recent pieces I have come across over the years, I never had the opportunity to properly comprehend the extent of his genius as his older archival pieces were extremely hard to come by. To be able to examine re-issues (albeit of lower quality ones) allowed me to have a deeper insight into the intelligence in which Margiela had designed his clothes.

But like any good thing there is always a flip side. The irony in partaking in this commercial exercise was not lost on me. While the garments from the collaboration weren’t made in H&M’s contracted factories, indirectly I may still be supporting their unsustainable fast fashion business model.

What I truly disliked though, was the way H&M handled the marketing communications. It’s one thing to bring a designer’s works to the masses, it’s another to scream about it in such a vulgar manner by holding a massive party and inviting a fanfare of celebrities and bloggers, most of whom I would safely assume have little appreciation for the Maison’s works (also I did not care for the twins who hosted the live feed). It went completely against the very grain of Margiela’s anti-publicity stance. And worst of all, it has been brought to light that the PR team has lifted another person’s works for its initial campaign image. Yet, no major reports have been issued on the matter, and I wonder why that is. Mind you, H&M is no stranger to criticisms but this has matter seemed to have been swept under the rug.

At the end of the day, I questioned myself what the purpose of this collaboration is. If it had been about hype for H&M, well it did not seem to work out well because the sales number looked measly, and at the same time it’s difficult to judge if Diesel’s decision has successfully recruited new fans for the Maison. All I know is that I have gained a deeper appreciation of the man himself, and at the same time, mourn the loss of this reclusive design extraordinaire. May he one day decide to come back and join us plebes again.

(9 comments)

Black drapey shit

November 24, 2012

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Martina Spetlova’s Candy Corn

November 22, 2012

There are times when one can’t possibly rely on familiar designers for drastic innovation because they have to appease their loyal fans with familiar offerings. Frankly it is not something I expect from my favourite folks because I love them for their respective visions and evolutions, hence I would not wish for them to change unless they want to do so. Aside from the risk of alienating long-time fans, there is also the abundance of labels on the runway who flip-flop around one theme to another, and I honestly think we do not need more of those.

But once in a while, it is nice to find some new bloods in the industry. Yes, countless of graduates offer something new to the table every year, but to be able to translate their designs into commercially viable collections that do not carry astronomical price tags is probably almost as difficult as licking one’s elbow. As much as I love being able to support independent designers, more often than not, I just can’t afford their wares. That is, until all the stars align in the sky, and by that I mean the sales happened when this Martina Spetlova dress came back in stock.

You know how online shopping can be rather unnerving and emotionally draining, especially when you start worrying about how the clothes will fit and look in real life? Well I must commend LN-CC on their accurate photographs and detailed measurements, not to mention the lightning quick shipping. Check out their mid-season sale (40% off Guidis, 70% off previous seasons) if you haven’t.

On to the dress. In terms of technical construction, it is one of the most intricate pieces I have ever laid my hands on, and to the untrained person like me, I don’t know how they yarns are held together in the rolled-up ‘seams’, and what is most intriguing is how the ‘seams’ are joined together. The wool is not scratchy, and it drapes like a heavy sweater. This is truly an artisanal piece as far as the term goes, delicate yet structured at the same time. Also it goes to show that ‘artisanal’ does not have to be drapey and black.

The designer, Martina Spetlova, has a very distinct aesthetic such that her use of geometric patterns is prevalent. Her works reminded me of Issey Miyake but with a different approach to technical construction. Not only that, she belongs to a rare breed of designers who are environmentally aware while producing non-boring clothes at the same time. At this day and age it is still rather difficult to determine who actually bothers with the issue of sustainability (even high price points do not indicate ethical practices, click here for more). As someone who is guilty of buying a little bit too much, the least I can do is direct my attention to designers who try to make a difference. Unfortunately all her knit pieces from this collection are sold out on LN-CC, but you may contact her directly for private orders.

…aaaaand last but not least, here’s a gratuitous picture of me doing the azn thing.

Sorry I’m not sorry for this disturbing photo. A girl gotta have some fun once in a while.

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Ebay Deals of The Week

November 12, 2012

Marsell

1. Black ankle booties size 38 – $329 BIN
2. Brown ankle boots size 37 – $250
3. Black knee high boots size 36 – $299 BIN

Japanese designers

1. Issey Miyake pleated jacket – $95 BIN

2. Comme des Garcons military coat – $124.90

3. Junya Watanabe double layer jacket XS – $269 BIN

4. Junya Watanabe checkered tail jacket S – $31

5. Comme Comme des Garcons wool jacket M – $69

Rick Owens

1. Leather and wool paneled jacket – $500 BIN

2. Black sandal boots size 37 – $100

3. Lace-up wedges size 36.5 – $299 BIN

4. Draped dress size 40 – $149

5. Draped skirt size 42 – 98 Euro BIN

Ann Demeulemeester

1. Black wool dress size 36 – $199

2. Black blazer size 40 – $99

3. Knee high-boots size 39 – 201.50 Euro

Balenciaga

1. Wedge boots with flap size 37 – $372 BIN

2. Extra high platform wedge boots size 39 – $285

3. SS12 Runway shorts size 36 – $326

Miscellaneous

1. Margiela Brown heels size 36.5 – $125 BIN

2. Guidi Reverse Horse Boots size 40.5 – $285

3. A.F. Vandevorst origami skirt size 38 – $199 BIN

4. Haider Ackermann boots size 38.5 – $199 5. Jil Sander fringe blazer size 38 – $215 BIN

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Sneaky Peeky

November 11, 2012

Martina Spetlova

Quite possibly my most precious dress ever.

Thanks to LN-CC’s efficient operations, the dress flew from London all the way to Singapore in under 48 hours.

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