Joy to the World.

 Hello friends and readers (although I think you're pretty much one in the same)! First things first, I'd like to (in true Meredith fashion) say I'm sorry for the lack of posts over the past two months. I guess I just wasn't feeling it, but I have been keeping a long list of potential post topics so that I'd be ready when the time was right. Well now the time is right, and I have some lovely videos, music, fashion (not to mention a new header I created!) and lots of other things I'm dying to share with you.


So let's get started. The video posted below is a short fashion film created by Jae Song and Claire Carre for fantastically over-the-top fashion/costume designer Christian Joy. Most of you may be familiar with Miss Joy's work with Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman Karen O, for what seems like the larger part of Karen' career. Although Christian Joy's design aesthetic may be far, far away from my own, I can definitely respect and admire her use of kaleidoscopic colors and patterns of the 70's (perfectly demonstrated in this video), as well as her nod to the anti-fashion and DIY style of the 80's and 90's. She's a designer and artist who had/has most certainly found her niche and continues to show her point of view, regardless of trends or seasons.

some of Karen O's costumes over the years.
all images: www.christianjoy.us

We all know how much technology has been changing all aspects of fashion, from digital printing on textiles and e-shopping, to live on-line streaming of high-profile collections during Fashion Week. With many designers in the past year opting for video presentations over, or at least as a supplement to the typical runway show, I have found myself more often disappointed than impressed by them. I think that fashion film is a great way for a designer to have complete control over the feeling and mood they wish to convey with a collection, much more than they do with a typical runway show. It also gives designers who may not have the chance or means to be a part of Fashion Week a way to showcase their work, in a medium which may have a greater reach and impact on potential customers than photos from the runway. However, it seems that some designers wanted to get on the digital bandwagon and whip out a fashion film of their own, but lacked the clear vision, or something... I'm not sure what, to make the film an asset to their collection.


Phew! All of that being said, Christian Joy's video impressed me instantly. The hair, makeup, models, and overall styling are all spot on, and the director/producers did an amazing job at making the film look as if it cam straight out of the 70's (which was to the definite benefit of the clothes). Most importantly, the piece is short and sweet, and leaves you wanting to see more of the collection. The focus is always on the clothes and the feeling the clothes create. Okay I'll stop gushing now and let you watch it already! Enjoy.



I couldn't help but post some more images from Christian's website... be inspired!

 

 editorial for Christian Joy shot by ioulex.

all images: www.christianjoy.us

"I eat doughnuts man, I eat doughnuts!"

It seemed like only a matter of time before (one of my all time favorite designers/inspirations) Ms. Stella McCartney took her name from the household, the gym, to the playroom. Having done two collections for Gap Kids and Baby Gap last year (I couldn't resist posting some photos from the SS2010 lookbook below) her own Stella McCartney Kids collection (clothing for ages 0-12) will finally be available Nov. 3rd and Vogue.com just posted pics of looks of yellow-wellie-clad darlings donning all the looks on their site. (I've posted a few of my favorites below)

  
As I have already mentioned, I have been inspired and influenced, and to be honest, somewhat enamored with Stella since I first realized I wanted to be a designer myself. It still surprises me when I hear people say (very naively) that she is only successful because of her name and her money (she's Paul McCartney's daughter). Initially? Perhaps. Perhaps she may not have had the money, the contacts, or the resources to put on a runway show when she first started out. However, she took the opportunities she was given (i.e. Creative Director at Chloe from '97-'01) and almost immediately made a name for herself as one of the most loved and respected womenswear designers today. What is particularly impressive about Stella is that time and time again, she presents a collection that could literally be worn right off the runway. She knows exactly what women want to look and feel like, yet somehow manages to create pieces that are at once modern yet look like they exist without a time period, trend, or any sort of context.


Taking what she has done for Adidas as an example, it's clear that Stella isn't simply expanding her market simply for the sake of doing so (like some other designers/celebrities out there who seem obsessed with splattering their name everywhere) she has waited an ample amount of time, and being that she has three children of her own, I'm sure childrenswear seemed like the next natural move. Her easy, not overly-designed, modern and always slightly quirky aesthetic translates so perfectly to children's clothing and the result is just spot on. The clothes are playful but smart, rather than tacky or too doll-like (as I think kids clothes can often be). The pops of color and cool graphics/patterns also keep them young, but the carefully placed details remind you that it is also, carefully designed.


I guess what intrigues me most about this collection and the shift towards more "designer" childrenswear is how drastically different the look is from when I was even a kid (that's only 20 years ago). It really makes me wish I was even half as cool-looking as these kids, or at least had clothing half as cool, when I was that young. Oh, and the little video on the homepage of the Stella McCartney Kids website features an adorable bunch of dancing finger-painting kids running around to a song repeating the words "I eat doughnuts man, I eat doughnuts!". Could you get any cooler than that?

Images from the SS10 Gap Kids collection. (I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't wear
every one of these pieces if they came in my size. Yup, even the striped onesie)

  All Stella Kids images from Vouge.co.uk.

All Stella for Gap images from nitrolicous.com

I'm sorry, you're just not my type.

I love everything about the interactive video-test created by the brilliant minds at global design firm Pentagram. I originally found "What Type Are You?" via one of my favorite bloggers, Bobby Solomon at   Kitsune Noir (which I check daily). I took the test and receiving the font Archer Hairline as my diagnosis, have come to the conclusion that this little quiz is extremely true and quite intuitive! I won't give too much away because I want you to see for yourselves, but I love the simplicity of the video, as well as the quirkiness of it. It's fairly short, as to not lose your interest, but long enough to make it feel as if you are actually being analyzed. I love the voice and accent of the psychiatrist character, and the background music, and of course the fonts themselves. Upon finishing the test, you can see how popular your given type is, as well as get a summary and history of the design of each type shown. It's definitely one of my favorite things on the internet right now. Enjoy!

Find out "What Type Are You?"
(couldn't embed this one either, sorry kids)

Scissor Sisters.

I am currently in love these awesome hand-made brass and steel fabric scissors which not only seem super tough, and have that great weight to them, but are super affordable! Only $18 for the 6 inch pair, and $21 for the 9 inch) They also have an antique look which I am often drawn to (probably under the influence of my Mom) when shopping for sewing supplies or tools because it adds to the sort of nostalgic feeling actually doing a craft with your hands.

The scissors are from an online shop called Spartan which I know nothing about because they don't provide an "About" section on the website... but what I do know is that they have a great selection of understated yet interesting jewelry, tools, and housewares (like the vintage Bolivian wool rugs I am also loving). There is also a sister site Bows + Arrows which is an online clothing store, although I don't know which one came first... While Bows + Arrows carries some great brands (A.P.C. Rachel Comey, BillyKirk, Band of Outsiders) and definitely shares a common aesthetic with their other online store, I think I was definitely more impressed with the careful and smart choice of products on Spartan.

 

Spartan also sells a set of smaller brass and steel "Barber" scissors which are perfect for seam ripping, and other little delicate sewing tasks. So I'm thinking about getting one of each (one big and one little pair) so they can be scissor sisters! GET IT? LIKE THE BAND? ANYONE? Ok, nevermind. Anyway here's a really cool video for "Any Which Way" by Scissor Sisters (whom I was obsessed with in High School).

Volleyball.

New work by my good friend Sean Hudson (whom I wrote about back in June). I love getting updates from him because I feel like I've seen his style and talent grow just in the few years I've known him. Keep an eye out, he's extremely talented!

 

 

"It has some boobs in it (tasteful)"

So, sadly I don't know much yet about the Animal Collective-esque musical stylings of Spanish musician El Guincho. He was first introduced to me by my good friend Sean Hudson (whose awesome illustrations I blogged about back in June) a few weeks ago, and just today, another good friend Casey (whose quote is the title of this post), sent me this music video that happened to be for the same artist. The video has moments of what seems like unnecessary nudity (almost every shot of a female in the video is a topless one) but in that harmless, sort of ironic-hipster-y way. Or like the non-sexed, natural, nonchalant nudity of the 1970s. There's also a fair share of weird futuristic 80's images including one with a glowing globe in a forest. Did that make any sense at all? I doubt it. Sorry. Well the point is, I still haven't decided if I love it or hate it, but it is most definitely very impressive. Between all the slightly strange disturbing imagery I realize that the cuts and editing are pretty spot on (in my opinion), and fit the beat and overall tone of the song perfectly. The song is awesome and I think the video definitely served as its compliment. Now only if I knew what he was saying.

Model Behaviour

The young and beautiful faces featured in the video "Marc's Models" shot by (the awesome) Chadwick Tyler for AnOther Magazine may now seem a bit like old news, especially in the fashion world where things (and people) go "in" and "out" of style before we can even decide what is in fact "in" or "out". But I promise you'll be as intrigued as I was by the lovely likes of the models chosen by Marc Jacobs for this year (I don't know exactly when this video is from, but a friend had sent it to me earlier this year, probably around the time of the Fall2010 shows?) in this little video which acts sort of like a silent character study for the often otherwise anonymous designer-clad boys and girls.




The site also offers an interesting word about Marc Jacobs' model choices throughout the years and how the young men and women lucky enough to grace Marc's catwalk are almost always the ones to become the "it" kids of the seasons to come. Also mentioned is the personality and individuality of the models featured in the 2:00 minute film and how it is precisely this that Jacobs looks for when making choices for his runway shows, saying "They wear the clothes, the clothes don't wear them" (also my own personal design philosophy), and even adding that each model only wears one look per show, a look that is tailored and styled for that model specifically.

I got to thinking about how rare it is to see models in motion, and I think that is why I love this video so much. Besides the catwalk (which most of us only see in photo form afterward) or perhaps highly styled and directed "fashion videos" or commercials, we never get the chance to see a model's movements, personalities, changing facial expressions. Not to mention, included are three of my favorite models as of late, other-worldly pale beauty Hanne Gaby Odiele and doll-faced pouty-mouthed newcomer Lindsey Wixson, and of course striking tomboy Freja Beha Erichsen.


Watch "Marc's Models" (I wish I could have embedded this video, but it didn't work!)

Jeepers Kreepers!

Last week I was spending some quality girly-time with my dear friend Krickie of Razzmatazz Vintage (see a few posts back) in her wonderfully quirky, yet (for some) slightly over-the-top apartment in the East Village of NYC. Sipping a beer and chatting about possible plans for the night, I turned to my right to notice the strangest and awesomely hand-crafted creature I had ever laid eyes on. His name was Hurtty Turdy (pictured at left) and for me, it was love at first frightening sight. That is, until Krickie introduced me to the Kreepy Doll Factory, the creature-creating company from which she bought little Hurtty. She had met doll maker Daniel Baxter at the Brooklyn Flea in Williamsburg, Brooklyn where she and Hayley were working their Razzmatazz booth. It was clear how she couldn't resist snatching up not only this particular little guy, but simply any one of Daniel's one-of-a-kind "Kreepy Dolls". Their hilarious names and descriptions along with their endearingly haphazard yet detailed construction, paired with brilliant color choices and amazing fabrics, make for the coolest toys in town. Below are some of my (hilarious) favorites from the website, I know I'm already thinking about which one I want as my own little creepy companion!
(Left to right: Charlie the Gigolo, Lary Grant, Hanalaya, Morocco Maboo, and Turd on the Floor)

Any-who?

A few months ago, I started following a great Scandinavian fashion blog called Anywho. Created and run by three (adorable) twenty-somethings, Ingrid, Elise, and Stephanie, it has the perfect combination of streetstyle photographs (often of the great outfits that the girls themselves wear), photos and info about new designers, as well as great shots behind and on the scenes of fashion shows. AND the posts are written in Swedish AND English! I have always had a soft spot for Swedish fashion because of its (in my opinion) more daring, quirky, and overall modern point of view. The collections always seem less trend-driven, and although I wouldn't call them "timeless" (because of the connotation that word usually has) I do feel that the clothes always look like they were simply the product of their creator, as if they can't be placed in a certain time or place.

So I check the blog pretty much daily now, (another thing I love about it, there are new posts almost every day) and I was surprised and pleased to see a video (a Vimeo video!) of backstage footage from Copenhagen Fashion week. First and foremost, the video is shot b-e-a-u-tifully. And the music and editing make it such a pleasure to watch, while providing you with wonderful backstage and runway footage of the collections and brief interviews with the lovely down-to-earth and inspiring designers. My favorite designers featured in the video would have to be Minimarket (check out the AMAZING shoes), Stine Goya (adorning the heads of models with floral wreaths? slightly distracting, yet it somehow works), and Henrik Vibskov. Fashion and film lovers alike, you will enjoy this I promise.




And here's an interview with the Anywho girls (the sound is kind of bad)!
 

If I Were a Boy...

...I would be wearing only Cole Haan shoes from this Fall 2010 ad campaign. Is it strange that I get jealous of guys? Because they get to wear cool, comfortable, beautifully and effortlessly designed shoes like these?

P.S. this ad campaign was shot by Todd Selby (of The Selby), that's why it looks so dang good!

Marc by Marc by Marc by Marc...

Well Mr. Jacobs, you've done it again. Just when we all thought perhaps you had taken a break from your overwhelmingly cute, severely quirky, and brilliantly merchandised global takeover you pull THIS fast one on us. The just-opened Marc Jacobs bookstore adorably, appropriately, (and somewhat predictably) named, "Bookmarc", became phase four (yes, four) of Jacobs' takeover of the west end of Bleecker St. in the West Village of NYC. Allow me to refresh your memory:

Phase 1: 403 Bleecker St., Marc by Marc Jacobs Womenswear
Phase 2: 385 Bleecker St., Marc Jacobs Collection Accessories (as of last week)
Phase 3: 382 Bleecker St., Little Marc Jacobs (childrenswear)
Phase 4: 400 Bleecker St., Bookmarc (books...maybe?)

So, in case this is the first you're hearing of the most recent acquisition of the MJ empire, here's the DL. Marc Jacobs has taken over the corner spot which previously belonged to Biography Books (a neighborhood staple for over 20 years) to open Bookmarc. Bookmarc will now sell the fun, quirky, and (most importantly) inexpensive accessories once sold at the Marc by Marc accessories store down the street, as well as (can you believe it?) actual books! (mainly of the art/design/coffee table variety) Now, I'll be honest, I was just as much a sucker as everyone else who found the cheap knick knacks splattered with ironic words/pictures and the "Marc by Marc Jacobs" logo somewhat irresistible. Marc by Marc wallets, keychains, t-shirts, tote bags? All under $30? Bring it! Eventually the excitement of a small, cheap piece of "designer" merchandise wore off (for a time at least), but I did however realize the genius of Jacobs' marketing plan. By making the Marc Jacobs name available to people (like broke college students) who may not be able to afford the clothes or shoes or handbags, Jacobs is not only making lots of extra money, but perhaps creating a sort of brand loyalty with people who love his work, but simply can't afford it... right now at least. But when the time comes, they will buy their first $1,000 purse from Marc Jacobs... and maybe a $3 keychain to go with it.

Which arises some questions: Is MJ only interested in making tons (and tons and tons) of money whether it be from 500 $2 keychains or 1 $1,000 purse? Is he not interested in who the MJ customer is as long as he/she is buying his merchandise? Or is he simply interested in making everyone a Marc Jacobs customer? I suppose we'll just have to sit back and where the Jacobian empire expands to next.

A quick word about the Biography Books. They haven't closed but simply moved to another location further East on Bleecker. After being a neighborhood staple for nearly 25 years, I find it sad that rents are being raised so high that important local joints characteristic of the neighborhood can't keep up. Leaving only multi-million dollar companies to snatch up the space. Can we be angry with companies such as Marc Jacobs for small more special business being forced to relocate or even worse, close down completely? (don't remind me of Florent, may it rest in peace) Or are they simply taking advantage of real estate no one else can afford? After all, they aren't responsible for the rise in rent prices, they're just the only ones who can pay it ... right? Apparently the Observer was quoted as saying "the new tenants at the former Biography Bookshop can look forward to paying eight times the lease owners Chuck and Carolyn Epstein signed ten years ago," on a street where some retailers are paying $80,000 per month. For a more, shall we say... negative take on the situation (but with some good points) read this.

Although I may be a little hesitant about the idea of Bookmarc based off principle, that doesn't mean to say that some of the merchandise I've seen thus far is, well, quite cheeky and quite irresistible (see pictures below). I agree with the Racked NY article in saying "well, I don't hate it".