Documenting the views of the world’s leading and emerging avant-garde talents, digital interview magazine The Avant/Garde Diaries publishes very beautiful short films on a weekly basis.
The latest video interview features forward-thinking designer Susan Dimasi and her collaborator, choreographer and dancer Shelley Lasica. The video is a beautiful, quiet mediation on fashion, craft, and femininity. Under the theme “The New Beauty,” we see a women who is sure of herself and does not need external validationis. A refreshing piece!
We already presented the advertising teaser last week for the Miss Dior handbag featuring Mila Kunis, now a video featuring an interview with wonderful Kunis. The film features the signature black-and-white themes Dior has become know for.
Once again, the film confirms why Mila Kunis is one of the faces I can’t get enough of at the moment. Her naturalness just seems so real behind as well as in front of the camera.
Joseph Altuzarra, designer and current holder of CFDA’s Swarovski Award for Womenswear, opens up to i-D about winning the award, evolving as a designer, and growing up and in a way that makes you want to pull “a DVF.” You’ll get that reference once you incorporate this into your afternoon reads, and trust me it’s worth it. I’m personally smitten by his definition of kindness in an industry that doesn’t always convey it as being de rigueur.
The designer also gives us a possible explanation for the birds in his Spring/Summer 2012 collection when talking about his childhood memories:
“I used to spend my summers in California with my grandparents and I went bird watching – which is not the most fun thing to do – but I went with my grandmother and it was so nice to be with her. I still think about that as a really fond memory. I haven’t re-visited the birds though.”
The full interview can be found here. See the full picture on the flip. -Rika N.
A longtime favorite, Chioma Nnadi, previously with Fader and now a fashion writer at Vogue, was interviewed by Garance Doré. You get a glimpse at her background, the day she met Anna Wintour, what she loves about her job and more :
“For me the most exciting part about the job is in discovery. I like featuring an under-the-radar designer hat you might not expect to find in Vogue. It was one of the reasons I started reading Vogue in the first place.
“Also, I’m a real nerd about fashion, and for me just being in an environment where I can totally indulge and say things like, ‘what do you think about this pink? Or these shoes?’ Being around people who are just as nerdy about fashion as me is really exciting. At the end of the day I’m not saving lives. We’re not writing about world politics. We’re writing about shoes, bags, dresses, hats.”
Their resume reads like a best of fashion and art royalty, Inez and Vinoodh originators of of the most compelling and noteworthy imagery have been featured on B0F:
While the duo continues to push the boundaries of fashion editorial, Lamsweerde has seen the space become increasingly confined. “Editorially, there used to be so much freedom that nobody would ask you to shoot a big advertiser for a story. We would, as a joke, put an outfit from Chanel in an editorial, but that was very tongue-in-cheek,” she said. “Now, basically all the editorial pages are infused by the advertisers. To us, it sometimes feels like there is more freedom shooting an advertising campaign, because you sort of strategise the whole thing together with them and understand who they are representing or wanting to reach out to. Whereas, with the editorials, in one story you are covering twelve different designers and it all has to make sense together,” she added. “Sometimes it’s not easy.”
Passionate about style and creativity, Luxury Jones is known for her one of a kind boots (above) and apparel talks candidly to Work Magazine about her inspiration, favorite things and more:
All I know is that if you know what you got… you know you got that light inside. Then you just gotta keep doing the work and you will get there. I believe in WORK. I believe that every day I put time and energy into this thing I do that I am creating positive energy. I am creating my own future. I mean, I get discouraged sometimes but the only thing that combats that feeling is to keep on working, keep moving forward…
Christian Louboutin is asked five questions by New York boutique department store Bergdorf Goodman and charms with his easy manner and just-so French accent. Below are the questions along with snippets from his responses.
What’s your most cherished NYC secret?: The restaurant Quality Meats: “….I’m a meat lover……” Whose closet would you like to raid?: Loulou de la Falaise: “…She’s been having 30 years of fashion history and so many colors and so many accessories….” What must have can’t you live without? I-phone: ”….It’s difficult because I feel like it’s like an addiction, but it’s definitely, it’s the only addiction that I have so I think I’m fine with it.” What is the one style you never want to see make a comeback? Clogs: “…for one reason, I love shoes and there’s a thing I love about shoes and it’s the sound of shoes……hearing the sound of a clog is really not nice, not pretty, it’s an ugly sound….” What is your worst childhood fashion memory: A ski suit: “….I had this incredibly puffy, bright red, ski outfit….”
If you’re a fan, he will be making an appearance at Bergdorf’s on January 31st on the second floor. Click here for details.
We caught up with designer Leah McSweeney recently to find out the latest developments with her Married to the MOB label. A pioneer on the streetwear scene when she started up MOB seven years ago, the label has had it twists and turns, including the recent conclusion of a partnership with an investor and is getting back to its roots, albeit with a second-act heaping does of wisdom. McSweeney = MOB so it’s no surprise that many of the bumps, bruises and joys experienced by the brand over the past few years found a parallel in the young designer’s own life. Compelling, frank, more than slightly intense, not to mention a bit of a lightening rod, this is one female whose next moves we will always look out for and cheer.
HS: A lot has happened in the past year. Can you catch everyone up on Married to the Mob and what happened to your brand? You had investors and now you are no longer partnered with them.
Leah: Legally I can’t get into details. In the long run, the only thing that matters is I got my company back. I have nothing but gratitude toward my ex-partners, they believed in me but we’re two different animals. They’re amazing at what they do with men’s brands and I will say the three years I had funding, it was the best education on the business. I worked side by side with super smart, successful people, but more importantly I learned how to make a garment, and I learned about fabric, production and design. I started out making tee shirts and I didn’t have any experience. When I went into the partnership I was 25 and on top of the world, thinking, this is the easiest thing getting this brand to blow up. I thought it was the be all end all and it was just the beginning.
In the Q&A continued on the next page, find out aobut MOB’s second act, McSweeney’s road to sobriety, favorite collabos, what she has to say about streetwear, the future of “bitch” in MOB designs, and the start of a new label.
The release of the Muppets movie has unleashed the passion of longtime adult fans all over the country. Miss Piggy recently tapped for a collaboration with Mac cosmetics talks to Oyster magazine about beauty style and more :
Oyster: You have been in the spotlight for nearly 40 years and yet you don’t look a day over 25. What’s your beauty secret — Lotions? Serums? Botox? Miss Piggy: You bet! Lotions! Serums! Botox! Spackle! Duct Tape! You name it, I use it. Even though I am naturally beautiful, I believe in using every means at moi’s disposal to improve, enhance and otherwise fabulasize moiself. As my stylist always says: “What’s the point of looking in the mirror if you can’t surprise yourself?”
