Paul Frank is your friend!

This name has a face too: you all know Julius the Monkey. Everything started from a sewing orange monkey on a wallet, a present for a friend and it is now a 40 millions worth business.
Paul Frank became an unconventional worldwide success. The bright colours , the funny animal stickers and the minimalist style attracted teens and twenty-somethings that love to wear Paul Frank clothing and accessories. Julius, Clancy, Skurvy, Worry Bear and all the rest of the characters create a new, urban universe for the unconventional young customers.

„Small Paul” is the brand for infants and toddlers. I find it extremely imaginative and funny. It brings something different for the little ones and the for their parents too. This brand created from clothes for children to Iphone folio cases, from socks to accessories and everything in between. You can buy P.F items only at the "Famous Brands " store in Bucharest.

Check Paul Frank Industries. The website is incredible.

We go vintage !?

For starters, in this article the term vintage stands for “old, second-hand garments”.
We may see this word from two perspectives: a delicate term for old clothes or, the imaginative celebration of a certain period of time in fashion.
History has always been the main inspiration for fashion and vintage is our way of truly expressing it. Victorian times have been the major inspiration for the 90’s trends, and now we are returning to the 60’s style and search for plain, monochrome pieces of clothing.

Usually, vintage clothes are part of a small series clothes or unique with hand embroidery, made of fine fabrics or with incredible patterns. It is like any other antique item, with its own story: the fashion house, the manufacturing year, the material’s production process etc.



















Nowadays, vintage is the hottest trend for its classic style and glamour.
I have searched for vintage clothes online stores and I have found some interesting ones:
- Biba lives where they sell vintage items by auction.
- Fashion dig
-Absolute vintage voted as one of the “top 100 stores you must visit in this world”
-Alexandra’s Consignment Boutique which stores only designer labels such as Vera Wang, Prada, Chanel, Gianni Versace and more.
In Romania:
- Vintage Boutique
- Buticul cu povesti
- 885 Vintage
- Vintage my Love
- Neo Vintage Shop
- Biba Bazar
Frock me! is a major vintage fashion event in London,
bringing every year under the same roof the greatest collection of vintage clothing and accessories. “Frock Me! is the place to find clothes from every era, from 1920s ‘flapper’ style to Fifties glamour, eighties retro-chic or classic 1960s trends with prices ranging from one or two pounds up to several hundred. “
For more about this yearly event see here.

If we don't know how to find the right piece or just make a travel in time through fashion then "It's Vintage, Darling!: How to Be a Clothes Connoisseur” by Christa Weil coul be a suitable book for us.
Some vintage items below.

TOP 5 Creative Fashion Photography (NO.1)

My personal no.1, favourite in creative fashion photography is : John Galliano.

One of the most influential figures in fashion, this designer is Dior's essence. Born in Gibraltar, raised in London, John studied arts and persued his love for easthetics.

No longer plagued by the unstable financial backing of a decade ago, Galliano is now part of the stable of luxury designer firms held by French conglomerate LVMH. In 1995, LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault tapped Galliano as chief designer of Givenchy—controversial, as he was the first Brit to hold the post—then deposited him two years later as head of design at Christian Dior. Galliano now creates some dozen collections a year, including couture, ready-to-wear, accessories and eyewear for Dior, as well as directing his own eponymous label.

This fashion’s romantic created fantastical clothes, added a his colourful background and sent our minds into a fairy tale. His genius is his ability to communicate this through his clothes. Behind his aesthetic, John Galliano mixes a clash of historical eras, a fantasy of theatrics and thoroughly modern technical skills.

His interesting website is the basic source of information for this article.

Interesting:
* Galliano has reputedly cited Charlize Theron as a muse and has been creating couture dresses for her to wear to red carpet events such as the 2006 Academy Awards and the 2005 Golden Globes.
* Recently Galliano is rumoured to be collaborating with Jay-Z on the strictly limited collection of Rocawear clothing.
* In 2000 for the couture collection of boho-meets-hobo chic his inspiration were his jogging sessions, when running past the homeless people lining the river.

I find Galliano outrageous. Outrageous as in bold colours, dramatic combinations, crazy proportions of the clothes. I am in the point of admiring his imagination and power to stand up to our expectations, even though he creates intensively for two major labels. Bravo to him and his talent!

See below.

TOP 5 Creative Fashion Photography (NO.2)

Miuccia Prada consistently brings a reality check to fashion: "I love fashion, but I think it should stay in its place, not rule your life. I think it should be fun."

Miuccia Prada is considered, in the fashion world, an intellectual designer. Prada is a pioneer in the world of conceptual fashion. Season after season she manages to surprise and inspire the notoriously critical and high expectations fashion crowd. By the 1990's, Prada was a leading force in fashion. The garments and accessories were smart, sophisticated, and extremely high quality. Luxurious fabrics and simple styles, mostly in blacks, browns, grays, greens, and creams, became the signature Prada look.

In 1992, Miuccia presented the more affordable Miu Miu line, which targeted a younger consumer. More flowing shapes and earthy colors and prints set this collection apart, although the simple designs and classic appearance continued the quality of the Prada label. Soon after, the Prada Sport label was created, followed by a line of men's wear and a lingerie collection.

Miuccia , along with her bussines strategic husband, Patrizio Bertelli, once again strikes this inimitable creative-commercial balance for the fall 2008 collection. Prada clothes are described as cool, comfortable, pure, graceful, and minimalistic. Her creative power has put her on the same competition with Christian Dior, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Giorgio Armani and Gucci.
See her collections here http://www.prada.com/.

Interesting: She has a PhD in Political Science, which she followed with five years studying performing mime. She was also a member of the Communist Party. Fashion Designer Prada was founded in 1913 in Milan, Italy as a manufacturer of leather bags, a heritage from her grandfather.

I personally find her clothes bizarre, yet fashionable. She mixes too many elements, like an outburst of ideas and every collection brigs out new textures, new fabrics, new design techniques. The Prada labelled bags and shoes are incredible. She makes a statement out of every collection and brings women in a powerful light.

See below some creative fashion photography signed Miuccia Prada.

TOP 5 Creative Fashion Photography (NO.3)

Born more than 50 years ago in France, Christian Lacroix is now considered to be one of the top couturiers of all times. In 1987 his fashion house was launched and the reviews were ecstatic: "Vive Lacroix! There's been nothing like it in 25 years," sang The Sunday Times, while Vogue labelled him "Paris' most talked about designer".














Lacroix had begun his career with an aspiration to be a museum curator, but he kept his intense personal passion for theatre, opera and art that have provided inspiration for many of his collections later on. As a designer, Lacroix provides the sort of luxurious product that, at first, justified the amount of "new money" spent on him. His collections are always a exotic, a mix of influences, ranging from primitive art to modern gypsies, travelers, and nomads. He uses the most luxurious fabrics in often unexpected mixes , embroidered brocades, fur, reembroidered lace, ethnic prints and embroideries, even gold embroidery. Nothing is considered too expensive to be included in the clothes.
You can see his collections here.

For me, Christian Delacroix has given a new perspective on the word „gispy”. It is not only a nomad, an ethnic group member, it is an individual who enjoys life, who expresses happiness and excitement in every possible way. His ready to wear collections look lihe haute couture and you can only imagine what he has created for the haute couture collection. (see below an example: black leather boots)
Interesting:
Christian Lacroix’s designs „are not anti-fasion, but it’s contrary to the way the fashion is. My fashion is much more a way of living life[…] , than having a logo put on your back. […]”
The greatest influence on his career has been his wife:” if i had not met her, i would be in the South of France , eating goat’s cheese. I was lazy, i was shy and she gave me a spine.”

TOP 5 Creative Fashion Photography (NO.4)

No. 4 is Vivienne Isabel Swire. Doesn’t ring a bell? Her designer name is Westwood.Vivienne Westwood.

This credited British designer who treated “the underwear as outerwear”, is considered the inventor of punk.
Much of her work is rooted in English tailoring and, using traditional techniques as a starting point, she has devised innovative solutions to the puzzle-like complexities of cutting and piercing fabric. Her designs show the bold, the fearless unconformity with a sense of tradition. She is renowned for her use of very British fabrics such as Harris tweed and tartan, her re-use of historic garments such as the corset and crinoline.
Westwood saw a kind of loveliness in this forbidden clothing: 'All the clothes I wore people would regard as shocking, I wore them because I just thought that I looked like a princess from another planet.'
Do you want to know more about the designer or her latest collections?
Check out her official website: www.viviennewestwood.com/flash.php

For her Café Society collection Westwood featured evening dresses too vast to be shown on a normal runway. These extravagant, rustling silk gowns empower the wearer by their sheer volume and extravagance. The Ballgown and other examples of creative fashion photography see below.

I believe that her success is a response from a 70’s England that wanted a change and even now, her clothes give freedom to teenagers around the world.

Interesting: Westwood and Malcolm McLaren former art student, future manager of the Sex Pistols, arrive on the London fashion scene, and together they create a store called “Let it rock”, later on renamed “ Sex”. From this moment on she felt a real connection to her passion, designing.
Vivienne’s oldest son, Ben, is a porn photographer; and her second son, Joe, is co-founder of Agent Provocateur.

TOP 5 Creative Fashion Photography (NO.5)

I believe that the well respected fashion houses always offer more than pictures of the latest collection. They give us emotion, ideals, standards, dreams. In every picture we have a story that we can all imagine, whether we are customers, fashion critics or simple viewers.

NO.5: A great example would be Alexander McQueen.

Born in London, he left school at the age of 16 and he was offered an apprenticeship at the traditional Saville Row tailors Anderson and Shephard and then at neighbouring Gieves and Hawkes, both masters in the technical construction of clothing. There he learned the craftmanship of clothes and developed his sense of style. After he moved to theatrical costumiers and learned to create a story for each piece of garment, he became one of the most appreciated designers of the world in less than 10 years.
In my opinion a great show is spring summer 2008 women’s wear: La Dame Blue http://alexandermcqueen.com/int/en/corporate/archive2008%20%20ss%20%20womens.aspx

His collections, although special in their own way, are greatly presented through powerful visual photography. His catalogues are uniquely created, and display “things that people want to hide in their heads. War, religion, sex: things we all think about but don’t bring to the forefront.”
Below you can see what I mean. These are 2002 september catalogue images made by photographer David Lachapelle. I intentionally presented these images because I love Lachapelle’s work in general and I will, for sure, dedicate some posts in the future.

Ralph Lauren Spring 2009 Ready to Wear

With product lines such as Polo/Ralph Lauren for Men, Ralph Lauren for Women, Double RL, Ralph Lauren Home, and even Ralph Lauren paint, it makes us wonder who the man behind the label really is.
Unexpectedly, he did not attend a fashion design school, but he actually studied business at City College in Manhattan, and dropped out before receiving his business degree. It all started with the Polo shirt, which Lauren created to embody the spirit of American aristocracy.
His signature is represented by the preppy English-tweed look, the lifestyle of a collegiate scene :button down shirts, blazers and Bermuda shorts, full skirts. Always conveying a sophisticated look, he started wit leisure, casual men clothes and reached a high level, the icon for elegance in men, women fashion and home decoration.
For more information about the designer and his latest collections you can visit his official website: http://www.ralphlauren.com/

The inspiration for Ralph Lauren for the spring 2009 ready to wear collection was Africa. Representative for the theme are: parachute pants, olive green, khakis, and gold hues. The accessories were huge shoulder bags with matching belts in the same colour pallete. In the second part of the show he brought a sophisticated touch with new colours such as bright white, beige and warm cream. In the end, all black evening gowns and cocktail dresses looked stunning on the runway.
He ended his collection with one of his signature colors : a golden halter top evening gown.
I personally adore his collections because he doesn't exagerate in his show: always a simple makeup, accessories that only complement the clothes, and leaves his collections speak for themselves.

You can check out Ralph Lauren Spring 2009 collection here: http://picasaweb.google.com/cristina.dnl/RalphLaurenSpring2009ReadyToWear#slideshow


Interesting: In 2007, the Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation sent PETA a signed statement of assurance acknowledging its intent to pull all advertising for fur, cancel all pending orders for fur products, and beginning with its holiday 2006 collections, no longer sell any fur products. Twelve hundred of its brand-new fall 2006 fur-trimmed coats will be donated to charities in developing nations.

Oscar de la Renta Spring 2009 Ready to Wear

I began my fascinating travel through fashion with Oscar De La Renta because i personally like his work. Oscar De La Renta is a pure dominican, who, at the age of 18 moved to Spain to dedicate his talent to fashion. He started big at the Spain's most known fashion house, Balenciaga, then Lanvin in Paris until after a few years, when he put his own label on the market.

For more information about the designer check his official website http://www.oscardelarenta.com/

Oscar de la Renta is considered to be “The First Choice ” for women who want to draw attention through elegance and simple lines. With 40 years of experience, Oscar de la Renta brought for the spring of 2009 new directions of the fashion house. Keeping the elegance and the luxurious fabrics, he has put new colours like bright orange, ecru, lime green, tropical floral colours into the limelight.

His collections uphold the style always with a hint of exoticism. Definitory for O.d.l.R is the black and white combination, luxurious materials, wide belts and opulent accessories. As a personal point of view, I adore the elegant, silk, strapless dresses, that are always presented in the second part of the shows, Oscar gowns, as they are called.

You can take a peak and see what this fashion designer has decided for next year’s spring: http://picasaweb.google.com/cristina.dnl/OscarDeLaRentaSpring2009#slideshow