extremely poor taste

It's officially time for "celebrities" to stop designing clothing. The results are rarely any good and I find that to be rather sad. If I had millions of dollars and endless resources available to me, I'd like to think that I could pump out a decent product.

The latest celebrity to offend me is Aubrey O'Day and her line, Heart On My Sleeve. Not only are her designs uninspired, they're down right tacky. Maybe I shouldn't be surprised, considering O'Day gained her "fame" as a part of Diddy's girl group, Danity Kane, and is notorious for her hot mess fashion faux pas. I know I've been wrong in the past- Lindsay's sold out leggings being the latest example- but I really hope that these clothes go unsold. And yet, I can already think of a few people who would love O'Day's raunch-a-wear.

wasn't she on America's Net Top Model? if so, this is sad.

hate is the new love? yikes. bad headbands + weird charms = big mess

just, no. absolutely not.

animal cruelty.

it says "bad boys make my panties drop"....

Someone please explain why any of the items above are being sold on the same page as baby clothes. Really weird, kind of extra creepy, baby clothes.

Photos courtesy of Hollywood Headache and Heart On My Sleeve.

better late than never:

Remember what Diplo did to M.I.A ?

Nah, not when they dated. I'm talking about when Diplo brought her to the masses with with Piracy Funds Terrorism thus making M.I.A. an internet favorite before her album was even released. Well, Diplo works his magic once again, this time for Santi White.

Big thanks to Rashida, beloved friend of sophista-funk, for alerting me to the existence of this gem- the Diplo-Santogold mixtape, Top Ranking CD. It's a nice consolation prize for me and all the other sad kids who missed Mad Fools In The Park last weekend at Summerstage. Hit up The Hype Machine to find it. nightnite.
Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Vegan.

just for men

Photos by Tom Giddings courtesy of Ponystep.

As Tala mentioned before, good knitwear is hard to find and I think this is especially true when it comes to men's fashion. The rarity of the art form is just one of the reasons that Sibling has become one of my favorite fledgling labels. The brilliant minds behind Sibling are Joe Bates, Sid Bryan, and Cozette McCreery; they've worked with greats like Aleander McQueen and Lanvin and describe their first collection as "bright and playful subversions of classic knitwear styles". It's also the only label that I'm aware of that specializes in men's knits. Even more impressive is the fact that each of their creations is hand worked- a very big deal.

Take a peek:

Photos courtesy of Hint Magazine.

Oh, what I wouldn't do for that incredible pony sweater!
To see more of Sibling designs, visit their website. You will not regret it.

Fighting For Peace

This sounds really amazing:

"Amnesty International USA is sponsoring three former Liberian girl soldiers on a U.S. visit July 21 to July 30. Jackie Redd, 30, Mickey Kesseley and Florence Ballah, both 27, are featured in a new film Women of Liberia: Fighting for Peace by Oscar-winning director Jonathan Stack.

The Women will speak to screening audiences in Washington about their harrowing experiences as soldiers and the very difficult challenges women and girls face in post-war recovery. Women hold the key to the success of Liberia's next generation, but many are jobless, have few skills and lack decent housing or medical care".

July 29

Landmark E-Street Cinema
7:00-9:00 pm Screening and Discussion
555 11Street, NW D.C
(Near Metro Center Metro Station)

More about the film: "Upwards of 30,000 women and girls were associated-- through force or desperation-- with the fighting forces in Liberia's war that ended in 2003. Constant targets for rape and sexual violence by male fighters, former female child soldiers are struggling in the post-war years to piece together their lives-- burdened by poverty, their missed school years and the social stigma they face as former fighters and victims of rampant sexual violence".

For more information or to RSVP for this event, visit the Amnesty International- USA website.

Source: Amnesty International.

sweatshop labor

I regularly hate on the prices at American Apparel but I definitely understand why those with the right kind of cash flow buy their gear there. Well, the ones who do it for the sweat shop free labor anyway- although it's common knowledge that things aren't all good at AA.

The New York State Department of Labor just shut down Jin Shun Inc., a garment contractor that manufactures clothes for Coldwater Creek, Gap Inc. (owner of Gap and Banana Republic), and Limited Brands (owner of Express, The Limited, and Victoria's Secret). The company was allegedly running a sweatshop in Queens that overworked/underpaid it's mostly immigrant staff. The allegation is that Jin Shun Inc. cheated more than 100 workers out of $3mil in minimum wage and overtime since 2005.

Absolutely obscene...

Source/More Info: CNN.
Image courtesy of American Apparel.

hot or not: Christian Siriano

Christian V. Siriano's collection for Bluefly debuted today!* The latest Project Runway winner is selling six different looks with pieces ranging in price from $96 to the much more steep cost of $590. I can't say that any of the pieces shocked me because they all look reminiscent of designs we've seen from him before- which isn't necessarily a bad thing. There's been lots of discussions around the web about his designs; haters are gonna hate and lovers are gonna love. I think I'm really digging the gold looks.

How do you feel about the clothes?

Behind the scenes video.

HOT or NOT ?

* Yes, apparently he's added the V. to his name.
Photos courtesy of Bluefly.

hot mess

Back in March, I was really excited to learn that Eva Mendes was going to be the face of Seductive Comfort by Calvin Klein Underwear as well as the company's campaign for their Secret Obsession scent. The actress/model is, without a doubt, my biggest girl crush. But I was disappointed when I finally got a peek at the ads. Unfortunately, the campaign looks ike it was inspired more by Mendes' stint in rehab than anything else. She looks washed out and most of her poses are too forced for my liking. I think Mendes and legendary photographer, Steven Meisel, are capable of so much more.

But I'm sure there are lots of middle school boys that would disagree with me.

p.s.

I FORGOT TO MENTION...
REASONS WHY GISELLE IS A SUPERMODEL:

Photographed by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott for W magazine.

oldies but goodies

Naomi Campbell as the face of Yves Saint Laurent, fall 2008.
Photographed by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin.

Physically assaulting people isn't the only way that Naomi Campbell knows how to stir up trouble. In a recent interview with The Daily Mirror, a tabloid from the UK, Campbell professed that the golden age of the supermodel is over and that the future is looking rather bleak. In her opinion, the term 'supermodel' is used too loosely and Gisele Bundchen is the youngest lady deserving the title. Campbell notably called out the current "It Girls", Agyness Deyn and Lily Cole, by name and suggested that they have a lot to prove if they wished to be compared to the greats.

I'm sure there are a lot of people ready to defend Agyness Deyn because she has dazzled the industry on the runway and with her personal style as well. Deyn has modeled for a laundry list of companies, including: Anna Sui, Blugirl, Burberry, Cacharel, Gianfranco FeFerrè, Giorgio Armani, Jean Paul Gautier, Paul Smith, Vivienne Westwood, and on and on. She's also been gaining lots of gossip-press for her romance with Albert Hammond Jr. (formerly?) of The Strokes.

While I recognize that she has accomplished quite a lot and has worked with incredible talents within the fashion industry, I'm taking Naomi's side on this one. In my opinion, Agyness Deyn is no supermodel at least not in the way that old-school models like Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington and Linda Evangelista were.

So what, besides lots of gigs, makes a model super?
Longevity.

Deyn is a Supreme-Fashionista, no one can take that away from her, but she's still relatively new to the industry-- her career didn't really pick up until '07, '06 if we're feeling generous and taking into account the impact of her social life on her publicity. If Deyn can keep getting covers and walking the runway for many more years then she just might earn the title of supermodel. But until then, I'd like to suggest that we reserve that word for the grown folk. These ladies have truly paid their dues and I can only hope to look half as good when I'm in my 40s.

Claudia Schiffer on the cover of German Vogue, June 2008.

Photographed by Mario Testino.

Cindy Crawford in an Italian GQ editorial, January 2008.

Photographed by Vincent Peters.

Christy Turlington in a W magazine editorial, August 2008.

Photographed by Michael Thompson.

Linda Evangelista on the cover of Italian Vogue, June 2008.

Photographed by Steven Meisel.

All photos courtesy of NYMAG.

i don't think you're ready for this jelly

or rather, jellies.

Funky Brazilian shoe company Melissa has always focused on creating interesting and fashionable footwear. However, their recent collaboration with the crazy talented and super futuristic architect Zaha Hadid has caught my attention. This latest venture in the "Plastic Dreams" empire has resulted in a wonderfully creative line of jellies, which are perfectly sculptural and different. Although the label has worked with the likes of Jean Paul Gautier and Vivienne Westwood in the past, Hadid's architectural background has added an especially amazing twist. The shoes are structural yet functional, and deliciously avant-gard.

The collection is set to be released this September, but there isn't much, currently, about the line on the company's website just yet. I just had to give a shout out to the concept and unique look they've created.

Source: Vmagazine.com 

itty bitty

I must give the M.I.S.S. Crew blog all due credit for introducing me to the work of London artist, Slinkachu. Although I found his work with snails to be intriguing, there was a definite "eww" factor that I never really got past. Slinkachu's miniature projects are just as intriguing and have the added bonus of not making me squeamish. His work not only has a sense of humor but some of the images can leave you feeling awed.

Here are some of my favorites:

Photos by Slinkachu courtesy of Inner City Snail and Little People: A Tiny Street Art Project.

name to know: Rad Hourani

Left: The designer looking like a young Lagerfield, Right: Hourani in a self-styled shot

Fashion forward and gender neutral, these are the key elements that make Rad Hourani a name to look out for. The young, Montreal based stylist-turned-designer is making his fair share of waves throughout the industry- defying gendered notions of fashion with his highly geometric and androgynous aesthetic.

some sketches for Hourani's a/w 2008 line

Hourani's first line debuted not so long ago, during Paris Fashion Week and since then, he has definitely begun to make his mark, even landing a spot on style.com's Top 10 to watch. Hourani's vision is simple- minimalist, seasonless clothing. His color palette consists mainly of black, with an occasional pop of color, which is often supported by rich textures and textiles such as leathers and knits. The stark angularity and symmetry present in his designs are very different from mainstream aesthetics; the clothes are purposefully sex-less and meant to be accessible to all. As Hourani himself explains, "I don't believe in boundaries of technique, of seasons, of gender, or of anything else," and his clothes definitely tout his beloved beliefs through and through.

video of Hourani's second collection, held in New York

Although a bit on the pricey side, I admire Hourani and his designs for what they attempt to do. Hourani is not only pushing boundaries within the fashion industry, but, in effect asking us to re-evaluate social and gender norms. I really believe we could see big things come from this young radical thinker- I just hope more people catch on and support his cause.

Take a look at his super-cool website here.
Enjoy!

reader we adore: Ahou!

Special thanks to lovely lady-in-the-know Ahou for alerting me about Chanel's newest excursion- a traveling art show. Now, before you write this off as another plot by Lagerfield to make some more $$$, give me a second to explain what makes this project so amazing.

Not only does the exhibition travel from city to city (as is expected) but so does the structure that houses it! The architectural marvel, designed by world-renown Zaha Hadid, has been constructed such that it can be taken apart and pieced together in each and every one of the 5 metropoles it is set to visit.


The exhibition "which will exhibit work inspired by the elements that give the emblematic quilted bag from CHANEL its identity" is currently in Tokyo, but will be making its way stateside (to New York!) around October. You can read up more on Chanel's website, here.