Skummi

Daphne's House

2012-02-07T04:53:00.002-05:00

I sleep in McQueen and admire my Damien Hirst all day blah blah blah.

Flower Power

2012-02-01T10:49:00.002-05:00

Go see these amazing Thomas Woodruff paintings at the P.P.O.W gallery.

Turqoise Tribal

2012-01-26T11:10:00.001-05:00

Photo by Tommy Ton
This outfit just brought a smile to my face. You go girl.

Pastel Surf

2012-01-19T22:51:00.005-05:00

I am drooling over the new Givenchy ads. They capture the laid back romanticism of the collection. Truly breathtaking.

The Secret

2012-01-12T21:01:00.000-05:00

Fotoshop by Adobé from Jesse Rosten on Vimeo.

Talking Shiz

2012-01-11T00:12:00.004-05:00

Sh*t Fashion Girls Say from StyleCaster on Vimeo.

Every fashion girl secretly loves Taylor Swift.

Fur Sure?

2012-01-03T04:18:00.003-05:00

Fur has been getting such a resurgence lately. I do not know though, I still really like animals so you will not be seeing any on me anytime soon.

Metaphor

2011-12-26T20:40:00.001-05:00

Pain Prep

2011-11-29T11:36:00.003-05:00

The perfect thing to wear to a function where you do not want to have any of those boring cocktail conversations.

Pink Perfection

2011-11-21T08:24:00.003-05:00

New York is not just a tan that you'll never lose. I know right?

Twin Supreme

2011-11-15T11:08:00.004-05:00

MK and Ashley is Vogue's best dressed and rightly so. I always love their layering and silhouettes seen in paparazzi shots with their favourite accessory of a cup of coffee. I am in love with the Row, their doctor bag, the minimalism and masculinity embedded in femininity. How could such young little starlets have such a mature sensibility? It makes me want a twin right now.

Viva Versace

2011-11-13T23:35:00.004-05:00

I do not know why I am so excited about this. It might be all the gold studs and palm prints. I think Versace has hit the right spot in fashion this year, probably catapulted by Lady Gaga's endorsement. It reminds us about the simplicity of bold in the nineties, married to the flamboyance of the eighties.

I think I am particularly excited because these looks are so perfect for the hot Singapore weather. And our first H&M store just opened a few months earlier just in time for us to get some affordable, chic Versace for a fabulous night out in town.

True Riches

2011-11-03T11:39:00.002-04:00

I am so thankful for wonderful friends. I feel like even if I had all the money in the world, I would still be the poorest person in the world if not for my friends; and maybe these shoes.

Gold Paint on Plywood

2011-10-26T12:29:00.004-04:00

Models are working so hard this season. I just love everything about this video, the english subtitles to people speaking english, models feeling faint, Donatella gushing about how much she loves gold ornaments; I mean, what else. The imaginary lion. Cannot wait to see the commercial.

Cole Swag

2011-10-24T13:11:00.004-04:00

Cole Mohr for Mastermind Spring Summer 2012, Tokyo Fashion week. Those fuzzy pants look kinda great for Christmas. Work work work.

Alien Ant Invasion

2011-10-19T04:57:00.002-04:00

I just love Gareth so much! He is always such a charmer. Obviously I am not the only one.

Rebranding

2011-10-13T03:00:00.002-04:00

French Tribal.

Queen of Heartache

2011-10-10T12:12:00.004-04:00

A woman is not known by the hue of her lipstick, the flutter of her lashes, the sparkle of her earrings, but by the song in her heart.

Male Model of the Year

2011-10-02T21:20:00.002-04:00

It is always slightly offensive to see his nipples. Faux fur yes, faux leather no, faux offense yes.

I got a Quest for You

2011-09-20T12:32:00.001-04:00

This is the shazam of breakfast.

Girl, Why You so Shy?

2011-09-11T23:21:00.003-04:00

She made it. Woopeeee.

What Carry Thou

2011-09-07T23:04:00.002-04:00

Oliver Ruuger Briefcase. A briefcase that can double up as a mop is all I need! All these dirty bitches in da house.

Me and Ms. Winehouse

2011-09-05T01:22:00.001-04:00

Why do we only care about people after they leave us?

Waiting for Godot

2011-09-01T03:12:00.001-04:00

Summertime by Edward Hopper

The Queen on Kandinsky

2011-08-17T05:51:00.002-04:00

I never really appreciated Kandinsky until I saw this. She says it with so much conviction; bless her soul.

Show Me your Tooth

2011-08-16T09:44:00.004-04:00

My last and final wisdom tooth is being extracted on Thursday. We can kiss after that.

Check Up

2011-08-12T06:24:00.000-04:00

Les Liaisons Dangereuses by René Magritte.

The New Face

2011-08-07T22:33:00.002-04:00

This is Cindy Sherman for M.A.C cosmetics. How unexpected, the queen of self portraiture glams herself up for their new advertising campaign. It is brilliant and unexpected. Hand me those technakohl liners and zoomlash mascaras please, I am about to take a photo of my alter ego.

Terry's Jewels

2011-08-04T22:47:00.003-04:00

I have seen David Webb's jewelery being auctioned at Christie's. What is up with those Terry dolls? This is just too zany.

Bedtime

2011-07-28T12:20:00.001-04:00

We Got Married

2011-07-19T01:55:00.003-04:00

Love Kate and Kate with and in McQueen.

Wingspan

2011-07-18T09:19:00.008-04:00

The Lament for Icarus by Herbert James Draper, 1898

The Queen by Lady Gaga

I will fly on a challenger across the sky
Like a phoenix so you can remind them of the dream I bore

Study for The Lament for Icarus by Herbert James Draper

Summer Essentials

2011-07-12T05:16:00.002-04:00

Ghostworld

Yellow visors shield you from the strong rays of summer and the judgmental glances of your neighbours.

Prehistory Dialogue

2011-07-11T01:08:00.003-04:00

Dinosaur Tears by Molly Nillson

I like listening to this while eating my salad.

Texting Anna

2011-07-06T23:22:00.001-04:00

Why do I feel so Blue

2011-07-06T01:53:00.001-04:00

screenshots from Tekkonkinkreet

Mad Mad Love

2011-07-05T12:39:00.006-04:00

Is this meant to be my favourite documentary of all time or what. Just seeing the trailer makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time. Yves Saint Laurent is in my opinion the most legendary designer and made fashion this beautiful fairy tale to behold. He paved the way for so many romantics and artists in this business of clothes making. His personal life is such a twisted tale with its rises and falls as well. Life is so beautiful and tragic at the same time.

Bueller Bueller Bueller

2011-06-27T23:16:00.005-04:00

Ferris Bueller's Day Out

Some days we need to skip school to look at some Picassos. See reality melt before our very eyes.

Imprisment

2011-06-26T22:54:00.007-04:00

Christopher Kane dazzles us again with a spellbinding collection that is chic, bold, innovative and a surefire way to get all the eyeballs in the room. The perfect outfit for Pride.

Gotta get Fresh Gotta go Downstairs

2011-06-23T01:04:00.001-04:00

Do you have PSD? Please see a doctor immediately if you do.

I Covered My Eyes thus You Can't Recognize Me

2011-06-17T00:00:00.002-04:00

I want to see a superhero movie costumed by Jeremy Scott. What is with the noir and apocalyptic undertones. Superhero movies should feature skinny people skipping around in neon underwear, capes and ridiculous accessories.

In Brightest Day, In Darkest Night

2011-06-16T11:43:00.002-04:00

The Chanel Green Power Ring is only available if you are selected by it.

Prince of Cool

2011-06-14T23:52:00.006-04:00

Is not the narrator's voice such a dream? Like a British veteran narrating a modern tale of magic akin to Harry Potter. Well, it is not too far from the truth. In this interview Olivier Theyskens shares his beginnings, following his heart and his philosophies on fashion design. It is also apparent that he has a deluxe understanding of cutting, sewing and a sophisticated knowledge of his modern client. He also has locks of flowing dark hair and beautiful androgynous features. I am sure many girls will be happy to take a ride on a horse with him.

Me and Mrs. Jacobs

2011-06-14T01:16:00.003-04:00

Marc Jacobs styled by Katie Grand in Industrie Magazine

Purple is the New Black.

Teen Wolf

2011-06-13T11:58:00.001-04:00

Floral Surgery

2011-06-09T05:36:00.002-04:00

Edge by Sylvia Plath

The woman is perfected
Her dead

Body wears the smile of accomplishment,
The illusion of a Greek necessity

Flows in the scrolls of her toga,
Her bare

Feet seem to be saying:
We have come so far, it is over.

Each dead child coiled, a white serpent,
One at each little

Pitcher of milk, now empty
She has folded

Them back into her body as petals
Of a rose close when the garden

Stiffens and odors bleed
From the sweet, deep throats of the night flower.

The moon has nothing to be sad about,
Staring from her hood of bone.

She is used to this sort of thing.
Her blacks crackle and drag.

Unicorn Ride

2011-06-01T02:58:00.005-04:00

Gaga's new album is absolutely enchanting. From fame to fortune, this record is my personal pot of jewels at the end of the rainbow, only accessible by unicorn. The above is an Edge of Glory wallpaper I have created to celebrate her Born This Way achievement. To remind us to live between reality and fantasy each day. You can access a hi-res by clicking on the picture.

Boudoir

2011-05-26T00:26:00.001-04:00

Need some lipstick?

To Rule a Nation

2011-05-09T23:37:00.002-04:00

Sorry I have been away for awhile. I have been really caught up with Singapore's elections. Singapore is my home and a very dear place to me. I do not like politics but I care about the affairs of this fragile country state.

It has been a very emotional and personal period and I feel transformed from the experience. As a nation, we have never been through much together and the past two weeks is something we will always remember.

Richard Diebenkorn, Interior with a Book, 1959

Eternity

2011-04-20T12:21:00.002-04:00

by William Blake

He who binds to himself a joy
Does the winged life destroy;
But he who kisses the joy as it flies
Lives in eternity's sun rise.

Gustave Dore, Paradise Lost

Coming Round the Mountain

2011-04-18T13:18:00.003-04:00

Some really nice gouache paintings by Eleanor Davis and Katherine Guillen.

You can see the full series at Eleanor's link above. They actually pan out side by side.

Lifts go Up and Down

2011-04-14T01:10:00.004-04:00

I am sure all you have seen this, but the theatrics of it is just beautiful. Perry Ellis why in the world did you fire Marc Jacobs, this could have been for you. Kate Moss could have been smoking arms hugged in black fur just for you. All those bags, the porters and Marc Jacobs looking like a total charmer in a white shirt.

Truly Marc is one of the most brilliant minds in the world of fashion. Louis Vuitton is so blessed to have him. He turned a leather goods company into a renowned fetishist entity with rich ladies demanding their bags all over the world. Especially in this collection, we see how he transforms those bags into little emblems of status and desire. Who could forget his collaborations with Richard Prince and Murakami.

Still, the show is polished like the monograms. The long skirts, puffy jackets and heels add a layer of narrative so rich that owning one of those bags is like owning a piece of european history; and its all a fantasy.

Les Choristes

2011-04-13T00:06:00.001-04:00

Call the number below if you need a snappy suit for church.

My Little Pony

2011-04-05T23:16:00.002-04:00

Waking up with a rainbow on my goldilocks.

Sketch a Gaga

2011-04-01T06:50:00.006-04:00

Ok, I have not put up some art posts in a long time so here is some drawings of mother monster. I hope she will forgive me if I made her look fat. Its a Matisse thing. But don't we all agree her ass is looking so fine in the Born this Way video. Just sayin.

Ocean Glitter Orchestra

2011-03-21T05:19:00.001-04:00

Fall Winter 2011 is a night garden blooming with flower prints and adornments; golden pollen scattered across the deep ocean hues with a dash of wine on structured silhouettes. A melancholic bride emerges from the foamy waves with purity on her mind as she tackles with the creatures that prowl and slither beyond the foliage.

Panthera

2011-03-17T23:19:00.002-04:00

One of the most memorable collections of fall winter 2011.

Tall Skinny Bitches Work It

2011-03-02T23:56:00.008-05:00

Latex, cut out shapes, minimalism meets alienism. It is so different from the theatrics of Thierry Mugler, but maintains its avant garde edge. These clothes are not for the decent, only for the creatures who lurk in the dark alleys past midnight; the banshees who steal your soul with a glance. The bolt of blue in the nude, black landscape testifies to when the angels interbred with the sons of man. Pure wicked.

Biojelly

2011-02-28T02:12:00.002-05:00

Christopher Kane Fall Winter 2011

I have read mixed reviews about this collection. I think Christopher Kane is brilliant. His works are quirky and hard to stomach sometimes but he is changing the face of fashion. It is so simple yet novel.

Just Put it in the Boar

2011-02-28T00:22:00.001-05:00

Merve Tuna

All that Glitters

2011-02-17T10:59:00.002-05:00

I am checking out the new looks for New York Fashion Week. I got gobsmacked by this gold firework. Gold is bleeding out of my nostrils.

The Blonds Fall Winter 2011

Remember Rembrandt

2011-02-08T22:28:00.002-05:00

Rembrandt must be one of the most elementary figures of art history that everyone is introduced to. He is easily appreciated because of his chiaroscuro technique, wide angle and a master of drama. I have not been looking at anything Rembrandt for awhile because I thought I have seen it all.

Oddly enough, it is my interest in Francis Bacon that brought me back to examine this master. Clearly, Rembrandt was his biggest influence in figurative painting. The shallow staged space, very precise brushstrokes that build on themselves to create a form. The utility of a lot of black.

I do not really know what to say, but through layers of paint he creates such a sense of form. The composition is relatively simple, but the depth achieved is remarkable, both emotionally, artistically and as an illusion.

Rembrandt Van Rijn, The Flayed Ox and Simeon with the Christ Child in the Temple, 1655 and 1666 respectively.

Hop on to Bunny Year

2011-02-01T22:31:00.004-05:00

Styled by the adorable Alan Bunny.

Happy Chinese New Year from Skummi family. We hope this bunny year your life will prosper faster, your heels will get higher, your figure better and your wardrobe bigger.

If You can't Decide

2011-01-26T03:45:00.000-05:00

Taking in all the goodness for Fall / Winter 2011 menswear and Haute Couture; I am still reeling from the sparkles of Armani Prive and Dior's heavenly souffle. 2011 is off to a good start, what can I say? Here is one of my favourite looks for the current season: Lanvin Spring/Summer 2011.

Skins

2011-01-17T22:49:00.001-05:00

William-Adolphe Bouguereau, Nymphs and Satyr, 1873

The light, the women, the foliage. Don't miss the awesomeness of the nude party in the far background.

Leopard Season

2011-01-10T12:11:00.001-05:00

Later Tiger

2011-01-06T04:49:00.002-05:00

Now that 2010 has gone, the year of the Tiger is also preparing for another twelve year doze.

Year of the Ford

2011-01-04T01:00:00.005-05:00

The fashion world has missed Tom Ford since his exit from Gucci at 2004. Correction, while the men have been gallivanting in his prestigious suits, the women have missed his magic. No more. The dropping hemlines, skin touting, dash of sparkle dresses that crown humanity's most glamorous moments are back on the rack.

This is the year of Mr. Ford.

Dancing with Terry

2011-01-02T22:33:00.001-05:00

Still recovering from the effects of New Year. But, so far so good. Anyway just to keep the party alive.

O Christmas Tree

2010-12-23T22:43:00.000-05:00

The Ghosts of Christmas Past

2010-12-21T13:17:00.008-05:00

These Alexander McQueen clutches are to die for. Opalescence, studded, sheen, matte, distressed, reptilian, lamé, grease. Theme, variation, genius. We miss you McQueen.

Click here if you want a higher res pic of the McQueen clutch tree.

World's End

2010-12-15T23:03:00.003-05:00

As the Koreas continue their dispute and 2012 approaches. I have become obsessed with apocalyptic art. I found these beautiful collages by Stephen Kroninger on drawger. I think they speak a lot with the cut and paste aesthetic and leave much to the imagination.

What is your fantasy apocalypse?

Let's Play

2010-12-09T21:32:00.001-05:00

Annie Louisa Robinson Swynnerton, Cupid and Psyche, 1891

A love game.

Empress

2010-12-09T02:33:00.006-05:00

Karl continues the Chanel story with a plunge into the ancient Byzantine empire for its pre fall 2011 collection. I am definitely in awe. The clothes look so classically Chanel and the opulence is leaving us drooling. Also, the make up perfectly signs off this regal look.

Don't Bite the Supermodel

2010-12-07T22:22:00.001-05:00

Lara Stone. Meow.

Kane Me Please

2010-12-01T22:35:00.006-05:00

I have been a very naughty boy this year santa. I don't need presents or Mariah Carey on top of my Christmas Tree. I need to be kaned. On my chest, on my back, on my butt. Hit me hard, I deserve it.

Christopher Kane's collection for men turns everybody into a galaxy of stars.

Hark the Herald Angels Sing

2010-11-30T23:40:00.001-05:00

Angels of Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2010 from Justin Wu on Vimeo.

Victoria Secrets always makes bras and panties such a delight. The styling for this year's show is particularly spectacular in my humble opinion. Celebrate!

Generation Inspiration

2010-11-13T00:10:00.001-05:00

Work It

2010-11-11T03:01:00.004-05:00

Photographed by Kacper Kasprzk for Industrie Magazine, put your sweat socks on and lift some iron with Rick Owens.

East to West

2010-11-07T23:55:00.002-05:00

East 10th Street is the only true geographical East West street in Manhattan. Bet you did not know that. Here is a painting from two summers ago, to remind you of the ice coffee filled season. I remember painting this from day break up till about 11am and lugging home my french easel. How I miss the summers painting with Greg Crane.

Gregory Crane, The Pumpkin Patch

Justin Bieber the Movie

2010-10-27T22:42:00.004-04:00

I love the phenomena called Justin Bieber, because it is fame on the terms of generation Youtube. Despite all the horrible things people say about him, you cannot deny his talent evident from his kidrauhl days. I know many youtube stars who will never pull a Bieber given the endorsement; they will not be able to dance the dance, sound like a chipmunk or flick the side bangs.

Fame is a monster and it usually drowns the best sixteen year olds, but dear Justin rides it out like a seasoned surfer on a wave. Running from fans on a segway, bumping into glass doors and being cried over by babies is all in a day's work. We have to understand that his fan base of rabid tweens are a malicious breed, sending death threats to his girlfriends and other atrocities only fifteen year old girls are capable of.

What inspired me to write this post was seeing the trailer of his new movie. Justin Bieber narrates, "There is going to be a time when people tell you you can't live your dreams, this is what I tell them: never say never!" Like has this kid been through much opposition? Usher picked him up and he has been flying high ever since. Obviously we know this is another machine to capture all the profits from Bieber Fever as much as possible, because the Lord knows those tickets be flying off the counters. I mean, what are you going to do if your thirteen year old brat keeps scowling and screaming for you to take them to the Bieber movie? Succumb is what you are going to do.

Still, beyond all the annoying fans, all the products from Bieber franchise, and the fact that he sounds like a girl. I think the fact his ego has not exploded beyond control (he requires bread and swedish fish for his hotel rooms), and how he only hangs out with black folk is quite endearing. So keep dancing my friend, because life is short, fame is fifteen minutes long, and whenever you perform, there will be one less lonely girl.

P.S. I might actually catch the movie because there is a snippet where he goes into a giant metallic ball cage. Seriously, I love children in cages suspended over crowds and lots of good dancing.

Eleven for 11

2010-10-18T12:01:00.011-04:00

Once again, the catwalks have been deconstructed, Anna Wintour returns to her New York office and models are waiting on tables once again. Fashion week has ended! We are left in the dust of leopard spots, maxi dresses and minimalist purity. At least that is what I think the trends are for next year.

Globally beloved muse Supermodel Grettel model eleven of our favourite looks from all the major runway shows to usher us prematurely into the colour filled spring of 2011.

Marc Jacobs leads the pack once again with a winning collection of cheerful warm colours, abstract prints and lots of drape. The Marc Jacobs girl is a drama queen who loves to bask in bright green poppy fields chomping on saccharine cupcakes.

Grand uncle Karl has been working hard this past season. What a lot of looks! Seriously, if I were Karl Lagerfeld I would do ten looks for Chanel and expect the world to swallow it up. Then I would take a vacation to Nice. I guess thats why I am not Karl Lagerfeld. This season, he resurrected Coco Chanel and her rags to riches story in a pouty attitude. Its a strong woman wrapped in delicate textures and little flowers sprinkled upon. Wear it like you are going to own a multi-million empire someday.

All aboard the giant Dior liner cruise. The very brilliant Galliano takes us on an exotic holiday across the turquoise waters of the pacific ocean with lots of samba music. Then the cruise bumps into the golden shore of a tropical island, more pink margaritas ensue and a party erupts amidst the emerald foliage.

On to more serious matters, Neil Barrett is still all tied up in his linear explorations. The somber shapes are an interesting choice for what seems like a flamboyant spring. The delineation is blurred between male and female as a masculine silhouette is transformed from the bold lines which cut otherwise mundane shapes.

Sarah Burton wows the crowd continuing the Alexander McQueen tale. It seems to me her silhouette is quite different from McQueen, hers is quite the more fluid and gentle whereas McQueen's is full of angst and grunge. Still, a tribute to the English heritage, the juxtaposing of very detailed materials and a beautiful narrative of bucolic serendipity make this a genuinely memorable collection. The butterfly dress is a true stunner.

Riccardo once again sticks to his love for monochrome, tossing in a dash of nude and leopard to mash things up. Once again, he proves to be the master of subtle variations, cruising between transparency, animal print and patterned textures that create a poetic feast for the eyes. Givenchy girl is a wild animal that has put aside her ferocious way for a religious transformation. But arouse not her ire lest she drowns you in the darkness of her former beast.

Jeremy Scott's overtly sexual collection is an orgy of litter. Trashbags, ticket stubs, Madonna, are all tossed into the melting pot of his vivid imagination and spitted out like gum on the side walk. One by one, the clothes pack a sense of a humour with a sophisticated understanding of sass. One of his best collections in my humble opinion. Whoever spots one of these next season has to be a true rock star.

Minimalism is still my philosophy of choice. The Calvin Klein collection hits the final nail through the coffin of excess. Perhaps I have not seen such a tender exploration of purity in a while. It is a combination of sexiness, female power and intellect all in one blank dress.

The much anticipated Jil Sander collection by Raf Simons is the perfect counterpart for the Jil Sander man showcased earlier this year. Simons' exaggerates the female form, creating such a languid expression of feminity that revels in being seen. Pairing t shirts, trousers and lengthy skirts, the collection is both casual and glamorous.

We love Lanvin because Mr. Elbaz never fails to understand what the modern woman wants. Whether to the beach, the office or a high society ball, the flowy skirts and chic dresses will suit you up to a statement. A myriad of looks, posh and powerful, true luxury.

My favourite collection this season has to be Rick Owens. What a spectacular presentation. Sticking true to his monastic devotion, Owens reinvents himself by injecting an aerodynamic lift to the structures. The models fleet down the runway in trance of having lost themselves embalmed in the glossy fabrics and all the subtle colours of the Earth. Those fuzzy moss shoes will be our footwear of choice come spring time.

Medical Leave

2010-09-30T10:18:00.003-04:00

Philip Guston, Untitled, 1980

Injured. Cannot blog. Be back soon.

Fall on Me Givenchy

2010-09-12T23:21:00.005-04:00

New York Fashion week is on hand for spring 2011 but I am dancing in all the fall cloaks hitting the stores. Hermetical Black is definitely my colour for the season and I love the sandy tribe of Damir Doma, and mysterious skin of Rick Owens. But there is but one cult I cannot live apart and that is the Givenchy collection.

I remember seeing the runway pictures and not being too excited, because it was not exceptionally flamboyant. It is only in seeing the clothes in person that really touched me deep. Riccardo is all about the luxurious fabrics. I think this is one forgotten aspect of fashion. Just the subtle textured thread weaves against my skin is ecstasy. The austere priestly formality about turns anybody into dignity.

The polarity black and white and religious fervour reminds me about Franz Kline and El Greco.

Franz Kline, The Ballatine

El Greco, Christ on the Cross Adored by Two Donors

It is interesting to note that the beautiful layered background in El Greco's painting is sort of an inspiration for Kline's abstraction.

Don't Call My Name Don't Call My Name

2010-08-23T11:52:00.007-04:00

This has to be the coolest music video I have seen in forever. A white out Leigh Bowery drama mixed in with the dark romance of Diane Arbus and Mapplethorpe's love of booty. OMG kill me already.

Make My Music

2010-08-15T22:28:00.004-04:00

One of the most inspiring collections for Spring 2011 is Makin Jan Ma. His designs have really pushed the boundaries of fashion. I am in awe of the combination of shimmer and transperancy, as well as the ease of the shapes. Also, the model's hair is out of this world, he looks like Bart Simpson's evil clone.

I love his process of creating a film and designing characters to populate it. Sometimes, I can't decide if I want to direct movies, draw comics or design costumes. I guess you can do it all and you can do it all great. After all, it is only commercialism that puts these limits on us.

Shoe Fleet

2010-08-04T10:58:00.005-04:00

In this day and age of iPhones and 3d movies, it just makes nature so much more romantic. I was watching this documentary about how knots, which are a kind of sea bird, flock towards horseshoe crabs laying eggs on the beach to feed on the eggs.

For some reason, these creatures really inspired me. The crabs, not the birds. Their minimalistic colouring, solid texture and abstract faces. The lack of any discernible facial features, an almost emotionless army that marches with the tide to do their duty of reproducing. Scientists will tell you that these animals have been around and unchanged for millions of years.

Our society is currently built on fleeting fragile things today, a conglomeration of digital screens and glass architecture. We have complicated systems of running our economy, paying bills, and instant porn. It was comforting to see some stability, a rooted certainty, that is basic, devoid of the complicated social bureaucracies, a raw force of ancient grace . Their ritualistic pilgrimage through the vast oceans. A timer embedded in their clammy flesh that dictates their life pursuits. They will march on, even when North Korea launches a nuclear war. I don't know why, but it gives me hope.

Thierry Mugler

I Want Candy

2010-07-29T11:19:00.004-04:00

I was in a car with this super hip mom of triplets and she was talking about how much she loved Katy Perry's new vid.

WAY CUTE YO!!!

It made me think of Will Cotton, for obvious reasons.

The weird thing is, I never really appreciated Cotton's work until the Katy Perry video which is almost like a narrative resurrection of it. But now, I love all the different textures, the translucency. Almost the hyper realism of Audrey Flack.

But the godfather of diabetic paintings has to be Wayne Thiebaud, who I respect so much. He really transformed a personal symbol into an exploration of colour, composition, much like what Morandi did but in a pop fashion that has a generous pinch of humour in it. Still, the reality it portrays is so powerful it really drags you into the obsessive geometric love for creamy yummy things.

Wright Me a Love Note

2010-07-20T11:29:00.001-04:00

The worship of consumerism.

Retracing of thoughts and symbols.

The funnier side of life.

Thank you Blake Wright, you made me smile when it was hard today.

Wright Me a Love Note

2010-07-20T11:21:00.003-04:00

The worship of consumerism.

Retracing of thoughts and symbols.

The funnier side of life.

Thank you Blake Wright, you made me smile when it was hard today.

Skummi Shirts: Holy Tank

2010-07-15T05:45:00.002-04:00

This is a little late but thank you Unconventional Morning for your awesome feature. We love your flower feet and asymmetric do. Your blog is really turning to be something inspiring, entertaining and most of all a true trendsetter.

We are sorry a style terrorist shot you on your way to school, and are thankful for your torso of steel which repelled the bullets. A Skummi Shirt is made of hundred percent cotton and thus did not survive the blast, but only a true star like you can rock the bazooka battered look with such finesse.

Couture Culture

2010-07-07T22:53:00.003-04:00

I love the direction that Riccardo Tisci is going with Haute Couture. For so long its been about the lights, the music, the after parties, the celebrities. He chooses to go back to the sewing techniques, the materials, the fabrics. He purifies fashion again, reminding us it is an art and the art object has to stand alone . Haute Couture is for the royalty of our age, whoever they may be, not trashy A list celebrities that we are desperate to carry our products.

This collection is truly spectacular. The opalescent colours, and the weaving of crystals and metallic surfaces. I have never seen tassels used so magnificently. It is pure, a slice of heaven, the resurrection of exquisite fashion.

Don't Take my Mickey Hands Away

2010-07-06T22:00:00.002-04:00

Self SS2010 - by Joost Vanderberg from F.TAPE on Vimeo.

So many great styling ideas! Music is awesome too. Primary and Pastels everybody.

Milan Fashion Week in Review

2010-06-30T23:03:00.007-04:00

After seeing all the craziness of Paris and Milan Fashion Week for menswear so far, I have to say a few collections really jump out for sheer brilliance.

I love Neil Barrett's play with black and white linearity. Melting and molding familiar forms.

Marc Jacobs scores a goal with his use of tertiary colours, juxtaposing surprising materials like matte, heather, mesh and shimmer in really unexpected ways. The black shoes are way cute. Everybody is about dramatic shapes this season but Marc Jacobs keeps it cool, sticking to more conservative refined forms. MAJOR LOVE.

Beauty and the Beast

2010-06-27T21:33:00.005-04:00

While Disney is mostly perfect. There are some things that really tick me off, like the ending of Beauty and the Beast.

I remember being scared as a kid watching all the dark scenes of Belle entering the castle and the beast lurking in the shadows. Also, the beauty of the glitzy rose casting a dimlight on all the dusty things in the attic. And then, the ending came. I felt cheated as if somebody stole the last bit of my ice cream cone, being denied a sweet relish of an ending.

Seriously, the whole enchantment of watching Beauty and the Beast is falling in love with a force of nature, hairy as a Persian cat with horns and barrel biceps. The kiss scene is just awkward. You can see the disdain in Belle's eyes of what was left of her love interest, some pale dude with flowy red hair. But she knows that magic knows no mercy and what has been reversed cannot be cursed again. Her fantasy of making fangly little furballs has dissipated with the dark night.

I THOUGHT DISNEY WAS ABOUT MAGIC AND HAPPY ENDINGS!!! I didn't pay to watch the reality that married life is hardly the torrid experience of falling in love. I want to know they spent the rest of their lives making in love in the dark gritty castle framed by cobwebs under Lumeiere's candlelight. Speaking of which, I hate all the servants turning into humans. Whats wrong with keeping all your talking cutlery! How are you supposed to relive the "Be Your Guest" sequence when all your minions no longer have spouts and lids.

I guess this is all we have to settle for now.

The youtube comments are ROFL. Pussy jokes, questioning whether this is gay or bestiality and wondering why after shaving the cat still has hair on his face.

Trashy Job: Steven Meisel

2010-06-26T22:30:00.008-04:00

Being a model is so fun, you get to smoke weed in a forest with garbage taped to your head. This is looking great, racks of clothing in the forest, blue hair, sexy hobos. Can't wait to see the editorial.

Steven Meisel is so good at shooting lanky chicks in layers.

Devon Aoki as Yoko Ono is a win! From American Vogue November 2001.

Madonna in Rolling Stone 1991. Alejandro video? I guess its officially a Madonna tribute with all the rosaries and such.

Skummi Shirts: Underground on Broadway

2010-06-25T05:36:00.003-04:00

Skummi Shirts are proud to be a part of this dual city exhibition, homeland of New York and the world's most fabulous city: London. Below is the press release and we hope to see you there!

Be sure to check out their website

Underground on BROADWAY

Two exhibitions. Two Cities

1-15TH July 2010

Preview 1st July 6-8pm

Underground on BROADWAY is a London built exhibition of young, emerging British talent showing in New York this summer. Made up of nine artists’ work, the show is eclectic in both medium and specific subject, a collection of early inspiration, showing how these initial pieces play off one another in terms of style and raw imagination.

Spontaneous and exciting, Pop-Up New York is a handful of New York's young artists, gathered to spring up next to the London show. Working in a range of mediums this group show is an array of visual reaction, with artists responding to their surrounding influences and situations. Reflective of New York, the show will run alongside Underground on BROADWAY providing an energy filled visual dialogue that will allow both shows to feed off one another.

Underground on BROADWAY and Pop-Up New York will be a unique and interactive experience aiming to involve both the artists and viewers of each of its hometowns. The growth of the Underground show has been constantly documented on a blog, initially in London and now in New York, to let everyone across both countries what’s going on. On opening night there will be music, filming, live web streams back to England, the opportunity to text artists not present at the opening, and an atmosphere lively with ideas and thoughts from two cities miles apart. Truly innovative, these shows look to manipulate what modern communication can offer, as well as presenting some of the cities’ most exciting young artistic talent.

Not to be missed come to the OPENING PARTY on the 1st of July for a preview unlike any other.

Will the Real Tavi Please Stand Up?

2010-06-22T10:37:00.005-04:00

I was on Style Rookie and was like WHO IS THIS CHICK??

I heard this great theory about Tavi, which I don't believe but is quite a lot of fun to explore. Like the abominable snowman or all those 9-11 theories. It goes, because she writes so well, Tavi is actually a creation of some adult fashion editors and they found a kid to style up and coerce to make silly raps. Thus Tavi is born.

Since Tavi looks markedly different here, the original Tavi must have stopped working due to child labour laws or her parents decide she is getting too much unwanted attention. Then I guess they found a 16 year old to replace her. You see, now her knees actually go beyond her shorts. Whereas in the past all the skirts went beyond her knees.

I had the cutest encounter with her the Spring New York Fashion week. I was like, "Tavi! Take a photo with me" And she mumbled something real soft about her parents and ran off. I was disappointed that I would never have a shot with the little fashion yoda. Of course, I downed the Absinthe with my friends, and then she returned and whispered. I bent my ears to hear what she was saying and it was something about that she informed her mom and we could take a photo together. Hurrah.

That was sweet Tavi! Its still hard for me to believe that a 13 year old (or whatever age she is right now, its so hard to keep up with Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus and all those Disney kids) could possibly care about Louise Bourgeois. I am 24 and learnt about Louise Bourgeois maybe last year at this party half drunk from a blonde guy who worked at a spectacles store.

I do have a lot of respect for Tavi and believe she is one of the more respectable fashion bloggers that are worth their salt. I just wonder how she is going to turn out as she goes through teen years? Will she usurp Anna Wintour's throne? Will she start her line of safety pin t shirts? Or maybe she will give fashion the middle finger and become a stripper only to be kidnapped by Rei Kawakubo's secret army.

Pugh on It

2010-06-20T11:17:00.007-04:00

The avant goth elf of the future, Gareth Pugh, is opening his first store. While American party elf Alexander Wang has chosen to build his first house of cuts in hometown L.A., Gareth Pugh's choice is a surprise plunder into foreign soil.

Photographer Nick Knight hypothesizes that it is due to the strict structure of British society, the uniforms, formality, that goads British designers to transcend everyday establishment. It is true that England has seen some of the best designers of our day, John Galliano, Vivienne Westwood and the late Lee McQueen. They have an understanding of formality and the punk spirit and aesthetic sensibility to break it apart in such astounding manner. England's Central St. Martins is arguably the world's most prominent fashion school. The Hogwarts of Fashion has seen wizards like Riccardo Tisci, Giles Deacon, Hussein Chalayan, Stella McCartney, Christopher Kane and the list goes on, pass through its doors. Gareth Pugh, one of its latest prodigies, has painted the world a sheen of black latex with his expert tailoring and fearless foray into architectural clothing.

The video below is a testament of his artistic powers that transcend fashion. Leigh Bowery would be so proud.

Looking tight in those knee highs and name tag. You can tie me up anytime with your rubber corsets and shredded leather. His model under his Petrificus Totalus...

Where shall he be locating his fashion foundry? None other than the cultural pearl of the East, Hong Kong. Looks like they are about to be colonized once again, this time by the dark lord in his shining black armour.

Factory Girl

2010-06-18T03:53:00.005-04:00

Gaga is the name on everybody's lips these days, and she blew us away again with her Alejandro video that I am sure you've all jerked off to plenty of times. I ascribe her niche to making the tall order of art and fashion so easily accessible to the commons. Nobody used to know how you would wear couture to your uncle's third wedding.

I am inspired to write this post after watching her interview with Larry King. First, kudos to dressing the opposite colours of Larry King, cute. I also love how every time she tells the Gaga story it sounds like the first time I heard it, much like a good fairy tale. Radio gaga, waiting on tables, performing in the Lower East Side, I rather die on stage than take a vacation.

What I got from this interview that I never did from others is her fascination with death. She talks emotively about Michael Jackson and Princess Diana about how either they destroyed themselves or the media.

The Theory of Revelation or St. Michael Slaying the Dragon. Acrylic on Canvas. April 2009. 28" x 60"
I remember painting this Michael Jackson painting a couple of months before his death. His decrepit face was already resembling one of Francis Bacon's portraits. I love how he embodies everything a pop star ought to be, the highest quality talent packed in his little body and winning crowds over from a tender age. He then grew up to be this legend that outgrew his mortality. The saturated attention and wealth created an unhealthy environment that overwhelmed his psyche; coupled with his unusual childhood, it necessarily brought about his tragic demise. Diana's story is slightly different, but we all see how fame is the major culprit for their deaths. Still, it is the fame that resurrects them through people like Gaga and fans who keep them in constant remembrance.

While fame sort of found Diana and Michael, Gaga pursued fame and owns fame as a subject of her art. She describes she wanted to perform since she was in her mother's womb. Reading Warhol's biographies, a core foundation of gagalogy, Warhol was essentially made of the same essence. He moved to New York from Pennsylvania in pursuit of recognition and achieved it.

I believe Gaga was the factory girl Edie Sedgwick never was. Edie is way prettier but not quite as talented. She never turned the spotlight to herself and always remained Warhol's muse. Gaga devours fame like pie and has incorporated her own 'Factory'. I've heard many people quip about how Gaga is manufactured since she does not dress herself or produce her own songs, which I believe to be inconsequential. She has grasped the Warholian ideal of "good business is good art", a humble understanding that no human is talented in every area and choosing to work with others, so all we see is the ideal.