The Wandering Form

Oh the infamous little black dress. The essential in every girl’s closet. Why is it so essential? Because just about any black dress can make any girl look slim and elegant. Andre Leon Talley curated an exhibit at the SCAD Museum of Art that featured the best of the best of little black dresses from designers like Givenchy, Marc Jacobs and Prada just to name a few. This timeless piece has been redesigned by many but only few have shone as bright as the 72 dresses that Talley has chosen. Since the little black dress has been done so many times, it’s hard for me to find one that I really like (plus I love my colors!). Naturally I was drawn to the more unique dresses. The ones that really stood out to me were Ohne Titel’s leather laser cut athletic dress, Zac Posen’s spider-structured gown and Azzedine Alaia’s zip front dress. For any one who has the time to go do so, you should definitely see this wonderful exhibit.

Ohne Titel S/S 13

Zac Posen S/S 13

Azzedine Alaia Summer 11

As we have all heard before, history is always repeating its self. Fashion designers are constantly taking inspiration from the past or past designers. A lot of what we see and wear today is just a modernization of the past silhouettes and designs. Balmain was one of those designers. He was inspired by 19th century silhouettes and architecture, but he always put a fresh look to each garment he designed. While Balmain passed three decades ago, Olivier Rousteing is the now the designer for the house. While keeping with the sophisticated look, Rousteing has had an obvious impact on the label. He showed the sharp tailoring, crisp angles and elegant embroidery that is a Balmain signature while adding a some edge. Immediately from the Resort 2012 show, Rousteing’s first show, he came out strong and has been showing even better collections since then. It’s amazing to see how he glamorizes not only the evening wear but also the daywear. He modernizes Balmain’s timeless pieces and makes them his own.

Balmain 1953

Balmain 1950

Balmain Resort 2012 by Olivier Rousteing

Balmain Spring/Summer 2012 by Olivier Rousteing

Balmain Fall 2012 by Olivier Rousteing

Balmain Resort 2013 by Olivier Rousteing

Sometimes I think that art is just one big experiment. Some people play it safe and some push the envelope. A lot of the photography I have done, especially in the beginning, was and still is very experimental. My favorite experiments were when I would incorporate another medium. Sometimes it worked out, and sometimes it failed.  But that was all apart of a learning process to see what works and what doesn’t. I have always been inspired by artists that make incredibly beautiful and successful mixed media pieces.

Matthew Cox makes a lot of mixed media work, but his most recent work of embroidered x-rays has to be the most captivating. He stitches these magical yet eerie scenes on to medical film that show the contrast between the labor intensive embroidery work and the quick process of photography.

Matt Wisniewski creates some of the most interesting collages I have ever seen. He skillfully intertwines portraiture with elements of nature that many artists have tried before. These breathtaking images appear effortless.

Proenza Schouler’s digitally inspired Spring/Summer 13 designs that walked down the runway this past week apart of New York Fashion Week was truly jaw dropping. It is amazing to see everyday images from the internet effortlessly collaged together while incorporating fashion techniques.