[Chalk & Fashion]…Illustrations by Zoe Taylor

I’m not even going to begin to explain why I’ve been absent. There’s no point when I know full well that good blogging etiquette is to let readers know that there’s going to be a hiatus. I apologize. Other things more important than blogging just happen sometimes. Anyway, I’m back now with some new cool stuff. I can’t promise posts will be as frequent as they used to, though, so I suppose it’s nice to just savor them when they occur 🙂

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I’m loving these illustrations by London based illustrator Zoe Taylor….

These illustrations are striking to me because they look as if they could be made of crayon and children’s drawing paper. They are made using pastel & newsprint. I love them all the same though!

[Electric Beauty]…Photography by Krentz

These stunning images are by Dutch photography duo, Ulf & Denise Krentz. I LOVE the vibrant colors and styling in these photos. It’s so eye-catching.

Besides editorial work, Krentz has also done a lot of beauty and advertising shoots – and while the subject matter may be different, they always seem to find a way to add that pop of futuristic color. Great work.

[Cut & Paste]…

Awesome editorial for Dazed & Confused magazine. It was photographed by Damien Blottiere & styled by Robbie Spencer. I love how futuristic this feels & looks…very neat concept!

[Avant-Garde]…Fashion Styling by Holly Suan Gray

It’s the combination of photography & styling that always gets me with great editorials. That’s why I’m enthralled with the work of Holly Suan Gray, a stylist that has carried her vivid & avant-garde eye to Vogue UK, Vogue India, and many other fashion glossies.

While all of her work deserves to be checked out, I was most excited by these two editorials – The Sleep Walker & Sanctuary

Super stunning & oh, so vibrant!

[Fashion Frenzy – Part I]…Fall RTW 2011 Wrap Up

I may or may not have stated that it has proven to be next to impossible to keep up with the plethora of shows that come out of NY, Paris, London, & Milan. I tried to, but it seemed as if every time I found a new collection that I was in awe of, 3 more would pop up at the same time! The amazing creations that can come out of fashion week are really quite something, though, so I’ve been bookmarking the collections that a truly did love. They all had something that spoke to me whether it be outstanding color use, fantastic fabrics, or innovative silhouettes.

Hermes (There was a lot of leather in this collection & I loved the silhouette play)

Erdem (oh my gosh, the patterns & prints….)

Giles (Over the top, classy – an aesthetic that I adore)

David Koma (dots, dots, pops of color and I love it!)

Stay tuned for more of my favorites from NY, Paris, London, & Milan!

Trio…SparkleShock’s Picks for Best Dressed at The 83rd Annual Academy Awards

Last night marked the evening of the 83rd Oscars award ceremony and as usual, the celebs came out in droves to help celebrate professional accomplishments in the world of film…

Sidenote #1 – I really only enjoy watching the Oscars for the following categories: Best Art Direction, Best Original Score, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup, & Best Visual Effects. In my personal opinion, I feel that those categories are the ones that showcase the meat of a film…without the visuals, there really is no cinematic masterpiece. Click here to see the winners & nominees in those categories (hint: my Costume Design inspiration, Colleen Atwood won her 3rd Oscar!)

Sidenote #2 – Last night, a tweet from someone I follow stated (in short) that instead of idolizing/celebrating the celebrities at the Oscars, we should be celebrating ourselves. This tweet rubbed me the wrong way because I felt that this person was saying that The Oscars is all about celeb worship. I do not agree with this. I think that The Oscars are one of the few awards that reward excellence in professional accomplishments – a profession that just so happens to include many who are famous. While I wholeheartedly agree that our culture does have an obsession with celebrity, I do think that credit should be given when there is a true and actual talent in the realm of entertainment. Celeb Worship isn’t okay in any way in my opinion, but it really feel that it’s wrongness is more warranted when a celebrity is acclaimed despite the fact that they really have no outstanding talent or are just famous for being famous (see: Kim Kardashian or Paris Hilton).

Okay, now that I’m off my soapbox, haha, I must say that wasn’t really impressed with too many of the gowns from last night. I feel that while one should be elegant at the Oscars, it is also more than likely the highlight of one’s film career, so there should be more fashion experimentation. If, when, I go to the Oscars, you can best believe that I will be in something extremely elegant, but not in something you can find standard at any prom or black tie event.

Anyway, here’s my picks for the 3 dresses I thought were the most gorgeous…

 

Camilla Alves in Kaufman Franco

Jennifer Hudson in Versace

Halle Berry in Marchesa

I like each one of these ladies dresses for many reasons. Camilla’s is very commanding in my opinion. I love the huge bell skirt and the plunging neckline and empire waist are very sexy, yet elegant. Halle’s dress has sort of the drama that I was talking about…and while I think some of that tulle at the bottom is haphazard, I think overall the dress & beading is stunning. Jennifer brought the perfect amount of color (and I’m not just talking about the dress…but that’s another post for another day) to the awards with this gorgeous iridescent orange. I love that it fit her perfectly and it was very pretty.

Overall, I think the Oscar dresses were a bit too safe and drab. I think there should have been more color (like The Golden Globes), but who am I but a lowly freelance designer to suggest that, haha. Tell you one thing, let me design dresses for Hollywood’s elite – they will certainly make the night more memorable! Head here if you’d like to see more looks from last night.

[Pure Elegance]…Badgley Mischka Fall 2011 RTW

There isn’t much I can say about the Badgley Mischka Fall 2011 RTW collection except that it is nothing but grace, elegance, and class – 3 adjectives that ALWAYS get a standing ovation in my book…

This is another collection that chose great bold jewel colors to work with. I also love the use of sheers and tulles to create a bit more of a fierce look. I think this collection has a great combination of sexiness and classiness that are about to be major inspirations for an evening dress I want to design. I love this entire collection…be sure to check it out to see the rest!

Loving…Burberry Prorsum Fall 2011 RTW

This collection right here by Burberry Prorsum is everything I like about Fall when done right. Bold colors, sumptuous fabrics, and amazing pattern play are everything I want in my clothing (during an otherwise dull season), and Burberry Prorsum’s Fall 2011 RTW collection has all that and more. I’m usually impressed by the collections of this label, but this one certainly takes the cake in my opinion.

Behold…

Wow! Check out those plaids and tweeds!!  really only like those two details during the Fall, so I am loving everything about this collection. I also really enjoy that Pea Green & Autumn Orange were prominent in this collection…color always makes things so much more interesting!

Loving…Basso & Brooke RTW Fall 2011

Fashion month has moved across the pond to London and while I wasn’t too wowed with NYFW, I’m thinking that LFW will deliver a bit more. I love a wow factor and a lot of European designers tend to have that, so I’m quite excited to see what they have to offer! One collection that I’m enthralled with is the Fall RTW collection of Basso & Brooke. The pattern play in this collection is crazy! It’s very bold and very graphic – just how I like it.

Here, take a gander…

I love the vivid colors in these looks. And while I’m not crazy about many of the silhouettes, I do think this is quite wearable if you were to pair down on the accessories and shoes. This collection totally caters to my love of great textile design…it also reminds me of a look from another collection from Fall 2011 RTW that I was digging – Central Saint Martins:

Interesting, isn’t it?? Stay tuned this week for some more of my favorites from LFW!

Loving…Jason Wu Fall RTW 2011

I have to preface this coverage of NYFW by stating that the Fall is not my favorite season either in real life or in fashion. I think the color palette goes to close to the subdued and I don’t really care too much for the over use of such fabrics as tweed, velour, and velvet. That being said, though, I do love certain aspects of the season and will happily wear my favorite fall trends when they’re done right. I haven’t been too impressed with the RTW Fall 2011 collections that have come out of NYFW just yet, but there are some gems that have tickled my fancy. One of them is Jason Wu’s collection. His looks always cater to my love for the classy and elegant.

Here’s some of my favorite looks…

Simply gorgeous. Some of my favorite fabrics are lace, chiffon, and satin, so I am swooning over this collection. I love the use of bold jewel tones (that Chartreuse is killing me!) and I think that the nod to 80’s shoulders (in the blazers) is just the right touch to a decade in fashion that is finally on it’s way out. If I still had my job in Corporate America, I would so incorporate many of these looks into my daily wardrobe. Actually, who says I have to be a desk to wear these?? Sassy tailored looks, here I come!

Bravo, Jason Wu…Bravo!