The Power Dressers of Fashion

In lead up to the opening of the famed fashion exhibition, In Fine Style: The Art of Tudors & Stuarts at the Buckingham Palace, a campaign featuring High Fashion Goth designer, Gareth Pugh was released. The campaign is a brief look into the history of fashion's evolution from a luxury to a necessity, how dressing for a political purpose was upheld in the nobility and how that idea still exists in the dark designs of Gareth Pugh and its relation to the designs of Tudors & Stuarts.

Gareth Pugh Autumn/Winter 2013

Gareth Pugh Autumn/Winter 2013

Tudors & Stuarts were a medieval dynasty that included King Henry VIII, and were known to start the "trickle-down" effect in fashion, where the style of the higher and noble classes are mimicked by those of the middle and poorer classes. Gareth Pugh, and even Alexander McQueen in respect, were/are influenced by this period, hence their outrageous yet regal designs. Gareth Pugh is much darker in his aesthetic, and his influence is seen everywhere - the trend of monochromatic leathers, powerful and structured jackets and skin tight leather pants as every day wear an example of this, being donned by fashionistas all over the world. For a closer look at his designs and what influences the designer, watch the video below:





In Fine Style: The Art of Tudors & Stuarts is now on in the Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, London, England. The exhibition closes on 06.10.13.
For more information, head to the Royal Collection website

Images and video courtesy of Dazed Digital

Vogue Hommes Japan #9 - Preview Day 1

The preview of the cover of Vogue Hommes Japan on Day 1

Nicola Formichetti, the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Hommes Japan, former stylist of Lady Gaga, Creative Director for  Mugler and Head Designer for Nicopanda, is set to release the most anticipated issue of Vogue Hommes Japan this September. The issue features photography by Hedi Slimane, the Creative Director of Saint Laurent Paris and eerily beautiful artworks by the alternative "it" girl at the moment, Grimes, but most of all the issue is a chance for men worldwide to see the Fall/Winter menswear collections in a variety of editorials complementing the garment and the dark punk atmosphere that Nicola has injected into the usually glamorous Vogue magazine.

As it is the eventful month of fashion of September, Nicola began a series of previews of the issue in collaboration with Models.com - with the covers, digital covers, fashion films, and stop motion versions of the editorial images for everyone to see. I selected a few images to share, as I could not help but do so as the previews of the magazine so far have signaled to me that this issue will probably be my most prized in my collection, if I manage to buy it!

First of all, the covers were released according to what was being previewed on the day. On Day 1, the cover (above) was previewed, along with the editorial that complemented the cover featuring Gryphon O'Shea, shot by Hedi Slimane, with Grimes' artworks - "Bleached".

One of the artworks by Grimes

There is no doubt that Gryphon would've been the perfect man for this editorial - a beautification of the dark subcultures of Goth and Punk, particularly London's punk scene, whilst drawing from elements of maximalism. Hedi Slimane has shot this editorial emphasizing the mysteriousness of many men within these subcultures, and has captured how this aesthetic is now praised within the fashion industry rather than isolated from high fashion. Grimes has added to the atmosphere with her abstract morbid artworks, a style she is best known for.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL PREVIEW FOR DAY 1

All images courtesy of Models.com