The Year That Was

Vogue Italia celebrated their 25th year with their 'Revolution" covers for the July issue

Another year over, and another wave of changes in the fast-paced fashion industry! A year in fashion encompasses many changes that reflect the evolving zeitgeist of society and the business's rapidity, spanning from music, art, film and of course, events. 2013 brought about comebacks from pop culture's fashionable icons, with Lady Gaga channeling a more demure self and bringing her little monsters back to the forefront with her album, ARTPOP, and Beyoncé collaborating with some of fashion's finest for her surprise visual music album, the first of its kind.

Lady Gaga brings a new era to her musical career - ARTPOP

Beyoncé gives us a taste of the future of music albums

Significant milestones in fashion journalism were celebrated this year, including the 25th Anniversary of Vogue Italia, marked by designers such as Prada, Dolce & Gabbana and Versace curating the special edition July covers of the magazine, and the 15th Anniversary of Russian Vogue, with influential fashion editors giving their congratulations to the magazine and wishing Editor-in-Chief Victoria Davydova the best. A whole new array of new titles have also been welcomed - Vogue Ukraine, 10 Men Australia, 10 Australia and Elle Australia all releasing their first issues this year.

The first issue of Vogue Ukraine, released in March

10 Men and 10 Magazine's Australian editions were launched during the Spring/Summer season

The fashion industry is notorious for its extravagant events, particularly those during Fashion Week, and besides the fact that it was my first Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia as official media/press, a few stood out in the worldwide fashion scene. The revolutionary Paris Fashion Week show of Rick Owens Spring/Summer 2014 collection broke the norm, using "plus-size" models, or rather dancers, to show off his androgynous designs down the runway, bringing him critical acclaim. The Met Ball for the respective annual fashion exhibition, this year based on the Punk movement - Punk: Chaos to Couture attracted the public eye's attention, especially the bold fashion choices of a few celebrities who attended the event. Finally, the opening of Prada: A New Place for Stories, a literary space in New York City where the designer label's short story competition winners were awarded and where their works will be available for viewing. 

A shot of Vanishing Elephant's Spring/Summer 2013 collection, shot by myself at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia

Anne Hathaway and Valentino Garavani at The Met Ball

Rick Owens' Spring/Summer 2014 collection, modelled by step-dancers in Paris

The fashion film of the year brought about a new perspective of costume design, with the release of Baz Luhrmann's 3D remake of The Great Gatsby. Some of the hype that surrounded the film was created by the news of Prada, Tiffany & Co. and Brooks Brothers contributing costume designs, all presenting a modern interpretation of the greedy and roaring '20s. 

Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan in a promotional editorial for The Great Gatsby in Vogue Australia

Prada's costume designs for The Great Gatsby

The Gatsby Collection by Brook's Brothers

On a final note, some of the world's well-known clothing labels experienced shifts in direction, with Alexander Wang presenting his debut collection for Balenciaga, due to Nicolas Ghesquiére's departure from the historical label, who swiftly came back into the fashion scene this year with his appointment as Creative Director of Louis Vuitton after the shock announcement of Marc Jacobs's retirement from the label at Paris Fashion Week. Notable designers who have also left include Ann Demeulemeester and Jil Sander, both leaving their namesake labels. Unfortunately this year, we also had to say goodbye to the labels Nicole Farhi, Farrell and even Ksubi, all filing for bankruptcy.

Alexander Wang's first collection for Balenciaga proved to be a hit, this crackle jumper being the key piece

Marc Jacobs at his final show for Louis Vuitton

2014 is now here and the cycle of change is already happening... who knows what will change this year! Happy New Year readers!

Jil Sander at her final show of her namesake label

Images courtesy of Swide.com, Lady Gaga, Pierre Debusschere, Cacolyte, Fashion Bomb Daily, Highsnobiety, Design Scene, Esquire, DIY Fashion, Ellies Blog, Vogue Australia and Say I Love Mary

'Tis The Season To Be Jolly!

The Gareth Pugh Christmas Tree

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone! Let's all celebrate the love shared between friends and family and of course the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ this joyful day! Remember to also keep those who unfortunately cannot spend this day with their loved ones and wish them well for their future.

Image courtesy of TrendsNow

Fabrications

Givenchy sweatshirt, Damir Doma trousers, Grenson boots

McQ by Alexander McQueen bomber, Givenchy shirt, Balmain trousers, Underground boots

The eerily surrealist painting style of LA based artist, Alex G. Paradise, has been utilised in the latest editorial for online fashion retailer, SSENSE. The paintings, drawing inspiration from the retailer's best selling pieces of the season rather than blatantly presenting the products to the customer, are an interesting series most likely aimed at showing how fashion feeds on other creative industries (art especially). What stands out the most is the anonymous figures who model the clothes, who in my opinion blanks out the delightfully distracting fashion models and highlights the beauty of the garments themselves, which fashion is ultimately about.

McQ by Alexander McQueen polo, Kenzo trousers, Raf Simons backpack, Mr. Hare shoes

Stella McCartney blouse, Dion Lee mini skirt, Marni flats

View the complete series of paintings at SSENSE.com

View more works from Alex at www.alexgparadise.com

Images courtesy of SSENSE

Sneakerboy Sydney

Sneakerboy, Australia's latest luxury footwear and streetwear chain, is opening in Sydney on Saturday, December 14th! If you don't know about these guys yet, it's mainly because the retailer has kept a low profile to the mass and has concentrated on their target market. The retailer allows Australian guys who have a taste for the luxurious but want to keep things urban a chance to get their hands on world-renowned labels and designer collections in a relaxed environment. 

Sneakerboy has hit a gap in the market in Australia successfully, with sneakers from coveted labels such as Givenchy, Raf Simons, Maison Martin Margiela, Rick Owens, Pierre Hardy, Lanvin and the legendary Alexander McQueen, being difficult to find in brick-and-mortar stores around Sydney and Melbourne. In sync with their launch in Sydney, the retailer has offered two promotions to customers! The first is a chance to WIN some of your favourite sneakers from the retailer and the second is FREE Sneakerboy denim at their Sydney launch! 

For details on how to win your sneakers wishlist and get free Sneakerboy denim, head to www.sneakerboy.com

Images courtesy of Sneakerboy

High Fashion Marge

Marge Simpson as Dovima with Elephant, photograph by highly regarded fashion photographer, Richard Avedon 

Marge Simpson as Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's

The Mother - a timeless icon of female strength, love and beauty. In the cartoon world, Marge Simpson is the epitome of the ultimate mother - a woman who loves her family so much she even conquered her fear of flying to ensure her family enjoyed their vacation. Now, she's the model for a series of fashion illustrations by AleXsandro Palombo, all reinterpretations of some of the most recognisable fashion photographs of all time. Being true to her signature blue hive hairstyle, there's no better model than Mrs. Simpson for this special commemorative series - showing her ability to transfigure herself to emanate the personalities of different female fashion icons, for she is one herself!

Marge Simpson as Carmen dell'Orefice by Richard Avedon

Marge Simpson as Mademoiselle Coco Chanel

Marge Simpson as Virginia Oldoini Countess de Castiglione by Pierre-Louis Pierson

View the complete series of illustrations HERE

Images courtesy of AnOther Magazine

Paintbox

Just another Taubman's Australia paint bucket you say? Think again, as once you open this bucket, a shirt lies inside waiting to be worn. They say fashion feeds on art, as controversially shown by performance artist Marina Abramovic and Riccardo Tisci from Givenchy via a nude photoshoot, but this collaboration makes this idea much more accessible. The Italian cotton tee features a brightly warped orchid print designed by Australian fashion royalty, Josh Goot, complementing his visually organic style and array of colours available throughout Taubman's Australia's range of paints.

Using colours from Taubman's such as Lavendula, Rouge Roi, Split Lime and Taffy Twist to create the print, the designer has managed to produce a tshirt that reflects the love of the tropics, summery weather and healthiness that Australians have. The tee is arriving just in time for the Summer of the Southern Hemisphere, being available in December 13 at the label's Paddington (Sydney) and Melbourne boutiques.

Images courtesy of Nadia Bailey, The Interiors Addict and Urban Society

Video courtesy of the official Taubmans Australia Youtube channel