Creative Director of Givenchy now on Nike's team

Luxury fashion-high street collaborative lines are not hard to come by nowadays, with H&M, Target, Adidas and Nike being the main partners of luxury fashion labels who want to target the highly fashion conscious generation of today. Riccardo Tisci of Givenchy has garnered much attention for his monumental change of direction for the historical label, which started with the infamous Rottweiler and Panther prints from the Fall/Winter 2011 season, even though his tenure at Givenchy started much earlier. Mr. Tisci has finally decided to join the movement and announced the release of a collaborative line with iconic sports brand, Nike. 

After a period of being illusive as to exactly what to expect from the line, the Creative Director has revealed that the collaboration is a redesign of Nike's Air Force One sneaker. Nike R.T., a stylisation of the partnership, not only includes the classic hi and low styles of the shoe, but a mid and even knee-high version, perfect for the more daring sneaker freakers. The new sneakers have been deemed as "universal yet somehow personal", and rightly so, as there is a style for every fashionista. The duality of luxury and street brought by the two labels only brings more approachability to the intimidatingly famous brands.

The Nike R.T. Force One Collection will be available in all styles in global retailers and online in Spring 2014. All styles will be available in white from March 1 and in black from April 1.

Images courtesy of Freshness Magazine, Vogue UK and Nike

Givenchy | 17

Minimalism and mechanics aren't something associated with the collections from Givenchy's Riccardo Tisci, but it seems things have taken a turn. Givenchy are now set to release a series of watches and timepieces, named Seventeen. Encompassing elements such as stainless steel and sapphire glass housing a Swiss quartz movement, these architectural watches are perfect for the man with a contemporary taste. Keep an eye out for when these valuable pieces are available, there's a guarantee Tisci fans will snatch them quickly...

Images courtesy of Givenchy

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Givenchy: Neon Camo Overload

Riccardo Tisci's injection of undeniably rebellious designs have turned Givenchy on its head, and his talent and skill is commendable, but this collection particularly is a hit and miss. The Pre-Spring/Summer collection for 2014 encompasses an abundance of neon camouflage, gender-illuding florals and symbolic fire prints, which overpower the wonderful tailoring of the collection and the fact that this is the first Pre-season Givenchy menswear collection that features the man-bag.

To the Tisci loyalist, this collection is a wonderment, albeit this is more extreme than previous collections, but to people who are new to his eccentricity may be intimidated by this collection. Riccardo usually sets trends, but with this collection, it seems he has been reactive, twisting the much seen trends of camouflage and floral prints for men by using much vibrant colours and applying it to the slim-line yet sometimes obscure silhouette he is known for. There is much more to this designer, and many know it, we'll just have to see what's next for Mr. Tisci.

Images courtesy of Trendland

Central St. Martin's New Project

You're not the first to be confused by this magazine cover, but this magazine is actually the new project from the intimidating and world-renowned Central St Martins College of Arts & Design. If you don't know of Central St. Martins, the college has given birth to the highly successful fashion design careers of the late Alexander McQueen, controversial John Galliano, Céline's Phoebe Philo, and my personal favourites, British designer Christopher Kane and the rebellious Givenchy Creative Director, Riccardo Tisci.

From 1 Granary editorial, "All. White. Everything", December 2012

It was only a matter of time before the highly skilled and talented students of the prestigious college would start a publication, especially with the expansion of journalism into the digital world, as most things have, and the opening of rival college, The Condé Nast College. The magazine, called "1 Granary", will be covering fashion, art & design, and is yet to be released. But, the blog has already been established, offering us jealous types to peer into the college and the students' collective interests.

For more information on the college and the courses they offer, head to www.csm.arts.ac.uk

For a preview of the magazine, head to www.1granary.com

Images courtesy of 1 Granary

Punk: Chaos to Couture

Brush aside all the celebrities who attended the Met Ball, and you'll see what this year's occasion was fundamentally celebrating - Punks. The Punk movement had an undeniable affect on everything - politics, culture, visual arts, music, graphic design and of course, fashion. The ripped jeans, nickel chains, out of context tartan, tshirts sporting unruly comments against society and the emergence of Fashion's Mother of Punk, Vivienne Westwood, and rising popularity of the musical anti-hero, Sid Vicious of The Sex Pistols.

The Costume Institute's exhibition, Punk: Chaos to Couture, is aimed at showing us all how rebellious we can be, simply through the way we band together and change culture through our collective resentment of the system. The exhibition will be at the Met in New York City will be open from May 9 - August 14 this year, so if you're heading to The Big Apple or are already a local, make sure you channel your inner rebel and bathe in the Punk atmosphere at the exhibition.

For more information on the Punk: Chaos to Couture, head to the Met Museum website

Images courtesy of Met Museum and Suzanne DeChillo from The New York Times

Riccardo Tisci's Inner Ballerina

Givenchy's Riccardo Tisci is a modern master of fashion - having been named Designer of the Year in 2012 by GQ, designing costumes for Madonna's Superbowl comeback and Rihanna's current Diamonds world tour and of course his rebellious Givenchy collections, he has now expanded into costume design for the regal dance of Ballet. His ability to design minimal high-impact costumes is exemplified in his collaboration with the atelier of the Palais Garnier, at the Opéra national de Paris in France, for the Belgian production, Bolero De Ravel.

The mesmerizing yet haunting designs must be a sight to behold in the flesh, and even from photographs and sketches it's easy to tell the amount of dedication and intricacy in the costumes, which complement the set design by the veteran performance artist, Marina Abramović. The outstanding costumes comprise of skin tight bodysuits which are surprisingly harmonic with the translucently flowing chiffon and crystal details, and effectively depict the dancers as hypnotic alien-like creatures to the audience. Riccardo has truly shown his flexibility in fashion, and it's unpredictable to know what this fashion master will create next.

  

Bolero De Ravel is on stage until June 3, 2013 in Paris, France

For more details on the production, please go to Opéra National de Paris

Images courtesy of CR Fashion Book, A Shaded View on Fashion and Givenchy

God Bless You, Mr. Tisci.

A most honorary award has been given to the revolutionary Mr. Riccardo Tisci, the Creative Director of Givenchy - the Council of Fashion Designers America Award for Creative Contribution to the Fashion Industry, and he damn well deserves it. The CFDA Awards honour the most influential and powerful fashion designers and industry people every year, and there is no doubt that Tisci's influence on fashion hasn't gone unseen in the past few years. His reinvention of the classic fashion house has not only made Givenchy a sought after brand for the younger fashion conscious market (signified by the famous Rottweiler shirt, which I happily own and wear almost every day), but has also managed to keep the vision of Hubert de Givenchy alive and breathing. Coincidentally, a raw editorial of the designer and a few of his muses wearing his designs has been released in the latest issue of Self Service, highlighting the elegant edginess of this man's creative vision and skill (below).

I'm one of many young avid collectors of Givenchy shirts ever since Riccardo revived the label, and I know he will keep on rising with his position in this illustrious brand, and his words will always resonate in my mind to motivate to me to do better in life - "I really believe in religion, in the universe. If you work hard and you're honest, you'll get somewhere". God Bless you, Mr. Tisci!

Images courtesy of the official Givenchy Facebook page

Photography by Maciek Kobielski, Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinood Matadin

Pre-Fall Fashion Hound

Riccardo Tisci's animal motifs have spanned many a territory, with rottweilers, panthers, sharks and even the mystical Minotaur gracing his collections for the one and only Givenchy, but now it is time for another creature to make its mark upon the high fashion world - the Doberman. Soon, high-end designers will be releasing the look books of their Pre-Fall/Winter 2013 collections in preparation for the upcoming shows early next year, and who better to have shown theirs first. The collection gives ode to the original legendary designer of the house - Hubert De Givenchy, with the initials "HDG" slapped across many of the garments. These initials are a homophone, Riccardo stating that he also wanted the initials to represent "House de Givenchy". Amongst the stripe blocked flannels, the famous silk bombers and the signature Givenchy stars, watch out for the "Pervert" jacket... It's not hard to miss, I can hear the uproar over this loud and clearly.

Images courtesy of Style.com

Vogue's 120th Anniversary

Lady Gaga bares her face for the biggest September issue of Vogue

September is the most eventful month for Fashion in the calendar, with the change of seasons comes the New York, London, Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks - giving a chance for establishing and prolific designers to showcase their Spring/Summer collections to fashion media worldwide. Along with the shows, fashion publications are expected to market the new season, with Oyster releasing their 100th issue and Vogue Hommes Japan's most anticipated issue set for release later in the month. But, there is no better opportunity for Vogue to release their largest ever issue during their 120th year in the industry. In celebration of the anniversary, designers and their muses have been featured in a breathtaking editorial in the issue.

Raf Simons, one of the fashion industry's most prolific designers in the current times, for Christian Dior

Givenchy's rebellious Creative Director, Riccardo Tisci, and his beautiful muse Rooney Mara

Florence Welch in her ever ethereal beauty

One of my favourite designers at the moment, Christopher Kane with models wearing his designs

It's official - you are not cool unless you are in this photo with Alexander Wang. His muses include notorious rappers Azealia Banks and A$AP Rocky, who are gracing his side in this photograph.

All images courtesy of Vogue

Givenchy Cruise SS13 - A Full Look

Images courtesy of whoknowsfashion

These are my favourites from Riccardo Tisci's latest collection for Givenchy, there is just no stopping for this illustrious designer. This collection mixes the sensitive side of men with the soft pinks and juxtaposing that against the warrior inside all men with the blindingly sleek jet plane prints. There is also an undertone of punk added to the whole collection with the ear stretchers and red plaid shirts against the hints of esquire with the paisley prints. I never knew such a mix of prints and colours could flow easily within a collection, but there is no denying that Riccardo Tisci's vision surpasses the conventions of fashion.