Happy New Years from Jeremy and Me!

Happy New Years Eve Bloggatrons!
What better way to celebrate than with Jeremy Scott's S/S 2011 collection inspired by New York City! Y'know since I'm here and he's here? And I'm a fashion loving minion and he's an NY designer... Hmmm yes. (I'm a little jet-lagged, and I've just had my first coffee in six months..)

K so why do I love this collection? Beside it being a pretty apt post for the day? I love Scott's simple and daring attitude towards fashion. It's really a collection that only Scott could get away with. And I don't mean that in a I-have-no-other-words-in-my-head-to-describe, boring kinda way (although I don't think I have much more) but you do have to have a real fuck you attitude to the industry when you create something out of shopping bags. It's such a risk, and not in a he's using rubbish bags as clothing kinda way (well yes that too) but more because it's not like it's done before? 70's/80's Punk, Judy Blame accessories and Sia's onstage costumes to name a few. And I'm pretty sure Gaga has worn something out of plastic. In fact I'd bet my macbook on it. At least with this plastic venture, he's brought NY in as his inspiration and the witty references to rent, loving NY and help wanted updates the fun of plastic as fashion.
As well as that Scott seems a bit shameless. He's blatantly followed the Gaga meat dress explosion (made out of parma ham) and although I'm looking it as done and an overblown fashion disaster, I'm still intrigued and I kinda like it because it's his.
He's got a very cool air about him and it's probably important to his brand to keep that personal side of the company up to scratch. People buy into the Jeremy Scott label not only for the quirky designs but also for the cool factor. And he definitely sees the importance of self branding, which he does, in all his blue steel glory. Decked out in his quirky designs, looking like somebody I'd like to party with, but probably wouldn't be able to keep up with. New York perfect!
Anyway I'm blabbing.
Here are the goods, thanks to dazeddigital.com. Fav piece being the Have A Nice Daybag dress.






Oh can't leave here without posting an image or two of Scott's teddy bear runners for Adidas. Oh hello.. And I thought nothing could out-do his wing sneakers? (Did she just say sneakers? Yes I did.)


(First image; mine mine, S/S11; Dazed Digital, Teddy bears; Google)

NY NYE 2011

Back in NY Bloggatrons! Another New Year approaching is WEIRD. What's weirder is coming back to the aftermath of a blizzard, having to drag my bag through the mountains (literally mountains) of snow on Fulton street was hard and cold. Slushy puddles being the worst. But whatever! I'm back and no better way to feel..ahem.. ready to start.. the year than with a little Arcade Fire. See what I did there?! Hope so.
Heard this beauty on the new trailer for skins, needless to say it captured my Arcade-loving heart. Feels like a good anthem from the Funeral days, which is a compliment since I'm huge funeral fan. Never really fell in love with Neon Bible like I did with Funeral? I should've tried harder, but I got swept away by the goodness of MIA and In Rainbows.
Something tells me I'll be loving Arcade Fire, The Suburbs for 2011.. x

Crimbolicious x

Happy Crimbo Bloggatrons!
First two xmas pressies belong to Bloggasis (teapot necklace is the king) and last three are mine mine mine!
My new favourite thing is my keyboard necklace. -Lalalalove.
Leaving frosty Ireland tomorrow and entering NY blizzard territory. Eek but kinda exciting!





Enjoy! x

So long NY, hello Ireland!

Afternoon Bloggatrons!
I'm flying back to the Emerald Isle today for crimbo, can you believe it? I cannot. Bags are packed. Apartment cleaned. Ariel pink listened to. Now all we have to do is wait for some delish g+t's on british airways. Freebies please!
As you can tell it's just a quick post to show some NY love but I'll be back on the blogging wagon when I'm sitting still for longer than 20 minutes. So I'll leave you with a photo, yes another lazy post but I really like this one. Taken from the top floor of a production factory in the garment district. Gritty and grotty come to mind! My two favourite words.

Ooo I experienced my first NY snowfall after work last night and besides the sheer frostiness it was loverly. I've been told it'll be here when I get back and the fab'ness of it all will be a distant memory when you have to trudge to work in three feet of snow.. eek. Yay for now! Boo later.
x

With you, Sunday never ends.

So how did I get to this video I hear you ask bloggatrons? Well let me tell you. I bought Nylon on Sunday because Mila Kunis is on the cover and who can resist reading about Mila Kunis? And in the mist of the big four page spread, there’s a one-line reference to her eight year ongoing relationship with Macaulay Culkin which had me staring at that one line for at least a minute thinking Reallly? Macaulay Culkin? Not in the “Why the fuck is she with him?” kinda way, more in the region of how have I never heard this before? So I decided to Wikipedia good ole Culkin and see what he’s been up to (Yes. I was eating dinner and I enjoy wikipedia’n random people – check out John Wayne Gacy. Weird! Discovery thanks to Sufjan Stevens.) Annnyway in the mist of all the movie stardom and family tiffs I came across this JAMMIN video for Sonic Youth that Culkin starred in. Not only is it a fantastic video, it is great song. Culkin looks quite stoned and rebellious. Wikipedia tells me he was 18 when the video was made and I love the grungey home-video 90's (1998 to be exact) feel to it. The up-close shot of Culkin licking his lips at the end is disturbingly cool. A lot of underlying hormones in this video. I like it!
Now if only today was a sunday, then the post would be complete.

November We Remember

Bloggatrons it's the 1st of December! How mental is that? Seems like my time in NY is flying by me so fast, scary, please slow it down mr.clock .. Going back to Irlanda in two weeks for crimbo but luckily I'll be NY bound again for New Years, and the next 9 months after that. Yay! And phew.
Had a miracle day off today which was beyond jammy. It felt like a snowday (which I hear Ireland is having a lot of) but instead it was a wet wet wet day. Had plans to go to the Natural History Museum and start christmas shopping early, instead I watched Grey's Anatomy and washed clothes. No complaints. (And my clothes smell glorious.)
So since it was a lazy day, it's a lazy post of a few photos from walking the streets of NY and being snap happy!





Snogs and Blogs xxx

Ariel Pink/ Os Mutantes- Webster Hall, NY

Hi Bloggatrons!
Here are a few photos from the Os Mutantes/ Ariel Pink gig the gang and I went to upon T.bag's recommendation, and wow was it good. Hats off to T.bag. I know the photos are a little eh.. but I quite like them! If you know the sound of either of these bands you might think they match up well to the music, well maybe it works more-so with the Ariel Pink photos than the Os Mutantes pics -I don't know what kind of image could portray the sound of Os Mutantes music? Perhaps some crashing giant teacups in a forest with a troll and an evil witch dancing together in harmony? Needless to say, the music was straaaaaange but in a really fantastic way! In one particular song they ended it with a drawn out chuckle, or maybe a full- bellied laugh/ chuckle? It was wonderful. On top of that, Os Mutantes is a brazilian band from 30 years ago so the lead singer is a very trendy oldie (appreciate the clothing bloggatrons).
Ariel Pink who were the support for the brazilian mutantes were fabulously psychedelic. Babz has not stopped bopping to the youtube clip below (which is actually a really good home-made video of the movie Perfect with Travolta and Curtis), I enjoy bopping with her.
I do think these photos really capture Ariel Pink! I tried every setting on my camera but nothing would come out any clearer, I took it as a sign from the psychedelic gods to stop trying. Or maybe I should take it as a sign to get a better camera? Possibly. K must hit the sack now as I'm working bright and early, enjoy the photos and youtube clip.
Snogs and Blogs xxx




Ariel Pink




Update; Really shouldn't have harped on so much about the photos, they really aren't all that good. But the video is grrreat bloggatrons so watch it! And please try and appreciate my mediocre photography.

Happy Thanksgiving Y'all!

After far too much food, mulled wine and regular wine I have 10 minutes to go until Thanksgiving is officially over. So Happy thanksgiving bloggatrons! And happy thursday to all non-americans. The day was spent having a responsible boozy dinner, being snap happy with my new polaroid camera (which was a freebie from work yay yay!) and listening to some 80s classics -Kate served us well for the meal preparation. Uncomfortably full and still v.mulled up so going to leave you with two photos!
-I thought they'd be nice for the day that's in it... Mucho love bloggatrons, many more posts to follow. xxx

The Villagers, Brooklyn.

Falling behind on my blog posts bloggatrons! I'm trying to keep up with this New York pace of life but obviously failing on the blog-front, a longer more detailed post will be coming v.soon. Oooo possibly Thanksgiving day?!
Here are a few photos from the Villagers gig in the Knitting Factory on Metropolitan Av in Brooklyn. A little gathering compared to the jammed gig in the Roisin Dubh where I saw them supporting the the Wild Beasts (so good). Really really enjoyed their solo tour, the back-up band (which I'm wondering will become a regular fixture?) were incredible! And needless to say Conor the main villager was y'amazing. T.bag and Babz made fun of his simple lovely lyrics, which was not appreciated in the village. Do not fear, I put them in their place. I think they were jealous how he rhymed way and say and day. Whatever. However, we did all have a giggle at the bassists and his ridiculous over the top rocker moves, it was slightly cringey to say the least -It was like every string he plucked was slowly killing him?! I think he was just high. In which case maybe it is killing him...Ooh!





Hope you enjoy the photos! (This one is my fav)
Bloggamonsta xxx

Nolan Pics

Morning bloggatrons!
I'm a little fuzzy headed from the $ glasses of wine last night in a delish thai restaurant in St Mark's Place. -Don't think we were too interested in the name of the place unfortunately , it was more the $1 signs that stuck out. It was so yummy and ridiculously priced. For example; 3 main dishes, 6 glasses of wine, 3 chang beers and two desserts= $50.50. I had to ask t.bag this morning if infact that was true to memory, and it was. What a perfect start to a not-so-planned boozy night.
I'll post it if I find out the name because it is definitely worth a date-night! Date-night? Oh how very american of me.
Update; Lychee, 126 Saint Marks Pl.

So here are a few photos of work from Nolan jewellery at the Prince St market between Mercer and Mulberrry -really great market by the by, some markets are too jammed with stalls and don't have much in terms of quality pieces but Prince must have some sort of selection process because 90% is fab! Love the quirkiness of these pieces, I'd like a painted skull and a heavey duty bullet necklace please. The Nolan store is on 2 Prince which is definitely worth a look, such great pieces, kinda reminds me of the good ole days of Topshop (y'know smaller space, less mass mass production) - hats off to the buyer! Oh also great sample sales each week, the joys.




Day off today so it's adventure time! Babz and I are hitting a shop called Rainbow. It's kind of like Penny's/Primark but dare I say, it might be better. Put the Primark pump down...
Later bloggatrons xxx

James Coviello Mask/Hat Party

A few photos of James Coviello's work at the hat/mask party/one year anniversary of the store! (I mean shop. shop shop shop shop.) Such a fab evening of hats, masks, nibbles and too many Manhattan's. Imagine drinking Manhattan's in Manhattan? Besides the fact they were dangerously laced in alcohol, it was a bit of a pivotal moment. Check out the workmanship/fun'ness of these.. I know, photos are a little grainy but at least flickr is back in action.




Apparently Coviello has made hats for the likes of Oscar De La Renta, Calvin Klein and Todd Oldham. Yowzas. My room-mate babz is now a Coviello worker, all thanks to her for the fun night and gorge pieces!
xxx

Hipsters, Hustlers and Handball Players.

Leon Levinstein exhibition at The Met is sooooo good. Based around NY streets from the 1950's-80's -Levinstein had street style photography down before any sort of Sartorialist or Face Hunter existed! Not a fashion photography exhibit, more of a look back in time and seeing how things have changed which is definitely refreshing. Love the way he works; quite dark and grungey, lots of unflattering angles, people out and about doing their every day things and hardly any posing (and if there is, no hands on the hips or awkward skinny poses). While he was a student he apparently became obsessed with photographing strangers; devoting nights and weekends to the streets; and ultimately continued to do so for the next thirty years of his life. Yowzas.

The photographs are taken from inner city NY to the outer boroughs with a broad spectrum of people; different nationalities, ages, colour etc. Here are a few of my favs;

I walk, I look, I see, I stop, I photograph.








(I think Johnny Borrell may have been sneaking around the Levinstein Archives! Oh Johnny get outta there.)


See what I mean about the no awkward posing? There is something so brilliant about this photo (and not just for the obvious reasons of the slightly rounder notso happy woman sitting in the sand with towel on her head) but she looks so content with herself. And relaxed? I don't know. It just makes me smile, and then think for a minute or two. About what I'm not sure.

Night bloggatrons!

Japan Fashion Now! Pow!

Bloggatrons!

So this is a long over-due post on the Japanese fashion exhibition that’s being held in FIT until January 8th. Went about three weeks ago with Babz and Libby and have been meaning to blog about it a lot earlier than now but at least it's better late than never! With my neighbour singing Lionel Ritchie’s All Night Long at the top of his lungs I can’t think of a more perfect time to blog. Oh New York you random place you! For those who don’t know (which I imagine is very few), FIT is a huge fashion school in New York, and I mean huge. I pass by it every morning on my way to work and it easily covers three-four blocks. -Oh to have a few hundred grand in the bank and I’d be on my way…sigh. It’s not a huge exhibition space but big enough to make you get a good sense of all the major Japanese designers that have turned Japan into a creative mecca.

The first section is the introductory gallery; a clean cut, laboratory style setting where work from Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto, Rei Kawakubo and Commes De Garcon (..haawww) displayed such acclaimed pieces like the rubber bodice by Rei Kawakubu and the deconstructed denim dress by Junya Wantanabe for Commes De Garcon- to name a few. While I browsed through the gallery, it was only a few hours later I thought -Jesus, that was surreal. I wrote my thesis on these designers!!


(Let's just have a moment and appreciate Yamamoto.)

The main gallery is more of a step into Japanese street style and sub-culture movements that have been made famous today by Gwen Stefani's harajuku girls and Katy Perry&Lady Gaga love of Hello Kitty. One side dedicated to the ultra-trend setting Japanese designers of today; Loved the menswear section of the main gallery! Tokyo is more risk-taking in the menswear stakes, hence a good place to be if you were a menswear designer. (Totally want the A/W 2010-11 Phenomen jacket all for myself.)


The other side of the space reflects on the subcultural movements in Harajuku and Shibuya who literally take fashion to another level. Treated like (an almost competitive?) form of dress-up within cultural groupings such as Lolita, Angelic Pretty, Baby etc. (One would be forgiven to mistake the outfits for the children costume section in Toys r Us) Needless to say all of this effort has not gone unnoticed in the western world, inspiring heavyweights like Jean Paul Gaultier and Marc Jacobs- just to name two.



One of my fav parts of the exhibition is by Jun Takahashi S/S collection; the skull manipulation in three pieces were constructed in such an elegant and sophisticated way. The 3D skull dress especially. It took me a minute to realise that in fact it was skulls, made in a silk patent I think? Another highlight is the googly eye dress -so ridiculously cool! Tongue-in-cheek fashion projected at the highest quality of construction and innovation. Yowzas. But I can't find a picture! eek.
Jun Takahashi S/S 2007



Annnyway it’s a definite recommendation! It won’t take you longer than an hour to have a proper look and appreciate the craftsmanship of these innovative designers on display. I, myself, found it really inspiring, just to see the fabrics up close, the construction of each piece and the fabric manipulation/embellishments of each look. –These are designers I would have referenced throughout college for their innate ability to capture innovation so effortlessly. Loved. A lot.

x
(All photos from google. Apologies for the size, flickr and I will be friends again soon.)