Competition Date: 02.01.2008 ~ 03.31.2008

» Design Tshirt Store Graniph - Design Award 2

Louis Vuitton - Spring 2008 © Louis Vuitton

Since his appointment in 1997, designer Marc Jacobs has infused a new vivacity into Louis Vuitton with his interest in urban culture and popular art forms. After collaborating with artist/designer Steven Sprouse in 2001 and more recently with Japanese Pop-Art emissary Takahashi Murakami, Marc Jacobs teamed up with Richard Prince, the controversial American artist, for Louis Vuitton’s 2008 collection.

With the process of “re-photograph” existing art works and photographs, then credit the work as his own. Prince not only challenged the notion of originality, but numerous copyright laws as well. It was this constant balancing act between art and plagiarisms, between legality and illegality, that won Prince both admirers and critics.

The new Louis Vuitton collection will feature Prince’s latest series, simply known as Nurses Paintings - a series of paintings created after Prince scanned actual covers from romance novel and altered the finished products with his own signature details. The collection will be available in the coming months.

» Louis Vuitton

» Richard Prince

The tired catwalk was swept aside by Yves Saint Laurent’s creative director, Stefano Pilati, for the 2008 Autumn/Winter show in Paris. Shown to an audience of 80 well-heeled VIPs, the collection was displayed digitally on three adjacent screens. The duo Sarah Chatfield and Chris Sweeney directed Rome star Simon Woods in a polished endeavor to reinvent the concept of showing a fashion collection. Furnished with image-nourishing music, slow motion, and zoom shots, the distance between the clothes and the viewers snapped shut, giving the audience a fashion experience that was both refreshing and informative.

Rock legend David Bowie as well as the dark and extravagant romanticism that enveloped his image stood strong as Pilati’s core inspiration. Special attention was given to iconic flares and the use of red wine maroon, deep-forest green, and rich navy blue.

Male models marching along the run way is as three dimensional as anyone can expect, but when you observe a collection that takes advantage of film techniques, you experience a much more intricate, intimate, and raw viewing.

» Yves Saint Laurent

» Colonel Blimp

© style.com

Just 3 weeks into the new year and the world of fashion is into high gear as European talents showcased their creations in Paris the past weekend with the men’s collection for Autumn/Winter 2008, including that of the designer Jean-Paul Gaultier. From the looks of his latest offerings, the designer certainly has toned down a bit since his years as the “rebel designer”. The new collection invoked the theme of dandyism, where models strode the runway in tweed suits and bowler hats. But of course, it wouldn’t be Jean-Paul Gaultier if the designer didn’t add his signatures dapper outfits. While the blazers and jackets were fitted and angular, the trousers were baggy and loose. Each set was also outfitted with loosely laced hiking or motorcycle boots, giving it a modern urbanite finish, It was not a bit surprising since the collection was a tribute to French musician Fred Chichin, who passed away 2 month ago after a short bout with cancer. Chichin, the co-founder of the legendary French rock band Les Rita Mitsouko, was also known as trend setter within the Parisian inner circle, mixing classic silhouettes with leisure wear long before the “urbanite look” became stylish.

» Jean Paul Gaultier

» Paris Fashion Week A/W 2008

» Delta Air Lines
» Delta Air Lines Blog
» The Ebeling Group (TEG)

Since its establishment in 1994, the entity known as :Phunk Studio has successfully straddled between cultures and ideas. Founded by Singaporeans Alvin Tan, Melvin Chee, Jackson Tan, and William Chen, the quartet won numerous accolades for their uncanny skill sets to integrate both horizontally and vertically into their works; with a fusion of Hong Kong pulp fiction, Japanese anime, Chinese folklore, Western mainstream, Asian subculture, conceptual art, and commercial design (with Nokia, Nike, Levi’s, and etc…)

These ideals can fabricate a maelstrom of concepts and focuses during the process, resulting in an incoherent creation for others. However, :Phunk Studio is able to assimilate each components, in their original forms, into a larger concept without much difficulty. This is most apparent in the group’s latest exhibition, Universe, where the collective showcase their boundless creativity. The show touch upon the idea of an individual in the contemporary world of globalization and advancement, a world where contradicting notions can exist side-by-side. Universe is currently on display at Gallery J★Chen, in Taipei, Taiwan. The exhibition will be on view till February 10th.

Gallery J★Chen
3F, No. 40, Lane 161, Sec. 1,
Dun Hua South Road, Taipei, Taiwan

Exhibition Date: 01.19.2008 ~ 02.10.2008

» Gallery J★Chen

» :Phunk Studio

A bit difficult to believe the Baguette bag by luxury house Fendi is 10 years old. First released in 1997, the longish bag that can be easily tuck away quickly became a favorite among the fashion forward crowd. To commemorate the occasion, Fendi will launched a slightly redesigned version this Spring, with assistance from a limited series Bearbrick figurines from Medicom Toy of Japan. Each Bearbrick will be adorned in similar colors and graphics as the 10th anniversary edition Baguette. However, the fun figurines will not be on sale. Similar to Chanel’s version last year, the Fendi’s Bearbrick will be on exhibit as window prop at Fendi locations worldwide in the coming months. Also, look for Fendi’s Baguette to make an appearance in the awaited Sex And The City movie this Summer.

» Fendi
» Medicom Toy
» Bearbrick