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RIFP | The Daily Mail and the Guardian UK report that revolutionary fashion designer Alexander McQueen committed suicide this morning at the age of 40 at his home in London just weeks before unveiling of his A/W 2010-11 collection in Paris. To lose an artist and designer who dared us to dream, whose dark and extravagant sensibility combined with his technical virtuosity is truly a cultural and human tragedy. Stay tuned for a homo-neurotic McQueen retrospective.
New decade, new references. Welcome back to the 90’s gentlemen. Fierce prints, color blocking and berets. Think Black Box backup dancers, Dee-lite, and old style vogue if you’ve got the attitude for it. If you’re into a more luxe, sophisticated vibe, go a little more forward in time and work it out in Gucci and update the classics of Tom Ford’s heyday with a strong wide lapel and a pair of moleskins or velvet trousers and embrace the minimalism of a mock turtleneck. Clean, easy lines that say smooth. And hey, if all else fails, a pair of relaxed, wide leg trousers can be a whole lot more flattering (and comfortable) than a pair of saggy but skin tight hipster jeans—you know the ones I’m talking about lads. Right now, its all about having a little fun and not being afraid to being fucking fabulous and relaxed with one’s tongue firmly placed in cheek.
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(In)Conspicuous Consumption | You might have to subsist on ramen noodles for a month or two to afford it but a wonderful investment piece that you will end up wearing almost every day for years and years and that will age beautifully is most definitely worthwhile. So take the plunge. I certainly did and I can’t wait for it to arrive.
Rick Owens Asymmetric Wool Knit , $690.00 @ OKI-NI
Using shapes and silhouettes that echo his excellent fall menswear collection, Rick Owens offers up a woman that can be best described as temple virgin meets Cleopatra in space. Mixing his usual tough tailoring of cut away, ultra skinny jackets with voluminous draping and most notably a flow of fabric cascading seductively between the legs, Owens achieves a softness and polish to the futurism and minimalism that is his bread and butter.
LISTENING | Two guys living in Melbourne, Australia who are into music, art, movies, popular culture and all that stuff. And they like to go on about it. And they like to listen to each other go on about it. Now you can too! Subscribe to it via iTunes! Just search for boysfornoise.
The components balance of fluidity, structure and proportion are the crucial elements to exceptional tailoring. For the great majority of people, a suit is a suit is a suit. It can be a nice suit or an expensive looking one but ultimately for the great majority of men it has become a mere necessity, a utilitarian workpiece that is reserved for weddings or special occasions and the workplace. Sadly all this gradual shift in our culture has obscured the centuries long history in the craft – the last bastion of which stands in Savile Row row where gentle old men in musty rooms, fingers wielding pins and chalk that flashing like quicksilver creating blazers and suits and uniforms that transport men to the heights of sophistication, magically hiding flaws with ingenious darts and the deft, meticulous manipulation of a yoke.
PFW | Like magical talismans bequeathed by a maharajah or ripped from the neck of a demon king during an epic battle the Lanvin woman is at once a warrior and an empress. Commanding, fascinating and powerful, she is the height of modernity but yet richly adorned. Luxury has taken a new and interesting tangent.
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Two Belgians, Verushka, Xena the Warrior Princess and Yves Saint Laurent go on safari. That is the mirage that A.F Vandevorst has conjured up for their latest collection. Swathed in wisps of fabric in burnt oranges and slate and accessorized with tough leather belts from which dangle tribal-like gewgaws and crowned with windswept hair reminiscent of lithe Amazons or shamans surveying an arid plain. The effect is exotic yet undoubtedly sophisticated and polished. These are the kind of pieces that allow one to dream and to be transported with feet firmly planted on urban ground.
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There can be no question that we live in tumultuous times with a society seemingly on the cusp of widespread proliferation of the civil rights of the GLBT community.
Certainly the press and blogosphere is rife with daily news of the push and pull of issues such as gay marriage or civil unions. But fortunately this is not going to be one those diatribes. What has received far less attention it seems to this writer is a discourse about the inner lives of gay men or perhaps men in general and the fear and anxiety that pervades it.
We don’t like to talk about our fears, particularly in a city like New York where fear is smelt 10 blocks away, emanating through the garbage and the dog pee evaporating on a warm summer afternoon. Of course our fear manifests into a multitude of forms. There are our neuroses about our appearance, our bodies, friendships, careers and our relationships or more pertinently, the lack thereof. More importantly there exists a profound uncertainty about our place in society. In a culture that fetishizes success, power, invulnerability and all over fabulousness, where does the gay man fit in? Are we a tribe? Do we have something that we can call a collective culture? Do we even talk in depth about the common narratives of our lives beyond that which only concerns our own problems and insecurities?
Perhaps a problem that we face is the fact that as a minority, we exhibit such a high degree of heterogeneity, not only in terms of race, demographics and education but also the way in which we manifest our homosexuality. So beyond large unifying civil rights issues in which we face oppression from a common enemy, what else is relevant?
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(IN)CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION | Luxuriate in a pair of soft calfskin boots with a slight slouch in the coming months. Boots by Christian Peau, $650.00 @ Oki-Ni
PARIS FASHION WEEK | As a keen fashion observer it can be hard to remain enthusiastic or inspired season in, season out. With the onslaught of fashion weeks around the world and not to mention the rising profile of pre-fall and resort collections one can’t help to suffer from fashion burnout. But then, like a lightning bolt comes a collection that snaps one out of one’s torpor and literally knocks one’s wind out.
Alber Elbaz’s sublime spring/summer collection for Lanvin can only be described as prodigious. Elegiac, yet presented in an exuberant riot of color, the clothes demonstrated a technician at the height of his powers. Underneath the lightness of a silk chiffon dress draped across the body and ingeniously tapered into a single pant leg is a mastery of construction or more aptly a lack thereof. The brilliance of Elbaz lies in the fact that he strips away the seams and the sews only what is precisely needed to achieve the shape placing the fabric and its grain at the forefront.
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FINAL PROJECT | The Fashion Department at the Royal Academy of Fine Art in Antwerp has long been renowned as having one of the most rigorous and merciless fashion design programs in the world. While much has been said of Central St Martins – the alma mater of the likes of Stella McCartney, John Galliano and rising star Marios Schwab – its Antwerp counterpart produces in equal amount, talents that end up at top fashion houses. With Walter von Beirendonck on its faculty, The Royal Academy’s fashion program does have a far more avant garde and contemplative bent, resulting in a breathtaking yearly exhibition of student’s works. Here are some pieces from a final year student who may one day become the next editorial darling.
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Part of the new wave of talent emerging from the illustrious Central St Martins, Roksanda Illincic (along with her contemporaries like Marios Schwab and Louise Goldin) provides a fresh new perspective on dressmaking. Fusing modernism and body conscious structure with a light touch of romance, Illincic’s creations convey an ease without sacrificing intellectual heft. Her American counterparts could do well to learn from her example and go beyond simply making pretty party dresses or hip separates for downtown kids.
Our friends at Oki-Ni have been kind enough to let us in on a little secret. If you find something you like on their sale items, enter the code ‘thanks 15′ in your checkout process and you’ll get an extra 15% off your purchase! It ends tomorrow night so click on the Squirrel and enjoy you crazy recessionistas!
Over The Stripes Thin White Duke
LAST CALL // Our friends at Oki-Ni have magnanimously provided us with 5 free t-shirts from the the hot brand Over The Stripes to give away.
// TODAY IS THE FINAL DAY TO ENTER //
Click on the following link (or the pretty boy to the left) to enter.
Accessories are an easy means to add interest and spark in one’s wardrobe. Here is a small selection of pieces from our collaborators Oki-Ni that we homo-neurotics think that would be great additions in one’s sartorial arsenal.
1. 2 HAVE & 2 HOLD
A directional yet versatile satchel will take one of from work to night in a snap. Raf Simons for Eastpack Flap Bag, $209. Having a show stopping, graphic wallet in one’s back pocket is a delicious secret that only a select few may discover or the checkout girl at Gristedes. Porte Monnaie Bow Tie Wallet, $103.
2. BITS & PIECES
A unique and modern take on the ubiquitous Wayfarer that evokes a sophisticated evening by the pool. http://www.oki-ni.com/invt/lf0043crm, $216. A light, dynamic scarf is a perfect way to amp up a basic summer piece.Der Sammler Solo Scarf, $112.
3. HEADGEAR
When considering a new shape for a cap, think, urbanized Cardin or a trip to the Derby via Hoxton. Indulge in structure and and be bold. Christine Bec Felt Cap $103 and Kling By Kling Structure Cap, $67.
Finally! Spring and summer are upon us and it is most certainly time to update our summer wardrobes with some great pieces for those glorious outdoor parties and outings. We’ve scoured the website of our great friends at Oki-Ni for their most fabulous pieces. And don’t worry gentlemen, its not going to break the bank.
1. The Basic T
Looking good isn’t rocket science. It’s all about simplicity, versatility and personalization. Most of the time our favorite and best pieces are the ones that we pick up off the floor in the morning and throw them on with nary a thought. So we fashionmeisters at homo-neurotic suggest a beautifully draped and stretched basicLevi’s White Vintage T-Shirt ,$67 or a luxurious silk/rayon Rick Owens Slim Vest, $213. You’re going to thank us when you find yourself in a sea of American Apparel. MORE PICS POST-JUMP
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