A Brief History of Space & Time, part 1.

As I've heard again and again, advertising isn't necessarily about selling you a product, but a lifestyle and a mindset. Apple commercials sell you on the idea that the Mac is the 'cool kid' computer, that it's a style choice that says so much more  about you than that you just prefer a white laptop. Dorito's ads don't just tell you about the new flavour, the new packaging, but it reminds you that it's there, to be bought and enjoyed. Same thing goes for luxe advertising campaigns. They may be larger, glossier and more expensive-looking than most, but similarly, it's all about keeping a firm presence in the mind of the consumer, present and potential. Some campaigns feature models that aren't even wearing the product; the clothing isn't even there on the ads- nudity, for some companies, makes a stronger statement about the brand image than their own clothing does.

So I've been amassing a collection of past ad campaigns (with help from The Style Registry) that have made an impact on me and have really stuck in my mind in the years since they were used. I looked at these ads and fully connected with the themes that they promoted, and I still appreciate them today.

LOUIS VUITTON:
Not only is LV a huge advertising presence in Hong Kong, they just do it well. Luxurious, textured...LV ads look fantastic in both glossy magazines and on huge billboards.

 

Louis Vuitton S/S 2004 (Mert & Marcus)

Louis Vuitton S/S 2006 (Mert & Marcus)

Louis Vuitton S/S 2007 (Mert & Marcus)

Louis Vuitton F/W 2007 (Mert & Marcus)

NARCISCO RODRIGUEZ:
What women out there doesn't want to look like Carmen Kass in this ad? They haven't altered the campaign in years, so they must know how effective it is.

DOLCE & GABBANA, D&G
I don't think anyone does an ensemble photoshoot like the crew behind D&G advertising. There's always a strong historical or cultural narrative, and such creativity! I used to put these ads up on my closet doors before I was even truely interested in fashion.

D&G, S/S 2005, (Steven Meisel)

Dolce & Gabbana, F/W 2006 (Steven Meisel)

Dolce & Gabbana, F/W 2006 (Steven Meisel)

Dolce & Gabbana F/W 2007 (Steven Klein)

Dolce & Gabbana S/S 2006 (Steven Meisel)

Dolce & Gabbana S/S 2004 (Steven Meisel)

 

Thanks to http://community.livejournal.com/styleregistry/ for their work in uploading all of these high quality images.

A No to Lanvin

I'm not going to lineup for the H&M x Lanvin release on November 21st. Too stressful- in Hong Kong, designer collaborations are regarded as serious business, and I know that every H&M in town will be a complete and utter mess. Don't get me wrong, I heart Alber Elbaz...but I'm not sure how keen I am on luxe-mass collections. I think that a lot of the allure of buying luxury brands is in the fact that few others will be wearing it (clearly this theory doesn't stand with regards to leather goods and accessories; every other woman in the CBD carries an LV bag). Expensive, mid-range, cheap, it's always exciting when you're wearing something unique, and for the next 6 months after the release, the Lanvin dresses are going to be EVERYWHERE.

3 years from now? I'd probably wear this stuff. When everyone's forgotten it ever existed.

I guess that makes me an elitist.

A Cutesy Pair

Plushy freaking sneakers! A Reebok x Hello Kitty collaboration. Not available outside of Japan :<

 

I can't even deal with the cute factor.

A Memory of a Dress

In March 2004, Karolina Kurkova attended the Met's Costume Institute Ball wearing Azzedine Alaia

 

This is not a great photo, and you can't even come close to seeing all of the details, but this dress is so lovely. I tried to find photos of Karolina climbing the Met stairs, as that's when the complexities of the bustle and train can best be seen...but the Internet isn't really holding on to photos from 6 years ago!

I'm posting this because I find it fascinating that I would hold on to a romantic attachment to something for years, and I wonder why I haven't really done it with other pieces of clothing. I think it's mainly because owning it is much less possible than perhaps, a silk blouse or a peacoat. I will NEVER have this dress *wails*

A Start on the Chaos that is S/S 11

I always find Fashion Week overwhelming because there are so many shows to see and that is really hard when you can only see them on a computer screen (it TIRES the eyes, yeah). You end up making the decision to look at ones that are the personal faves (Bottega, 3.1, Dries, Vera Wang, Lanvin, Erdem, Celine) and the big names (YSL, Marc Jacobs, D&G etc.).....so when do you take a look at the up and comers? I usually take 3 or 4 weeks to sift through everything and make sure to evaluate collections that I generally don't think about......like Rochas.....Les Copains.......Christopher Kane......others....

At the moment I'm in Capetown and my Internet is not great, but I really felt like making a start on blogging S/S- this post will definitely be limited in scope and aesthetic value......BUT FASHION WEEK WAS PRETTY GRAND THIS SEASON! I'm not sure whether designers tend to take themselves too seriously for their fall/winter collections or whether inspiration for S/S was unusually rampant, and beautiful, and glorious . There were some truely KNOCKOUT collections and a whole bunch of interesting ones.

It pleases me so much to see collections continue their achievements from the most recent Resort collections- as you can remember, I was pretty blown away by them.


Proenza Schouler



Proenza Schouler

Proenza Schouler

This is the kind of excitement I remember feeling when Proenza first came out as a label- exuberant colour (used appropriately!), intriguing underwear/outerwear, sick styling, bold patterning.....a return to all that was good about the duo's first few seasons. I didn't want to support the hype around this collection but I couldn't not.

Zero + Maria Cornejo

Erdem

Erdem



Erdem

My little Canadian dumpling, you slay me with your ability to create beautiful, ethereal clothing.

Bottega Veneta

  

Bottega Veneta

I think that Tomas Maier dreams in intense colour. I think that his dreams are lush and detailed and vivid. His collections are largely monochromatic but his use of texture, of voids and visible skin in contrast is so strong. I feel he truely investigates what is new and what can be done with materials.

A Remark

I was kind of waiting for someone to call Alexander Wang out. I loved his football-and-sweats collection from S/S 2010 but I think his mentality is definitely more suited to his diffusion line. I think  that he has style and a great eye towards trend forecasting but no real depth or technical knowledge. A lot of people on nymag.com are commenting that he should stick to designing accessories- I wholeheartedly agree (those leopard wedges?!).

I think it's great when there is honest critique of popular designers because it challenges their right to maintain such high price points. The bubble's leaking, Mr. Wang, are you going to let it burst?

A Skeleton Bag

I was in Gastown's Rubi & Kino the other day and came upon this gorgeous excuse for a shoulder bag:

The lovely sales associate told me that it's by Montreal designer Denis Gagnon (in collaboration with Fullum & Holt- a century+ old Montreal company that specialises in handcrafted leather goods). With M0851, Roots and now Fullum & Holt it appears as though Canada produces some quality leather products! Exciting!

You may not be able to tell but the front section of the bag is a small, detachable wristlet clutch! I deeply appreciate all efforts of creators to increase the functionality of a product- instead of one bag, you're purchasing three different options (all eerily structured doctor bag/skeletal/ribbed/body-con fierce sacs). I think it's worth paying attention to designers that put more thought into how their products are going to be interacted with after taking it home- the journey has only just started upon purchase! 

** Important Note**  Canadian First Nation communities have been producing beautiful, entirely handmade, raw and treated leather goods for a very long time....usually at better price points too! I forgot to mention that earlier, an annoying mishap.