// Fade to #C5C5C5

I am A Robot

JJ. Weekend Market in Bangkok is a great place to visit. It’s in the north of Bangkok and close to ‘Mo Chit Station’ on Skytrain line system. Here you could not only spot all cheap fake branded goods, but also a great deal of Thai traditional decorations…apart from all those, there’re also a big handful of local designers displaying their original creativity. ‘Robot’ is just one of those creative kids.

All robots are hand-made wood, hand painted with those amusing expressions…

They’re often attached with mini airplanes or googlee eyes or flowers…

…ranges are from table lamps to key rings to hanging necklace… prices are varied from 50 baht for a key ring, or 80 baht for a necklace…

‘Robot’ is located at JJ Weekend Market, SECTION 23 SOI 32/3, ADDRESS NO.128

Here’re the 2 brain children behind all…contact them via email: pusaned@hotmail.com

rotsaniyom – Siam Square

Siam Square in Bangkok is not really a big empty square. In fact it is filled with tiny shops, boutiques, restaurants and massage places. Walking around all the Soi (which means road in Thai) you may discover some rather original design boutiques. I’ve been lucky to find this one called ‘rosaniyom’.

The front gate is a rusty iron gate…

First look at the cashier desk, you would think it’s a vintage store….but this little boutique is not only about the vintage style.

Its designer clearly loves ‘vintage girlie style’….lace is quite a dominant material not only in making in those clothes, but as well in decorating the boutique….

…different weights and patterns of lace and printed chiffon are main materials….

the abstract feather print is used in various garments, like in this scollop edge sheered vest… Styles are rather neutral instead of girlie girlie….there’re baggy dusty pink T-shirt printed with vintage ink sketched wolf, lace short sleeve boxy crop shirt, crochet long line boyfriend cardi, sheered chiffon black maxi….

….forest animals are also a main theme within its current season…owls, wolfs and deers…they all have a quite vintage ink print feeling….

following scarf print is a perfect example to reflex designer’s thoughts….shame it was printed on a smaller scale of scarf which is 60 x 60cm. If it were bigger, I would have purchased it. It was printed with very clear quality on sheered polyester chiffon.

Broderie Angleise tote is so cute with raw tan leather handles….

….near the front gate where the scarves are draped, there was this little stuffed deer standing, draped with pearl chain necklace…

For your information, ‘rotsaniyom’ at Siam Square Soi 5, nearest station is Siam Square on SkyTrain line. They also have a stall at Jatujak Weekkend Market Section 2, every Saturday and Sunday.

Fashionology: Gruau – Dior Illustrated Exhibition

In the first page of the booklet it says a quote by John Galliano – ‘To be inspired by Dior is to be inspired by Rene Gruau. His sketches capture the silhouette and spirit of Dior and a new era of fashion and femininity. His illustrations are timeless, ever youthful, ever faithful to the moment he saw; they capture the energy, the sophistication and daring of Dior, and equally are a token of an enduring friendship.’

It really is like…Gruau’s illustration could speak to you…

Flower Woman – below

Christian Dior’s love of flowers inspired him to create the New Look in 1947. Drawn to their architectural symmetry, their colours and scent, he aimed to transpose these qualities on to the clothes he designed: ‘I was drawing flower women, soft, sloping shoulders, generous busts, a slim waist and wide skirts like flower petals.’ Rene Gruau understood and shared Dior’s passion for flowers, and when Dior asked him to create drawings for his perfume Diorissimo in 1956, Gruau initially presented the young woman in the nude. Although Dior was impressed by the boldness of the illustrator’s vision, he eventually asked Gruau to dress her in an elegant black sheath dress.

Diorissimo, 1956, below

was designed around the notes of Dior’s favourite flower, lily of the valley. As lily of the valley’s essence cannot be extracted, the perfume uses a blend of other flowers to recreate its scent. To reflect this, Gruau illustrated a mixed bouquet to evoke the spirit of the fragrance.

Miss Dior was originally a line of bath products. And to assemble that theme, Gruau has created some illustration with girl whistling in the bath.

There’re real photographs being cut and collaged onto the illustration. Those days without computer…

Dioressence (below) was created in 1979. The illustration for the original advertising campaign for Dioressence was inspired by the Belle Epoque society paintings of Georges Clairin. The image of an elegant woman reclining in a hammock conveys perfectly the exotic Haute Couture spirit of the scent.

Below illustration was called Miss Dior created in 1961, inspired by Venetian dominoes, recalls the great society balls of the post-war years, which were often hosted by mutual friends of Rene Gruau and Christian Dior.

For Dior’s second perfume, Diorama, Gruau chose to depict a neo Louis XVI chair onto which a woman has tossed her elegant gloves and scarf. Gruau understood better than anyone the power of the symbolic gesture, and in his drawings for Dior he often referred to the 18th century, a period of great influence for Christian Dior.

This illustration Dior-Dior 1976 is inspired by the techniques of Japanese calligraphy. The model is positioned in a large character reminiscent of Gruau’s own signature. The play on space gives a strong sense of the immaterial quality of the fragrance.

With swirly pattern carved on the body of the perfume bottle j’dor limited edition 2003, it truly represents the concept of the perfume as ‘a drop of gold’.

…below 2 illustrations are for stockings campaign…very cleverly portraited and drawing people attention to its promotional point.

…I wonder whether Lady Diana took her hair-cut inspiration from this illustration which was created during mid 60s…

…they are just so divine, magical and… Christmasy…

The exhibition overall has a genuine feeling of Christmas which is also helped by setting at Somerset House. With the ice-stating ring and Tiffany temporary shop set outside, this exhibition would be an ideal Christmas visit set into your diary.

Tags: Christian Dior, John Galliano, Rene Gruau

‘Talking to Himself’ — Yohji Yamamoto

Always admir Yohji Yamamoto since a very long time ago. First impression of him and his work was black…and his quietness. You could feel the frustration and anger within his work and that’s why most of time he chose to be silence, and simply, let his work to speak for him.

And the perfect way of expressing himself, apart from his music (Yamamoto is also a published musican) would be a book. It was 2002-3 when an editor friend in Shanghai asked me the favour to get her this book—-’Talking to Myself’ and it gave me the first opportunity of owning something Yohji Yamamoto, a piece of his mind too.

It was probably the most expensive book I have ever purchased. With a £99 price tag (£200 for the signed collectible version) the book itself is indeed a piece of art too. It has won the silver prize of Leipzig Book Fair. Each book was hand written with its own code while distributing.

Navy and black are Yamamoto’s favourite colours, unique. He explains, away from the colour distraction, it is much easier to focus on the construction. And this type of black, which is laid over navy, has more shades and secrets than a simple black.  His AW2010 collection shown here, played his best known colour combination the finest level.

At Barbican Art Centre’s recent Future Beauty exhibition, Yamamoto’s designs were taken the majority of attention. There’s something poetic about his work, same as this book.

The book combines 2 parts which contains his work, sketch, thoughts, quote…

The quote Mr.Yamamoto said in a video interview shown at Barbican Art Centre has somehow awaken me — ‘fashion is to design time’.

Tags: Yohji Yamamoto

Zoom In – rubber band

Colleague from work

all items from top to bottom,

Saints Bracelet from Spain

Neon colour rubber band in neon blue from super market

black thin thread with gold feather, from Topshop Concession.

Neon colour rubber band in neon pink and orange from super market

glittering thin red thread charm from India

Her ring is from YSL

Below these are the neon colour rubber band she’s wearing, creativity doesn’t need to cost much.

Future Beauty – 30 Years of Japanese Fashion

A couple of weekends ago I went to Barbican Art Centre to see ‘Future Beauty – 30 years of japanese Fashion’ exhibition. This is the first exhibition in Europe to survey avant-garde Japanese fashion, from the early 1980s to now. True, I’ve only seen the top 3 Japanese designers – Issey Miyake, Yohiji Yamamoto and Rei Kawakubo in various exhibition, never together, nonetheless all 8 together.

There were beautiful fine linen-paper-like material hanging off the ceiling to divide the space. The material is called MILIFE, a new non-woven product manufactured from a unique technology. It’s double-layer non-woven and it’s composed of 2 layers, each of which contains aligned MD filaments and aligned CD filaments.

It’s a great opportunity to actual experience a very close-up view to those masterpiece. Draping and folding are simply amazing.

Yohji Yamamoto’s cage corset – he’s mastered with playing black and black and black…as he explains, away from the colour distraction, it is much easier to focus on the construction.

It’s breath-taking to be so close-up to these carefully sculpted pieces, I’ve only seen them in art books before.

Below garment by Yohji Yamamoto was a collection inspired from the period after The Second World War, when people had no money and all clothes were illy fitted and misshaped. Yamamoto had taken the idea further and make the look somehow very poetic.

Below number is from Junya Wantanabe…thousands of pleats and ruffles in organdie…

These are from label Comme des Garçons , Rei Kawakubo has created them in the early 90s by understanding the space around the body. Oversized garments envelop rather than expose the female form. This set is from Body Meets Dress, Dress Meets Body collection (SS1997) featuring extreme, unconventional padding at the shoulders and hips, proved shocking to audiences at the time. Merce Cunningham was inspired by the collection to compose Scenario, a 1997 dance piece for which Kawakubo designed the costumes and stage set.

The exhibition is overall good because of all the show pieces, but however, being let down on a few parts. There was a cinematic room where people could sit down to watch a movie ‘interview with Yohji Yamamoto’. With its odd colour and Yamamoto’s younger face, the film is shot at least 15 years ago to my recognition. I sat in the dark for a good 30 mins at least wishing to catch the end, but still failed. Lots of imageries seemed just a show-off camera tricks with quite empty meanings and sometimes the interview voice was far too low and you could hardly hear anything. Then there were in between interview camera shots on top of the roof looking over Paris and Eiffel Towers in sun-set but sadly with Yamamoto’s voice only in Japanese and no english subtitles, which left all viewers very confusing. I think it was rather arsy than artistic.

The music filled the entire environment was a bit annoying too as it seems to be just some long quiet noises pretending to be the noise of people’s subconscious??! I thoroughly enjoyed all the exhibited garments and felt inspired on colours and especially the pattern-cuttings, which the Japanese are superb amazing skilled for.

Tags: Issey Miyake, Jun Takahashi, Junya Watanabe, Mintdesigns, Next Generation, Rei Kawakubo, Tao Kurihara, Yohji Yamamoto

SS11 Detail: A Debate to Prada

So when Prada’s collection came out, a big stir is created not only among the big high-up editors, but also in our own little office. My colleague Em and I had a heated debate on emails and I found it’s probably the best way to describe the show.

E: Is it just me or is the Prada collection a bit of a disappointment? Style.com must be run by Miuccia’s mum cos as per usual they love it…

Q: Sorry guys, I actually really really really love Prada!!! It’s very revolutionary. Nobody has ever done stripes without being look Nautical!

E: If you put that collection down a graduate fashion week catwalk you’d never get a job.

Q: The problem is ‘ that was not a graduate project’, it’s by Prada, she’s a communist and too thoughtful, she got the balls! She can foresee other people’s vision before people…. I think it’s a super break-through…tho it’s not up to normal standard of ‘beauty’. I felt the needs to adjust my own point of view of beauty. Whether next season high-street will follow or not, it is just a timing problem as it could take about more than 2 seasons for this vision to get around to a bigger audience base.

E: But if you take away the plush toy accessories and the monkeys and bananas you’ve got a bunch of Armani-esque unflatteringly cut suits and bold stripes that look a bit M&S swimwear. Love the stripy clutch bags though!

Q: The point is though ‘she has the monkey print and bananas’ and ‘she has the more daring colour-combo stripes than Armani’, but after all she is Prada, not Armani…    There is no ‘if’….the monkey really does the tricks…

E: If this collection was Henry Holland I doubt you’d say the same. Also something being good because it’s ‘prada’ is a bit emporers new clothes. I doubt style.com would have been so flattering if they were missing that very expensive Prada ad on every page

Q: Ahahaha….E, there’s no IF. And IF Henry Holland really has this brain to do this, then I will salute him! I get the point of Prada Ad money injection though.

Tags: prada

Alexander Wang SS2011 Details

Here’re some detail shots of Alexander Wang show SS11.

Love the pointy knit texture

Love the rope knot sandals

Love the layering tip on bottom dressing.

Love the rip cuff leggings worn underneath shorts

Love the mint colour

Love the pumpkin sued heels

Love the silver in-lined jacket….OMG, the list is endless… …Someone help me please, I’m already being called in the office as Qing-Wang now….

Tags: Alexander Wang

From Now To Then

Selfridges has opened up an exhibition in honor of Dame Vivienne Westwood sponsored by Melissa. The exhibition is located at basement of Selfridges ‘Ultra Lounge’. It’s simply too many gems there.

a lot of them look a bit worn which add on more value of the collection…

each design is labeled with name and the year of launch…

Apolo sandals…

the famous Rocking Horse Ballerina….is one of true originals from 80s…and you can still order these designs from Westwood’s World’s End boutique on King’s Road with around £400-500. Though waiting time is around 4 weeks, it’s definitely a worth waiting purchase.

…I clearly remember this printed toe-shaped multi-straps shoe from year 2002, because I was so close to own them at Davies Street Boutique but lost them to another client just entering the shop before me…damn!!

now these babies are just looking so ‘Current’ and ‘Acceptable’ to wider audience, but back to 15 years ago, those curved heels were a shocking design!

…and with my amazing fashion memory from teenage time, this baby is from 1994…and when I check the year on the label, I’m so proud I was damn right!

Tags: Selfridges, vivienne westwood

Wapping Project & Moonshine Cinema

Last Saturday we went to The Wapping Project, a gallery/restaurant/bar=cool hang out place at Wapping Hydraulic Power Station on Wapping Wall. The place is hosting a BBQ with outdoor black & white movie cinema for their 10th Anniversary.

As you seen, the place is beautifully re-done. It was originally the local hydraulic power station and bought by this couple who was high in british theatre industry. They have kept the most features and made the place somehow not just a cool place but feeling warm, welcome and homy although you will be sitting surrounded by big machines.

With the soft early evening sunlight, the place looks so cinematic…

Candles were lit everywhere to soften the aged machines… …

…they have thought about every single little details… the rolling bar stools…

…the still water jugs seem to have their own lives… …

…and jars of cookies probably know most of stories about here?

love the coordination of rusty iron…sea green…soft grey and black table…

when you walk downstairs, even toilette area is a must-photograph zone… battered concrete wall with glass doors…

BBQ area is located outside, you have 4 different salads.

1. feta cheese – tomato – black olives – basil – salad

2. runner beans – beatroot – salad

3. big couscous – peas – celery – salad

4. cucumber – crunchy seaweed – radish – salad

Their extremely-crunchy-home-made bread is deliiiiicious!

For BBQ meat dish, you could have either Lamb / Prawns / Sardines / Sausages plus 2 types of salads from above.

If you are a vegetarian, you will have 4 salads. Total BBQ per portion per head was £12 which is very reasonable.

So here is the lamb…

…with Sardines…

…and giant tiger prawns… …yum yum!!

And the cinema showed a black & white classic called ‘Of Human Bondage’…I have to agree that all old movies are kind of confusing. Some of the plots and scenes are not so connected in our modern logic mind, but hey…the atmosphere was amazing. They have deck chairs and lots of cushions. My best advice? Take a blanket and lots of snacks!!

BBQ is £12 starts from 7pm and ‘Moonshine Cinema’ is £7 starts at 9pm.

All movie schedules until 28th August is as below:

Friday 6th Agugust – Timecode (15) 2000, Mike Figgis (97mins)

Saturday 7th August – Dark Victory (PG) 1939, Edmund Goulding (104mins)

Friday 13th August – Samson & Delilah (15), 2009, Warwick Thornton (97mins)

Saturday 14th August – Now, Voyager (PG), 1942, Irving Rapper (117mins)

Friday 20th August – The Unloved (5), 2009, Samantha Morton (103mins)

Saturday 21st August – All About Eve (U), 1950, Joseph L.Mankiewicz (138mins)

Friday 27th August – Sweet Sixteen (18), 2002, Ken Loach (106mins)

Saturday 28th August – What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? (12), 1962, Robert Aldrich (134mins)