Hasta La Ideas

From Gaga to Gober, an exhibit delves into the intersections of art and fashion

Lady Gaga may be the most obvious example to date of someone blurring the borders between art and fashion, but lending intellectual clout to the concept, “Between Skin and Clothing” at Germany’s Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg demonstrates how this connection has been continuously evolving since the 1960s.

Curated by journalist and fashion doyenne José Teunissen, the investigative exhibit shows how the two disciplines “share the same avant garde feeling” through the works of designers like Walter Van Beirendonck, Hussein Chalayan, Martin Margiela and more, set alongside pieces from artists such as Salvador Dali, Louise Bourgeois and Robert Gober.

Stating that “fashion no longer expresses power, money and social class,” the exhibition studies fashion as an articulation of creativity and its influence on visual culture. Beginning with Andy Warhol and the Pop Art crowd and followed by Yohji Yamamoto and Comme des Garçons in the ’80s, clothing and runway shows are often abstract works of art more than necessary adornment.

First on display in Rotterdam at the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, the exhibition has been slightly adapted for its new Kunstmuseum location. “Art & Fashion: Between Skin and Clothing” runs through 7 August 2011.

Images courtesy of the Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, by Peter Stigler, Charlie le Mindu, Bob Goedewaagen. Installation shots by Claudia Mucha.

Four tweaked takes on menswear from New York Fashion Week

by Camille Hunt

Steadily emerging from the shadows of their flashier female counterparts, some of our favorite menswear collections that hit runways last week in New York were an array of impeccably-tailored ensembles, each continuing to probe different spins on mens dress codes—what fashion editors call “directional.” From Siki Im’s modern Arabian look to a literally criminal interpretation of Americana by N.Hoolywood, the collections profiled below stand out for conceptual and innovative designs, while remaining wearable (depending on just how futuristic you dress). Pictured above (from left to right): Bespoken, General Idea, N.Hoolywood, Siki Im.

Bespoken

While you wouldn’t be wrong for bristling at the name, the latest collection from brothers James, Liam and Sam Fayed successfully blends their sartorial experience (their father Ali Al-Fayed owns the British suit company Turnbull & Asser) with modern elements for Bespoken. Suits, trench coats and double-breasted cardigans come expertly tailored, yet have a slightly disheveled look they describe as “Saville Row meets rock ‘n’ roll”—i.e. it’s a wardrobe for aspiring lil’ moguls, befitting of the founders themselves. A series of shirts, ties and pocket squares were also made in collaboration with their family’s iconic brand.

General Idea

General Idea designer Bemsuk Choi’s fourth New York Fashion Week collection was all about “the journey back to the familiar,” which in his hands looks like a vision of future ’80s nostalgia. Crisp basics preceded modern silhouettes in a color palate that progressed from all-white to pops of bright red, brushstroke graffiti print and multicolored paint splashes on jackets, pants and shorts, with materials ranging from cotton and tencel to linen and even polyester.

N. Hoolywood

“Police Picture,” Japan-born Daisuke Obana’s appropriately-named spring collection for N.Hoolywood, took cues from the American convicts of the 1930s with shirts, jackets and hats in thin and thick stripes, gingham and printed denim. The buzzed-about presentation had attendees peer through glass windows where street-casted models appeared in a jailhouse-style lineup.

Siki Im

Siki Im was an architect before shifting to fashion and working under both Karl Lagerfeld and Helmut Lang. His latest xenophopia-inspired collection channels an urban sheik vibe, with knee-length linen tunics, pants with dropped crotches and caps made with washed and dyed silks to resemble desert headdresses.

The latest in statement-making shades push form over function with fantastical designs. These five pairs might impair your vision, but you’ll be far from invisible.

Linda Farrow leads the pack with recent notable collaborations including Jeremy Scott and Alexander Wang. For British designer Todd Lynn, the revived eyewear label goes industrial with perforated stainless steel. They’re available on the Linda Farrow site for $340.

Stevieboi’s affordably outlandish frames have graced the faces of Lady Gaga and Santigold. Snap up these futuristic Ibotz for $65 on his website .

Kerin Rose has built a cult following with her decadently tricked-out shades. Inspired by punk icon Wendy O. Williams, the W.O.W sunglasses double as a decidedly practical headband. They’re $220 at her online store.

Named after Russian astronaut Yuri Gagarin, Romain Kremer x Mykita’s designed this conceptual pair to protect the mind’s eye. They come out this fall.

This season, German label Bless plays on mirrored lenses with a surreal twist. These aviators, in stock at Colette and Project No.8 for around $300, transport the wearer to a rocky beach.

For frequent travelers with no problem looking like they stepped from the set of a “Silence of the Lambs” remake, one of designer Sruli Recht’s latest “non products” (as he calls them), reinvents the sleep mask with add-ons like built-in air purifiers and ear covers. Recht constructed the series of four masks from folded laser-cut parchment, incorporating a respirator into all models to make breathing cleaner with the use of replaceable N95 filters.

The different styles include various features—B has a twin respirator, D’s hinged eye mask lends a “Planet of the Apes” feel—but all offer functionality in a very forward-looking form.

To pre-order email contact [at] srulirecht [dot] com.

Photographs by Marino Thorlacius

While much of the recent London Fashion Week lacked the edge of past seasons with designers taking the safer route by showing subdued ready-to-wear collections, Dutch-born designer Maaike Mekking seized on high drama (what some might say fashion does best) with her collection dubbed “Witch-Craft-Wo-Man-Ship.”

Channeling the spirit of cult films such as Christiane F and Bandlands, Mekking showed a collection of wearable separates reflecting her own take on the classic American biker jacket, jeans and white t-shirt. To heighten the intensity, she mixed in contrasting materials including sheepskin, corduroy, chiffon and wool—all thrown over a tribal-patterned bodysuit.

Since completing a masters in Womenswear Design at the Royal College of Art, Mekking has built up a solid platform of skills working under renowned designers such as the late Alexander McQueen, Humanoid and Alberta Ferretti. Now heading up her own eponymous label, the designer continues to captivate her audience with not only clothing, but also with an intimate range of interdisciplinary artistic collaborations involving artists Tania Leshkina, Anastasia Freygang and Joseph Xorto.

Mekkings collection showed that while the main catwalks of London’s Fashion Week may have lacked a little electricity, there is still plenty of energy left in the city for those willing to take a step in her direction.