aleXsandro Palombo is an Italian illustrator, whom the cult knows via his blog Humor Chic. Palombo studied design at the Marangoni Institute in Milan and later launch is own line before becoming the scathing blogger his is today. The designer has a no-hold’s barred social point of view and he uses personalities from the worlds of fashion and politics as his cartoon character templates.

One of my favorites is his reworking of Michelle Obama’s March 2010 Newsweek cover (seen below). It’s irreverent & relevant without hitting you over the head with it’s satire. I love that the skeleton is cheetah print! Mrs O, is almost as trendy, after all.

Images: humorchic.blogspot.com, michelle-style.com

With only these tiny, 2-D representations of of the clothing it can be hard to relate to reports of attendees crying at the sight of the hand-sewn creations gliding down the runway. Granted, the alleged crier was Monsieur Lesage, himself. The legendary couturier responsible for Chanel’s embroidery. Considering the upwards of 350 hours of work that go into the making of a single couture garment of this caliber, one can imagine the tear jerking effect of seeing your labor of love finally sashay down the runway on the slim hips of an underfed, underpaid model… And just imagine, they do this twice a year.

Indeed a haute couturier is a rare and strange bird. One who often guards it’s secrets like newly hatched eggs. “Mademoiselle Pouzeux, who does the braids for couture. She has a secret and she wants nobody to know,” Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld said in an interview. “We cannot find anyone to work with her. She does it all alone. She only works for couture because she cannot produce enough for ready-to-wear. And no one knows how she does it.” See the video of this interview below. But before you do that, enjoy some hi-res detail photos of the two looks from above. Still not like actually getting to put them on yourself, but they do better convey the astounding intricacies of the clothing. A sincere thanks to two of my new favorite tumblrs: pellucidus & Emmi Camille

The below image is of the 1927 painting “Kiss” – a work by the French artist Marie Laurencin, whose art Lagerfeld references in the interview (and in the collection, apparently). As the designer implied, the murky color palette is really the only thing that’s reflected in the Chanel collection. There’s something about Laurencin’s paintings that strikes me at the soul level. Aesthetically it’s not a style that I would choose, but it somehow provokes nostalgia for a time I never experienced. It resonates with me in a way that’s not entirely pleasant, but I suppose that’s the sort of bittersweet attraction that good art often has. See more Laurencin works via kroshka_50369.

Multi-talent Cédric Rivrain was recently featured on the Opening Ceremony blog. He is interviewed by Rory Satran.

RS: Do you consider yourself more an artist, an illustrator, a fashion designer, or you don’t distinguish?
CR: I think I feel more like an artist, because…it depends on my mood and all. Sometimes when I am working on my drawings, it can be quite far from fashion. For example, the drawings I did with the mechanical eyes, obviously the plasters…even sometimes when it’s people who are related to fashion that I draw, it’s not about fashion when I do it. It’s more about what’s deep inside myself. I don’t feel they’re really fashion drawings. I just don’t want to put a label on myself. For example, Andy Warhol. He was a fashion illustrator before he was a big artist. Sometimes I wonder if I should stop with fashion and concentrate on my personal drawings, but then I realize I miss fashion. So I just want make everything evolve and keep on doing it all without making any distinctions.

RS: Is there anyone you dream of meeting and drawing? Maybe someone from the past?
CR: Someone like Diana Vreeland. I don’t know why, but I’ve always loved her personality.

RS: Have you read her book, D.V.?
CR: Yes, I have and looked at all her pictures. She was one of those people who made fashion about dreaming. So much of it now is so commercial. That’s why I am careful with everyone I work with and which jobs I take. I went into fashion because it made me dream.

Read the rest here.

“Beautiful Soul’s female fans will find light coats such as trenches, cropped jackets, capes and sleeved jackets where the sleeves can be adjusted and worn in different lengths, and a variety of dresses with and without sleeves… The brand’s strict zero-waste policy means a range of unique corsets will also be available, constructed from leftover fabrics… The collection gives vintage Japanese kimonos a ‘new lease of life’ as they are upcycled into entirely new designs. It will also introduce a retro bird print, following a collaboration with eco textiles designer Polly Hope.”

Learn more about Beautiful Soul at the label’s web site, beautiful-soul.co.uk.

I was really capitvated by illustrator Zarina Liew’s watercolor work. The artist has a gorgeous portfolio of work created for comics and for fashion projects. To the left see her chic rendering of Beautiful Soul’s FW10 Akane coat.

“Vintage kimonos remain a central aspect of No. 3, the AW10 collection, and add a touch of elegance and exclusivity to the garment. This collection also sees the introduction of British wool from a rare breed of Shetland sheep sourced from Izzy Lane, organic dupion silk, organic jacquard, bamboo jersey and denim is given a new lease of life, within structured silhouettes.”

Below left: Neon Butterfly for Oops! Fashion; Below right: based on Alexander McQueen FW08 gown. See more of her work at cobaltcafe.co.uk

The videos shown were curated by Yeah founder Eiliyas, who drew from artists around the globe. The selection ranged from art school cliche to visual symphony, but were generally decent. Among the most memorable – if only because it was the most narrative – was the animation piece submitted by Italian artist Lemeh42.

In 1910 Kandinskij published one of his most important works, Klänge (Sounds). The general principle of Klänge was the liberation of the inner sound. One century later, Lemeh42 realizes a personal homage to this russian painter. Inner Klänge (Inner sounds) is an animated journey to find the Inner sound.

Yet while the video festival was the main event, my ever-present fashion goggles drew me to a number of pieces currently on show at the gallery. Atlanta’s Paper Twins (artists Nica and Edgar A. English) has a deceivingly simple and folksy look from about 10 paces, but get closer and the cut out details draw you into the pieces, whose 2D style is transformed 3D effect by the artist’s clever use of scale. Then there’s that fantastic clothes line. There are at least two items on it that would love to have in my wardrobe.

In another corner of the gallery was a piece by an artist from Tel-Aviv known as Know Hope. Though the work shown at the Eyedrum was without the candle-lit magic that helped gain the artist his notoriety, the pen on paper drawings still captured my imagination with their loaded words, expressive limbs… and their skinny jeans. Definitely, this snaps (taken from my phone) fare from do the work justice.

Then, in a back room, which had lights dimmed for a video screening there were 2 of the 7 deadly sins. The pieces are a part of a multi-media series by artist collective The Status Faction. And just as you might expect from a fashion-lover my two favorites were Vanity and Envy. You can see better snaps of these two and the rest of the series at the group’s website. However, I rather like how they look in the dark. Plus, I was really digging my E.J. ensemble that evening and you get a little peek of it here… Vanity is hard to resist while in perfectly schlubby Thakoon for Target.

The fashion industry seems to be wrestling with whether haute couture is still relevant to the modern fashion model. On the one hand vets like Oscar de la Renta say it’s outdated and useless; on the other, business trackers note a marked spike in couture purchases – largely due to new customers from the far east. In any case, couture houses are responding by tweaking their approach. With designer Riccardo Tisci at the design helm, Givenchy opted to take its Fall 2010 Couture presentation off the runway and into the excessively ornate rooms of a Paris salon.

“I want to make couture even more special than it is, and not just another catwalk show,” Tisci told WWD “People can really experience the couture moment: See it, touch it.”

via Style.com

According to Tim Blanks, the designer was inspired by artist Frida Kahlo and her fixation on anatomy and mortality. From our commoner’s perspective, one might think Tisci was just trying to capitalize on the Google-powered Frida Kahlo internet search spike this week Yet if were able to get up close and personal we’d see zipper pulls made of little bones and porcelain belts shaped like spinal columns. Very apropos for a Kahlo inspired collection.

The Broken Column, 1944. Oil on canvas. 15 11/16 x 12 in. (40 x 30.5 cm). Collection Museo Dolores Olmedo Patiño, Mexico City. © 2007 Banco de México Diego Rivera & Frida Kahlo Museums Trust

via About.com

This week Bravo’s SJP-produced show “Work of Art” asked contestants to shock the audience with their creations. Unfortunately, several of the artists mistook gross for shocking and we were forced to sit through bags of faux excrement and jars of not-faux fingernails. Ultimately, the judges chucked out two of the cast members, including the morbid performance artist Nao. On her way out she pointed out that her brand of art isn’t often welcome in fine art circles and she may have a point, but I think the judges did well to let her go on this round, as her piece was thoughtless and crude. Ironically, the real performance art may have been via Miles who took it upon himself to jack off on camera to put the proverbial icing and his sexy Disney piece.

But on to the really good stuff: China Chow’s wardrobe continues to be a draw from week to week. Her choices are dramatic enough to represent an artistic approach to fashion, while still being commerical enough for the likes of Vogue to pick it up. How very host-friendly! This episode she chose frocks from two of my favorite Fall 2009 collections. One was a skirt from what I think was the Erin Fetherston Fall 2009. The skirt was whimsical, but chic – much like the best of the presentation. Cult favorites below.

I admit I don’t know much about China Chow, but a quick scan of her wiki page doesn’t seem to let on about any of her qualifications for hosting an art show. Perhaps being able to fit a sample size was one of her audition requirements? That may sound cynical, but my glee at seeing this orange dress from Jill Sander Fall 2009 was as genuine as can be.

This collection was another of my faves last fall. It was at once classic and futuristic – all wrapped up in one spectacularly minimalist bow. My fantasy wardrobe! See some of my favorite looks from the presentation below.

On a whole there wasn’t much that was shocking about any of the entries from this episode. Of course, the artists were asked to bring the rawness on demand and in comparison to the incomparable Andres Serrano. The photographer’s solo exhibit “Shit” opens this fall in NYC…

I did like Peregrine’s cracked out fashion ads, but I’m biased, of course. The “Herpes for Chanel / Syphilis for Prada” title is at first just funny, then rather deep when you consider that glamorizing unhealthy body images is just as mind-boggling as making VD trendy. Thankfully the judges got it right on this go round, choosing Abdi’s “I.E.D.” sculpture, which came close to the shock factor with a refined and quiet tension that most other artists were not able to manage.

Click here see more and rate the work yourself.

photos: bravotv.com, style.com

In a world that online sample sales are becoming more common and more trashy, Gilt Groupe stands out as one of the best. The members-only shopping site originally offered mostly women’s fashion, but now has dedicated sites for mens fashion, lower-priced brands, and travel packages. Now Gilt has something for art lovers, with a series of exclusive prints by painter Katherine Bernhardt.

Kate Moss. Gisele Bündchen. Agyness Deyn. Katherine Bernhardt has painted them all, transforming magazine images into stunning whirlwinds of eyes, lips, legs and color. Gilt has partnered with art consultancy Art & Advisory to create two exclusive, limited-edition screen prints by the Pop Expressionist. The first, Mangocita, features an intense Penelope Cruz as pictured in her Mango clothing ad. The second, La Parisienne, is an image of Moss inspired by her campaign for Yves St. Laurent’s Parisienne perfume. Printed on archival cotton paper, the signed and numbered works are each capped at an edition of 100.

‘Metallic Star’, 2006. Saatchi Gallery, London

Lizard Woman, 2006. Saatchi Gallery, London.

Bernhardt’s art resonates with me in it’s fixation on the subject of fashion, yet it’s recognition of these subjects as grotesque. The women in her paintings are alternately sad and monstrous, all the while carrying the haughty attitude of the modern model. Click here for an invitation to the sale.

photo credits: saatchi-gallery.co.uk

Lady Gaga has some truly devoted fans. A doll artist name Veik has created a line of Lady Gaga styled Barbie’s. He brings to life the artist’s lyrics from “Fashion,” which appeared on the Confessions of a Shopaholic soundtrack: “I live to be model thin, dress me I’m your mannequin.”

Veik has gotten a buzz of attention due to his Gaga homage, but the artist (he calls himself a doll player) has several other works are a worth a visit to his Flickr page.

via the Pipeline