modesart

Evening gowns from the fashion week in Rome

2012-03-04T17:12:00.000+01:00

Going through files I found some old works:) It was all inspired by the story of Medea (sorry, Italian written). These are from the fashion week in Rome. In th etwo last ones a friend of mine wears them. For some reason because I am a mini size person, I'm still way too small for these:)

From Egoism as megatrend to love-hate?

2012-02-29T18:19:00.000+01:00

Megatrends (term and concept created by John Neisbit) are long phenomena which have a wide impact to the society. Megatrens can include opposing phenomena and smaller units. In the 90's different sources have stated the Egoism is one of these. This includes hedonism. We coudl say that the Y-generation is a GOOD example of this trend. But there is something else on the horizon. It seems that we have overcome with egoism as it has been. It seems to have evolved into Love and hate as opponing phenomenon as megatrend (and indifference).

With this I do not only refer to many TV-shows with weddings, bachelors etc. (althouhg one part of it), but simply to increased need of people to feel loved and accepted, search for something 'soft'. In other cases violance created by hate and void of not feeling love. For the hate section we can add horrible crimes which seem to have gained ground - unfortunately, even sociopathic behaviour, other behavioral problems, the hate writing on media (especially people commenting articles, there is unbelievables stuff out there!) etc.

Politically and socially we seemt o divide more ito these two groups: others wanting to accept the next of kin and live in peace, whereas the others full of hate, fighting, tyranny, etc. Pure uncontrolled hate raising from...well, there are plenty of research results for that. The megatrend of fear has developped into hatret and really agressive behaviour.

New age, gays and little girls have a nose for trends. Just think about e.g. yoga, Kylie Minogue or Justin Timberlake (N'Sync times). So it the case with the Love-hate megatrend. The new age people have been talkign about the new era of love, acceptance and healing. This era would start in 2012. Che sera sera:)

Art in Oslo

2012-02-24T21:49:00.007+01:00

New year, new tricks, new life, but this time beginning in Chinese pace. An it started with th happy event of attending Harald Lyche's art exhibition opening in Oslo earlier this month. It was great and Oslo was beautiful. After a cocktail in a skybar of a hotel (windows decorated by snow and Mother Nature) we headed to the Rådhus. It was not a sales exhibition, but celebration exhibition. And so were the works. The works, needless to say, were fantastic. In my art analysis I rather have an intuitive (mixed with automatic results of years of art history) approach. It is like in design, you are naturally drawn to it. If you start overanalysing it, you only get lost. It needs to provoke an emotion. And this did. There was certain happyness in the paintings which made you want to dive in it all. Very good selection of happy works to a celebration exhibition. And here is Harald's website: http://haraldlyche.com/
And the link to a blog writing about the event wiht video: http://zojasperstad1954.wordpress.com/2012/02/05/det-guddommelige-i-alt/

So you need university to be creative? Creativity in a tin can

2011-11-08T19:02:00.004+01:00

No. There weren't any at the time of inventing the fire or the wheel. The world is so full of fancy books and instructions and courses on how to become creative. Diverse techniques exist, and if you do not master these you cannot, of course master creativity neither or be a creative person. Creativity has been canned!! Creativity in a tin can. And we know that canned food loses its flavour and vitamins...
How about the good old fashioned imagination and problem solving, ability to detect, combine, see what others don't? How about trust within? I understand, and implement as well, creativity techniques and examples to open up the topic, to make people who usually have not that much to do with it (anymore) get acquainted with creativity again. There is nothing bad about it, but listing how many creativity techniques one knows by heart doe not make you creative nor expert on it. It is all within. Going out on your twenties does not make you bohemian nor creative. It is the attitude, the way of thinking and living. Wearing bright colours or whatever-clothes does not make you creative - those just make you badly dressed of bright coloured. So how about looking inside thyself and using imagination, going back to the source.

A lovely pullover from Moncler

2011-11-05T17:42:00.003+01:00

There is nothing like pure wool and cashmere when it is cold. You stay warm and if it get's a bit warmer, you won't sweat. Just like Carson Kressley said "Hugs and cashmere"- I love that guy; if I had a son or a brother, I wouldn't mind him being like Carson.
No acrylic etc. ****. Real stuff it has to be. If it feels expensive, save money for a while (the acrylic ones get bad so quickly, that you might end consuming more on those), get quality, look for bargains and most of all think about the quality - of your life too. You'll stay warm! And that is luxury!

But back to the the pull by Moncler, here it is below. I wouldn't mind having it, but it is too big for me :-( So, you who can, go and get it!:-)

So only the industrial designers are designers...????

2011-11-05T13:03:00.002+01:00

Exactly! It is quite shocking to notice that often when talking about designers the non-designers only refer to industrial designer. So what about graphic designers, interior designers, fashion designers, etc.? They are also designers and use design thinking + know what is product development. In fact, for example in fashion the pace on PD is extremely high - instead of one only product, the FD produce 300-500 products, or if we consider a collection as a product, a product divided in 300-500 pieces. Just this week I witnessed this discrimination, not on me, but on one other designer - non-industrial-designer. Understandably, it left the person shocked. Being overlooked and underestimated is never nice.
Every now and then I have the please to think about the small differences between the fields of desing - wiht an industrial designer (and others too). and it seems that there woudl be so much to learn and give between the sub-fields.

Petite with big problems on what to wear + long-term wardrobe

2011-10-30T16:57:00.005+01:00

There is a subject I've been struggling with all my life: I am petite and finding clothes is a nightmare, especially when living in cultures and countries of big people...It is not the end of the world, there are bigger issues too, but we all want to look a bit better and I'd rather go to a work meeting dressed like a normal person instead of drowning in clothes. So I'll be posting (at least from December on) mail on that subject.

Another subject will be a long-term wardrobe: combining new and old, maintaining the old, having classics, and taking care of the lesser quality clothes too. This is one of the issues which annoys me too: buying new for the sake of buying instead of building the wardrobe little by little and with a target in mind.

And one of my favourite e-shops, which has saved me from the drama of gigantic clothes: Yoox (www.yoox.com). Here are some pick-ups from there:

A Miu Miu silk dress, looking good on petite women:

And Miu Miu cashmere jumper: always classic, great quality, warm and no problems with the waist line (in case you'd have a short torso like me):

Fresh blood or brains waves to multitasking world from fashion designers?

2011-10-28T19:42:00.003+02:00

Fashion as a questionable fame of been hectic, multitasked, hyper, hysterical etc. It has never stopped amazing me how fine and yet strong the line between different designers is: the way of thinking. For example product and industrial designers (which I know many and relaly like them) have a was slower pace in their work and possibility to concentrate on a few issues at a time. Whereas the field of fashion is reacting, answering and thinking quickly, knowing it all, quick creative solutions, multitasking, remembering most things by heart... sounds like high paced business world, doesn't it. In my experience of leading international projects I have found my background in fashion very useful: memory, pace, multitasking, need to stick to the DL and most of all, not burning ot that quickly because the brain has already been prepared in multitasking and multi memory retention. Moreover, you juts have to remember faces, names, figures etc. just like that, by heart.
So is the world of fashion really as useless and shallow as people think or could there be more to discover and learn? And what else might be there to be discovered...

An oasis in Florence

2010-12-23T23:02:00.008+01:00

It has been a while since I've been here. Blame it on busy life. I've been moving quite much, and here is one finding, a roof oasis in the centre of Florence. What a nice place to have a glass of wine. Or what do yo think:)

DEsign thinking: Tim Brown urges designers to think big | Video on TED.com

2010-01-28T11:28:00.000+01:00

Not only fancy products and dresses, but design is a thinking process providing solutions to different fields. Here is a good example of that:

Tim Brown urges designers to think big Video on TED.com

Back to the roots with Donna Summer

2010-01-10T21:35:00.002+01:00

Last days I have been (again) talking about the stigma of a creative person (creative above the norm). It is not something we decide and then become, we just grow up like that. It is like a disease we are born with. It makes us act differently and think differently. And the signs are out there right from the start. As a little girl (before going to school) I use to change my clothes and dance for hours, and not just any music but all the music played at the Studio 54 without knowing about the whole thing! And I danced for hours. Donna Summer was one of my absolute favourites! So all the signs were there already, I was about to become a creative person with tendency to image, atmospheres, music and style:) Here' she is, my "spitirual mother"

It's all so silent in the winter wonderland

2010-01-02T13:35:00.005+01:00

We had a white Christmas and New Year too. Since it started snowing, it has not stopped. Everyday is like walking in a winter wonderland.

A change is gonna come

2009-12-30T19:24:00.003+01:00

A classic for the New Year and better times Sam COoke and A change is gonna come

Getting ready for the New Year - the scent of a woman

2009-12-30T17:51:00.008+01:00

How to feel great, and be sensual and alluring? It is not just about clothes but about the whole package. Of course the make up and the clothes count, not to forget how you carry yourself. The ladette sweargin might not be the case, neither "I'm so beautiful" or other attitude. Just be yourself, silly, charming, blushing...Why do you think Kylie is such a men's favourite? Or why was Audrey Hepburn so charming?

And back here, the lingerie counts of course as well, and the right preparing for the evening. This does not only mean having the shower and listening to the music, but about making yourself ready. And what could be better to end the old year and welcome the new year than first to treat yourself with a long and relaxing bath or rather your spa moment - don't forget to add a few drops of essential oil to your bath. For exampel lavander calms down and eases the stress, whereas peppermint cheers up and orange is against bad mood. The best part is of course the scent of the oil and the feeling of being is the middle of the orange trees etc. Then moisturize the body with good lotion. After the spa moment have a cup of herbal tea. Its taste is soft enough and it is not too cold (the warm feeling of the bath continues). Now the worries should be put behind and you are all clean and ready for the new year.

Scent is essential in attraction. Remember to select the perfume according to your own scent, the seaason (no summer scents in winter), the occasion and the clothing you are going to wear. And it gives the final touch to your look and your feeling: the final drops of perfume, and there you go.

And why not to buy a new perfume for the new year. My new one is L'amoureux (to be in love, the loved one) by D&G. What better scent could better to start a new year:) Happy New Year!

Indiska makes home

2009-12-25T11:18:00.002+01:00

At least for me. Indiska (http://www.indiska.com/) is a Swedish company with a style I like: it is a mixture of Nordic and Indian. It is colourful but calm and light. And it is for me the time to continue decorating my house (yes, I should have a bit more time to it the next spring). So let's see what could I have...first kitchen, perhaps the following things could go...

A champagne glass...

For tea...

And cereals...

And last for baking, a baking roll;)

All the images are form www.indiska.com. They enable blogging the images

My Christmas nails

2009-12-24T16:30:00.006+01:00

I got my nails printed. I friend of mine has a nail printing business, and I had to try it too. It is practical, you can print what ever images with it, e.g. tiger stripes, flags (yep, football World Cup coming soon..) or world map. But here are my nails:

Travelling kit tips

2009-12-13T21:10:00.009+01:00

I travel a lot, and the 1 litre plastic bag in hand luggage is sometimes a challenge. How to make everything fit there? What if my big lugage gets lost, and I should go to a meeting? I might not make in time shopping.

Fortunately there are solutions. The "bigger" (but still mini" shampoos you can put to teh luggage, but here are a few tips and my own favourites.

First of course the hand spray. Being this enough it doesn't require much space. Again something to out in the purse too.

Sephora (http://www.sephora.com/) has fantastic small products as face cleanesing, deodorant paper, and other products for personal hygien. The great thing is that the products are tiny, and you don't need to bring back empty bottles. Yo can also take these to the beach, or just clean yourself in a middle of a city.

And the pocket doses of facial cream by Clinique, both night and day. All light, small, and handy.
And last but not least, since I am a woman, and it makes me feel good: perfume. I also bet men like perfumed women too. The solution is samples or proper mini perfumes. ne of my favourites is Nina Riccis's Nina.

The tooth paste then? Now a normal size fits to your plastic bag, or you can also use samples e.g. from the dentist, or use proper travelling version. Now someone says that this is not ecological. But sometimes you just have to compromise and think about your own health (e.g. back) etc. Beside I tend to save the Nature, be ecologic on many different things, e.g. not having an own car, eat locat and not to eat red meat. And when you don't have a car less load is better.

Billie Jeanism or MJism - new classic?

2009-12-11T16:00:00.014+01:00

Remember when I was writing that it would be weird if MJ style did not become fashion? Well it has, and big time! Australia, Europe etc. are full of sequin jackets in true Motown Billie Jean performance style, hats in MJ style, and I've even seen pyjama trousers. Not to mention all the drivants such as e.g. sequin leggins and sequin barrets. Often in fashion people imitate famous peopel and events make fashion. But not for years, for over a decade has an even creates such a mass movement in fashion. Yet it is to see weather the MJ style will become a classic style. What ever it will be called Billie Jeanism of MJism.

Below some examples from Vero Moda, HM and Topshop, from their websites (photos taken of the websites)

Vero Moda

Topshop

Helsinki World design capital 2012

2009-11-29T17:07:00.003+01:00

So we got it. Helsinki is going to be the world design capital 2012. So next year we are going to have the innovation university Aalto university, and in 2012 the design capital.

I have no idea yet what is going to happen in 2012, but surely lots of events.

Here is the link for you to follow the events: http://www.wdc2012helsinki.fi/

The fashion aphorism of the day

2009-11-21T18:18:00.004+01:00

Fashion is still and has always been a success story. Why? Probably because it has never been over analysed, and its magic has never been killed, and because it is an eternal fugitive which manages to escape of being over analysed. Yet it touches some very deep part of us to be left alone. You can always say "I don't like your car" and that's fine, but try to say something about style of other fashion features! That is considered offensive. Fly my dear, fly free. Get your energy of the vibrations of the city, dreams and fairy tales, and of our deepest desires.

Sunday music in Sydney

2009-11-21T13:29:00.004+01:00

It has been a while I've been missing good old raves. And I got a total flash back of that while walking in Sydney. There were a few street aboriginal musicians palying didgeridoos with house music on the background. Please don't get cynical, it might have been for tourists, but it did sound cool! I wonder if it is possible to buy a CD... So here's a bit of it for you too:

One night in Hong Kong

2009-11-18T21:29:00.012+01:00

On my way to Cumulus conference (Cumulus Association: Cumulus, International Association of Universities and Colleges of Art, Design and Media) I spent one night in Hong Kong. The city was full of energy, full of people and full of things to buy. And of course after the working day you can have a drink or dinner admiring the city sun set and lights.

On the streets of HK

Hong Kong Polytechnic

And dinner time with city lights

I kissed a GAY and I liked it

2009-10-11T11:02:00.006+02:00

If you don't like gays you can't work in the world of fashion.
Why? Because it is about tolerance and being being open-minded. How can one come up with ideas, see the world through different eye if having a tunnel view? Nope, that s not possible. Tolerance is the precondition for creativity. And yes, there are lots of gays working within the field.
Therefore to celebrate diversity, tolerance and to many good friends of mine, my favourite guys, for Angelina Jolies and other girls too, here is a link to a webshop selling Rainbow T-shirts, mugs etc.

http://492352.spreadshirt.net/-/-/Shop/

Cheers guys!

New fashions shows

2009-09-12T16:23:00.002+02:00

The new fashion shows (spring-summer 2010) are found again from www.style.com

The man is the new black

2009-09-06T16:45:00.005+02:00

Just like gray, white, blue etc. have been new blacks, nowadays men are the new black. How come? Well, women have started to use men as status symbols, as accessoires to strenghen their images and messages, and last but not least women choose and pick up what they want. Man can be woman's best accessoire. Women do not need a secure relationship to go on with their lives anymore. The man can be years younger and good looking - look at e.g. Demi Moore and Madonna. Or one just chooses that less, and lives as a single. These men ar often called toy boys, but is it so? Older men have been dating much younger women for centuries. Is that is accepted, also viceversa sould be. And this is what the women are doing. They also select healthy and good looking men, which suit to their purposes. How to put it, if and when to wear accessoire, it is better to fit you, look good and be of good quality!

Michael Jackson still vibrant alive and creating phenomena

2009-08-30T14:53:00.006+02:00

Michael Jackson did it again! Although not physically here anymore (R.I.P), he still makes masses move and react. Of course the first thing is fashion, the sequin glove, fodera hat, white socks etc., but also dancing. In England a talent show on MJ dancing style is under planning. But another phenomenon is the tribute dancing on street. My absolute favourite on this category is what the Dancing group Bounce did in Sweden (http://www.bounce.nu/). There are also other dance tributes, but this has attitude. Have a look:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVJVRywgmYM

The internet is also full of styling tips of how to dress in MJ style, You Tube, blogs etc. And we'll see what else will still happen. It seems that there is new energy on te streets.
Therefore my questions is, has MJ also revived the street culture? Yes, he just might

The Bruno Movie - joker journalism

2009-04-24T18:32:00.005+02:00

Sacha Baron Cohen is back! This time with Bruno, the Austrian gay fashion reporter.

Let's see how much fuzz this character will crate adn weather there will be children dressed as Bruno in Halloween (Borat was one of the Halloween characters a few years ago).

This is truly a new form of journalism, joker journalism: a joker was always able to tell the truth in a funny joker way, to make jokes of the king, and this was amusement. Well they do say fool for a day king for a lifetime.

Here is the website tieh the trailer: http://www.thebrunomovie.com/

Have fun!:)

Fame is back!!!

2009-04-14T20:14:00.004+02:00

Leroy, Doris, Coco, Cleo, jazz shoes, wooden floor, tears, joy etc. It is back! In September, Fame! The favourite TV-serial of the 80s, the one that made so many dream, dance and sing. Here is the website of the new Fame http://generationfame.com/
Of course the characters are new, and the time is new as well, but once more we can feel the magic of the Fame. And let's see if we'll see this in fashion. Last time it was leg warmers etc...

Back to the memory lane, here is the original one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2COKt6DqSaQ&feature=related

What more can I say "Fame, I wanna live forever..." (from the theme of Fame, performed by Irene Cara)
And of course Gene Anthony Ray, requiescat in pace.

Camden Town, London

2009-04-13T20:14:00.005+02:00

Camden town is in the North West London. It is a lively quartier with pubs, restaurants, shopr and indoor and out-door markets, a place full of treasures to be discovered and that gives you energy. Visit the website: http://www.camdenlock.net/

Week signals for altruism as a trend?

2009-04-09T12:33:00.001+02:00

Values generally have become colder and harder for some years now, being also a reason behind the financial crises. Generally in bad times soft values become more important. This seems not be happening, e.g. amazingly in Finland the centre-left normally ruling in politics when living hard times has left space for the right.
But the cold values seem not to be the way. We have an increasing number of sick behaviour due to the hard values, e.g. school shootings. People start to be afraid of this kind of behaviour, and at the same time natural disasters cause other kind of destruction. But altruism is needed to overcome difficulties. This is a basic element of the development of the human species.
So I am trying to start spotting signs, weak signals of these, for example:
- the dream of some politicians (finally) of a nun-nuclear world
- the decision time of the destruction generation, my generation, we who have grown up seeing environmental disasters
- general value of soft skills and values, e.g. in EU policies (2009 the year of creativity and innovation)
- generosity and altruism during the natural disasters, the L’Aquila earthqueake the latest
- and the non-norm people (e.g. sexual minorities) understanding the rights to be what they are and not feeling guilty about it

These are just some weak signals, and we’ll see, since on the other hand there is an increasing polarization meaning altruism on the other and cold society on the other hand. Interesting how the evolution works this time…

A coffin-funeral pub in Brussels

2009-04-05T10:43:00.003+02:00

Brussels often has a fame of being a dull administrative city. That is not the whole truth. There are, for example, some very interesting pubs, one of which is "Le Cercueil", the coffin in English.

The whole interior decoration is straight from a funeral: big flower buckees, coffins as tables and ceramic skull pints. Here is one below. Neru interesting and worth to see. Here is the address:

10-12 Rue Des Harengs , Brussels, 1000, Belgium

And some other images: http://www.ebru.be/Cafes/CafCercueil.html

There is also an interesting theatre pub "Théâtre de Toone" (e.g. http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Belgium/Region_de_Bruxelles_Capitale/Brussels-357567/Nightlife-Brussels-Theatre_de_Toone-BR-1.html).

Bruxelles, rain, macaroons and Louis Vuitton (par Marc Jacobs)

2009-03-28T00:57:00.004+01:00

I just came home from Brussels. And it was raining all the time. Despite being in meetigs all the time we did manage to find a bit of free time, and what did I find, macaroons! My favourite bisquit-pastries because of the colour and aesthetics. Those are simplt perfect to create different caterings, e.g. ponks, light greens and yellows for Spring and Easter, or red ones for Valentine's day.
These round colourful pastries are inspirational also to others. Marc Jacobs has designed fantastic Louis Vuitton bags which seem to take inspiration also form macaroons. See the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34kZA7YpVxk

It is also a wonderful lesson of how creative process can happen, just brainstorming, without computers. Yes, creativity is not about an ICT programme, these can be used to teach creativity too, but creativity happens in our minds and in interaction, in our experiences.

Photo ©Kentoh at www.dreamstime.com

What is the source of creativity - for me the sound of music

2009-03-19T23:09:00.002+01:00

As a creative person, as one who works with creativity, developes methods of it and conducts research using it, it still remains a mystery to me. Well, not exactly, but quite. I do know about creativity methods, about characteristics of a creative person, how to increase creativity etc. but how it works for me, in me, is unknown field:)
I rather list things that provoke creative results - these work for me, not necessary for others:
- information from everywhere, from every field
- music, music and music - most of my works I have done without rational reasoning and calculative strategies on creativity methods. So for me personally, it must have something to do with intuition and emotions. I kind of live my own musical, create my own sound tracks. Today I told someone that I think I have been singing all my life all the time
- stories, books, poems - oh I love Oscar Wilde's Salome
- emotions
- dancing
- active life and experiences
- people and things around me
- sports
and when I brush my teeth:)

Coco Chanel on fashion

2009-03-17T20:36:00.003+01:00

Some (verbal) aphorisms by Coco Chanel

Fashion is architecture: it is a matter of proportions.

Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.

The best color in the whole world is the one that looks good on you!

Fashion fades, only style remains the same.

A woman who doesn`t wear perfume has no future.

Some people think luxury is the opposite of poverty. It is not. It is the opposite of vulgarity.

Look for the woman in the dress. If there is no woman, there is no dress.

I love luxury. And luxury lies not in richness and ornateness but in the absence of vulgarity.

A woman is closest to being naked when she is well dressed.

Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury.

A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.

In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.

(http://www.aphorism4all.com/)

The others, hers, of course are visual ones

Emilio Pucci - classics of Italian fashion

2009-03-16T22:23:00.010+01:00

Emilio Pucci was an Italian fashion designer. He created casual and colourful clothes that Jet Set, for example Marilyn Monroe, loved.
He used colourful silk jersey and made colourful scarfs with fantastic prints. I bet when seeing his prints you also remember how many copies there have been around of his works. Pucci's works are classics. You can still buy the scarfs, well prints of couse, that he designed 50 years ago. I have one too.
Emilio passed away 1992. His daughter Laudomia Pucci continued his tradition and nowadays each season we see Pucci at fashion weeks. Visit the website www.emiliopucci.com.

Here are some Pucci classics you can see in Florence.

Japanese fashion at Firenze biennale

2009-03-14T11:55:00.006+01:00

And Yoshi Yamamoto this time. Not the last year, but historical pieces thouhg. He has this loveky way of makig plissee. The dresses become light as feather. It is poetry filosophy, but never forced.

Fashion as architecture - memories from the Fashion and Art biennale in Florence

2009-03-13T10:15:00.014+01:00

I was skimming through old photos and found these. I was at the Biennale of Firenze (Florence). The theme that year was fashion and art. The dresses, works of art were all presented in the most wonderful frames: in Florence. It was all amazingly beautiful.

Here are some photos how fashion becomes architecture and statues, and how the city has been used as the Italians would say 'scenografia'.

First Donna Karan's dresses at church, then a Lacroix corset.

This spring fashion shows for A/W 2009-2010

2009-03-05T10:39:00.005+01:00

The fashion shows for the autumn-winter 2009-2010 are about to and. Now the Paris fashion week is about to begin. And I was supposed to be there and tell you about it, but sometimes there are other urgent things to do instead.
My writings for the A/W 2009-2010 will be very short this time due to the tight schedule.

And because I do not want to use photos illegally (every photo copied form the website without permission is illegal use, even if referring) thsi blog won't be very visual for a while. Or would you like your works to be used without permission and not getting paid for the work you have done. In fashion language: me no think so.

Instead I guide you to the best website covering the fashion shows and updated every day:

www.style.com

Archaic sublime textile art

2009-02-22T14:42:00.012+01:00

Or just the sublime and archaic spirit in modern times.
Last time I was reflecting the Nordic design. I still remain in the Nordic theme, but this time it is about sublime and art. Sublime is something rarely mentioned when talking about the Nordic art. Yet is it there, it is the not organized archaic spirit that makes the Northern Europe what it is. It is somewhere there in the deep forest, in the eyes of the wolf and in the folklore stories.

Below you see examples of it in Satu Toivonen’s (mostly textile + felt) works. It expresses the similarity of all the archaic form language, no matter what is the country or origin. For example at the first look the mask might seem cubistic, but then you see that instead one is a fox and another is a bear, two sublime animals…

All the pictures are from Satu Hedvig Toivonen’s facebook profile, and I use them with her permission.
Satu also has a homepage: http://kotisivu.dnainternet.net/sattoi/tiedot.htm

Good common sense design for everyday life – Scandinavian motto

2009-02-17T22:23:00.000+01:00

Certain regions, cultures and countries are famous for various things, e.g. France for luxury and perfumes, Italy for design and Germany for the technical quality.
Since and because of what I do, I have been trying to spot what is really the things in the Nordic countries, what are they famous for (or could be). We our-selves often call it simple, because it lacks excessive decoration, but there are simple forms everywhere, e.g. in Japan and that really is not part of Scandinavia-Nordic countries.
Then I looked at the roots of the Nordic culture. Some characteristics of the Nordic culture are simplicity and quality of life, small in beautiful, democracy, well-being, helping the others and common sense. Also the Nordic design is often very practical – of course we do have our fair-tale side too, but overall it is practical and the products are also rather affordable. We like god quality, but we do not need luxury. Our luxury is quality of life, that everything goes smoothly, the nature and the relationships.
So I ended up defining it with terms, good life, common sense, design as every man’s right, and practical beauty for everybody. It is very close to consumers and families. It is a little bit of luxury, beauty, usability, common sense and beauty for everyday life. That is what the Nordic design is about.

The death of design or design pornography?

2009-02-09T21:04:00.001+01:00

We all know the rule greater offer lows appreciation. And that goes also for design.
During the past decade (circa), I have been observing quite a worrying phenomenon: it seems that nowadays everybody is a designer, no matter if completely from another field of still in compulsory school, but when able to use graphic computer programmes…So what about natural talent, education and knowing the history anymore???

The world of design is surrounded by luxurious fame and lots of hype. Rarely people understand that designer is just like any other profession, and that sometimes it really can be painstaking. This though reveals that image does matter and that people still try to get themselves added value (which would make them more valuable in the markets of relationships – evolutional psychology again, sorry :-)

I already mentioned people able to use graphic programmes. This is one side of the phenomenon. If it is so that using material tools makes one a professional, then I can be a surgeon too – I can use knife and scissors.

The other phenomenon is the celebrity “designers”. Back in the 90’s celebrities still appeared in advertising and designers dresses them, but now the rules are different. It seems that every second celebrity has the very own collection. And if only, but they claim to be designers. There is J. LO, Justin Timberlake, Madonna, and many more.
Lovely that first their stylists do all the work to make them look ok. Then the celebrities also get the fame of being designers. Not to mention the money. As if being a designer was that easy.

But there is another side of the medal too (ok, the excessive wasting of material, not very ecologic…), this phenomenon with its two sides destroys the credibility of designers and the short term activity is not good either for the enterprises: enterprises already in difficulty of understanding the real value of design (for the turnover etc.) start to think that anything is ok, whoever can do it. And it is no by chance that Nokia and many more (using designers) have become so big.
Since it has been proved that design does increase the value and profit of the companies, it, my fellow citizens, has also impact on national economics and even your jobs…

Of course there might be some exception to the rule, like Armani or the guy form Acne Jeans (www.acnestudios.com). But those individuals are less than one of the million. And in this case they both were grown into the fashion culture, they got the taste and style + stories from another way.

Se let the celebs be celebs and designers dress them. That is how instead of fashion/ design porn (when it is all made ugly and just for profit), there is still magic and stories to tell…

Harem grunge

2009-02-05T08:01:00.004+01:00

And grunge is back. Well it has been that for a whole already. But what it interesting that it is also in H&M! (see below). The other a bit different model for trousers at the moment is harem trousers. Also I need to make myself a pants in a mlitary harem style, when and if I'll have time. But what a nice mix of glam grunge and harem, and with the Obama family style. This will be interesting...

H&M spring-summer 2009. The ad is on the back cover of the Finnish Elle February 2009

That American boy, part 2

2009-02-03T20:47:00.002+01:00

And there has been such a long pause again. I have simple been way to busy to update this more often. But well, here it comes, the next writing.

Oh yes, we got a new icon to follow to. Only this time it is a whole family, mother, father and two daughters. Lots have been written in the media that Michelle Obama would become a new trendsetter, just like Jackie Kennedy back then. The style would be classic and American designers. Also the daughters have been mentioned to be new trendsetters.
This will undoublty happen, and I won’t write about that. Instead there is something else too that I would not wonder to see. Here are some ideas for that might happen:

- Of course a renaissance of jazz and jazz culture
- Zoot suit, an oversized (wide legged high wasted) men’s suit used in the late 1930s and 1940s.
- Hawaii prints, T-shirts – Obama is from Hawaii
- Cotton field style. I totally loved that on the video (can’t remember the name of the song) of Missy Elliott
- African style and prints, e.g. Kenyan, Masai (a new tartan)
- Everything that Obama wears too, perhaps even new ways of wearing things; a bit like what the Duke of Winsor made for fashion
- Street style cleans up a bit, becomes more classic, thanks to Michelle

The whole family might on some level become like a new Lady Diana, admired, fashion and style icon, and a “queen of hearts”.

Decorate the bathroom with colours

2009-01-30T19:23:00.011+01:00

Bathrooms, especially in the cities, are often dull. There would be great solutions for bathrooms but no space for those.
One solution is to decorate bathrooms with colours using textiles, flowers and bathing products. These make the bathroom also look cleaner. For example Sephora, a French chain of beauty product stores, (www.sephora.fr; www.sephora.com) offers a bath and body collection full of colous and fragrances. Also other brands and companies have products to colour your bathing moment.

Below are some relaxing colours to bring the topic sea to your bathing moments.

That American boy, part 1

2009-01-23T18:31:00.003+01:00

There has never been such enthusiasm about US presidential election that during the last elections. Never has the change of power been transmitted all over the world. And never has anyone been more welcomed. Last Tuesday tears of joy were running on millions of faces, also all over Europe (scenes from e.g. Euronews).

My writings here are also observations on trends and here are some simple reflections of what might happen:

Image of the USA will rise. According to various sources, the image is the USA has been plunging during the past years (e.g. www. creativeclass.com; www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/06/28/2166). The country has been seen guiding old fashioned politics and the intolerant culture has not been looked with a good eye, especially in Europe. The rise of the image should also have a positive impact on the US economical situation. But here, of course, it takes the whole society and selfishness must be forgotten.
USA will rise on the creativity index: well, tolerance has been the weak point so far. Obama has also promised more resources to science, which also influences on the country’s creativity.
Rise of creativity and human, adult values: almost 100% of creative people support Obama. There will be some sort of creative “renaissance” and a renaissance of human values.
Bridging of cultures on some level, e.g. Irish and Kenyans, Japanese (the village)
Renaissance of original American values, values the country was formed on
And last, a turn towards a more peaceful approach and world: instead of violence, using diplomacy and seeing things from others perspective. This also means smaller threat of the world war three.
Believing in self: a rising trend, especially because of Obama’s example and the slogan “Yes we can”. Not a bad thing for young people growing up

Because rarely linear and often changing quickly trends are hard to foresee.
These were reflections of the moment and some or all of these can change already tomorrow.

And the next time reflections of possible trends for society and fashion…

...and the colour also matters in perfumes + perfume tea times

2009-01-18T15:03:00.006+01:00

We all love perfumes, some more and some less. The world of perfumes is full of stories, myths and romanticism. And yet they smell good and even a bit of luxury.
We all have our preferences on perfumes. But do are those objectively the best ones for us? How to find the right perfume?

According to experts you should wait a while after spraying on the perfume to let the right scent come through to understand if you really like it. It is also a good reason for a cup of tea or coffee. And why not to start having new kind of social shopping, perfume shopping – tea time = perfume tea times.
It is also to remember that the personal skin odour changes the scent of the perfume.

Another clue to find the right perfume is the colour and the design (including the advertisement) of the perfume. We designers often think things in three-dimensional shapes, colours, atmospheres, and even in music. And we interpret the designed things through this and a multi-sensory thinking: for example a scent can become a colour, an atmosphere becomes music, an image, painting or a piece of clothing. It is almost like synesthesia, but a under control version of it. And it also helps you choosing the right perfume: one way is to follow the style of the ad, if you like it you also might like the scent; the other is to think the scent as colours – which colour are you drawn to might also be the key to the perfume you desire that moment. For example if you like violet at that time, try Alien, Poison, Pure Poison etc. If you like white, light colours, etc. try for example Elisabeth Arden’s Green Tea.

Your own colours might also influence on the choice of the perfume. For example I love the Burberry perfume bottles, but the scent is absolutely not the right for me. It seems to be made for a brunette of a darker haired person anyway, like Kate Moss. And voilà, guess who has been the face of the campaign, Kate Moss!

The thinking of the personal colours goes deeper of the colour of the hair. I have a friend of mien who is quite the opposite of me, dark haired and dark eyed, but despite this the same perfumes work for both of us: those with a bit of vanilla, slightly sweet, but still very “clear”, like Armani’s Sensi and Herrera’s Sexy 212. Well, it is still about the colours, we both are winter-types (see my last writing), and like “winter” colours the same kind of perfumes match to our appearance. And at the same time the wavy hair (which we both have) and freckles give us both the softness toward light colours in perfumes, not only drama.

And last, think also if you wear, the colours and the style: do not use too heavy perfume with light soft clothes; soft vanilla you can use for example with mohair; perfume in a brownish bottle with black and earth tones; dramatic and gold with drama. And of course, remember that the same perfumes that work for the winter do not necessary work for the summer.

Here is the memory list to help with your perfume choice:

1. personal body odour
2. lifestyle
3. colour and values you are attracted to
4. situation (work, evening etc.)
5. time of the day
6. time of the year
7. style, colours and clothes you are wearing
8. your own colours, hair, eyes, skin and the combination of this (remember the colour analysis)with the style of the hair
9. place, for example city, country side, island, like pink and drama for Paris and neutral for Milan

The colour does matter... when talking about the clothes and the hair

2009-01-14T22:15:00.003+01:00

I just got myself a few new jumpers yesterday. A task that sounds easy and fun but trust me, it is far from that. It is not only because of my size (I am petite), but it is about the colours. I just cannot wear any colour. I need strong colours otherwise I look sick. I’d love to wear those pastel, soft and bright, down to earth, summer night colours that are typically Nordic colours, but no chance. Black and strong colours it is.

And I am not the only one with the colour problem, we all are. Wearing wrong colours is a visual disaster, and might be that socially too.
Wrong colours simply make one look pale, sick, waxy, tired etc. And I doubt that you’d like to go to an important business meeting or a job interview looking like that! Right colours just make you and your skin glow. Those can be used to cover things too. For example often when looking very tired I use strong colours. Trust me with a pale skin, black shirt and bright red lipstick, people don’t even notice the eye bags:)

So which are the right colours? Not the same for all. We all have an individual skin tone, eye and hair colour. These define the colour of the clothing and the hair. Oh yes, do not forget the right hair colour!
Colour analysis helps finding the own colour group. In colour analysis people are divided into four main groups, spring, summer, autumn and winter, and subgroups, for example cold summer. Each season has a set of colours which are the best for them. Summer and winter people should use bright and cold colours, while nature tones and warm pastels are for spring and autumn people. One good divider is that silver is for winter and summer, and gold for autumn and spring. If gold looks better on you better avoid black and rather use for example browns.
Colour analysis can be done in many places. It is not just vanity, but it can be a key for a successful career too. It can also be a good present for the birthday or other occasions and ecologic too.

One simple way to test the colour on you when shopping is to put the piece of clothing on the skin inside your wrist. You are usually not tanned or wear make up there. When the colour is right your skin seems to become alive and when the colour is wrong, well you cannot miss it.

Right colours mean saving money. Of course you can still wear “wrong” or not the exactly colours, but not next to your face. The best place for those is the bottom.
And do not buy the wrong colours because you think those will look ok in summer when you are tanned. Your basic skin colour is still the same, and so is the effect of the colour too.

So how did it end up for me then? Well I did find something! I am “cold winter”, so I got myself one black and one cold raspberry sweater. Raspberry makes the cheek glow and black is always black.

Go and have fun, there is a world full of colours out there…

A sample of a colour card

Home sweet home

2009-01-10T22:05:00.000+01:00

So does fashion exist in all the societies? What kind of societies does fashion live?

The human being has a tendency to decorate himself. This phenomenon, unlike fashion, exists in all the societies. Or we could say that in some societies the fashion cycle is yet extremely slow, that in this case it can be defined non-existent. There are also societies and parts of the societies, where the economic situation does not support fashion.

Fashion lives in open, dynamic, democratic, equal and heterogenic change oriented societies whereas costume lives in closed, “narrow-minded” and traditional societies (for example Baldini 2005, 27; Horn 1975; Simmel 1986).
An open society welcomes novelties and change. It offers the possibility of choice and narrows the gap between the social classes. This means that fashion is not only property of the upper class, but it spreads vertically to the society. Open societies are also more tolerant to diversity and draw open-minded people. There is also less patriarchal influence that in the traditional societies. This means fewer regulations for women and men. A person is free to express the very self also with fashion. And yet, less fashion issues are considered scandalous.

Open societies are normally post modern. Post modern societies are full of different life styles and realities. Another character needed for a fashion society is democracy. Though in constant change democratic societies are more stable that the non-democratic ones (Lipovetsky 1994, 48), also economically. Bad economic times have offered less fashion novelties or these have been offered for fewer people. This on one hand has stopped the movement and development of fashion. A good economic situation also means free time and well being, yet two other features of a fashion society (Horn 1975).

References

Baldini, Massimo (2005). L’invenzione della moda. Le teorie gli stilisti la storia. Roma: Armando.

Horn, Marilyn J. (1975). The second skin: an interdisciplinary study of clothing. 2nd edition. Boston : Houghton Mifflin.

Lipovetsky, Gilles (1994). The empire of fashion: dressing modern democracy. Translated by Catherine Porter ; with a foreword by Richard Sennett Princeton: Princeton University Press. (Alkuperäinen teos L’Empire de l’éphémère: La mode et son destin dans les sociétés modernes. Jukaistu 1987).

Simmel, Georg (1986). Muodin filosofia. Suomentanut Antti Alanen. Helsinki Odessa. (Saksankielinen alkuteos Die Mode. –suom. Pohjana on teoksessa Philosophische kultur, 1923, julkaistu teksti, joka perustuu esseeseen Philosophie der Mode, 1905)

Open-minded freaks

2009-01-05T20:30:00.002+01:00

Designers (fashion and other designers) are often considered as eccentric and open-minded immoral useless freaks. Well, if it is so, how come the things that they design are so rational, functional and great? They are just like any other people, well a bit more open-minded and creative, that is true. But hey, that is not against the law:)

On the contraire. Especially nowadays in the era of high competitiveness, conscious consumers and different lifestyles creativity has become an important factor for competitiveness, and national and regional strategies. For instance EU underlines creativity as an important factor to economic growth and that of knowledge (e.g. EU’s Lisbon’s Agenda). The year 2009 is EU’s year of creativity and innovation (EU).
Richard Florida in his book The Rise of The creative Class (2002)* states that the societies where the talent, tolerance and technology are all the highest will be the most creative and most competitive societies.
There is also another point to the issue: more democratic and tolerant the societies are, less there is instability, and the national economies (including I this case of course people’s jobs) can live and grow more with a normal pace.

Of course, not only designers represent the creative field and professions.

Yep, my dear ones, the medal does have another side : )

* Richard Florida (2002). The rise of the creative class : and how it’s transforming work, leisure, community and everyday life. New York : Basic Books

The sweet shallow thing called fashion

2008-12-31T11:24:00.009+01:00

What is it that makes fashion so incredibly interesting, loved, overestimated, underestimated and hated? Isn’t it simply new clothes minimum twice a year, skinny models and lot of hype? No, it is not. Fashion has a dual aspect: it appears as something shallow, but in the reality it is the mirror of the society. It unifies up-to-date issues, technology, culture, arts and design, sociology, communication, marketing, psychology, evolutional psychology, creativity, innovation etc. Yet too much analyzing destroys the freshness and the creativity of fashion.

As much as fashion has been a subject of research and writing, there is still something unexplainable, savage and innocent in fashion. And after thousands of collections and garments designers renew themselves year after year. How do they manage to crystallize the Zeitgeist, the roles in the society and yet make it all beautiful and attractive? Why does fashion add value? Why does it feel so good? Why is it considered something so bad? How do maisons de la mode manage to stay in the spotlight year after year? Fascinating isn’t it. Well, that is fashion.

Back in business

2008-12-30T16:39:00.003+01:00

And here I am again, back in business. I have been away from fashion for a while, but somehow... It is all because of a book. Last March a friend of mine asked me when would I be back. I answered that I did not know, fashion had lost the sparkle. And I was so wrong. There are still those who are real professionals.

I got the sparkle back because of a book. I had to study for a Swedish language exam, and because I am lazy, I decided to read a book. The book was Martina Bonnier's Fashionista. Martina writes for the Swedish magazine Damernas Värld, and she knows what fashion is about. The book is fantastic (sorry, only in Swedish at the moment:)

Martina writes about a good wardobe, how to build it. She takes into consideration the fashion history, fashion icons, personal style, knowing what looks good on you, building a wardrobe piece by piece, good quality and value of real pieces.
All the time Martina underlines the meaning of knowing the fashion history, how much one can learn from that. Reading the book is truly a pleasure, like one person said "like eating good chocolate, enjoying each and every piece". I simply could not agree more. The book looks like a gift box and it is in a small paper bag. It is all about fashioin, all to the smallest detail. So thank you Martina!

Of course we must remember that not all can afford designer brands, but that is not the point. Those are pieces of art to admire (and use). One can also combine these with vintage os second hand all accoding to the personal style. Or simple buy normal clothes, but combine these with a good taste and thinking who you are and what is your style, where you feel comfortable.

Well, more next time. Now it is time for a cup of tea..