Hot and Bothered

Zana modeling her own leather peplum, and a friend modeling one of her bondage style face masks

Yesterday night, I made a sweaty trek over to CATM Gallery with hundreds of other Zana Bayne enthusiasts to view her latest Fall/Winter 2012 collection of leather body-harnesses.  Taking a beautifully orchestrated step away from the traditional fashion presentation, Zana chose to collaborate with three other artists and photographers to fully convey the sensual nature of her work.  Char Alfonzo, Maxime Buchi, and Adrian Wilson used photography, video and installation to capture Zana's work on the human body, playing with the themes of power and submission that are integral to her bondage inspired pieces. The fetishistic and fantastic elements conveyed through the resulting work gave Zana's harnesses a life that could not be expressed in a simple presentation with models, and the gallery truly felt like a teasing peek into Zana's lush, leather-filled world.  The exhibition is only up for one more day, so try to make it if you're in New York.  Otherwise, keep an eye out for her new pieces to arrive--I personally can't wait to get my hands on the leather cone bra pictured in one of Adrian Wilson's photographs.

Zana's Leather skull installation

Leather bra photographed by Adrian Wilson

-Tiffany

Instagram Diaries

Jonathan's Birthday Cake

In the midst of my entire apartment falling apart (windows, lights, and plumbing somehow all simultaneously must be fixed), my camera also decided to give up on me this week, leaving me with nothing more than my iPhone to document everything I've been up to and everyone I've been visiting.  Seeing as it's my last free week before I start my new job, I've been running around town getting all my errands done, and catching up with some of my favorite friends and local designers.  Better photos of said designers are on the way, but in the meantime, here's my past week via Instagram.


Floral bouquets at the opening of the new Bijules flagship store at 355 Bowery


Jules presenting the latest collection of her jewelry at the Media Seance at her new shop


Hearts on fire at the Bijules flagship store


Becca custom fitting my Chromat bikini at her new studio in the Brooklyn Navy Yards


The Chromat inspiration board


Degen Knitwear mood board


Anne Koch's installation at Allegra LaViola Gallery


Carved tree stumps at Figment on Governor's Island


Figment


Stilt walking musicians at Figment


Victoria on the Statue of Liberty installation at Figment


A puppet from the Children's Museum of Art's stop motion animation program at Figment

-Tiffany

Springtime in Stockholm

At Prins Eugens Waldenarsudde. Stine Goya x Weekdays dress, H&M tights, Dieppa Restrepo tights, Devaki hat, Triskaidekaphobia necklace

I haven't been posting much lately, as I've been out enjoying my last few weeks in Stockholm.  I'm moving back to New York very soon, right as the days are becoming gloriously long (the sun is going down around nine) and the weather is finally taking a turn for the better.  I spent this weekend relishing spring at two of my favorite museums in Stockholm, Prins Eugens Waldemarsudde, and Millesgarden.  While neither are very centrally located, they're a must see if you happen to be in Stockholm during the spring or summer; both are located on fantastic grounds, and best visited while everything is in bloom.  They also give a peek into what it was like to have a fun and fabulous life in Stockholm at the turn of the century.  Prins Eugens Waldermarsudde is the former castle residence of Swedish Prince Eugen, and contains his private collection of art.  Millesgarden is the former home and estate of artists Carl and Olga Milles, and includes a sprawling sculpture garden filled with Carl Milles's work.

Of course, spring wouldn't be complete without the Cherry Blossoms at Kungstradgarden.  I went to see them twice this weekend, and took some photos with Gabi after our visit to the Dansmuseet (more on that tomorrow).  I know I whine a lot about winter in this country, but I have to say, springtime is pretty wonderful when it finally arrives.

Millesgarden

Millesgarden

Millesgarden

Millesgarden

Cherry Blossoms at Kungstradgarden. Stine Goya jumpsuit, ASOS feather jacket, Ursidae New York scarf, Monki sunglasses, Triskaidekaphobia necklace

Gabi at Kungstradgarden

-Tiffany

Everyone Needs A Bionic Bat

DEARRAINDROP hoodie, Comme des Garcons skirt, Dieppa Restrepo brogues.

Last week, I stopped by my friend Allegra's gallery for a dinner to celebrate her current exhibition, featuring artists Joe Grillo and Jason McLean.  Both artists were equally awesome, but I found myself particularly drawn to Grillo's series of Bionic Bats: cartoonish renderings of the grinning creature, in varying shades of fluorescent neon.  Absolutely joy inducing.  I was also somewhat obsessed with Grillo's hand-sewn hoodies, part of his work with art collective DEARRAINDROP.  I couldn't have both a bat and a hoodie, but I did end up trying it on.  I love the hilarious mishmash of images and the blinding colors, but nonetheless I decided I need art more than I need clothes, so I'm putting my money towards a Baby Bat.  The hoodie will have to wait for another time, but if you are interested, they are available for sale at the gallery. I highly suggest you stop by before the show closes on Saturday!

Just a few Bionic Bats. 

-Tiffany

Abstract Expressionism

While designers often look to artists for inspiration, sometimes lifting from them directly, the results can be mixed. Marc Jacobs was immensely successful with his collaboration with artist Richard Prince, but more commonly you'll see an Andy Warhol soup can cheaply plastered somewhere it was never meant to be.  Demi Park is one of the few designers who has managed to take on the genre of Abstract Expressionism in an in-depth, conceptual manner, and the Spring 2012 Parkchoonmoo show was perhaps the most poetic collection that I saw during NYFW.  Playing with colors that reminded her of her Korean heritage, Park layered various dyed and stained pieces of fabric on top of each other, in an effect that she describes as "painting with fabric."  While the garments are traditionally colorblocked in the sense that bold colors are graphically combined, the layering and movement of the fabrics adds another dimension to the clothing.  While it's difficult to see in still images, the garments' dynamically shifting shapes and colors become living abstract paintings.  Absolutely breathtaking, and truly expressionistic.

-Tiffany

String Section

All photos by Elisabet Davids and threeASFOUR

Last month I picked up a classic threeASFOUR circle bag at the Opening Ceremony Sample Sale, conjuring up old memories of how obsessed I had been with the design when it first appeared years ago (was it a decade ago, or more?). Recently, threeASFOUR has slipped off my mental radar, and I hadn't really looked at their collections for several seasons. Shame on me, as this fall collection is especially good. This season the eclectic design collective was inspired in large part by string instruments, which were incorporated into the clothes in the form of full violins and miniature harps, as well as plenty of strings, naturally.

I'm particularly obsessed with the bits and pieces they made in partnership with Bollinger Atelier, a family atelier that works with artists and sculptors to help realize their ideas. They created several of the showstopping pieces for threeASFOUR, including this functioning (!!!) harp belt, that was constructed with the help of a harp technician, and two shoulder pieces. The designs fluidly integrate art, music, and fashion, in a synesthetic way that only threeASFOUR could achieve.

-Tiffany

Shoot From the Hip

SQUAT installation opening at the VPL store

The Hipstamatic app is by far my favorite iPhone program, and I've taken such a fancy to the faux-aged digital images that I almost like them better than the photos I take on my much more expensive REAL camera. You can change the film, the lens, and the flash for varying results, but they all have a wonderfully dreamy, washed-out, vintage feel, like they were dug up from your parent's photo albums from the seventies. Here are some of my favorite photos that I shot in the past two months. Do you use Hipstamatic? What are your favorite settings?

My cousin Vincent and his beautiful bride Jenny cutting the cake at their wedding

Jimmy and I at Jenny and Vincent's wedding. I wore a Stella McCartney dress and a Kate Moss x Topshop leather jacket.

Chandelier at the Catherine Malandrino x Lacoste launch party at the Mondrian Soho

Olov celebrating his birthday at home

Olov's collection of headphones, wires, and miscellaneous stuff

Artist Allen Grubesic having a cigarette break

Artwork at a warehouse installation in Gowanus, Brooklyn

Urs Fischer's 'Untitled (Lamp/Bear)' in front of the Seagram's building--built with the help of 3D modeling!

-Tiffany