Russian Fashion Week: Venera Kazarova

This is a little cheery and white to be Gothic Fashion, but it was avant-garde and I loved it.  Russian Fashion Week took place earlier this month.  One of my favorite designers was Venera Kazarova as part of the ContrFashion show in Moscow.  

The clothing was sculpted and the models vamped it up in a playful attitude.  The designer's sketches have the same whimsical quality.  Were these meant to be a bridal collection?  Or an artistic take on a ghostly pineapple?  It was fabulous either way...

Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Europe

Play Dead - Spook Show Off-Broadway GIVEAWAY!

Does a good night out for you involve being plunged in the dark and being surrounded by ghosts? Do you year for the old midnight spook shows of decades past?  Are you a fan of the more twisted half of Penn & Teller (he created the show with performer Todd Robbins).  

The new off-Broadway show takes place in the West Village of NYC.  Reviewers are hailing it hilarious, scary, old-school and a lot of fun... I myself will be attending a show soon to give you a first-hand account of my own.  

Care to join me?  I am giving away a pair of tickets to a lucky reader who comments after this post.  Just tell me which ghost you would like to meet in person when you call Death out to play... (Dates are flexible and by reservation).

If you didn't win, you can see the show at a major discount...The Courtesan has secured a discount for tickets below:

$39.50 TICKETS (reg. $69.50)

Saturday @ 10 pm and Sunday @ 7 pm

$44.50 TICKETS (reg. $69.50)

Tuesday- Friday @ 8 pm, Saturday @ 7 pm & Sunday @ 3 pm

Performance schedule:

Tues-Fri at 8pm |Sat at 7pm & 10pm |Sun at 3pm & 7pm

ONLINE: Visit www.ticketmaster.com and use code PLAYDEAD

PHONE: Call 800.982.2787 and mention code PLAYDEAD

IN PERSON: Print out a copy of this offer and visit The Players Theatre Box Office – 115 MacDougal Street (Between West 3^rd Street & Minetta Lane)

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT: www.PlayDeadNYC.com

*Offer valid through 5/1/11. Offer is subject to availability and may be revoked at any time. Blackout dates may apply.  Normal service charges apply to online and phone orders. No exchanges or refunds.  All sales are final.  Cannot be combined with other offers.  Not valid for prior purchases.  Limit 8 tickets per order. Schedule subject to change. 

 Winner will be chosen on Friday, April 15th, 2011

CONGRATULATIONS THEO!  YOU ARE OUR WINNER.

Rodarte's Noir Fashion Exhibit at Museum of Contemporary Arts

In business for only six years, the Mulleavy sisters of Rodarte have been one of the most lauded and respected fashion designers of the current generation.  Honored by Michelle Obama with the Cooper Hewitt Award, celebrated by the fashion elite, the label is now being honored at the Museum of Contemporary Arts in Los Angeles.

The exhibit, “Rodarte: States of Matter” shows several tutus from their highly publicized (and controversial) gig designer for the movie Black Swan.  There are also garments from three seasons of their runway collections.

Longtime collaborator, Alexandre de Betak helped to create dramatic set pieces to display the collection.  A very noir exhibit meant to display black garments as sculpture pieces, there are mannequins suspended from the ceiling and spun slowly on whirling motors.

The theatrical “immersive” exhibit is what you would hope for from a duo who cites “Living Dead Dolls” and Japanese horror films as inspiration. 

The exhibit runs until June 5, 2011 at MOCA Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles.

Photos by Autumn de Wilde. Courtesy of MOCA.

Ann Demeulemeester Fall 2011 Natives

How often do Belgians go Native?  As in Native American?  While the Fall 2011 shows in New York showed collection after collection of Americana with tribal influences.  Avant-garde designer Ann Demeulemeester put a dark twist on what was going on overseas.  The jet black feathered hairpieces were a shadow version of the ones seen at the Byron Lars show.  The corset styling gave a Gothic fetish edge. Leather and tinted fur gave some wild luxury.  A few dresses had ruffled details for a softer feminine edge.  As usual, black was the dominant color of the collection.  

Photos courtesy of Imaxtree

Art Donovan - The Art of Steampunk

Are you looking to redecorate?  How about something classic and futuristic at the same time?  I visited the Architectural Digest Home Decor show in NYC and found some beautiful objects for the boudoir.

Art Donovan is a Steampunk artist and new author.  He debuted his upcoming book at a signing and was featured in last year's landmark exhibit in England.  His work involves elegant creations that look like the heirlooms of .  His background is in lighting design which he then works into metal and wood.

His book is currently available for pre-order, The Art of Steampunk: Extraordinary Devices and Ingenious Contraptions.  

Karl Lagerfeld Sketches Coco Chanel for Book

Is there a bigger fan of Gabrielle Chanel than Karl Lagerfeld?  The atelier has millions of fans around the world.  Coco Chanel's story has been played out as a pop history fairy-tale in movies and books many times over.

British journalist Justine Picardie wrote a new biography of the designer that Mr. Lagerfeld liked so much that he contributed several illustrations for the new French edition.  The new tome will be feted at a cocktail bash/signing in the Galignani bookstore (Karl's fave) on the evening of March 24th.

Red Riding Hood and Other Costumes

How can you not love a lusty fairy tale where the title character is clothing?  This romantic/sexy rendition of the childhood story is hitting the theaters making a play to take "hot werewolf" away from Team Jacob.

So far, the reviews have been less than kind.  Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke may not have the next Academy Award on her hands, but she at least delivers some serious style.

  

Costume designer Cindy Evans researched many styles and fabrics to create the iconic cloak worn by Amanda Seyfried.  I'm not sure if you can see all the work that was put into it, but the designer decided on a heavy raw silk as the base fabric, then had it silk-screened with a swirled border.  The swirled pattern was then hand-embroidered in six different shades of red for dimension and depth.

Other costumes included corset-laced Medieval dresses accented with pops of color.  Accessories included removable leather sleeves or large knit crochet shawls.

Gary Oldman's armor was intricately detailed and antiqued.  Chain mail accented his arms from the metal suit.

Images courtesy of Warner Brothers