Jean Paul Gaultier's Punk Can-Can Couture

Are you a fashion geek like me and followed Jean Paul Gaultier through the years?  If you did, you would have loved his most recent Haute Couture showing.  It mixed the elaborate silhouettes, miles of silk tulle and dramatic head pieces he is known for.

This collection had some punk influence, some Can-Can surprises and wildly colorful prints.  A certain flamenco influence that we have seen before made its way to some of the looks.  While thumping DJ sets are expected at most fashion shows these days, Gaultier bucked the standard and surprised everyone with an elegant Catherine Deneuve.  Her voice announced each look verbally in the tradition of Haute Couture's classic presentations.

Accessories included the dramatic feathered mohawks of course.  Some of the models sported the JPG and Alain Mikli collaborative group of eyeglasses.

Spotted in the Front Row: Pedro Almodovar, Ines de la Fressange

Images from Firstview

Lex Machina - Steampunk Stylist & Photographer

Simply gorgeous.  Lex Machina is a Detroit, Michigan based digital artist and photographer.  She loves collecting antique portraits with quirky details.  She styles for fashion and events with a distinct shadowy palette and sexy, dark aesthetic.  

Checkout her blog and re-caps of SteamCon and other fabulous events. If you're having a Steampunk event, she offers up a free template for you to use as an invitation.

Gareth Pugh's Haunting Fashion Video for Pitti Immagine

Gareth Pugh is one of my favorite edgy fashion designers.  He presented in Italy for the the first time at Pitti Immagine #79 by showing a haunting fashion film he created with Ruth Hogben.

The images draw from religious iconography and Florentine opulence, and the film was projected onto the ceiling of a 14th century church.  The music was a spooky mix of deep piano horror riffs, searing violin, or  epic religious themes.   The clothes ranged from body-conscious and erotic, to flowing, avant-garde silhouettes.  Oversized feathers were involved, though I'm not sure if they were more accessory or prop.

Here are some stills from the film above, you can watch the full video here at showstudio.com .

Images from Gareth Pugh

Free Gothic Business Cards for your Wicked Biz...

 

I know many of you are entrepreneurs, artists and crafty individuals.  I also know the economy isn't helping many of us.... It's nice to know that you can get decent business tools at reasonable prices.  Vistaprint has been around for awhile, offering free or low cost business cards, stationery, etc.  I never took them seriously, as most of their designs uses to be too basic or cheesy for dark style sensibility.

I came across them again and found that they had some surprisingly edgy styled designs.  I pulled a few that I thought would work in the themes of Gothic fashion.  Of course, it would be more impressive if you designed your business materials yourself, but not everyone can.  Some of the designs here are 'free' (you pay for shipping).  Some are considered premium, but they are still very reasonable in cost. 

It's 2011...Go and make your mark on the world.

Bergdorf Goodman Brings Posh Steampunk To Its Windows

Elegant NYC department store Bergdorf Goodman rang in the new year with a set of elaborate, Steampunk-inspired windows.  The gorgeous clothes are framed in dramatic scenes of science fiction-tinged travel fantasies, inventors and exploration.  The 'wizard' behind the displays is David Hoey.  Some of the fashion designers featured include Oscar de la Renta, Marc Jacobs, Dries Van Noten and Naeem Khan among others...

Fashion blogger Aneta Genova took an extensive collection of photos and posted them on her blog, Bobbin Talk.  Her blog is a great resource for and about new designers.  

H. Naoto - Otakon Hero, Gothic Punk Designer

Otakaon, one of the largest conventions of anime, manga and Asian pop culture honored a featured a fashion designer as their special guest this year.  Naoto Hirooka has blended Gothic Lolita, Punk, Anime and Cosplay into his collections of fashion/art since 2000.  A multi-talented designer, the man better known as H. Naoto has produced character-based collections like Hangry & Angry.  He has also produced streetwear inspired lines based on military and biker looks for men's shop "H" in addition to his sexy Gothic womens collections.

For more photos and a peek into past collections, follow through here. 

Japan Fashion Now Exhibit at the Museum at FIT

Inspiration from the East?  Avant-garde or Super-sweet?  Gothic? Anime?  What do you think of when you think of Japanese fashion?  The current exhibit at the Museum of FIT investigates the tipping point of Japan as a fashion heavyweight in the 1980's to current streetwear influences.  Edgy designers like Comme des Garcons and Yohji Yamamoto bridged philosophy and art with functional clothing.  

There is a gallery of a futuristic Tokyo and a range of styles representing subcultures of Forest Girl, Kawaii, Gothic Lolitas and Cosplay.

The exhibit runs until January 8, 2011 and is located at 27th street and 7th avenue in NYC.