On the Street....Alexander McQueen Shop Window, NYC

Alexander McQueen and Dries Van Noten were the two shows I was most excited to see during my first Paris fashion week.

To me, McQueen represented the drama of fashion. He represented the conflict and harmony of being a craftsman and an artist - Savile Row training, runway dreaming.


There are people in fashion I always figured I'd meet sooner or later.
I'd meet them in a very natural way (introduced by a mutual friend at a party or something) and the encounter would be so much more meaningful that way. McQueen was one of those people I felt I had time to meet. I almost wanted to save him for later. Not a conscious effort but just a concept. Well...I'm sad that won't be the case.

I hope we all remember him for the genius he brought to fashion.




ps. I'm rereading what I wrote and what has been written on other sites and blogs.

All very nice but I still feel so unsatisfied, so empty, even a little mad.

When a bigtime movie star or politician dies someone like Tom Brokaw has always been there to help put it into perspective.

If it was a sports star, fans would talk about it for days on talk radio.

However, for someone that loves fashion Alexander McQueen is just gone and no one seems to be able to make sense of it.

There doesn't seem to be anywhere to turn to make it feel right or understandable.

I don't have any answers for you either. All I know is this sucks.

His Card Reads, Dott. Gianluigi Vernet, Milano

On the Street....Sunday Stroll, Milano

On the Street....Brown & Orange p.2, Pitti Uomo

Yes, I know I have been a little heavy on the mens photos lately but NYC fashion week starts tomorrow!!

On the Street....Paris by Night

On the Street....Man-shawl p.2, Pitti Uomo

El bosque de los arrayanes

Hago fotografías desde hace mucho aunque debo reconocer que nunca fui un artista y si hay alguna destacable se debe más a la casualidad que a mi técnica o visión de la jugada. Fruto de esos años tengo un montón de diapositivas que sólo recientemente he decidido digitalizar poco a poco. A ratos les iré poniendo algunas de lugares interesantes que supongo aún pueden ser visitados.
El primero está en Argentina, en la llamada península de Quetrihué, que penetra sobre el lago Nahuel Huapi. Era un día frío y húmedo de primavera y llegamos allá en una lanchita que atracó en un precario muelle de madera. Apenas a unos metros comenzaba un extraño bosque de árboles de color naranja por el que ya entonces se circulaba sobre una pasarela para evitar daños. Ese árbol es el arrayán, de nombre científico Luma apiculata, que allá supera a veces los quince metros de altura. De crecimiento lento, dicen que ha tenido problemas en estos últimos años por las visitas masivas. Por suerte no fue nuestro caso y pudimos disfrutar del fantasmal y silencioso ambiente del lugar sin demasiada compañía.
Aquí les dejo un par de imágenes de aquel día que espero puedan transmitir el ambiente del lugar.

 Costa de la península de Quetrihué.

 Bosque de arrayanes

  Bosque de arrayanes

  Rebrote desde la base de un árbol

On the Street.....The Ladies Sportcoat, NYC

I love seeing ladies wearing regular length sportcoats again.

Please, no more of these tiny, short-waisted jackets that every corporate attorney wears. I saw a great women's jacket (a suit actually) at the Marc Jacobs show last night and it looked so fresh. It was a DB with deeeeep back vents (my passion) and a firm shoulder- I'll post a shot of it tonight.

On the Street....Man-shawl p.1, Milano

Fashion Week Starts @ Alexander Wang

On the Street....Mr. Rubinacci, Pitti Uomo

On the Street....Outer Edge of Paris

On the Street....Brown & Orange p.1, Pitti Uomo

A Graceful Man, A Gentleman

Thanks everyone for all your great suggestions on books about modern manners. I can't wait to get a few and brush up on a few things before my next big dinner party.

For me, this is blogging at it's best. Being able to create a community of individuals that share information and ideas that can make the community as a whole a better place. Thank you.

One of the things I mentioned yesterday, was the "manner" of a person. "Manner" or "grace" is not something that you can learn from a book. Unfortunately, it is something you just have to be or to develop.

A great scene of modern grace on '30 Rock' the other day:

Liz and Jack went out to dinner at a very chic restaurant. As they sat down at the table, Jack immediately moved the candle from the center of the setting to the side of the table. Liz looked at him kinda funny, not understanding why he did that but, not really caring either. Later, however, when Liz reached across the table to steal some of Jack's food (as she always does), she realized he moved the candle so her sleeve wouldn't catch fire when she reached across the table. Jack's manner and grace were so attuned to her as a friend, that he knew her moves before she did. That tiny gesture ended up becoming the pivotal moment of the episode and changed the course of their business relationship.

I'm telling you guys again, women notice the small stuff. They notice the gentleness/gentlemenliness more than if you use the right fork at dinner. I'm a very lucky man, Garance notices every little kindness I offer her, she doesn't miss a thing. Knowing that makes it so much more rewarding to do even more little things for her. I'll be honest, my biggest obsession in life right now is not better shoes, more suits or a bigger career but, to simply be a more graceful man for my graceful woman.

So women, in the spirit of grace, manner and Valentine's Day, take a moment and share with us men some of the little kindnesses that your man has done for you that made your heart flutter. Us men might learn something and you might gain an even more graceful man, a gentleman.

Editor's Note: For my gay readers, I can only write this as I know it, a man loving a woman. Don't let this keep you from joining the conversation. If you have tiny acts of kindness from a boyfriend to a boyfriend, or girlfriend to a girlfriend, please share with us!
Grace is Grace.
It doesn't matter who you're lovin', it's how you're lovin'!

The McQueen Question.

So....now what?

I was talking to a retailer yesterday who said that her McQueen business was growing faster than it ever had before.

However, she sees no other option than to close the business of McQueen.

Who could take over? Should anyone takeover?

I'm sure Gucci has invested millions in this business but, this isn't the same as finding a replacement for an old house like YSL or Kenzo.

This is different, very different.

I think the closest correlation to this would have to be Moschino. And still after all these years, no one has been able to replace him, just a design team. Do we really want this to be the fate of McQueen's business?

I mean, come on, who could possibly keep the spirit of McQueen alive? He was so unique that his replacement could never get out of that shadow.

But again, Gucci has already spent millions and, in this economy, can anyone just walk away from a growing business?

So....now what?

Darkwing Duck.

| Cardigan: H&M | Longtop: Topshop | Samtleggings: Kleidermarkt | Schuhe: Vagabond |

Am Freitag vergangener Woche verabredeten Sandra & ich uns mit der lieben Vio, um ein paar 2nd Hand Läden in Berlin abzuklappern. Glücklicherweise fand ich genau, wonach ich suchte. Da mir das Tragen von Hosen mittlerweile zuwider geworden ist, habe ich mit dem Schnäppchen von Samtleggings genau ins Schwarze getroffen. Wortwörtlich!

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On the Street....After YSL, Paris

Spotted: Haute Couture ss 2010 Givenchy/Armani Privé

First I got to say it's being a loooong while since last thread.
Once I felt like not gonna keeping this, but too many thing to take notes in my computer.
So I guest it would be better do notes on the blog....

On the Givenchy show plays a really cool soundtrack by The Knife called "Colouring of pigeons"




Kinda like ancient echanting music, isn't it amazing?

Riccardo Tisci really need time to have some fun. He've been under such a great preasure for a long time.
Though in that period he made those themes and fabulous Gothic dresses, but I am so happy he could do something that is really outgoing not stucked in a little circle.

Basically I figure this collection as mystic disco fever, those symmertrical well-made spakling details really shows how he knows about the material mixture and how to bring the visual drama of what fine print could do into material-to-fabric work.

I love the hat, but don't know how to call hat like this?


Oh, lovely laced bodysuit!


This outfit could wins all over this season!


Actually, this is not a crazy one in the bunch. But this is my edge of knowledge of Couture.
Put it here only because the violet color is so fascinating that I couldn't but keep looking at it.


Another Disco fever outfit, haha.


It would be reallyyy nice on MariaCarla's body.
But I'm appreciated to got Natalia Vodianova on fashion week again.
(Our MCB got in a meaning-of-a-lifetime work the other day, couldn't rush to the show on time.
It's nice that Natalia could do a favor as a rescue.)



Then goes to the brilliant Armani Privé show.

I got to say I never had a crush on Armani dresses, not even like a little.
But Mr. Armani seems more openminded since great feedback of the several "twins-inspired" collections.
The whole collection this season is about the moon. A new moon, full moon, or reflection of a moon.
Playing with tiny specificated spakling things and moiré-made organza, every outfit in this collection catch the theme straight and directly.

the moiré visual look


a piece of organza


J'adore the masculine shoulder structure, little bit boyish but feminine sexy appeal still.


This dress is intriguing though I think it's kinda project-in-rushing.


Most of the two pieces outfit in the show have such peplum around the waist
like this. Simple but not cliché.


Speechless when I saw the motion movement.
Lovely structure!


Kinda like Duchamp's design in the 20s, a clever imitation of new moon made wit a long tight gown.


I love the shiny jersey using on this wear. Quite wearable.


The details on the waist!!!


These below are really awesome.







Chanel and Valentino really piss me off!
WTF this Frekenstein's wife hair is(in Chanel)


And the ugly-to-bone Valentino.


Jean Paul Gaultier is just way too hard to understand for me.
But this is really something!

Roberto Carlos - Não Serve Pra Mim

fala sério...

At Costume National.....The Character, Milan

At Roberto Cavalli....The Fashion Journalist, Milan

I actually shot this in Milan a few days before I shot Kanye in Paris . Like any artist I follow my inspiration and lately I've been feeling for portraits. I think it started with that "Red on Red" portrait in Sydney. Right now I love the idea of a dramatic face surrounded by an equally dramatic fur...a very modern John Singer Sargent vibe.

Regarding the Kanye shot. Yes, Kanye is having a tough time right now but I think that makes the portrait all the more moving.
For those of you that think the Kanye shot was a celebrity grab and a change in direction for the blog, go check the archives. I've shot Kanye about ten times over the last two years and his inclusion hasn't changed anything in this blog (if anything it enriches it with a wider stylistic offering).

Is Kanye a Sartorialist? Who is? I wrote in my book that I appreciate and relate to his struggles to find is own style vocabulary. Haven't we all gone through that? Am I a Yohji or an Armani was mine. I know Kanye a little bit and that portrait captures something in him I haven't seen before. Whether you like him or not is up to you. That shot is just a simple portrait of a man in a difficult moment in his life and as a artist I would be crazy not to react to that moment (especially if it falls within a mood I'm feeling). I love the contrast that these two portraits create. And lets be honest, we can't assume that this woman is any more or less refined or graceful than Kanye. I think the not really knowing makes portraits all the more fascinating

I wish I had more to say about this lovely woman but she spoke almost no English. My good friend Renata (who you'll see in another shot very soon) was the person who really helped make this shot happen. I love the calm poise of this shot even though there are about two hundred people right behind me moving out of a fashion show very very quickly.

Flea Market Mauerpark Berlin.

by Sandra

Für den letzten Tag in der Hauptstadt, nahmen Sandra & ich uns einen Ausflug zum Flohmarkt am Mauerpark vor. Trotz der Eiseskälte war der Flohmarkt Mittags gegen 13.30 Uhr immer noch relativ gut besucht. Es gab auch einige Dinge, die ich direkt vom Fleck weg hätte kaufen können, aber die logistischen Probleme, die es dann auf der Rückfahrt (wir sind mit einer Mitfahrgelegenheit gefahren) gegeben hätte, wollte ich uns ersparen. & wirklich Spaß macht das lange Rumlaufen & Stöbern bei diesen Temperaturen auch nicht. Aber wenn wir im Sommer wieder in Berlin sind, wird das definitiv nachgeholt! & ich spare dann schonmal für die Tankfüllung des LKWs...

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