Seeing Black And White

David Bailey, Irving Penn & Helmut Newton all stand out of their iconic black and white photography, in which photos are captured in atmospheric ways. I always find that photos generally look better in black and white opposed to photos which use daylight as only means for light. David LaChapelles photography screams colour though block colouring, in a visual candy store concept, but these photos are atmospheric in different ways.
Gareth Pughs fashion collections usually consist of only black and white garments, where as other fashion designers couldn't even imagine using the same colour scheme for every season, year on year.
Black and white may seem the easier way in producing something, but can be and is the most difficult, as you can't relay on colours alone.
Below is my own photography which I've taken today. I'm not blogging these to show my own work, it's to show how atmosphere can be created from nearly anything though colour, and in this case, none.

Inspiration

So i have to admit I've totally neglected this blog, and I'm slowly failing in the blogging world. I was going to write about Sarah Jessica Parker and how she's been honouring McQueen by wearing his clothes to red carpet and fashion events. But to be honest I've lost the will to want to write an entry, to find the pictures and sort everything out. If I can't sort my own life out then I certainly don't want to even start on sorting a blog out.

Things are so unsettled at the moment I feel like I don't know if I'm coming or going, or if everything I'm doing is worth while, or what if it doesn't all work out?
I guess everyone has those questions in their head, but currently, I feel like they dominate my thoughts, and instead of inspirational ideas it's been replaced with a dust mist that shrouds everything.

The thing about been artistic is that inspiration does come and go and depression does set in. It almost makes me laugh at people who feel that McQueen was mad for doing what he did. But in reality it's a complete norm. It's nothing that someone could sort out, yeah sure a friend can talk to you about it and make you feel better, but at the end of the day you can't change it. It would be like putting out a fire, sure you can put out the flames easily but it's never gonna stop the fire and sort out whats feeding it in the first place.

When I do a photography project you buzz with ideas then act on them. After your finished you feel amazing and pleased with your work, but moving on can be the hardess thing ever because the fact is, you don't know what your going to produce and how well you do it.

I feel unmotivated and useless, i feel that without my art I have nothing, and now the only thing I have is music to keep me going. Moving back to a town from a city is the worst thing ever. Words cannot describe how dead my life is right now.

I feel like I'm living in limbo and it sucks

I don't know how people write a sentence while blogging, I think you can always sum me up in a sentence, but never sum up my thoughts.

Don't call my name, Alejandro

Today saw the premiere of Lady Gaga's Alejandro music video, directed by fashion photographer Steven Klein.
The concept in Gaga's words are:

"purity of my friendships with my gay friends and how I've been unable to find that with a straight man in my life".
"It’s a celebration and an admiration of gay love – it confesses my envy of the courage and bravery they require to be together,' she goes on to say. "In the video I’m pining for the love of my gay friends – but they just don’t want me."

With guys wearing fish net tights, high heels and enough clothing to cover the bare essentials I present Alejandro,

From NY City to Abu Dhabi

146 minutes later and SATC 2 can be ticked of my list for must see movies. You would think over 2 hours of fabulous fashion would be enough but it's left me with wanting more. Chapter 2 of Sex and The City focuses on the positives, negatives and issues marriage/single life can face. One thing this film is defiantly not lacking is campness with over exaggrated plots and laugh out loud moments which make you want to burst out of the cinema, meet up with your gals and drink cosmopolitans till you can turn all the bad moments in your life to juicy gossip. Don't mistake this post as a movie review, see it as a fashion review and some of the best designer outfits to hit screens since The Devil Wears Prada.
Karaoke Chic - Samantha brings back 1908s wearing The Blonds for Noir Jewelry who have seen Katy Perry, Fergie, Rihanna and Lady Gaga sporting their collection of jewellery. Sequins always make the best disco nightclub outfits.
When fashion expressed individualitywith over the top accesories, studs and embelishments. Headphones may have changed over the past years to bulky black cushions to smaller in-ear speakers but I do love the originals. H&M love them too with their Fashion Aginst Aids fashion range for 2010 with zebra and gold covered speakers. All you need to do is look at Madonna's 'The first album' to see the inspiration behind Caries style Charlotte acts like vanilla against Carries statement dressing.
John Galliano for Christian Dior - Spring 2000 'newspaper' dress. Previously worn in SATC series 3.
The Carrie Bradshaw we thought we lost. Who else can pull off such a casual yet high fashioned look?
Fashion wars - Miley Cyrus vs Samantha Jones in Matthew Williamson.
Harem pants have been like marmite for this season, but love them or hate them, they are a must have for your summer getaway.

Where New York fashion meets Abu Dhabi. Carrie - Chanel gold clutch and Christian Louboutin pigalle heels.

Desert Chic has never been so appealing.

One of my favourite fashion moments from the film, who else would dress in high fashion for a camel ride?

My favourite fashion item from the film has to be the masquerade ball sunglasses from Chanel, seen on the SATC poster. The idea of creating sunglasses into a whole new accessories is genius, although putting these sunglasses away in your handbag is near impossible. But hey who said fashion is mean to be practical?

SATC 2 brings back more of the TV series that was missed out in the previous film. It also brings you closer to the gals lives and relationships making the film fun, fresh and fabulous.

Although dreams of living in New York city are still but a dream, watching the film gives you a feel of that cosmopolitan lifestyle with a soundtrack to transport you right to the city centre. So for now I leave you with one of those songs that make New York city a Mecca for all.

Philip Treacy

Born 1967 in Ireland, Treacy's haute couture styled hats have a clientele list from Alexander McQueen, Karl Lagerfeld and Valentino to Sarah Jessica Parker and Lady Gaga. Growing up in rural Ireland gave Treacy all the raw materials to create hats with chickens, geese, pheasant and ducks. Growing up in a tiny rural village didn't stop Treacy's passion for fashion, even with little encouragement to continue what he was doing, apart from his sister whom embraced it. Treacy was 23 when he was summoned to Paris to meet Karl Lagerfeld which he then made hats for Chanel that season.
Treacy's style is all about statement pieces that capture the imagination of others, and creativity and ideas don't seem to be running dry anytime soon.

I've known that Lady Gaga has been a massive fan of Treacy's work for sometime now, but I was surprised about how many creations Gaga has worn. With a possible internship to work with Treacy on the line, it sounds like it won't be too soon until we see the first collection of Gaga fashion.

To vist Treay's website vist: http://www.philiptreacy.co.uk/ for new collection, videos and more.

Alex Box

It's been a pretty hectic week, travelling back and forth on trains after trains, but being on a train by yourself gives you time to think. I'm talking about in depth thinking, the time that I normally spend before going to bed, what to do tomorrow, where to lead my life next, I usually spend up to an hour just thinking. I spend days soaking up information and nights arranging it, I could achieve so much more with my life if I can find a way to access this information, I guess we all could but that's what so good about a blog right?

Yes my posts may not be the most up-to-date fashion news or latest trends, but what it does do is act as visual collection, I'm precise about which images I use, and although I may not realise why I've chosen a certain image, I can usually work backwards.

The main reason for doing fashion at university for me, is to learn about the fashion world so nearly everything I hear or see is something new. I had the choice between art and fashion, I would have loved to be an art student with your own personal workspace, materials, paint sculptures whatever you want to do. But that isn't practical. I want to learn about something that I've always been interested in, I've just not necessarily noticed it.
This post features a selection of photos by Rankin styled by Alex Box. I feel ignorant in not knowing who Alex was, I've been a massive fan of her work but never realised it. I looked at one of my style magazines and fell in love with the front cover of course it was Alex's work and it's weird when you read a magazine and you notice names that previously you would have ignored completely.

If blog posts ever inspire you it's now.

To see more of Alex's work visit: http://www.rankin.co.uk/portfolio/alexbox

For more makeup inspiration visit: http://www.illamasqua.com/collections/body-electrics/

MAC 2010

Terence Koh, born 1977 has experimented with printing, photography, sculpture, performances and installations. Although his name may not be instantly recognizable for everyone, one things for sure, you would reconsise his work. For the 2010 MAC campaign to raise money and awareness of HIV Lady Gaga and Cyndi Lauper teamed up to create a shade of lipstick that would be sold in MAC stores and departments. Both shades of lipsticks resemble each artist with Lady Gaga wanting to create a shade of red similar to the one that she used to wear, creating a shade that makes you feel good about yourself.
The promotion of this campaign can be seen in magazine and billboards, along with a special performance with Lady Gaga and Terence Koh which has been edited together to create an artist short film: Video seen below.
Another creation to come from the partnership of Koh and Gaga is this fashion styled outfit. Everything from underwear, to outerwear, makeup and hair, the styling of this outfit with little integrated styled elements works well, and the combination of fashion and art once more becomes a triumph.
I was looking from the web for inspiration and looked into a fashion design I came to know from Gagas Monster Ball, Charlie Le Mindu. Charlie's fashion shows are about as dramatic as an Alexander McQueen or Gareth Pugh show and the outfits are just as over the top. Looking through Kohs work I found this sculpture that resembles Charlie's work and looks like a Gaga potential outfit.

Yes, both fashion designer and artist have worked with Gaga and this triangle based relationship works on so many levels, it's just a matter of time before all three combine to create a new media and reinvent something completely different.

Terence Koh website: http://www.asianpunkboy.com