My secret frou-frou side is loving the branding of the new John Galliano Parlez-moi d’Amour fragrance, from the Ellen Von Unwerth photography and ad, to the bottle adorned with a wee postage stamp. I’d much rather have seen Georgia Jagger in the starring role rather than Taylor Momsen though. You?
Have I mentioned my love for Ralph Lauren? In case you missed my past gushings, here’s a quick recap: the Anglo-American, preppie-ish aesthetic; the beyond beautiful Bruce Weber imagery; the ‘nothing bad could ever happen here’ lifestyle stores; oh and the quality product (i.e. my favourite, still-good-as-new boys navy blazer). (more…)
I have written about the blurring of boundaries in menswear and womenswear before. Not being a curvy girl, I tend to prefer the cut and style of menswear – unfussy details, minimal surface decoration, utilitarian fabrics and military shapes are all what I gravitate towards. (I then get my girly kicks from Margiela dog-shaped handbags and mimsy charm jewels).
I’m noticing bolder steps being take with the unisexualisation of fashion. In the same week, I’ve been alerted to the new Pringle campaign (thanks 00o00) and the LN-CC (Late Night Chameleon Cafe) concept store.
Pringle has used Tilda Swinton to front both its womenswear and menswear campaigns for AW10. If anyone can rock a mens suit it’s definitely Tilda so there’s no denying she looks wonderful in the clothes, but would a man want to buy them? Pringle has already shown itself to be an innovative brand by utilising both Swinton and art-photographer Ryan McGinley in its campaigns. This latest experiment with androgyny suggests Pringle is yet again giving us something to think about and discuss.
This week has also seen the PR campaign wheels turning for concept store LN-CC. Launching its East London space in October, the store will be a mixed bag of fashion, music and *licks lips* art books curated by book dealer Conor Donlon. Co owner John Skelton told Dazed Digital, “LN-CC was created just to please ourselves. We have been looking to progress and develop our feeling and concept for such a long time so this just felt like the natural thing to do. The concept is not just focused around a store, it’s more an overall feeling and lifestyle that we live and wanted to share with anyone who might be interested. This feeling has been spread over a number of different platforms from our product and e-commerce through to parties, exhibitions and installations.”
I love that they are thinking beyond product and making the retail experience more of an event. But I’m also loving that LN-CC will stock clothes based around a concept of unisex styling. As well as menswear lines from Rick Owens, Sasquatch and Unused, there will be forays into womenswear by menswear designers who scale down their ranges exclusively for LN-CC. As Skelton says, “I really wanted to offer the more turned on girls something in our more masculine flavour as opposed to the high heels and handbags that seem to dominate the premium end of womenswear.”
While the physical store doesn’t open for a couple of months, its online arm will launch later this month. I’ll report back…
Bruce Weber’s Moncler ads are surely the best thing out there. Animals, children, it’s all going on. PS, I’ve just discovered Sacai for Moncler AW10 too. Having always bemoaned the fact that there is not enough elegant-but-functional outerwear in the fashionsphere, it’s good to see the problem addressed. And how!
Feast your eyes…
