São Paulo Fashion Week: Summer 2008 Highlights

by Phuong-Cac Nguyen

Yesterday was the start of the current São Paulo Fashion Week, which got off to a strong start but is quickly building an exciting feeling of anticipation for what's to come in the next few days before the event ends on Tuesday. A few trends are already apparent for the summer 2008 collection (or winter 2008 in the Northern Hemisphere): small, strapless dresses; lots of neon (the '80s won't die); womenswear with a masculine twist; high-waisted skirts, dresses and pants; and black, black, black. Here's a round-up of some of the highlights from yesterday's shows, with an overall look to follow next week.

Fause Haten
In an irreverent twist, Haten took inspiration from the world of clowns—it was seen in the many oversized, layered ruffs adorning his collection with cropped tops underneath. The look is so elegant and chic it loses its associations as just a silly costume accessory.

Alexandre Herchcovitch (womenswear)
Herchcovitch is one of Brazil's most successful fashion exports, and he makes his mark by riding the alternative side of design. For instance, his models wore men's dress shoes turned into stilettos with slightly upturned toes and other similar variations. (In homage to Ami's post earlier this year reporting on his previous collection, I also took a quick photo or two of the shoes backstage before they were put away.) The clothes themselves—like men's suits turned feminine with long, narrow lapels—were highly tomboyish but smacked of raw sensuality. (Pictured above right.)

Forum Tufi Duek
Ahoy, sailor! The traditional nautical colors of blue, red and white took starring roles in Tufi Duek's Forum collection. (Pictured left.) So did high-waisted pants and floor-touching dresses that emphasized the curves of the female figure. Duek also used bold colors, even with usually bland white, to draw attention to his trademark flattering cuts.

Ben Weiner: GlamTrance

by Jacob Resneck

NYC artist Ben Weiner's oil paintings are remarkable for their hyper-realism, bringing out the extraordinary in everyday objects. His latest solo show has made its maiden voyage to the West Coast where it's being exhibited now through 7 July 2007 at the Mark Moore Gallery in Santa Monica in Los Angeles.

Titled "GlamTrance," each piece looks abstract on first take, but the paintings are actually extreme close-ups of objects normally taken for granted. It simultaneously teases and challenges a sense of perspective and aesthetic, using realist techniques that make the subjects function like readymades.

Weiner studied under Mexican muralist José Lazcarro whose haunting blend of realism and abstractionism may have influenced these pieces. Weiner's work has since been exhibited widely in the U.S. and Mexico.

Mark Moore Gallery
2525 Michigan Avenue A-1
Santa Monica, CA 90404 map
tel. +1 310 453 3031

Vinyl Wall Art

by Fiona Killackey

This artist-designed Vinyl Wall Art is the latest version of no-fuss decals for dressing up walls. Without the slip, slop, slap and sheer frustration of wallpaper and a lot cheaper than a framed artwork, designs from Jeremyville (pictured), Tado, Tassel, Ich & Kar and Geneviève Gaulker can be stuck and then peeled off to re-use somewhere else in your home. Available from Robio for $AUD110.

Motionographer.com

by Seth Brau

It's no news that the creative studios behind many of the most innovative graphics-based commercials are currently making some of the best short pieces out there, but what's the best way to find them? While I admit I'm the first to laugh at a sneezing panda, youTube just isn't doing it for me anymore, especially now that I've discovered Motionographer. Designed to be a source of inspiration for filmmakers, animators, and designers, Motionographer seeks to showcase the premier creative media in the world. Whether commercials or reels, interviews or films, the site is the best compilation of innovative video work on the internet. Here are a couple of my favorites. (I spared you the advertising based works and went for some short, strictly creative pieces.)

Produced by The Mill London and directed by three French dudes known as Bif, "Raymond" (pictured right) is a hilariously stylized science fiction short. Mixing live action, 3D elements, and all sorts of filters and effects, "Raymond" appears like some kind of post-modern top secret infomercial. The sound design is absolutely perfect and adds to the eerie hilarity of the piece. My favorite part is the random dance sequence that suddenly appears to the beat of the experiments. You'll see what I mean.

Chicago-based Eatdrink see an importance in creating work simply for the sake of creating. Their piece titled "The Cat State" (pictured above) takes you through an abstract 3D world of charts and graphs leading into a laboratory and ending on a sliced half-image of a cat. It all happens very quickly but the imagery is beautiful and I particularly like the silhouetted trees. Much of the elements appear to be 2D placed in 3D space, lending a crisp and clean look. For further insight, check out an interview with the creator about the project on Motionographer.