Wednesday 31 March 2010

Corina Vladescu AW2010/11 at FWA

fashionarchitect_FWA_Corina_Vladescu_06
Corina Vladescu is a 26-year-old Romanian-born fashion designer. Graduating from the National University of Bucharest with a Master in fashion and having her entire diploma collection bought, she decided to create he own signature brand in 2008.
fashionarchitect_FWA_Corina_Vladescu_03
She has also produced costumes for Tsaikovsky's Swan Lake at the National Opera of Bucharest, designed stage costumes for Roisin Murphy and has even worked as a fashion assistant for Madonna!
fashionarchitect_FWA_Corina_Vladescu_02
Pop stars aside, her AW2010/11 collection that was presented last Friday during Fashion Week Athens was definitely one of the best this season. Black paired with whites, nudes and khakis consist very chic yet wearable outfits.
fashionarchitect_FWA_Corina_Vladescu_04
My personal favourite of her collection is this utterly chic coat above. I don't even know where to start. The amazing shoulder pleat detail? The perfect cream colour? The discreet pleats on the subtly defined waist? I just can't get over it.
fashionarchitect_FWA_Corina_Vladescu_05
Her official website seems to be under construction, but clicking on the image you get re-directed to her blog, where you can also find her facebook page. Consider yourselves linked.

Btw, the song from her show is still haunting me...


All pictures in this post were shot by me.
Do not use without permission.

Aslanis AW2010/11 at FWA


Aslanis showed his AW2010/11 collection last Friday March 26th in Fashion Week Athens, in a show that had it all. Literally. Every kind of fabric, every kind of inspiration around the world, every decade in fashion, every ornament possible, it was all there.
fashionarchitect_FWA_aslanis_AW2010_01
And it was long too! I wasn't keeping time, but my feet started killing me (I was standing in order to take pics) halfway through the show.
And it just wouldn't come to an end.
fashionarchitect_FWA_aslanis_AW2010_04
However, like Alecca Rox herself very successfully noted in her Makis Tselios post, Aslanis is one of those great Greek fashion designers that can't be judged just by the aesthetics of their clothes, but by their whole career. And even if he is considered one of those safe, acceptable dressmakers our 60 year-old aunt prefers if she has to attend a fancy wedding, I have to give it to him, he does take risks.
fashionarchitect_FWA_aslanis_AW2010_03
Bright mustard corduroy suit, you guys? I die!

And I would be lying to you and myself if I didn't mention that I would love to wear that stripy black & white dress below.
fashionarchitect_FWA_aslanis_AW2010_09
And I'm sure I wouldn't look like anyone's 60-year-old aunt.

Bonus as always, the finale video:


And don't forget to read what Alecca Rox had to say too!

All pictures in this post were shot by me.
Do not use without permission.

Monday 29 March 2010

Johanna Daniil, Lukas, Cathreen Mal

Famous designers are without doubt the big guns behind every fashion week, but I have to admit, my favourite part has always been discovering the up-and-coming newbies.

New Generation in this year's Fashion Week Athens wasn't a contest, but more of a chance for three of last year's contestants to each showcase a more complete collection.
fashionarchitect_FWA2010_Johanna_Daniil
Johanna Daniil showed a collection with very interesting cuts and lots of volume, with little use of boring/safe black - always a plus in my book. I think many will agree with me when I say that this little red dress above stole everyone's hearts.

fashionarchitect_FWA_Lukas_AW2010
Lukas is a name that might ring a bell to many of you hardcore Greek Next Top Models fans out there. He was the designer who put Maria in that *fierce* red floor-length gown last season. For AW2010/11 he remained true to his Oscar night glamour aesthetics, by showing a collection of evening wear that would make Marilyn Monroe go weak on her knees. Not everyone's cup of tea and most definitely not clothes you'd wear any given day, but you have to give it to him, the man stays true to his style!

fashionarchitect_FWA_Cathreen_Mal_AW2010
Cathreen Mal has a soft spot in my heart, as I know her personally from the fashion week workshops we participated in together three seasons ago. Along with Evangelos Kavathas, she was one of the two winners of last year's New Generation show. Cathreen reinterpreted 60's fashion by showing a collection of dresses (plus a coat and a skirt) based on the combination of bold colour and black. My favourites were the navy asymmetrical coat with the oversized black buttons (I just love black and navy) and the royal blue one-shoulder dress with the red waist detail, worn with red shoes.



Congrats to all three for doing their first proper catwalk show, and remember kiddos, we're anxiously waiting to see more!

All pictures in this post were shot by me.
Do not use without permission.

Sunday 28 March 2010

FWA kicked off with Christoforos Kotentos


I'm way back with my posting due to fashion week fatigue, sorry for that. But I have tons of fun fashion stuff to share and now that all the madness is over, the blogging may begin!

Fashion Week Athens started last Thursday March 18th with a single fashion show, followed by a big open-air party on the spot, followed by an after-party hosted by vintage dealer Holy Mustache where the dress code was Lady Gaga versus Alice in Wonderland.
[photo by Vangelis Rassias for jgk.gr]

And which I regret not attending. Judging from the host's and his friends' outfits above (worn to attend the show as well) I can only imagine how fabulous it must have been.

Oh well, on to the fashion show...

Christoforos Kotentos, one of the most famous greek fashion designers and recently made a household name by becoming a Greek Next Top Model judge, showed a collection with quite an unexpected mix of textures and patterns.
JGK_Christoforos_Kotentos_AW2010_1
[photo by Vangelis Rassias for jgk.gr]

In the pic above you can spot Holy's bunny ears peeking from the left front row, behind Seraina, winner of Greek Next Top Model, werking it on the catwalk. My personal favourites were the patterned black&white tights and the amazingly-futuristic-yet-anything-but-minimal wedding dress.
christoforos_kotentos_AW2010_FWA_bride
[photo by Elena of Life Full of Fashion]

I think it will be a long time before we see anything as fashion-forward as that in bridal again.

And as you might have already noticed from the pics, hair was crazy, spirits were high and so were the shoes!
The girls wiggled but did not fall.

Are those stripper heels Mr Kotentos?
Fierce!


Bonus, as always, a crappy video I made of the models walking the show finale.


After the show everyone moved from the catwalk to under the fabulous pink tent outside for some champagne and gossiping.
fashionarchitect_FWA_AW2010_party_lopi
[photo by Elena of Life Full of Fashion]

This is me at the open-air party wearing my Comme des Garçons for H&M tail jacket. Extra brownie points if you spot the designer!

Well, that's all there is from the first day of Fashion Week Athens. Many more shows and outfits will be posted the following days, so brace yourselves!

Saturday 27 March 2010

Invitations anyone?


I have been waiting anxiously to see Evangelos Kavathas' next step into the fashion world ever since I spotted his creation in the picture above back in last season's New Generation show, where he was one of the two big winners, and the time has finally come. His AW2010/11 show entitled Fragile will be held this Sunday March 28th at 18:00 in Technopolis (facebook event here) as a part of Fashion Week Athens. And as much as I'd like to be there, this won't be the case, as I will be out of Athens.

However you can be there!

Fabulous fashion bloggers Chloe in the Sky, The Soho Symposium and Alecca Rox are giving away invitations to their fabulous readers for the Evangelos Kavathas show. All you have to do is click on the links above and e-mail them! Only hurry up, you have less than a day to do so.

Have lotsa fun and tell this poor out-of-town blogger all about it afterward, ok?

Friday 26 March 2010

4FASHIONSHAKE

Last Wednesday OZON magazine invited us to Michael Kakoyannis foundation to attend 4FASHIONSHAKE, a fashion festival like no other. The number 4 stands for the number of designers who presented their work that day.

ODEUR



Odeur is a swedish brand founded as an experiment in 2006 by Petter Hollström and Gorjan Lauseger. The idea behind it is extremely interesting, as the guys are [quote] seeking to broaden the opinion of what design really means from a branding perspective using scent as a replacement of the traditional word based logotype. Based on the concept of an undefined gender and uncertain times, Odeur presents its seventh collection named ‘Tales of Undefined Gravity’, a story that continues to challenge conventional notions of how basic garments are constructed [end quote].

Scent instead of a logo? I want to know more!

MASTORI*MOTWARY STUDIO

Accessories designer Maria Mastori and fashion designer/blogger/photographer/general multi-talented person Filep Motwary presented their view on AW2010/11 once again on film, collaborating with photographer Thanassis Krikis, fashion stylist Nicholas Georgiou and many other creative people. According to their words the initial idea behind MASTORI*MOTWARY short film ‘SARKA 23 JULY 1677’ was to present Fashion as visual experience. The film captures the drama of a love affair, memory and the loss.

watch the entire video on Filep's blog

LEVI'S/JEAN-PAUL-GAULTIER

A very interesting collaboration with an equally interesting presentation. Instead of a catwalk, a performance was held where the models walked into the room, got on two stands and posed as street performers.

DIGITARIA



I've mentioned Digitaria before here in this blog and I am more than excited to see more of this super-innovative greek fashion label designed by Eleftheria Arapoglou. The collection entitled DYSTOPIA was inspired by Fritz Lang’s film ‘Metropolis’, exploring the work of the German expressionist and his painted shadows. The show was magnificently directed, with the models walking like robots on the pace of the music in front of a video projection of turning cogwheels (see the Metropolis inspiration) and stopping at each one of the three spotlights, which were the only lights theatrically illuminating the stage.

Generally speaking, 4FASHIONSHAKE was a total blast. We loved the innovative fashion shows, we loved the stylish people and we loved the vodka/cranberry cocktails.

Hope there's more of it next season!

All photos in this post were shot by Elena and Alkisti and edited by me.

Thursday 25 March 2010

Melina Pispa at AXDW

fashionarchitect_AXDW_Melina_Pispa_04

Ok, truth is we were a bit taken aback about Melina Pispa AW2010/11. I suppose it's not only me who thinks it was all too summery for a winter collection, right? But that doesn't take anything away from the fact that I loved it and I would totally wear most of the pieces. In summer. Especially that sky blue one-piece with the leaf print on top of this post. Even though my fellow bloggers gave me that puzzled "you're kidding us, right?" look when I mentioned that. Well, at least *I'd try* to pull it off.
fashionarchitect_AXDW_Melina_Pispa_01
I almost forgot to mention that half of Melina Pispa's collection was wedding dresses, so if you're into that stuff (wedding paraphernalia is like a cult for some girls) here's the finale video where all the models are dressed in white!



UPDATE: We have feedback! According to the comment you'll see below, the show was actually Spring/Summer 2010, so that's why everything spelled summer to us. Sorted!

Romina Karamanea AW2010/11 at AXDW


fashionarchitect_AXDW_Romina_Karamanea_03
Romina Karamanea gave us an all-black collection which was anything but boring. Strong leather details that resembled body armour adorned the fluid fabric. That included chain mail with links made of leather instead of metal. Fierce yet feminine.
We liked.

See more of Romina Karamanea's collection at Chloe in the Sky and Alecca Rox.

Tuesday 23 March 2010

Celebrity Skin AW2010/11 at AXDW

fashionarchitect_AXDW_AW2010_Celebrity_Skin_1
The Celebrity Skin by Dimitris Strepkos and Eleni Barla AW2010/11 show was titled Desireless Humanoid.

Then how come we were all filled with desire for what we saw? Gimme that grey gillet/shrawl thingy, I want it!

Don't worry Elena, I won't fight you for it. You'll have the black and I'll have the grey one. Deal?
fashionarchitect_AXDW_AW2010_Celebrity_Skin_2
I wonder what they're thinking.

fashionarchitect_AXDW_AW2010_Celebrity_Skin_5
Bonus just for you, a clip from the finale!


Don't forget to visit Life Full of Fashion and Celebrity Skin's official AXDW sponsor Alecca Rox for their views on the show!