We are absolutely falling in love with the work of Turkish fashion photographer Emre Guven. Clearly pulling from his graphic design education, Mr. Guven seems to find the right spacing and movement in every session (He has shot for Harpers Bazaar, Elle, All, Madame Figaro and Alem among others). It’s almost as if he is actually kerning his models and their environments within each frame. Look even tangentially and you’ll notice that Mr.Guven is playing with intellectual and physical perspective and space in a way that most fashion photographers shy away from, finding movement and whimsy and light in both the framing and the editing. One to watch.

All images copyright Emre Guven

New York fashion photographer Tomaas has produced a collection of images where discarded plastic items are upcycled into high fashion.  “Plastic Fantastic” by Tomaas presents a single model sporting plastic forks, tubing, domes, plates, bottles and more.  The plastic takes on an exquisite appearance, looking like an item of luxury instead of a typical, disposable item we consume without thinking twice about.  This collection is as eye-opening as it is beautiful, giving new forms to items so commonly discarded.

With inspiration drawn from the boys’ life of the early 90s grunge and surf era in California, Hidden’s film recreates this idealised California in an empty warehouse, creating a dreamscape for the long-haired grungy surf boy model through lush projections of the landscape.

By Mani Motarjemi

My journey through the Met was one that I will never forget–an exhibit symbolizing, death, beauty, sexuality and life through the craftsmanship of Alexander McQueen. Walking through the menacing mouth of the exhibit I was greeted by two mannequins dressed in iconic McQueen–kinky and courageous knights guarding his kingdom.

Witnessing such savage beauty felt akin to overlooking a vast ocean of water–immense greatness surrounds leaving you small and humbled. Walking from room to, we inched through wall-to-wall patrons at a glacial pace. Luckily at 6’5, I towered over the eager crowd coo-ing over the collections.

Despite the pops of light and inspiration, an eerie, almost dark emotional vibe weighed heavily throughout the whole experience–an unexplainable darkness. Serpents, beasts and devil-esque headdresses added to the mood. Hollow sounds of wilderness and classical music helped take the viewer into McQueen’s madness.

Viewing the iconic Kate Moss hologram (presented at his FW 2006 show) was particularly moving. Her lithe limbs floated and danced before your eyes–she was the size of Tinkerbell with the presence of a ghost. Each mannequin was shown with a mask created by Guido Palau, inspired by the dress it was shown with; the gown became a part of the head treatment. Walking away from the exhibit one felt emotional, eager for more and overwhelmed with love for the man that spent so much time alone with his pain, creations and a respect for his unique ability to change the world through clothing.

Untitled, 2004, acrylic on wall, floor, and various objects

Katharina Grosse is making a name for herself with the vibrant palettes and exuberant gestures of her large-scale canvases and clever installations which merge the mediums of architecture, painting and sculpture. Wielding a spray gun instead of a brush, she frequently paints directly on the walls or floors of her exhibition sites, altering the logic and scale of architecture itself.

In an effort to liberate her works from the world of solely wall and floor, Grosse also incorporates a variety of unexpected objects, including beds, clothes, balloons, shaped canvases, and soil. Joining these incongruous elements in a continuous flow of color, Grosse opens up a new path for painting while rearranging conventions, hierarchy, and our very habits of seeing.

(via Mass Moca)

]]> http://sexanddesign.com/2011/05/16/katharina-grosse-painted-bed-installation/feed/ 763 http://sexanddesign.com/2010/12/09/alexander-mcqueen-for-the-working-girl/ http://sexanddesign.com/2010/12/09/alexander-mcqueen-for-the-working-girl/#comments Thu, 09 Dec 2010 20:58:45 +0000 Maggie http://sexanddesign.com/?p=4466

Alexander McQueen takes fresh new approach to their McQ brand by releasing a series of short films showcasing the subtle complexities of four young British girls from London, Derby, and Stratford; giving us a sneak peak into their unique environments by entering their homes and lives. The McQ label, McQueen’s more modern, diffusion line (read: much less expensive) is looking to provide unique pieces even those of us with day jobs can afford.

“The new collection features many recognizable Alexander McQueen signature looks – reworked references to school uniforms, tuxedos, military apparel and fetish-wear, and the classic McQueen,” said head designer Pina Ferlisi (formerly of Gap and Marc By Marc Jacobs). “Next year McQ will also include a full range of accessories including jewelery, bags and shoes. There’s a lot of disposable fashion around and McQ will certainly not feel like that – it will be precious. There will even be limited-edition small runs of pieces, maybe as few as 10 of a style.”

visit m-c-q.com
visit alexandermcqueen.com

By Maggie Alhadeff

Those gift giving holidays are quickly catching up to us and with the purchase of these unique Until There’s A Cure bracelets, you’ll be giving in more ways than one. Each of these bracelets offer up a little Sex + Design twist: some are handmade in Africa using high-quality, recycled materials, others by swanky Italian designer Isabella Geddes da Filicaia.  90% of the proceeds go to fighting HIV/AIDS mainly caused by, you know, sex while 100% of the style goes toward making you look and feel fantastic! Go on, give a little.

by faggus howard

i love the japanese, not just because you can count on them for the most extreme sex toys, but because they know how to commit. when the young women of japan take to a trend, they go 100%. take ganguro (“black face”) and kogal (“school girl”) for instance – they give those looks the geisha treatment with their attention to detail and loving devotion. from bleaching the shit out of their hair to the über tanning, you can’t escape this look simply by taking off your clothes and makeup. you are the look.

the ganguro girl’s ideal presentation is a hybrid of club-kid diana ross, circa “mahogany”, and a “legally blonde” reese witherspoon with a dash of snooki’s drunk, orange ass thrown in. kogal is essentially a bleached go-go from “kill bill”.

perhaps we should occasionally ask ourselves what trends are meant to express, because typically, necessity IS the mother of invention. the girdles and curlers of the 50s segued into the bralessness and free flowing natural hair of the 70s. the sun aversion and resistance of foreign everything meant a sallow and colorless homogeny that the japanese inevitably rebelled against and viola! ganuro. burn baby burn.

japan also happens to rival pre-WWII germany with its emphasis on purity and what better form than the “hit me baby, one more time” school girl charm of a pre-crazy britney queers? of course they went with the kogal.  if had to wear a uniform to school my whole life, i would hike up the hem till I felt a breeze, if only out of boredom. fuck, i would hate to live in japan as a kid.. sorry (no, i’m not).

anyway, with this in mind, i will try not to cringe the next time i spy a hipster in all his/her irony, a hideous ed hardy get up, or pleated jeans adorned by a fanny pack. i vow to try to let these “fashions” be what they are: a response to something deeper. it probably won’t work though. i’m a bitch.

By Faggus Howard

xx: lace

do yourself a favor ladies: wear lace.  often.  all men love lace.  even gay men.  maybe, especially gay men.  if you are a natural born woman, you should know by now that natural born men are visual people.  we love looking at the things that turn us on and it is even better if that thing is obscured slightly.  pretty sure this stems from most of us being peeping toms at at least one point in all of our lives.  gay or straight, all men have peered through a bush or two with a boner tent making our pants fit awkwardly.  don’t try calling me a fucking perv either because hypocrisy is not a guilty pleasure-it is plain fucking guilty.  hypocrisy makes some of the spunk i swallowed earlier want to come back up.  anyway, if you (women) wear lace, you are instantly hot because we (men) can’t quite see it all.  we keep looking and trying to work it out all the while getting HOTter and wetter and harder.  wear lace ladies and non-gentile gents!  shit, if condoms were lace i would use one every single time.

xy: corduroy

guys, please wear corduroy.  please wear corduroy jackets, pants, even those fake cowboy shirts, but not all at the same rodeo.  the best corduroy colors are navy and caramel brown, but gray and chocolate should get you laid.  always chose thin pile cords – never pleated.   corduroy is masculine and sexy like mariska hargitay.  every time i see a guy in a pair of nice fitting cords or a professor corduroy blazer i am transported to my first gay porn and all its splendor.  the first gay porn i watched was pretty good too.

there are a few fashion looks that are absolute and timeless. they are neither fads nor follies. i do not point out these particular looks because i am the biggest cock-sucking faggy homo out there- i simply speak the truth. these two gorgeous types of ensembles are that of the “dandy” and that of the “later in life lesbian”.

if we look at the animal kingdom, we see that a colorful flourish can mean the difference between getting laid with frequency of kate hudson vs. jimmy kimmel. fashion acting as a kind of foreplay, as it were. there is a dandy movement happening right now in the congo which can often mean sacrificing dinner for vanity. think andre 3000 with a cock that hangs somewhere around his knees. these guys are all pinstripes and pocket-squares, color and cool. there are few things sexier on a man than a well-tailored suit mixed with the true desire to be wearing said garment. yum-mers! a dash of femininity makes the throat defying cock go down.
then we have the later in life lesbian look – think meredith baxter or cynthia nixon, or even that extremely well-executed character on the l word played by cybill shepard. this sort of look is feminine without being girly and would never be mistaken for butch. a rouge lesbian as opposed to a lipstick lesbian. femininity exerted with measured restraint – there isn’t a trace of desperation to be had here people.
whatever your gender identity, there can be a lesson learned from the opposite sex. temper the sword or sharpen the flower.

i have a date with hilary clinton and prince, i really must be going. ciao.

Come spend a night your favorite Faggus! Aug. 15th. Red Devil Lounge.