The fashion observer

> A Shaded View on Fashion Film Festival 2009. Second edition

” This year’s ASVOFFF roster of short-film directors yields a diverse mix, from well-known talents like Chris Cunningham and Erwin Olaf to fashion photographers who appear to harbor their own silver-screen dreams like Steven Klein, Max Vadukul and Nick Knight. Chloe Sevigny, Roisin Murphy and Dita von Teese, among others, make star turns, and the jury features boldface names such as Rick Owens and Nan Goldin. The awards will include a Prix de Jury in the Reflection, Communication and Music Video categories, and Samsung, the festival’s sponsor, is awarding a 3,000-euro Grand Prize to the best new talent.”

More information at ASVOFFF and  NY Times

> After a long journey I´m back. Ready to scan and report new trends.

> Tras una larga parada, vuelvo. Recargada y con prisa por absorber nuevas tendencias en el Universo moda.

collages courtesy Fashion 156

> Prada new lookbook has been created as an artistic piece, based on backstage photos created by The Amo studion, owned by  Rem Koolhaas and Pestellini Laparelle.

The photos  by Pjilip Meech explores the influences for  Prada new autumn/ winter collection.

Photos courtesy of Refinery 29

> Dazed and Confused august issue showcases Marios Schwab´s multi-dimensional collection with a special 3-D shoot by Terry Tsioli and special glasses to experience the complete 3-D effect.

Gilt Private sales. Photo courtesy WSJ

> ” Online retail startups that specialize in “private sales” of discount designer apparel are gaining traction in the U.S. and, armed with fresh venture capital, plan to branch into new businesses.

The companies, including Gilt Groupe, RueLaLa and HauteLook, have built a following with virally marketed, daily “members only” sales of limited merchandise. Short, intense sales — often just 36 hours — along with constant updates on which items are out of stock create a sense of urgency and excitement to buy.

Membership is free and generally requires little more than a name and email address. The sites gather members largely by word of mouth, limiting their audiences. Gilt now has 1.2 million members.”

You can read the full article ” Designer bargains for the invited ” at Wall Street journal site

Una Burke

Noemie Goudal

Daniela Droz

> ITS , International Talent Support is a creative platform developed by EVE in collaboration with Diesel, YKK and MINI to give visibility, voice and support to young talent worldwide, and has reached its eight edition. The aim is to provide financial opportunities, work placements and have their work shown to a jury of  induistry experts.

ITS is comprised of 3 areas: Fashion, Accessories and Photography. ITS is a state of mind, a lifestyle and a network that comes together during a 2 day event, 10-11 July 2009, that takes place in Trieste, Italy. Each and every selected finalist will become part of their online database of talent, which is accessible to anyone looking for talent coming from all over the globe, free of charge.

Complete information about ITS  here

> Apartment Berlin:  Fashion store/online site / gallery space.

Find out more at http://www.apartmentberlin.de/

> Fabrican  is the creator of Spray-on Fabric. An instant, sprayable, non-woven fabric.

 The original idea of spray-on fabric came from Manel Torres, a spanish designer with a wide international experience work in the fashion industry. The observation of the very  long and time-consuming  process in the traditional fashion industry was the starting point for Spray-on Fabric technology.

“There would be the possibility of adding individual touches to already manufactured garments, mending, hemming etc. Or the development of fragrance patches that would go on the garment rather than the skin. The technology has been developed for use in household, industrial, personal and healthcare, decorative and fashion applications using aerosol or spray-gun, and will soon be found in products available everywhere. ”
You can find more information about this new revolutionary technology at their website.

Proenza Schouler with Kalup Linzey photos. Photo courtesy Hint Mag

Haim Steinbach indoor installation for the accesories range

> Proenza Schouler showed their spring 2010 pre-collection at the 16th-century Villa La Petraia, for  Pitti Woman.

Instead of a traditional runway the designers presented a photo exhibition of Kalup Linzey , an indoor installation of  Haim Steinbach to show their acccesories range, and a performance from Kembra Pfhaler. As part of the event it was also the launch of the latest A magazine  which they guest curated.

“Art-meets-fashion”, a strong marketing tool & must-it trend for emerging brands.

Marc Jacobs Fall 09 ad campaign by Juergen Teller

>  This is one of the new shoots for Marc Jacobs Fall 09 collection by Juergen Teller. No clothes, no models….just  an environment and a certain feeling. Marc Jacobs has chosen Jergen Teller for his namesake label during the last campaigns to create radically new images in fashion based on Teller´s  personal style , full of  irony and subversive elements:

Yesterday we posted about Bruce Weber, another photographer that contributed to the unique brand positioning  and success of Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and recently Moncler brand, creating the perfect lifestyle & mood visuals.

It´s clear that, now more than ever, brands will need to connect with a new customer, more sensitive to feelings than mere clothes…

Moncler next advertising campaign. Photo courtesy New York Times

Bruce Weber self portrait & Guys with a bunch of clothes. Photos courtesy of New York Times

> Communication has to change and this new campaign is an example of a new way of effective and surprising ad campaign.

It´n not by chance that the photographer Bruce Weber, has been appointed for this challenge by legendary brand Moncler, specialized in easy wear and sport fashion, who has recently broaden their line up with the addition of new segments and collaboration with internationational designers such as Watanabe and Giambattista Valli.

Bruce Weber has been a key success element in the development of  lyfestiles with Ralph Laurent and Calvin Klein in the 90´s . His new collaboration with Moncler´s brand seems to re-encounter this same principle of touching the consumer´s fiber without the obvious pressence of a brand logo on the ad.

In these pictures above, the funny  dogs, the annoying Bruce weber´s portrait at bed and the giant ball of coats pushed up by some guys, give us a very different message from conventional brands ads. Bruce Weber tells us that the world as an open-ended experience. I personally bet for this alternative communication!

Source: New York Times

> 42×42: 42 second interpretation of dreams by 42 world´s leading film-makers and creatives: David Lynch, Harmony Korine, Larry Clark, Kenneth Anger and Gaspar Noe,Terence Koh, Sean Lennon, Arden Wohl, James Franco, Lola Schnabel,etc.

The initiative has been developed by 42 Below, a brand of vodka from New Zealand, that has commissioned 42 top wordwide film-makers to express their vision of the dreams that inspire them in 42 seconds.

You can read more about the background of this campaign called OneDayRush at  42×42.com

> La exposición sobre Annie Leibovitz ” Vida de una fotógrafa 1990-2005″ se inaugura hoy en la sala de exposiciones de la comunidad de Madrid . La muestra cuenta con 200 fotografías de los últimos años que representan un homenaje a su familia, amigos y sus viajes.

Annie Leibovitz es una de las retratistas más importantes y de mayor poder en nuestro tiempo. Sus retratos son un importante catalizador de la sociedad y la cultura de fín de siglo.

Su obra, tras su unión con Susan Sontag, da un  giro y recupera su lenguaje inicial, más documental e intimista.

Por encima de todo, Leibovitz ha conseguido crear un estilo propio,  imprimir rasgos de su propio carácter y retratar , mejor que nadie,  la expresión de las emociones.

Exposición Annie Leibovitz ” Vida de una fotógrafa 1990-2005″. Sala de exposiciones de la comunidad de Madrid ( c/ Alcalá 31). Hasta el 3 de septiembre.

The device that allows i-aromas

> Soon will be possible to smell fragrances digitally. Just need a device with base oils attached to your pc and will be possible to smell online. This technology is being developed by the japanese company NTT Communications and opens enormeous possibilities for in-house trials of all kind of new products.

You can read more about this new here

> Worldwide Womenswear Digest ( WWWWD) a weeky online magazine that unveils curiosities related to Fashion. on this isssue ” All the brains behind fashion”.

Ndeur fashion heels . Photo courtesy of Ndeur

> Beautiful paper heels by Ndeur , a  graphic design studio, in collaboration with Make a proper World duo.

You can visit their web for more fashion paper accessories as their last collaboration with Heidi Ackerman.