It's not easy being green

The first thing I noticed before even touching down on European soil is that at least the parts of Europe we saw are much much greener than it ever gets here. Of course, things here are just starting to bud/flower, but the difference in humidity makes such a huge difference even in just the colour of the grass that has managed to grow here. So, back at home with a flat of greenhouse-grown herbs in front of me waiting to be potted, I'm imagining that I'm back where it's proper green. And you'd think that with green being my favorite non-black colour, I'd have a green dress (that isn't my wedding dress). But I don't, so here are some green looks from the A/W 12/13 collection of Berlin-based Polish designer Dawid Tomaszewski. I'll have to also take some photos later of the prized possession I brought back from this trip, being my very own green spring jacket from kOs favorite Dusturbance. A spring jacket! I'm a real adult now. Also, I got to touch that wonderous Dusturbance piece (which is green, of course) that led me to meet the wonderful kindred spirit who is Dust. Life makes sense again.

(Photos via NJAL)

Dear Dust (Part Three),*

I should be upfront and say that I still do not have a smartphone (or tablet), and thus don't have an app for anything. However, my man has quickly become enamored with his iPhone, and I did play around with it a bit after he purchased the new Björk album in app form. So, when you had mentioned (in a private discussion) that our open discussion could lead to unknown territories, even including creating an app, I was intrigued. And now, to add to your idea of a dusturbance app to allow a dusturbance wearer to take advantage of your modular system, might I suggest including something that does tap into that intimate and sensual relationship you also mentioned should be a part of fashion.

Specifically, could we create an app that recreates the texture and weight of a fabric as much as is possible in a pixel form? Many times I have purchased something online just so I could feel it, and many times I have been surprised by the difference in the fabric I touch versus the fabric I see. I don't believe it's necessarily the designer's responsibility to explain the texture of a fabric, because each individual's background informs and shapes their senses, even regarding something that may seem straightforward like feel. I.e. for some reason I cringe at seeing velvet, and thus my brain would rather interpret this dress by Adel Kovacs (posted about a year ago here, and one of my favorite images posted on kOs) as being made of thinly shaved marble, thus feeling cool and smooth instead of warm and...velvety. Now, if I had been able to purchase this dress and found out that it was made of the material that once was burned through with a curling iron and had to be covered by a Minnie Mouse bow when I was really really not into bows (oh right, that's why I cringe...), I would be in a rather tragic situation, no? Indeed, my own fingers in addition to the kOs database (of over 1000 posts!) could surely provide some readers/dusturbance wearers with an extra virtual sense to avoid similar (and/or) unfortunate fashion flashbacks. Something to think/comment about...

To return to something else you said, I swear I read something perhaps a year ago about a body scan being converted into a different form of fast, almost printable, fashion. Anyone else's memory jogged?

Cheers,
Steff

*As before, this letter is a semi-loose response to this open letter from Dust of dusturbance. And yes, we're still wondering what we're doing...

Dear Dust (Part Two),*

Sometimes I wonder if going back in time (and/or eschewing technology) would be a good thing in the world of fashion. After watching season one of The Hour (immediately followed by Goodnight, and Good Luck), I couldn't help but wonder what the world would be like if today we had to wait for a friend's contact to get back to us via a long distance phone call just to develop a story, if there was only one copy of a document, or if it took an entire week to write a piece (err...not unlike here on kOs). This thought also reminds me of when I saw Jamie Woon play in Brooklyn this past December. The club was packed full of hipsters who didn't mind paying $9 for a flat beer (a few of which were promptly spilt all over my McQueen peacoat), and yet the few Jamie Woon fans were right ticked off that he dared to play rather minimalistic, even acoustic, versions of his songs. What is wrong with taking it down a notch and focusing on the basics? What is wrong with focusing on creating things of quality, and then deciding to keep it to yourself or presenting it in an unexpected manner? Production and publicity are both quite overrated. Though, having said that, you can have as much publicity on kOs as you'd like, my friend Dust.

Cheers,
Steff

(Photo is a screen capture of the end of a video I took at the Jamie Woon show, post-beer spillage.)
*This letter is a semi-loose response to this open letter from Dust of dusturbance. Wondering what we're doing? So are we.

Dear Dust,

In reference to the aforementioned dysfunctionality of dusturbance, I find that kOs as I wanted it to be has also proved to be dysfunctional. For, in short, I have become rather weary of fashion. I am quite content with my own private collection and have finally shed the career which required scrubs as a uniform. And so, when at at the end of the F/W 12 Fashion Weeks I find myself completely underwhelmed (and even outright appalled at the sameness and/or thoughtlessness of some collections), I'm almost not even that bothered. Even when that means I am hard-pressed to find something I feel compelled to post.

But then I remember that there are great indie designers out there that are trying so hard to get a spot on the Fashion Week stage or, forgetting that dream, at least try to keep to the six-month cycle of large labels. That (at least in most cases) is what is heartbreaking, as ideas don't have time to develop, only samples are created, relationships aren't built with potentially life-long customers, and enough money isn't made to afford to continue on long at all. I have the utmost respect for designers like you, and like Lauren Jones, who don't try to deny their conflict of interest with fashion, and that honesty is much more important to the process of designing than anything those sitting in the front row might be able to tell you. Without such honesty, one might not even be able to pinpoint their favorite colour, or wouldn't be able to enjoy a delightful person named Alice.

Dust, I accept your invitation to join you on this (dysfunctional) quest. And, by the way, my favorite colour is green.

Cheers,

Steff

The above is a response to an open letter from Dust of dusturbance, a long-time favorite of kOs. We had previously planned a big collaborative project, but then stuff happened, I kept going to NY, more stuff happened, etc., etc. That thread has been picked up again here, and I'm interested to see where it will go. In addition to pretty dresses, dusturbance has some of the most intriguing ideas I've read concerning fashion, so I think you may be interested to follow along in our quest as well. May I also suggest that you read the other side of the conversation at dusturbance.net so that you don't feel like you're eavesdropping on only one end of a phone call. And, as always, you are more than welcome to join in the conversation via comments and/or emails.

Oh, and the song above is a new tune released today from a local band (i.e. just down the street from me) that just happens to be one of my favorites to see live. The title of the song is also rather fitting for the topic/mood of my letter.

In This Corner...Sword Throat

Fashion is...

1/3 amazing, shocking, mesmerizing mirage that we can't help staring at

2/3 technical, precise, analytical data of measures, patterns, industrial processes, market and commerce

...selling neatly bottled dreams...

.

***

Today's (Cutting) Corner is brought to you by the enigma that is Dusturbance. We'll be exploring just what Dusturbance is together here on kOs, because you and I both know that they're more than just a pretty dress. But until then, have a gander over here and here.

(Photo via here)

Top 17 Finds of the Spring

So, I've been at this hitching post for over a year and have typed out over 600 posts already. Weird. I should probably start dating these summary posts, but for now, here's my first Top Finds of the spring season, meaning the kOs posts of the last three months that you should read if you feel like you've missed out on...something. Happy first day of the summer!

1) Designer: Amanda deLeon, Heather Martin of mono
2) Fashion grad student: Sky Lucy Young, Alexxsia Elizabeth
3) Male designer: David Chou
4) Label: Thomas
5) New collection: Mandula, 'Gallery 9', mydearthing S/S 10
6) Runway show: Central Saint Martins BA grad show
7) Basic piece: 4-way dress by Study NY
8) Future purchase: Dusturbance creation
9) Custom made piece: Attila Design Tea Part coat/dress
10) Post: Interview with Konrad Parol
11) Unexplainably popular post: This, featuring ArtLab tanks and scarves.
12) Most wordy posts, in two parts: Part 1, and Part 2
13) Most worn pieces: Attila Design Sybil dress, mydearthing Carly dress, Liza Rietz Points dress, mono jodhpurs, ArtLab Oversized Revolutionary Jacket
14) Best DVD set: Friday Night Lights Season 1
15) Three of the best nights of my life: Beauty and the Beast, Eddie Izzard, Eluveitie
16) Coolest dress ever: mono Scarf Dress
17) Most intriguing piece: Dress by Layo Gbadamosi

Dust in the wind

Thanks to Jaana, I just became aware of these new photos of that perfect Dusturbance dress. (Edit: According to Miss Dust, this 'dress' is actually a conglomerate of three separate parts: bustier, snap me up rope piece and zip me down silk hand painted draped part. Genius.) And now I am even more convinced that I need it. It shall go in My Top 3 Want List as soon as I return home. Miss Dust, where shall I forward my address? And are you sure you didn't mine my brain somehow to get this design? I swear it's so me, it's almost frightening.

(Photos by Tristan Melano Soerodimedjo, via here)

Dusturbance

Dear Dust,

As per your request, I would like to share my first impressions of your catwalk presentation at FASHIONCLASH: It was lovely. It was a breath of fresh air. It was exactly and yet more than I could've hoped for from you after seeing the first Dusturbance dress. And, in particular, I feel like you had me in mind when you created this dress. And that, my friend, is pretty incredible.

Hope this helps.

Yours truly,
Me