Philosophic Minimalism

One of the more interesting moments of my last NY trip was meeting a designer whose work I've never mentioned here and haven't had the pleasure of wearing, but whose name has been on my radar for the last two years. If you're at all familiar with the menswear side of interesting, handmade, small run fashion, i.e. InAisce, Sruli Recht, and any other label Layers or re. porter sells, you have probably come across the name Zam Barrett. If not, a very short online research session will show you that a) he already has quite the loyal following, and b) he's most known for his jeans. With the ridiculous aftermath of the tragic Bangladesh factory collapse (i.e. certain large clothing companies not agreeing to sign the Safety Accord that would make the companies accountable for the conditions of their factories and thus safety of their workers), I've been on the hunt for mens jeans that are made ethically. Not for me, as I'm happily stocked with enough jeans to get me through perhaps even one more degree. The issue is that I have now got my man hooked on black skinnies, but I have to make sure that his new fashion sensibilities don't conflict with my fashion morals. Also, his habit of wearing his wallet in his back pocket (courtesy of his chain-wallet wearing days) means he needs a new pair every year. My meeting with Zam was set up (graciously by our mutual friend, Patricia Ayres) at just the right moment then. All of Zam's pieces (clothing and accessories) are made in-house, in a 'factory' in Brooklyn that consists of him, a team of eight artisans/tailors, and an adjoining showroom (with some lovely tree stumps as stools). Meaning you can see every step of the production of Zam's designs, feel all the lovely natural fabrics and see the incredible seam detail first hand, try on the finished product, and have a philosophic conversation with the very man behind it all, all in the same studio. As I wasn't sure if I'd come home to news of receiving zero funding for the last year of my degree, I kept myself from purchasing a pair of minimalist jeans for my man...or a linen blazer for myself...or a cotton/metal coat for myself...or anything made of the gorgeous woven silk swatch Zam showed me...But, dear Zam, I will be in touch. Especially given the 40% 50% off code now up for your shop (PARIS40 PARIS50). And you, dear kOs readers, you may want to keep an eye out...because Zam Barrett womenswear may be coming soon...

Oh, seeing as this (iPhone) photo (taken by Patricia) has already been posted on the Internets, I suppose I should share it here as well. This is Zam and I in his showroom, him wearing his own work and me wearing Ursa Minor. Yes, I'm pretty much blonde now.

Goodness, Henry Rollins just played (well, on Sunday's show) one of my favorite Monty Python bits, "Neville Shunt", from which I got a blog title once: "But where is the ambiguity? Over there, in a box." That blog post was also NY-themed. Hmm...

Coat of arms

I'm not sure how it happened, but I'm a jacket/coat* person. I used to have one winter coat, and a bunch of hoodies that I classified as either spring/fall/summer 'jackets'. Now, I have a literal pile of coats by the front door (oh, I'm looking forward to a proper entryway closet!), and I've been known to change my coat multiple times before I go out the door. Granted, all of them are fall/winter coats (which makes sense, since that's 80% of our year), but I pretty much have one or two for every 10 degree range between -40 up to +10. The queen of the coats in the -10 to 0 range is, of course, my Artisanal Coat from Patricia Ayres. I thought her right to the throne had the potential of being challenged when I got my very first women's McQueen piece (a black wool/cashmere coat), as I've rated it to the same temperature range. However, the perfume ghost of its former owner has meant that it has sat in my man's office unworn for two months now. Also, I think it being a McQueen affords it the status of 'Special Occasion (-10 to 0)', so in that way the two coats can both rule their respective and neighbouring kingdoms without one having to abdicate. However, if I got a hold of this A/W 13 piece by Marie Saint Pierre, I'm afraid civil war would ensue. It's perhaps the most perfect cold weather coat I've seen since that Gareth Pugh creation. Now, it's sacrilegious to even suggest that it could rule over the McQueen, but for both personal and pragmatic reasons, I'm not sure I could say it fits in the 'Everyday (-10 to 0)' category alongside the Artisanal Coat. Can one really have three categories for one temperature range? I'm afraid I would simply have to bend any rule that suggests otherwise, because that's really the only way I could keep the peace around here.

(Photo via Facebook)

*The words are interchangeable for me, really. If anyone can give me a good working definition to keep the two separate, I'm all ears.

Totes Magotes*

So, as it turns out, Hurricane Sandy did not keep me from New York (and my hosts got their power back last weekend!), but instead that short Nor'easter and a freak snowstorm here (which actually hasn't stopped) made me stay put in snowy Canada. Sigh. Thankfully, the conference organizers allowed me to Skype in to still present my paper and, after the gods tried one last time to keep me silent, I finally got my ideas out into the world outside of my advisor's office. I feel like a real scholar now! 

Anyway, suffice to say, I should be in New York right now, and am imagining myself walking through the holiday shops in Bryant Park right now, wearing this jacket. The only thing that could ever make me regret buying my ArtLab Revolutionary Jacket is a hooded version of the same! Patricia, this is now in a tie with your Artisanal wool coat for my favorite piece from you ever.

And speaking of perfect jackets, check this beauty out. This is from my favorite Aussie label, Sadotna (photo via their Facebook). If I score another scholarship, I might just have to treat myself with this. But for now, it'll have to do to give it a place of honour in My Top 3 Want List (see sidebar, near bottom).

*I was supposed to see Paul Rudd in Grace tomorrow. Sigh. Patricia, enjoy the show for me!

Piacere

Oh goodness. It's more beautiful than I had imagined. 

Svefn-G-Englar

This photo is very comforting to me. I believe this is still a work in progress (based on the pins present in another photo, hidden here by the belt), but, even so, seeing new creations from Patricia Ayres makes me feel that all is right in the world. Makes sense that it's fall, both my favorite season of the year and the time when my ArtLab pieces get worn the most. September, welcome.

And since we're on the topic of photos, this may be the greatest photo ever (aside from the fact that it's an Instagram, if that's even the right way to say it): Sigur Rós playing at Castello Scaligero in Verona (via Sigur Rós' Facebook). I can even hear the music just by looking at it. Fantastic.

1/2 Ration

One thing I've become slightly addicted to as a result of my trip to New York (and largely in part because of the effortless style of my lovely host) is a wee bit more minimalism in my daily outfits. Not that I've given up my sometimes innumerable layers or oddly paired pieces, but I have toned down the volume a bit as of late and gone for more classic silhouettes. So instead of going for a more architectural dress to wear as a top, I've been reaching for an oversized tank to layer over another tank, and topping that off with a cardigan, for example. The easiest way to do minimalism, of course, is the basic t-shirt. Now I go through phases with this Western staple, especially as my wardrobe's short-sleeved cotton jersey quota has long since been filled with (usually black) shirts from the various concerts I've attended in the last decade. However, if it's done right (or if I haven't yet purchased a shirt from a just seen favorite band), I will buy a new t-shirt. And so, enter 1/2 Ration, the newest Etsy shop I've just bookmarked.

1/2 Ration is a Las Vegas-based t-shirt label from Tom Ayres, brother of kOs regular, Patricia Ayres. Tom's background in political sciences coupled with his Irish ancestry led him to take an interest in the experience of early Irish immigrants in America, as well as the Gaelic language. His shop contains t-shirts (many of which are Alternative Apparel) with screen-printed Irish text that is intended to start a conversation, as well as some fabulous distressed tees and scarves designed by Patricia herself with the '1/2 Ration' print that you may recognize from a previous ArtLab black linen dress. As we all know, I'm the curious type (and I like any excuse to talk about anything Irish), and so I sent a few questions Tom's way to find out more about his new label...

***

Why the use of t-shirts to start a conversation, and what kind of conversation do you imagine a 1/2 Ration wearer to have while wearing one of your pieces?

The t-shirt as a vehicle is just something that is ingrained in American culture. There is a reason that, when a candidate first declares their intention to hold a public office, there is always a group of supporters with him/her wearing t-shirts emblazoned with the campaign logo. It's like, yes, I'm going to run for town dogcatcher, better get the t-shirts printed. And of course we do it on a personal level as well - how many souvenirs from your last trip are t-shirts? (Well, Tom, two actually.)

We kind of lead with the t-shirt, such as 'oh, you were at the U2 concert too!' I just figured why not lead with something a little more conversational. When someone is staring at your shirt wondering just what "amharach" means (lucky, by the way) and they finally break down and ask, they'll remember that. Maybe it even becomes a story over the dinner table: 'hey, saw a guy wearing this shirt today...' 

Some of our shirts like "amharach" are straightforward, but others like "cumhacht" (strength) or "creat" (justice) can live on a couple different levels, it just depends on your personal views and how involved you choose to get with the person asking about the shirt. I admit, I really geek at the thought of "creat" spurring the thought process to go one step further [than just asking what it means] and one guy asking the other: 'Do you think our justice system is fair? It seems like...' Those are the conversations I love being a part of (I couldn't tell you who got kicked off the island last night, I'm often oblivious during those water cooler conversations). 

Is your focus more on the Irish immigrant's experience in North America, or also on their issues on their own soil? Do you feel that the Irish still face any discrimination of any kind in the States?

I was in Belfast during one of the last cease fires before the Peace Accord, and I gotta tell you it was a pretty intense experience. There is lots of political graffiti there (public political art is a more apt description), and as I walked through the city taking pictures, on numerous occasions I was approached by people in their neighborhood, demanding to know just what I was doing and whether I was Catholic or Protestant. As soon as I opened my mouth, everyone's demeanor brightened and they said, 'oh an American, what the bloody hell are you doing here? No one holidays in Belfast!' I narrowly escaped being arrested by the RUC there, but that's a story for another day...

Ireland, especially with the recent boom and bust in economic and immigration issues is certainly ripe for discussion, but I think people always focus on issues near to themselves and that is the Irish immigrant experience in America, even if they don't see it in that large of a picture. Nearly 12% of the American population have some Irish ancestry; the Irish really integrated into the fabric of America but still kept some strong Irish identity. Most Americans don't think of it in terms of immigration and integration, it's just about having some Irish identity and being proud of it. We've come a long way from the 1850's when you would see signs of "Help Wanted - Irish Need Not Apply". Certainly I hope that people look into their own past a little while they look forward to the shaping of immigration policy - empathy can be really beneficial.

And lastly, why "1/2 Ration"?

The name 1/2 Ration comes from an Irish food ration ticket that my sister acquired during design work she did several years back. She was looking for material for her fashion line and found what was left of the ration ticket, it was for a 1/2 Ration. It just seemed to speak to what we wanted to accomplish.

***

After picking up your own 1/2 Ration tee and/or a one of a kind piece designed by the lovely Patricia from Tom's Etsy shop, please come back here and fill us in on what kind of conversation you find yourself in! Slainte.

Untitled

O. M. G.

Patricia has reduced me to text speak. I thought this ArtLab piece existed only in my dreams. This is the exactly the kind of art that inspired this blog.

This ArtLab scarf is pretty drool worthy as well. Sigh.

One leg at a time

Why do I love this one-legged look (Johan Ku swimsuit on the left, Patricia Ayres pant/skirt hybrid on the right), when I eschew one-shouldered looks? Hmm. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I tend to put my weight on one leg whilst standing (an asymmetrical fact that is beginning to cause major problems). Anywho, the question remains: Why have I not yet ordered this piece from Patricia?

In This Corner...Untitled

Untitled, 2001, Pinar Yolacan

***

Today's Corner is brought to you by the fantastic Patricia Ayres. By the way, you should click on the artist's name above (and do some Googling) to see more of Pinar's work. Quite interesting, Anyway, some lovely new Spring pieces can be found now in Patricia's main shop and her ArtLab shop. And, as always, you can read my very first kOs interview with Patricia herself right here.

In This Corner...Phenomenology of Repression

Imi Knoebel, Room 19 in the Kunstakademie Dusseldorf, 1968

***

Because I lied and won't be posting about that wondrous coat that I received yesterday (and thankfully so, as it was rather cold today), please accept the first Corner of the year as both a peace offering, and a hint of said future post. For this Corner is brought to you by none other than the Patricia Ayres. While both of her Etsy shops should be regular stops in your daily Internet wanderings, you can click here and here if you haven't yet been there today. And, of course, my very first kOs interview with Patricia is always a good read.

(P.S. In case you've forgotten about this, "In This Corner..." is a semi-regular segment where a guest designer will write the post or post a photo and let us know a little bit about what goes on upstairs. If you're a designer and would like to write a Corner, just email me!)

Top 18 Finds of the Fall

In case you weren't convinced by the snow, cold weather, and holiday festivities already, today is the official start of Winter 09/10. Well, at least in the northern hemisphere. And so, with autumn now long gone, I bring to you the top 18ish finds/posts during the past season of my blog. Click, read, and stay warm.

1) Designer: Camilla Wellton

2) Fashion grad student: Wolfgang Jarnach

3) Label: Tara St. James’ Study NY

4) New collection: Liza Rietz F/W 09/10, Alexandra Groover S/S 10 and mydearthing Hindset Collection

5) Basic piece: mydearthing Fingerful Warmers

6) Future purchase: Patricia Ayres Artisanal coat

7) Custom made piece: Attila Design dress

8) Package in the mail: 4 pieces of ArtLab perfection

9) Want: ‘Carrot’ style pants

10) Musician: Kelli Scarr

11) Artwork: The Berlin Project

12) Website: Denim Therapy

13) Blog: The door in my wardrobe

14) Post: Interview with Susi Quillinan

15) Personal information: In case you want to know.

16) Future project: Making my own John Galliano, Yohji Yamamoto, or Maison Martin Margiela piece.

17) Most worn pieces: ArtLab Space Odyssey dress, mydearthing Fingerful warmers, and this outfit.

18) Most beautiful coat ever: Any by Kristofer Kongshaug

In This Corner...Save Gas

Photo by Robert Frank.

(Robert Frank has an exhibit currently at the MET.
Here's the link if you want to find out more about him.)

***

This Corner was brought to you by the incredible Patricia Ayres. If you still don't know who she is, do yourself a favour and read my interview with her here, and get all your Christmas shopping done here and here (at least for yourself...and for me).

By the way, can anyone else see the faint double exposure in this picture? If I tilt my screen just right, I can see a grand room with high windows and curtains in the sky...Perhaps it's a photo from the other side of the page?

(P.S. In case you missed the memo, "In This Corner..." is a new segment on my blog, where a guest designer will write the post and let us all know a little bit about what goes on upstairs. Much more coming up!)

Shoulder perfection

I am in love with this top. I've been drooling over Gemma Degara pieces since I first discovered her lovely work, but I have yet to purchase one for my own. And now she has a small number from her A/W 09/10 collection on Pixie Market. And this one is just perfect for me. Except for the fact that it only comes in small. Just a fantastic specimen of structural detailing mixed with draped perfection. This piece actually to me seems a hybrid of Alexandra Groover's shell-inspired pieces, and a complexgeometries piece. If I had not been doing calculations in my head all day on how to make a Patricia Ayres artisanal coat mine after a downright fit of royal jealousy this morning, methinks I would take the risk of ordering this small sized top. Sigh.

Iconic Coat

I absolutely love this picture. And this coat. Calms me down a little after seeing a disappointing video from my once favorite band of all time. Sigh. Anyway, my legs would've been much warmer today if I had tried this 2-leg in 1-stocking method. Something to remember for tomorrow...

(Photo via Patricia Ayres' NJAL page)

New ArtLab/Patricia Ayres photos

I love love love these new ArtLab/Patricia Ayres photos. Breathes more life into the F/W 09/10 pieces. I'm especially re-thinking getting the Coat No. 1. And that skirt/bike short piece is quite intriguing...


Edit (Friday): Patricia Ayres of ArtLab has now opened up her second Etsy shop under her own name. Here you will find her higher end collection pieces, such as the gorgeous poncho and coat pictured above. Click here to have a look around.

Links à la Mode

Just wanted to share a bit of exciting news for my blog with you. I'm a part of the Independent Fashion Bloggers network, and my interview with Patricia Ayres was chosen as one of the top 20 posts from IFB's members for this week. Yay! Check out the other wonderful posts that were chosen:

Shifting Gears

Edited by Jennine

It’s here. Summer’s (basically) over, back to school, back to work… even in fashion today is the official first day of Fashion Week madness, and New York is only the beginning. I’ve always thought once Labor Day rolled around, we shifted gears realizing that the year is almost out it’s time to start packing it all in! This week, we’ve got an amazing round of links…seriously, it was so hard to pick only 20. Style Amor wonders if we really need fashion week at all… Heavy Heels sense the Winds of Change, as models start chopping their locks, The Demoiselles start a getting healthy project for a bunch of ladies, kaKofonie Of si(gh)lenS gets an remarkable interview with Patricia Ayres.

Links à la Mode : September 10th

• Art of Accessories – Translating the Trends: Ruffles
• BRICK MY LANE – The ruffled neckpiece – part 2
• dramatis personae – “Plus-Sized” Bras for Busty Gals
• Fashion Hippo – Giveaway: Tory Burch Logo Clutch
• Fashion Pulse Daily – FelixRey.com: Fashion Pulse Daily Readers Get an Exclusive 20% Off!
• fete a fete – Giorgio Armani Beauty Fall 2009 Manta Ray & Eyes To Kill
• Heavy Heels – Wind of Change
• Idiosyncratic Style – IdStyle File – Kaitlyn Regehr
• Independent Fashion Bloggers – How Important is Trust? A Review of Trust Agents
• Intrinsically Florrie – Luella Loveage
• kaKofonie Of si(gh)lenS – Interview with Patricia Ayres
• Little Miss Makeup – Is applying liquid eyeliner your biggest beauty frustration?
• Meilily – Ruffled Makeup Bag by Christian Siriano for VS Makeup
• Retro Chick – Planning an Autumn Winter 2009-10 Wardrobe
• Style Amor – Do We Need Fashion Week?
• Style it You – Breaking Barriers
• Style Symmetry – The Last Hurrah Giveaway
• Stylish Thought – Stylish Thoughts on Coco, Karl & Feminism
• Super Kawaii Mama – Worn Wild – MSFW’s Dark Side
• THE COVETED – Mahtab Azimi’s Cozy Little Black Dress
• The Demoiselles – We’re Getting Healthy

Interview with Patricia Ayres

When I find a designer or label that I love, I tend to become slightly obsessed. Yet it's still hard to believe that I only came across my newest favorite designer this past April, based on the amount of thought and blogging words I devote towards her and her work, 'her' being Patricia Ayres. In case you aren't a regular reader and/or an obsessed Etsyian, Patricia is otherwise known as the sole genius behind ArtLab, a fashion design and fine arts studio based in NYC. After formally studying at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Parsons, and Brooklyn College, Patricia continues her artistic pursuits not only through fashion design, but also through photography, sculpture, and installation art. Patricia's artwork and fashion collections have been shown and sold throughout the world, and she continues to produce amazing artisan, one-of-a-kind, and conceptual designs which never fail to amaze their viewers. With the unveiling of her F/W 09/10 collection, "Distressed Luxury", I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing Patricia to get to know my 'personal designer' a little more. I must say I'm a wee bit nervous as it is my very first go at being an interviewer, but I do think that you'll enjoy...

***

What was the very first piece of clothing you designed?

My Mom tells me I designed my Holy Communion Dress. My Grandmother would make many of my clothes, so I guess it was a collaboration of sorts.

Do you wear your own fashion designs?

Yes, I do.

What is a typical outfit for you while you’re running errands, grabbing a coffee, working, etc.?

Either my gold Adidas sneakers or a pair of funky boots, a grey fedora I picked up in Berlin, usually a distressed, beat up tee, a skirt (probably asymmetrical and a bit off in some way), and one long earring.

What is your most treasured item of clothing that you have ever owned (self-made or bought)?

I adore my Martin Margiela leather jacket from his "Flat Collection", where he moved sleeves and armholes to the front so the garments lie flat when not worn. I also really like my black linen ace bandage dress (as pictured to the left).

What is your favorite season to design a fashion collection for?

I have been thinking more about seasonless clothing lately.

If you were limited to one type of fabric in one colour for your entire next collection, what would you choose?

I was thinking about that blue jumpsuit worn in the film 1984 based on George Orwell's novel. I could take that one piece and make many different looks from it.

If you received a bulk order for one particular piece, and it was up to you, would you be the perfectionist and strive to make each one exactly the same, or would you enjoy purposely making each one unique?

It depends on the design. If I have worked out the cut to be very precise and specific, such as a coat I did for my current fall collection, I would want each one to be exactly the same. I have some fascination with the idea of a uniform. I do also enjoy the contrast to that, which is to create something that is one of a kind and not meant to be reproduced.

What music do you listen to while you’re working?

I listen to anything from Jay-Z to avant garde jazz to Tom Waits, reggae, and NPR.

Who would you most want to design an entire outfit for (living or dead)?

The boxer Jack Johnson.

If you weren’t a designer/artist, what to you think you’d be doing right now for a job/career?

Anthropologist, film maker, actor...

Do you prefer online shopping or brick-and-mortar store shopping?

I do prefer online shopping as it's fun and so easy. Unless it means going to shops such as Comme des Garçons, Yohji Yamamoto, or Barneys, where I can really look at and touch the clothes. Especially when it's the designer's own store and they have entire collections, not just select pieces.

And finally, what is your favorite piece from your new collection?

Not sure I can pick just one yet! It might turn out to be the pant skirt piece.

***

Check out all things ArtLab in Patricia's Etsy shop and on her website. Also check out Patricia's new Etsy shop coming soon, which will have her collection pieces. And stay tuned here for what is sure to be many more Patricia Ayres-related posts.