Jonathan Simkhai Spring 2015

The most important thing designers need to have is the ability to see the simplest inspiration and put it in their collection without looking like they just drop a basket of contemporary art installment on plain dress. In short, they need to walk on a thin line between pure art and wearable clothes. 

This season, I feel like a lot of designers are missing the art portion. Trading complicated asymmetrical patterns that we all adore for beach ready clothes (gosh, those models!) Not that it is wrong, summer business is really important, but I just need to the art euphoria back. Fortunately, Jonathan Simkhai came in rescue.

New, smart, and free from high fashion politics. The brand delivered something that we all love from fashion show. The unexpected turn. This time he took it from the shattered glasses. Breaking some Tumblers (according to Style.com) and photographed the patterns, he created a collection that not only wearable, but also expensive, glamorous and futuristic. A-line dresses with mesh (very popular material these past few seasons) injected with new facade that excites a little artsy fartsy child inside of me.

However, looking at his resume (or timeline whatsoever), I found a similar looking dress from Fall 2014 collection, a signature look or accidental number? No one knows and I don’t want to rain all over this beautiful collection.

It is nice to see a fresh face in New York Fashion Week…. Oh wait, let me correct myself; it is nice to see a new talented fresh face with futuristic vision in overly exposed New York Fashion Week. I can only hope that next season Simkhai will deliver a better presentation (some cool socialites appearing on the front row wouldn’t hurt anyone)(or maybe he can ask Kristen Stewart to wear one of his clothes again) and still artsy clothes.

Images taken from Style.com

See the complete collection here. 

And don’t forget to follow my blog for more Spring 2015 Fashion Weeks!

I am back everyone!

Wanna Be That G.U.Y

Gaga is in it again.

After releasing her CD (and promoting it) like a crazy maniac her record company really is, she suddenly disappeared from the spotlight (why were you so shy, Gaga?) She came out once for her epic duet with Xtina Aguilera (too lazy to type her first name) for a single she hasn’t release yet… until now. Oh, and she DID get puked by stranger on stage (who’s that girl’s name again?) But Gaga is never good with silence (her fashion sense makes that clear). Yesterday she took over Instagram to announce her new music video out of the blue, G.U.Y.

Okayyyyy….

To be fair, I like G.U.Y. The track is pop-y with a lot of electronic, modern DJ thing and energetic vibes that is enough to keep me dancing all night long in a party we should all forget. So, afraid of being the last one to know what’s going on in our beloved artsy-popsy Queen’s head, I open Youtube…. and there it is… Artpop-G.U.Y-video!

I’ve watched it and…. yeah, not bad.

(Spoiler: there is no puke involved! Miracle!)

Note: The video starts with Artpop, then Venus, then finally G.U.Y.

The video starts with Gaga as a bird (yes, again). It looks like some men shoots her with cupid-like arrow and left her covered with muds and money (materialistic people who once kicked her artsy heart back when she was just a stripper in New York? Who knows?) Dying and has nowhere to go, Gaga slowly walks alone to… an Italian-tropical-classic hotel paradise with mysterious guards wearing black plastic wrappers, and people having pool party. I thought Gaga was going to be revived by some weird magician (Gandalf? Are you there?) But, no. The pop star is dead and people (the ones having pool party) decide to drown her into magical underwater, dynamic, colorful world.

Well, the rest of it is just a lot of symbolism (Gandhi, Jesus, Michael Jackson revived from dead and Gaga taking their blood/wisdom whatsoever), Gaga with Versace gowns, Gaga in sexy white swimsuit, Gaga wearing another Mickey Mouse/Teddy Bear/Miley Cyrus VMA outfit look alike costume, hunks in suits, hunks in thongs, hunks in pool, hunks dancing with Gaga, hunks dancing with other hunks, hunks carrying her until the end of the video. And… credit so long, it takes almost half of the 11-minutes video.

Am I saying the video is bad?

Oh, by all means, NO!

Confusing? Yes. Unoriginal? Probably (the dying bird part is new!)  But really bad like Justin Bieber Nicky Minaj’s shaky video camera (reference to Paranormal Activity) with party girls, pool party, SWAGs, and really bad rap (yet we kept on singing Beauty and a Beattttt… for one whole month last year)?

Hell, no! 

As I’ve said before, I really like the song and Gaga’s dancing never really fails me. I just feel that the video took too long to release and it’s not really.. surprising or ground breaking or enough to make people jump head over heels. If Gaga disappeared just to make this video, then… she should kick her marketing team straight on their butts and shoot them like the men did to her in the video. 

A little message to the hackers, Youtube-modifiers  out there: please cut the too-long credit and upload the no-credit-version to your online holy sanctuary called Youtube. I will definitely download it!

What can I say? It’s GAGA!!

Land of Photos

I am so tired these past few days. No kidding! This semester is not a mess, it’s a chaos created by Indonesia’s national education system (need I say more? BORING!) What can I say? I am just following the tides. However, I do have some little time to sneak behind text-books and college applications to write this post and make another (please, roll your eyes ladies and gentlemen!) Tumblr blog.

Hmm… I am not even sure, if it’s a blog or not. More like a bigger version of Instagram and smaller, simpler version of WordPress (or Blogspot). 

Whatever it is, I honestly think I will spend most of my free time there, due to WordPress’s limited memories, different contents and other small inconvenient things (like how lazy I am to write about another street style trend and do another the-next-big-thing research). I am not leaving this blog, just splitting my limited times and energy into a lot of different… social medias.

Gosh, am I addicted?

Anyway, just like what Ellen DeGeneres always say… see you and be kind to each other! Have a nice weekend… Ah, right, today’s still Thursday in some countries ehehehe…. 

Ah yes, you want to know what my new Tumblr’s name is? Peppermint Swing. 

I got the idea from Coldplay’s Strawberry Swing (very relaxing and helpful during these past few hell-weeks) and decided to do a little twist with the name… So, you got Peppermint Swing! It’s more into visual than texts, so wish me luck… and hey, drop by sometimes! We’ll swing together, cause’ without you it’s a waste of time. 

Image taken from Style Slicker

The Reason Why I Would Never Go Shopping At Chanel Shopping Center

I pray for people who lost their dignities (and broke their pants) at Chanel Shopping Center aka Chanel show last week. At first, the shopping center showed us how amazing Karl Lagerfeld really is. He put fashion in a place where fashion itself never really belongs. And not just that, he makes a joke out of it (written on the products inside the Chanel Shopping Center), it’s not a critic. It’s a fun reminder that fashion lives everywhere you go. 

Then the show started and we were mesmerized by how fluent and vivid models can be when they just stop walking and do something other than staring… like shopping. It’s (again) not just a drama. It’s too normal to be a drama yet… it’s not real either. It’s like watching movies being directed by a very professional director and a bunch of Oscar winning actresses. 

The show over… Karl walked happily with Cara Delevigne. Suddenly, everyone decided to unleash their full consumerism. This is what I really want to talk about. 

Chanel show was NOT a fashion show. The guests made that pretty clear. It was a totally embarrassing reminder on how consumptive fashion people really are and how destructive we can be. Counters fell and no one noticed, editors (who usually walk out with grace like they know they can wait to lay their hands on the clothes later, at the end of the fashion month) fell from the shelves while trying desperately to get a grasp on one of the Chanel doormat. 

What a shame…. 

To be fair, I wasn’t there. I was sitting a thousand miles away, watching Two Broke Girls with my laptop and heard about it from Instagram. No one can tell me how hectic or awesome the show was. You can call me a little naive. But one thing I would definitely remember, if I were there: keep your head up and don’t take anything from a Shopping Center for free, Chanel or not. 

P.S: And you guys at the show KNOW you will get freebies right? Like real FREEBIES, without having to fight or steal for them. Gosh. 

P.P.S: In short, Chanel really win the best show for this season AND the guests really win for the worst fashion show guest ever. 

Images taken from Garance Dore

That Is So Funny (In Some Countries)

Maybe I can finally say I can keep my mouth shut for a long period of time or I can safely say that I’ve hit the deepest level of frustrated high-school student life. Either way, I am not happy. Or trying to be happy. Anyway, these past few days I have been trying really hard to pull myself together by watching Oscar re-run and Golden Globes opening monologue (not for the first time. I am still an up-to-date blogger). And my social analytical brain found something quite strange culturally (okay, gotta stop using smart words. Not ma thing yo!)

The jokes

Don’t get me wrong, I love jokes! Jokes are like beautiful flowers in the middle of huge desert called life, but it is true that some of them are prettier than the others. Yeah, hard to say, but I hear bad jokes all the time. I am not going to discuss bad jokes though. Not this time. I am telling you, don’t make spontaneous joke, if you are not a) Ellen DeGeneres b) Two Broke Girls c) Julia Roberts.

Actually, I have been wondering about the culture hidden behind the jokes. Like how different Western Jokes and Eastern Jokes is and how rude Westerners can be when they are making jokes. Again, don’t get me wrong, but when I hear Tina Fey and Amy Poehler said something about George Clooney floating into the space just because he doesn’t want to die together with someone at his own age, I was like… wooahhh, sisters that is hard to take!

Okay okay, I laughed my ass off along with those people at the Globes. But, come on! Saying that kind of thing in Indonesia (or other Eastern countries to be fair) (and to make us uptight-social-creatures look less miserable) is a suicide. Nobody will laugh and everyone will throw you that ‘you-have-gone-too-far’ glares. Super creepy. 

And Tina and Amy just keep going like nothing really happen. Calling Matt Damon a garbage man, and something about Tom Hank’s prosthetic penis (what is that??!) yada yada yada. Those are funny, but totally disturbing at the same time…. okay, those are funny. I am not saying I am picking favorite in this little disturbing vs funny competition. But those are funny. 

Oscar is no different either. Maybe Ellen is not that cruel (she is awesome!), but when she asked Amy Adams whether she went to college (and nah, we all know Amy didn’t go to college. Duh!) or not and told everyone Jennifer Lawrence fell (again) on the red carpet, I was like… well, I did nothing actually. I was busy with my home works. The perks of being a high-school student? Not really. 

I am not saying those are bad jokes. I told you I LAUGHED my ass off. Man, they’re real funny. I just like to pinpoint the differences. In Indonesia (and other countries?) (I don’t know, I will stop using ‘other countries’ for real), most of the jokes are based on more general issues. Like #selfie trends (still). Or flood trends. Or upcoming election day trends. Or… okay, give up. Still repeating that George Clooney joke. Real favorite. 

No comedians (in here) dare to say specific names. Well, sometimes they do give clues, which are super blurry and ended up making everyone feels as guilty. If things are getting lame, they will start self-depreciating themselves, or telling silly stories about themselves in public. In short, no rude jokes about others because they are the real jokes. They’re the materials needed. Problems solved.

And I like it that way. 

I mean, I used to get teased a lot, so I know how it feels to be a joke (a BAD joke) (yes, I was that miserable). Not telling jokes. I laughed along with my friends for sure, but you know… I really feel that the joke will be much better, if I am not in it. 

 

Oh… look, Ellen just ordered pizzas! And Brad Pitt was like ‘oh, I NEED that Jolie, move out of my way!’ HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! 

Cheers For All The Shits

Hey there…. How are you? 

Okay, who am I kidding here? Sorry for not blogging and just disappeared from the universe. The thing is after that Chinese New Year party over, I kinda found myself in the middle of exams, works, and tons of other small things that you don’t want to hear. REALLY. Like looking for the perfect desk lamp or trying to re-order my old magazines (and failed). 

The thing is… I am really busy right now. Like busy busy. Like having no time to breath at all. Our version of SAT is coming up real quick and I spend most of my time studying (well, yeah… and watching Two Broke Girls)(so gooodddd…!) and can’t find anything worth sharing. 

I guess I am getting lame. Or not. 

Plus, my WordPress memory is draining out. I can tell by the notifications. They’re like hunters in the wood trying to get me to pay more and more and more. Well, I’ll see what I can do. Maybe, just maybe, I will move my blog again because for no reason, my parents STILL refuse to give my own credit card. Well, it’s not my fault I have to buy a lot of things (okay okay.. maybe I don’t really need a new gorillapod, which is still a very cool thing to have)(and I was in mental breakdown when I bought those shirts). 

So… now you know all the problems. Please understand and hope you enjoy the rest of your life (because I am not really enjoying it right now. FUCK EXAMS FFFUUUUCCCCKKKK!!!!!!) 

P.S: Yeah, missed Fashion Week for the first time in 3 years. Spread the words everyone! 

Image taken from Park and Cube

I Am Chinese, Am I Not?

It’s funny how a tradition can last longer than you can ever imagine. Especially Chinese’s. I don’t know why but Chinese people seem to have more traditions than the rest of the world. And along with traditions, there come some rules that you have to do, even though you don’t like them and swear to God that you will never do these silly irrational things again to your kids. End the traditions. ASAP. 

Anyway in the end of the day you will still accept them as a tiny part of who you are and defend it with all (well, maybe just half) of your guts. Now, in the spirit of Chinese New Year (yes, we have another new year to celebrate), I am going to tell you some traditions that I have to follow in my family. They’re very Chinese New Year-y and filled with myths, which sometimes can be a bad bedtime story for children. 

First, let me ask you a question: Why Chinese people celebrate (another) New Year? 

My mom told me once when I was just a young boy this simple easy-to-remember folklore. 

Once upon a time in China (probably), news about doomsday was spreading quickly in the crowd. People were afraid and decided to held a massive dinner in order to celebrate the end of days (why didn’t they build something good to shield themselves? They were Chinese for God’s sake!) They waited all day with such fear until the night finally came, but nothing happened. The sun suddenly rose once again, the birds were singing happily, and the river tasted as sweet as usual. Then, they realized the doomsday news was a hoax (huff, internet!) They made it through the night! In order to celebrate the new day, they ate all the foods they had prepared and sang merrily. They called it ‘New Year’ and live happily ever after (before the British came by and China fell into bloody civil war that lasted for years. I haven’t even mentioned World War eras).

Of course the story got mixed up here and there  and you will definitely find another version of Chinese New Year, if you are willing to do some researches. But hey… who is the owner of this blog? That should answer all your doubts right away. 

Second question: What do you have to do before Chinese New Year? 

A LOT OF THINGS. 

First of all, you NEED to have a haircut, even if you don’t have anything left on top of your head. It symbolizes cutting away bad luck and trust me, you need all luck you can get because after that… YOU NEED TO PREPARE A LOT OF FOODS.

Yes, your long-lost family members are coming to your home sweet home and they need to be served like kings and queens. Get your apron ready girls.

After cooking tons of pig meats (yes, pig or duck is the best choice), you also have to clean your home. Every inch of it. Almost the same with cutting your hair, cleaning your home means dusting away bad luck and let the fortune goddess in. Hopefully, she/he will feel comfortable in your clean home and will give you tons of fortunes as thank-you-for-letting-me-crash-by gift.

Finally: What do you have to do during Chinese New Year? 

For adults: time to give money to your kids. For kids: time to get some extra cashes from your aunts/uncles/grandparents etc. It’s like Christmas, but you can’t give stuff to your kids. You can only give them money. Wow, I am sure Chinese people, who invented this tradition, must be very clever.

But wait! You can’t give money, if you aren’t married yet or your ‘thread of love’ will be very thin. In short, don’t give money, if you don’t want to be single FOREVER. Ultimate rule.

Well, I guess those are the questions I can definitely answers. There are other tinier things you have to do of course. Like preparing oranges, apples, peaches, and other ‘red-colored’ fruits. Make some Chinese cupcakes. Make some sweets. Make other things you will only eat one and the rest goes to somewhere dark, smelly and nasty in the kitchen. Those kind of stuffs. 

Anyway, just be grateful and take it easy people. We love Chinese New Year! 

Jean Paul Gaultier Couture Spring 2014

If Hinduism is indeed true all this time and I am going to reincarnate as a butterfly, I want to be one of Jean Paul Gaultier’s butterflies. Sexy, brave, unique, colorful, and dangerous. It’s not hard to figure out what happened inside Paris favorite bad boy’s head. The dresses spoke loudly for the designer this time.

Amazing amount of patterns are used to create extreme illusions of butterflies’ wings and I can’t blame the designer’s obsession this time; all the dresses look very beautiful. Jean Paul Gaultier is usually one of those designers that make me question myself ‘who is going to wear those dresses?’, but this time I know exactly what the answer is: everyone. 

Classic JPG coat dress (or suit) opened the show with such simplicity until I thought I was clicking the wrong show, then the surprise slowly unveiled with sudden pops of colorful dresses, each represents different aspect of one butterfly.

I kinda like the way JPG extracted his theme this season. Unlike most designers, who like to give small hints of what their inspirations might be (and left journalists puzzled with their press releases), JPG chose to go straight to the point. Butterfly wings sewed into a dress (fake butterfly wings, in case you are wondering), flying butterflies were frozen in time to make beautiful head pieces for the models. Everything was popping and colorful and energetic, to the point where I was having visual-sickness that I never knew at some point. 

Even though the butterfly effect did make an amazing collection, I was everything but impressed with JPG’s final numbers. The beautiful butterfly girls suddenly took darker turn and came out as… here we go again… Parisian show girls. Ugh, not again! I have to say I am not really impressed anymore with JPG addiction to burlesque drama. Every single piece that he has created always has a slight reference to burlesque, sexy dancing, and Dita von Teese (yawn). At regular basis, I would give much bigger tolerance just like other obsessed fashion lovers. But I was so visually full with all those butterflies, I can’t help but frown at the dresses.

I learned one thing from the show though. No, not about the Hinduism reincarnation wish whatsoever. I learned about how important it is to maintain stability in fashion. Cheers for your butterflies Mr. Gaultier, but no money to waste at your burlesque club this time.

Images taken from Vogue. Edited by Gimme Good Style.  

Michiel Tersteege

#ArtSunday

Yeah… I am making up new segments like it’s a game of something, but whatever this is one of many reasons why people want to have a blog. Anyway, I apologize for letting your thirst for art unfulfilled in the last few days. You know… usual stuffs. Couture, fashion, blah blah blah. Seriously, who wants to talk about canvas types when we have a whole collection of expensive clothes out there?

But to fulfill my responsibility as ‘lifestyle’ blogger, I am going to talk about it little by little. Sorry man, need time to fully access my inner art skills. So this week we are going to appreciate Michiel Tersteege’s work called Strawberry Splash, which looks like… well, a strawberry with a little bit splash.

Very simple, colorful, tempting and high-definition. It’s actually an example of how to use tripods or something. Don’t really get the article because you know… art channeling stuff. You can read it for yourself in The Phoblographer (link below) and happy #ArtSunday!

Images taken from The Phoblographer 

Pose Lena Pose!

Posing for a big fashion magazine and don’t know how to do it properly? No need to worry dah-ling! Hamish Bowles and Lena Dunham are ready to teach you the ‘Vogue Cover Girl Dance’, right from the top! 

Image taken from Vogue.com. Edited by Gimme Good Style.