Sunday, May 29, 2016

Louis Vuitton resort 2017



LOCATION:  Rio, the Oscar Niemeyer designed Niterói Contemporary Art Museum
 
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WHY: Nicolas Ghesquière’s LOUIS VUITTON resort 2017 collection field trip for media hungry LVMH
 
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QUOTE: “I think what defines our time is that women want to look sophisticated and they want casual sports clothes—those are the two big obsessions.”
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COMMENTARY: I’m guessing that the designer forgot to look at the collection he was speaking of or maybe he was speaking of a different collection all together. I will not chew this up and spit and out but to say why?? Who wants to look like this for 1000s of dollars, why do you want some retread or cartoon handbags from an old Chanel collection and do you really think neoprene is a wearer friendly fabrication? Lastly since this collection is supposedly aimed at millennials or teenagers, were the prices reduced to compete with H&M and Zara? P.S.  save for a few beautifully tailored jackets, and or suits, where is this sophisticated in any way shape or form… let the editorial stampede begin!
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Monday, May 23, 2016

meet Frederic Aranda a legend in the making



Amazon.com offers this terse biography of Frederic Aranda:  “he is a native Swiss photographer based in London, who contributes to magazines such as Vogue and Vanity Fair, and collaborates with brands like Cartier and Cutler and Gross.” This is a minuscule catalog of this artist’s oeuvre and doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of the man and his talents.
 
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As it turns out, Freddie as he is called by friends is one of those photographer/ artists that happens to be a legend in the making and much more than just the sum of his parts. He is one of the most gifted photographers of this era and who is undoubtedly an icon in the making. Oh, and he is charming and witty and carries an unmistakable mischief about him.
Lucky for me that Freddie is a friend to me along with his co-author and his longtime pal Christine Suppes. Together they gave the genre of fashion books a monograph that could have only been accomplished by 2 kindred spirits who have a single vision and a love for the visual as well as for fashion. (Electric Fashion, SKIRA)  In other words they wrote a love letter to fashion and style.
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“Suppes and Aranda describe this project as a journey, but this is an unbelievably intimate demonstration of one woman’s adoration of fashion with her “partner in crime.” Together, they have created one of the great fashion books to have come along in this millennium to date. “www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/electric-fashion#sthash.B2VRE39g.dpuf
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The accompanying images speak for themselves even though Freddie has become known for his stellar and distinctive group portraits; he is an artist at heart whose “eye” is that of a portrait painter possibly of the Renaissance era. The clarity of image, the laser sharp line, the contrasts, the colorations and the intensity all account for the startling and mesmerizing reactions one has when each image is viewed. He has been the subject of several one man shows including one at the V&A which featured his work for Electric Fashion and one to benefit the victims of the Fukushima debacle in Japan. Don’t let me forget to mention that his subjects have included Dame Vivienne Westwood, Prince Phillip, Margaret Thatcher, Farrell Williams, Tom Ford, Ben Stiller, just to name a few!
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At the end of the day, it is my opinion that Mr. Aranda will more than hold his own in the pantheon of great photographers since despite his relatively young years he has achieved a professional quality and level of perfection that will rival the greats of the 20th century; in essence he is not some snap shot or fly by night flavor of the month photographer like so many who receive underserving praise.
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Now, it’s my pleasure to introduce you to Freddie in his own words:


Jeffrey Felner: Can you give us a brief synopsis of how you arrived to where you are today professionally?
Frederic Aranda: I am a self-taught photographer. I did a degree in Japanese at Oxford, during which time my parent's divorce got me taking pictures of my mother to help her feel beautiful during a difficult time. It was a distraction (for both of us) at first. In order to improve technically, during term time I practiced on my Oxford classmates so that I could return home to Switzerland during the holidays to take better pictures of my mum. Yet, it’s what I did photographically at Oxford, not at home, which gained momentum and which got me launched as a portrait photographer in London after completing my degree. I've been working professionally as a photographer for about 10 years in London, and have done three solo exhibitions (the last one at the V&A), many editorials, and a book. The pictures of my mother have never been shown anywhere but they contain all the passion and naiveté of an aspiring photographer.
 
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JF: Let’s speak of Electric Fashion: how did it come about, any plans for a sequel and how did you and Christine meet and decide to do this?
FA: Electric Fashion (MAY 2015) is collaboration between myself, shooting all the pictures, and Christine Suppes writing all the texts. It's my first book. It came about organically after I started photographing Christine's clothes and realised that there was an incredible collection here which needed to be shared with the outside world. The question then became how to share it in a unique way, and that was where I had to convince her to pose for me in the clothes as opposed to shooting them just as still life. We are not planning a sequel to Electric Fashion but are working on something different which draws on my experience as a portrait photographer and on her life experience in California.
 
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JF: If you could invite any 5 people to dinner who would they be and why them?
FA: My guests would be John Waters, Bette Midler, Gina Riley, Jane Turner and Princess Diana. All of them have/had a joie de vivre and a particular point of view that could only make for one hell of a dinner!
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JF: If you could choose any collaboration, who or what would it be and why?
FA: Anohni*, truly a remarkable inspired talent
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JF: What’s the best advice you ever received and from who and what’s your advice to up and coming photographers?
FA: My advice is to find your voice as a photographer. Ask yourself why you are taking pictures every single day. The answer to that question will give you your subject matter. Also, kindness.
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* Anohni (stylized as ANOHNI), formerly known as Antony Hegarty or Antony, is an English-born American singer, composer, and visual artist. She is best known as the lead singer of the band Antony and the Johnsons.

Saturday, May 21, 2016

Oscar de la Renta Resort 2017



So here’s the deal with Oscar for Resort 2017.. There are some positively exquisite pieces, some positively dowdy and matronly pieces, there are some ho hum who cares pieces and yet the collection does make sense as a whole. The sweater and skirt ensembles work for the most part and have become part of the ODLR DNA.
 
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That is wildly detrimental to all of it is silly trendoid Chloé/ Celine styling, a model who doesn’t stand straight up and needs to be slapped across  the shoulder, the absurd pigeon toed stance, that pre Raphaelite hair and some sad shoe choices. On the bright side, there was a pair of black patent pumps with a leopard heel what was fabulous.
 
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Color yes, fabrications yes although some styles were a tad heavy handed and seemingly on their own the overall collection works and in my opinion has salability on its side. I just wish Copping would play the hand dealt to him and not cross the line to trendoid and referenced. Maybe it is my impression that the polish is missing and that disturbs me as Oscar was always just perfection when it came to grooming and accessories.  There would never be leather shoes or belts with gowns unless metallic and surely never a slouched model with turned in toe stance. Does no one speak or see the harm it does when these things slip by thru the cracks or are just overlooked. Perhaps one of my biggest gripes is the length issue which fluctuates wildly, the below the knee looks are so aging while the hover at the knee looks are beautiful.
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Sunday, May 15, 2016

Clive Arrowsmith: an icon of our times




From rock royalty to fashion royalty to the monarchy of the British Isles  and yes that means Queen Elizabeth including her progeny; Clive Arrowsmith has left no stone unturned and has endowed us with one of the great  photographic archives of this generation. His collaborations are nothing short of a who’s who of our lives including Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Jeff Beck, George Harrison,  Art Garfunkel, Def Leppard, Prince Charles, Michael Caine , Damien Hirst, De Beers, Revlon, Caroline Castigliano, Lexus, Hasselblad and just about any publication that is worth reading whether it be fashion or photography including leading  magazines such as British & French Vogue, Harpers, The Sunday Times Colour Magazine, Vanity Fair, and Esquire U.S.A and that’s just a selection.
 
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"Clive Arrowsmith is the Caravaggio of the 21st century. He creates magic and dreams, he is the master of light.”  Marcella Martinelli (stylist)
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The fact of the matter is that Clive Arrowsmith is royalty in his own right within the realm of photography. He has the vision of a painter, the eye of a photographer and the skillset to rival any of the greatest talents within his sphere, past or present. He indeed reminds us that photography is categorically an art form.
 
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“Clive Arrowsmith is not a photographer that one can easily described but it is safe to say that he is part Avedon, Hiro, Mapplethorpe, Ritts, Bourdin, Scavullo, Coffin, and more. His influences are vast, and his output is nothing less than astounding and prodigious” New York Journal of Books November 2015.
 
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The beauty of Mr. Arrowsmith is that he is as gracious and as self-effacing as anyone can be and exudes a warmth and appreciation that is rare in most people let alone an icon of his stature.  So, in his own words, here is Clive:

Jeffrey Felner: If you could invite any 5 people to dinner, who would they be and why?
 Clive Arrowsmith: My Guests at dinner would be Ava Gardner, (one of the most beautiful women and of all time), Leonard da Vinci, Bob Dylan, Maria Callas, and Fellini, but you have to figure out the why!
 
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JF: Who or what was your favorite subject/assignment and why?
CA: Well, working with the likes of Grace Coddington with make up by Serge Lutens and a team of intuitive talented people who are as excited as I am and yes as desperate as I to capture beautiful images.
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JF: Who/what would be your ideal collaboration today and why?
CA: I love working with new edgy stylish designers. I admire the Japanese designers but we have been left some beautiful collections by the likes of Alexander McQueen who did such striking work. I have photographed some of his collections/pieces but there are still pieces I would like to photograph that now reside at the V&A London.
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JF: What is in the future for you in terms of work, books or any other news you have and wish to share?
CA: Well I am off to Sweden to a shoot of Lars Wallin’s new collection in conjunction with the new Hasselblad Camera which is amazing. We will shoot at the stunning Artipelag Art Gallery by a lake in near Stockholm with great architecture in a wonderful location and, of course, the northern light. I will cast some great beautiful models /dancers with Lars and then we will begin the shoot a day or so later.
I have just finished photographing a campaign, with various celebs, in support of saving baby pigs from factory farming. Jeremy Irons Vivian Westwood, Dominic West, Helen McCrory and many more have offered themselves for the project and some of the images accompany this interview. I am also working on my next book between shoots “”Rock &Fashion ARROWSMITH” should be out in October 2016,
 
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JF: What was the best advice you ever received and from who and why do you think it was so valuable?
CA: I never received any advice, really, from any other photographers as I was never an assistant; I was a painter that became a photographer. I did meet Irving Penn in London at the Vogue studios when Mr. Penn was doing his flower book. This was our brief exchange  as I said to him with great reverence “thank for your work,” he smiled, then said passing me 10x8 film slide back “hold this,” he then took it from me and loaded his camera and said “thank you.” Just as I was the leaving small studio, still star struck, he turned to me and said” Remember you are just an eye.” I thanked Mr. Penn and left feeling elated.
The only other time was when my muse, Ann Schaufuss, was working with Helmut Newton, he asked her “What does Clive think about photography, she replied “Clive thinks photography is ninety nine percent rubbish” and Helmut laughed and said “Tell Clive he is being very optimistic”
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JF: What is your advice to any up and coming photographers as well to those who have already begun?
CA: My best advice is to live for your work and devote yourself to it.  You will know when the magnificent obsession takes hold and you will start to see glimpses of the final image in your mind thus propelling you forward. The camera is only a copying device so you must to be sure that the photograph you are about to “record” is captivating in every aspect before you begin the dance of capturing it; look at the light falling on your subject, the chiaroscuro, look into the shadows and then as you work the photograph will start to reveal its secret to you.
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