james long menswear spring summer 2015

October 29, 2014 by Sara Radin in runway

inspired by sportswear + youth culture, james long designed striped and color blocked athleisure + denim for his spring/summer 2015 menswear collection. the very cool getup has a definite street/punk vibe. and with primary colored patchwork, each piece looks like a work of contemporary art. as james long put it: "for me, it's more than just sportswear, it's fashion. it's what i wear."

* images via vogue uk // check out james long's website here *

mood // raw denim

October 28, 2014 by Sara Radin in mood

really into raw/dry denim lately -- loving solid/unwashed jumpsuits + oversized denim jackets in deep navy hues // styling idea: swapping out skinny jeans for classic levi's 501s from the men's section and pairing them with everything navy.

small talk // jonah leslie // shop owner of ibiki montreal

October 24, 2014 by Sara Radin in small talk

* on a recent trip to montreal, i discovered a neat avant-garde concept shop called ibiki *

owned by artistic director jonah leslie, ibiki is located on boulevard saint-laurent in the heart of montreal and features internationally designed, hand-curated apparel, accessories, books and magazines //

about jonah leslie: while jonah has lived in montreal his entire life, he's been traveling globally since a young age. the son of two contemporary dancers, he often went on tour with his dad to the united states and europe. after college he dabbled in dj'ing and promoting/hosting parties. he saved up some money and took trips to brasil and asia. in asia, he visited bangkok, tokyo and hong kong. there, he found the market culture very inspiring and collected cool product he bought on the streets and through out his travels. he sold his collected treasures out of a friend's shop in montreal and in 2006, jonah opened his own store, old gold boutique. old gold was a space where imagination and creativity ruled supreme. to trigger people's curiosity, the shop was devoid of any outside signage and the window displays showed elaborate, wacky surrealist art created by jonah himself. they were totally unrelated to the product in the shop. many objects in the store weren't actually for sale and the merch was constantly re-arranged in whimsical ways. the store had an online presence and served as a place for creativity, showing videos, dj mixes and photoshoots by jonah and his friends. old gold was part counter-culture retail and part art project. when his lease was up, he found a larger space which is now the home of present day ibiki...

cultureisland: tell us more about ibiki. what is the concept?

jonah leslie: ibiki is basically a modern day imports shop with a focus on apparel, accessories, publications and apothecary. the flavour gravitates towards scandinavian and north asian design. reasons being the climate of those areas are similar to ours and therefore the products apply in a practical sense to the lifestyle of montrealers. and also i like the pared down design sensibility which both these regions share.

cultureisland: what kind of products and brands do you feature in the store?

jonah leslie: some brands include our legacy, won hundred, hope, filippa k, cheap monday, saturdays, minimarket, ymc, porter, sisii japan, black crane, new balance and more. another important feature of the shop is the inauguration of a small homewares section with companies such as: maison martin margiela objects, areaware, l'atelier d'exercise, seletti, and normann copenhagen, as well as both a book and magazine section. the publications consist of art and design subjects which correspond to the aesthetics and philosophies of the shop: architecture, photography, painting, fine arts, industrial design, graphic design, dance and many other subcategories by publishers like moma, lars muller, and schrimer/mosel to name a few. magazines include: apartamento, acne paper, alpine review, bad day, Bauhaus, elephant, pin-up, encens, domus, tunica, day job, Saturdays, monoculture, printed pages and many more.

cultureisland: what does ibiki stand for?

jonah leslie: it is a name which transcends language, and deliberately has no inceptive meaning, no psychological association, leaving room for the brand's visual image, recognizable graphic to be the main connection to the word. an entity that speaks of perpetual creativity and of the overall philosophy of the creative rule, which has always been the underlying drive for this business.

cultureisland: where do you find inspiration?

jonah leslie: in fine arts, astronomy, nature, people, architecture, dance.

cultureisland: where are your favorite places to see art in montreal?

jonah leslie: the mac, dhc, gallery antoine ertaskiran amongst other places.

cultureisland: what kind of music are you listening to right now?

jonah leslie: loving this mix by din daa daa on redlight radio lately.

* check out ibiki's website here + be sure to visit next time you're in montreal // 4357 boulevard saint-laurent, montreal, qc, canada *

color palette // autumn auburn

October 23, 2014 by Sara Radin in color palette

currently crushing on the these rich, warm auburn hues for fall including golden rod, tangerine, sienna brown, chestnut and mahogany // styling idea: white and red worn under auburn outer pieces.

* items are shoppable now @ topshop *

// images via www.field-of-gray.com

runway // misspelling by deola x clan // rtw spring summer 2015

October 22, 2014 by Sara Radin in runway

this past spring/summer 2015 NYFW, nigerian haute couture designer deola sagoe teamed up with her daughters teni, tiwa and aba sagoe, who run contemporary fashion label, clan. their cool collaboration emphasized the mix of minimal sporty silhouettes made in elevated fabrics, showing a true amalgam of clan and deola's diverse ideologies. their designs also utilized clever wordplay with misspelled versions of casual, carefree, laidback and relax. a fresh, fun/ny take on luxury sportswear.

more about their collaboration here //

editorials // raf simons x sterling ruby fall winter 2014

October 21, 2014 by Sara Radin in editorial

raf simons x ruby sterling editorial // shot by julia noni // styled by tobias frericks // gq germany fall 2014 — raf simons x ruby sterling editorial // shot by julia noni // styled by tobias frericks // gq germany fall 2014

raf simons collaborated with contemporary artist sterling ruby on his fall winter 2014 menswear collection and it's quite cool // according to ssense: "it was inspired by their shared teenage obsessions and passion for counterculture. ruby's visual signatures of bleach splatter's, text art and collaged textiles complement simons' precisely rendered utilitarian staples: parkas, bomber jackets, grunge knits and essential sneakers."

fashion by raf simons // shop it now @ ssense // see more of sterling ruby's work here

raf simons x ruby sterling editorial // shot by ben toms // styled by robbie spencer // dazed & confused magazine spring/summer 2014 issue — raf simons x ruby sterling editorial // shot by ben toms // styled by robbie spencer // dazed & confused magazine spring/summer 2014 issue

small talk // artist tipi thieves

October 17, 2014 by Sara Radin in small talk

anna wintour // tipi thieves // ink + watercolor on heavy paper 15" x 20"

* my pal * felipe merida, or tipi thieves, is a brooklyn based visual artist, illustrator and graphic designer. he was born in guatemala and moved to san francisco as a teen. since his english wasn't very good, academic subjects were tough and felipe barely finished high school. however, his creative passion landed him a fine arts scholarship at the san francisco art institute. after a year of struggling with the conceptual/analytical aspect of the program, felipe transferred to sheridan college in toronto, canada to study illustration. after graduating, he found a job in the fashion industry working as a graphic designer. his career took him all over the u.s. and introduced him to inspiring people in the industry.

felipe merida now lives in brooklyn with his wife, renata, and baby boy emilio. in december 2011, he exhibited his first solo show tipi thieves at ed. varie gallery in the east village. a year later he hosted his first pop up show polar at open house gallery on the bowery. in august 2013, felipe exhibited a series of monochrome portraits of hasidic jewish families. that same year, he was also part of a group show at paul loya gallery in los angeles. in 2014, felipe exhibited rappers at the converse new york design office. this past summer, he hosted his third pop up show called thank you, which included watercolor paintings of iconic plastic bags found in brooklyn + manhattan. this post features felipe merida's collection of illustrations entitled after hours, presenting portraits of iconic people in the fashion industry.

grace coddington // tipi thieves // ink + watercolor on heavy paper 15" x 20"

cultureisland: tell us more about tipi thieves and after hours.

felipe merida: tipi thieves is me as an artist. having a background in graphic design, i created an identity for my personal work. a logo that could be recognized as my signature and associated with my art. tipi thieves stands for originality that depicts our cultural surroundings. the new collection after hours is a study of individuals. the title is literal and very personal. i race home [after work] to draw my next subject - it's exciting for me and a form of meditation, a release from my day job. i wanted the format to be consistent, a single person placed centrally on a white page, with no foreground, background or shadow. i don't want any distractions around the subject. fashion is the field i work in and i love to illustrate clothing, suggest folds and fabrics through my mediums and focus on details like shoe laces and buttons. i try to capture the polished vs. the worn in... the subjects themselves are people i admire, or have an interest in. they are successful, smart + have an individual sense of style i want to capture.

mister mort // tipi thieves // ink + watercolor on heavy paper 15" x 20" — mister mort // tipi thieves // ink + watercolor on heavy paper 15" x 20"

cultureisland: what is your artistic process?

felipe merida: my obsessive eye is always searching for an image that will become the basis of my next drawing. i start with an outline sketch, already with a vision of the finished piece. my illustrations are built up of layers, detailed labored areas sit next to expressive ink washes. i improvise throughout - making decisions intuitively. my goal is to capture the essence, personality and spontaneity of the image - without feeling staged.

willy chavarria // tipi thieves // ink + watercolor on heavy paper 15" x 20"

cultureisland: where do you find inspiration?

felipe merida: culture, art, films, blogs, music, fashion, the city, my daily routine.

hiroki nakamura // tipi thieves // ink + watercolor on heavy paper 15" x 20"

cultureisland: who are your favorite artists?

felipe merida: francis bacon, raymond pettibon, jonas wood, toyin odutola and brendan donnelly.

michael gerner // tipi thieves // ink + watercolor on heavy paper 15" x 20"

cultureisland: what's your favorite place to see art in nyc?

the guggenheim, chelsea art galleries and book stores - around the world, there's one in chelsea that i cannot remember, they have really cool magazines & zines.

ralph lauren // tipi thieves // ink + watercolor on heavy paper 15" x 20" — ralph lauren // tipi thieves // ink + watercolor on heavy paper 15" x 20"

cultureisland: what are you listening to right now?

felipe merida: keep your face radical monthly mix by tyson schenk. vince staples. sadgirl. bangers on XXLMAG.com.

* illustrations are by tipi thieves // felipe merida // check out more of his work here, like him on facebook here and follow him on instagram here *

compare + contrast // blue + white wears

October 16, 2014 by Sara Radin in comparecontrast

blue + white wears // cultureisland 2014

compare + contrast: taking inspiration from ancient chinese blue + white porcelain as well as dutch delft pottery from the middle ages, valentino's fall 2013 collection (middle + bottom images) + undercover's fall 2014 collection (top left) have made what once was fragile and antiquated, modern and wearable.

* art details // portrait painting by kris knight (middle left), 2013 + fragile flow blue photograph by kim joon (upper right corner), 2010*

art exhibit // the shapes project: perfect couples by allan mccollum

October 15, 2014 by Sara Radin in art exhibit

Allan McCollum // The Shapes Project: Collection of Twenty-four Perfect Couples // 2005 - 2014Acrylic with varnish on New England Rock Maple with cradled basswood panelsEach panel size: 10 x 10 inches; 25.4 x 25.4 cm — Allan McCollum // The Shapes Project: Collection of Twenty-four Perfect Couples // 2005 - 2014
Acrylic with varnish on New England Rock Maple with cradled basswood panels
Each panel size: 10 x 10 inches; 25.4 x 25.4 cm

to put it simply, allan mccollum's recent exhibit at petzel gallery in chelsea, new york was colorful + abstract. "perfect couples" featured over 30 billion unique shapes meant to represent every person in the world. while the shapes were paired together due to their similarity in form and color, the work is a beautiful representation of unique human relationships. some 280 custom colors were used, ranging from darks to brights to pastels. "perfect couples" was a compelling installation that just gave off organic energy. and as my friend rebecca stated candidly, "there's a thing behind it that causes you to think." indeed it did that.

for a saturday in september, the gallery was surprisingly empty but that made for the best viewing (and instagramming) experience. one very important person happen to make an appearance, allan mccollum himself! i thought we had asked a stranger to snap our pic in front of the art, little did we know it was the actual artist. and though the instagram turned out blurry, it was certainly a cool happening. i then (stalked) picked mccollum's brain about his work. he was approachable and honest as he explained his color usage and process. i briefly explained my own vocation and mccollum suggested i listen to terry allen's song "pink and black is coming back" from the 1950s. an appropriate recommendation, since pink is really back and black... well, it's always in. especially in new york.

* images via petzel gallery // more about allan mccollum's work here *

color palette // red + purple hues

October 14, 2014 by Sara Radin in color palette

loving the range of reds + purples out this fall season including rust, raspberry, eggplant and wine. they feel super saturated and rich // styling idea: monochromatic looks that mix one shade of the same color or multiple shades of the same color.

* items are shoppable now @ topshop *

campaign // carven menswear fall winter 2014

October 10, 2014 by Sara Radin in campaign

the fall/winter 2014 carven campaign resembles the work of surrealist/dada artist, man ray. it was shot by fashion photographer viviane sassen, whose photographs are similarly surreal and ambiguous.

more about sassen from dazed digital: "for seventeen years, viviane sassen has been challenging the intersection between fashion and art. her hyper-vibrant, ambiguous photographs question what constitutes a fashion image and vice versa what constitutes one classed as artful. subjects often materialise as mysterious shapes and figures formed by the human silhouette, hybrid shadows and clothing brought to life by flurries of dislocating movement."

color palette // falling for neutrals

October 09, 2014 by Sara Radin in color palette

all about the fall feelings and neutrals these days. milky whites mixed with shades of camel, light rust and blush // styling idea: head-to-toe neutrals with a mix of sheer and shiny garments paired with heavier/bulkier knits and wools.

* items are shoppable now @ topshop *

compare + contrast // digital geology

October 08, 2014 by Sara Radin in comparecontrast

digital geology // cultureisland 2014 // acne studios mens fall 2014 x seamless pattern design by bethan laura wood 2010

while jonny johansson, creative director and co-founder of acne studios, called his fall 2014 men's concept "winter beach," designer bethan laura wood was inspired by the contrast of authentic and fake marble from venice, italy. both combine rock-inspired print, color and texture that feels hyper-real.

* acne products are shoppable now on the acne studios website // check out more of product designer bethan laura wood's work here *

small talk // fashion designer max gengos

October 07, 2014 by Sara Radin in small talk

* my friend * max gengos is a 24 year old fashion designer with a namesake fashion label based in new york city. he is currently showing his second ready-to-wear collection for spring 2015, entitled “arctic spring." gengos began his line with a made-to-measure business, dressing clients for red carpets and premieres, and then quickly expanded to ready-to-wear. committed to the concept of “responsible luxury” max works only with the best and most responsible vendors. the line sources its fabrics from italy, france and the united states, and produces its garments in high-end new york factories. after cutting his teeth as an intern at derek lam, anna sui, and marc jacobs (in high school nonetheless,) the cornell grad worked as a designer at calvin klein, where he quickly learned the ins and outs of the new york fashion industry from one of its biggest players before going out on his own at the end of 2013.

cultureisland: tell us more about "arctic spring."

max gengos: “arctic spring” is the concept from which i designed my line for spring 2015. i found myself really drawn to imagery of glaciers, snow banks, and ice and i fell in love with the colors and forms they created. my spring color palette was built upon deep-sea navy, the bright blues of melting ice, reflective snow whites, and the soft greys of the arctic sky. i built my silhouettes around the soft curves i saw when glaciers meet the ocean, and the clean, sharp, and sleek look of ice. i also love the idea of being inspired by something that is “so not spring.” there is nothing further from spring than permafrost.

cultureisland: what is the aesthetic of the max gengos line?

max gengos: the max gengos aesthetic is sleek and strong, with a touch of futurism and femininity. a signature element of my line is wrapping “incision” style seams that travel around the body, creating form-flattering and sexy silhouettes. i am heavily inspired by the marriage of space and futurism with the golden age of couture, which is echoed in the juxtaposition between clean, futuristic silhouettes with luxe natural materials like silks and wools, or more traditional feminine silhouettes in super sleek fabrics.

cultureisland: what are your favorite pieces from this collection + why?

max gengos: it’s so hard to pick which are my favorite pieces. i will say the atria dress (the white strapless dress with blue side panels) is a really special piece. there is a lot of attention to interior architecture and details in that dress. another piece that i love is my navi crop top. i did this style in two different fabrics, a navy shimmer spring tweed, and an ice blue techno-quilted cotton nylon. the style is less like a top and more like a backward sleeveless jacket—i gave so much attention to the interior linings and facings-it would probably look just as nice if you wore it inside out!

cultureisland: what inspires you most?

max gengos: i always find myself gravitating toward science and nature. i think that there is such a limitless amount of inspiration from the natural world—from a microscopic scale to satellite images taken from miles away. i love space in particular. all of my pieces are named after stars and constellations.

cultureisland: what are you listening to right now?

max gengos: i’m pretty into banks right now. i think her music is really sexy and soulful, and i love her look. and it’s a bit of a throwback but i’ve also been listening to the killers a lot lately. i love the stories they tell with their music.

digital collages // cultureisland

rtw + inspiration images from max gengos spring 2015 collection // photographs by christian lipinski // hair + makeup by emily cheng // model alyona shishmareva from q models

follow max gengos // instagram // twitter // facebook

finally launching!

October 07, 2014 by Sara Radin

cultureisland is my new virtual and visual adventure, which explores the relationship between art + fashion through collected and collaged imagery. it is a collection of visual happenings that inspire me -- and i hope they will inspire you too!

* visit cultureisland for a visual vacation *