A Garden in my Mind

An invite to the Moschino Cheap and Chic fashion show, 'Falling Garden'//San Staë church on the Canale Grande//50th Biennial of Venice, 2003 by Gerda Steiner & Jorg Lenzlinger

You could say that this reflects my state of mind right now- wonder, jubilation, gratification, and the sense that a field of opportunities is awaiting me. This artificially-created aerial garden, a site-specific work of art, is so impressive and inspiring. Coupled with the beautiful classical setting, it reminds me of the famed but now-defunct Hanging Gardens of Babylon. What a treat for the eyes.

Rick Owens- Modern Master

After the disappointment of Balenciaga, Nina Ricci and Balmain, I'm delighted to find myself in love with the Rick Owens fall collection! The subtle palette of blacks, greys, whites and milky-blues removes unneccesary distraction, drawing the eye to the impeccable tailoring and texture of the pieces. It's so hard to explain what it is that Rick Owens does, but it's certain that he has a distinctive vision and aesthetic that transcends trends, especially the weird '80s vibe going on in so many collections (I'm sick of seeing padded/poofed/oversized/structured shoulders). The last photo is especially impactful as it seems to make a statement about his direction after this. As long as he stays true to himself, while being innovative, I'm happy. Well, maybe after getting one of his gorgeous leather jackets for myself.

Temple of the Soul

Clockwise: a print (left) the origins of which I've forgotten, an inspiring photo (right) from Jane's blog, display of silver shoes at the Maison Martin Margiela store (middle), Maison Martin Margiela fashion show invite (bottom)

This is a somewhat abstract combination of images that I think are all connected to the idea of worship. The first image reminds me of a Greek goddess; an embodiment of beauty and perfection. The cave-like structure in the second image has a certain primitive quality that brings to mind the fundamental simplicity of human faith. The varied shoe designs in the same colour shows how we worship our own creations, sometimes even becoming a slave to them. Finally, the last image resembles an collection of personal memorabilia- one's own mini temple to sooth the soul. Other than subject matter, the images share a serene mood and a muted palette. Visually, the manfactured shoes contrast with the organic forms in the other images.

Missoni's Knits

Bear with me as this becomes a fashion-centric blog because of fashion week. This season's Missoni collection features lovely knits layered in an almost nonchalant way. Models with flowing long hair stream down the runway like carefree nomads. Of course, much thought goes into assembling the individual looks, each becoming a unique, sublime mixture of patterns, textures and colours. The layered gold chains add polish and gracefully accentuate the movement of the pieces as well. It is so inspiring to see the detail shots of each outfit. A nice departure from what I usually expect of Missoni.

Foreign Places

Clockwise: Islamic paintings from the Ottoman and Safavid Dynasty (top), vintage graphic posters (middle left), a tattered cover of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (middle right), Rain, Steam and Speed by English painter John Turner.

Since I've accumulated a number of random pictures, I thought I'd do a new type of post in which I juxtapose different images with a common thread. The connection may be in the subject matter, mood, or it may be merely visual. I may even place completely unrelated or clashing images together, depending on my whims. I will then write a little about the images I've posted.

For this post, 'Foreign Places' is the theme as I try to evoke the feeling of being in a new place- the exhilaration, exoticism, and nervous tension. I find Islamic art, with its intricate geometric and organic patterns, exquisitely beautiful and exotic. Its fine lines contrast with the bolder style and saturated colours of the vintage posters shown.

I like the look of well-worn books like this copy of The Great Gatsby. I've never read it before, but the cover gives me a slight feeling of nervousness because of the blinding lights and looming face. It reminds me a little of Salvador Dali's Surrealist works, with the disembodied limbs dangling high in the air.

The blurriness of Turner's work really conveys the impression of high-speed motion and the excitement of racing to a certain destination. Forms and colours blend wonderfully together. The painting is so stunning in person as its impasto gives it richness in depth and texture. I saw it at the National Gallery in London.

I'm in a terrible mood today. Keeping a blog is a strange thing. It's supposed to be an avenue for me to express my thoughts and feelings, but I don't feel like blogging at times of heightened emotion like now.

I'm glad that something that's been weighing me down, keeping me from focusing on things I want to do, will finally be lifted from me this Friday. But the thought of what happens after that scares me even more, if that's possible. I shouldn't be so afraid, as I've gained acceptance into one of the schools of my choice. But even that is a worry to me, as I'm scratching my head trying to figure out how to gain the financial resources for attending school in Los Angeles. I'm still crossing my fingers and PRAYING, PRAYING that other schools accept me too.

I believe that I have a gift for adding beauty to the world. Lately, though, I haven't been able to fully develop my potential because many other concerns are occupying my mind. Hopefully it'll improve in the days to come. For the time being, let others' creations take center stage on this blog.

Here are the detail shots of accessories for the Marni collection:

I'm just amazed at the incredible beauty of this collection. To be able to see the textures up close would be a dream. I dearly want to watch a fashion show by one of my favourite designers. That, and witness an art auction, like the recently-concluded Yves Saint Laurent auction.

Marni hits the right note

This is my absolute favourite fall collection so far! The prints, colours and textures are perfectly blended to produce a fabulous and quintessentially Marni collection. How cute are the accessories? Marni always has great accessories- shoes, bags, jewellery, and now I must add tights and sunglasses to the list. Those coloured bug-like sunglasses are so rad. I must stop my gushing. Why must it be eternally summer here and never cold?