Art & Fashion

Decorative Compositions

2009-05-18T21:10:00.009+03:00

Next week I will be participating in a national contest hold by the popular art school from my city and I decided to share my artworks that will go in . All of them focus on the decorative theme , lots of colors, but each representing them in a different way. For example, the first one is called "Porcelain"(pastels on paper), because it is mainly inspired from the traditionally decorated pots on which I also added some personal details such as small flowers and circles of colors or light.

The second one is called "Break"(Pastels on paper) , because it shows some colorful horizontal lines, and the whole composition is broken in three parts by three unsymmetrical spots colored in the same style . I admit this is an interesting exercise to analyze the optic illusions that the colors can create and to make a nice contrast by putting strong colors next to soft ones or warm colors next to cold ones.
The last one is a decorative portrait (pastel on paper), it is nothing special, just an exercise to fit the other painting. Anyway, these are by far my favorite artworks , these are just some things I have done at school and created with the purpose of sending them to this contest.

PS. I learned my lesson from last years. I will never sent my best paintings again to a contest like this because they wont give them back to me , even if I asked this from the beginning, because ... guess what ? they keep them in the storage room (yeah right, they keep them to give them as present whenever they don't have money or anything else to offer,or to take the frame when another contest comes up....Totally disgusting !!!) but ..oh yeah , this is the society we live in and it seems we have to endure because how hard I try, nobody seems to take me into consideration or even listen !

Jean Paul Gautier Spring/Summer 2009

2009-05-06T17:18:00.004+03:00

Most of all, this fashion show impressed me by its artistic beauty , this was all about art in its pure form . A group of modern dancers opened the act; dressed like some fierce animals from jungle, they set up a rather dangerous and violent atmosphere, announcing a controversial collection. With this show, Jean Paul Gautier demonstrates once again his artistic talent, creating a truly entertaining show, not just an ordinary presentation of his clothes.
I would like to present this collection by evoking the motifs, that it my opinion were approached. First of all the pair: good girl- bad girl is emblematic as Gautier is a fine artist in combining the right elements : sexy pieces with conservative ones. The suspenders are a totally courageous intention and it really worked out well, it is stylish yet modern and chic. Have you ever imagined that the 80s will resurrect like this ? Big belts, loose tops , it is all about 80s and their rebellious look which we all like but never imagine that anybody will wear that again .
Furthermore, I must say I really like the colors , warm but not extravagant, except few pieces. I never thought I am going to say this but I really love orange in combination with other summer colors such as beige,red or even brown and others , it looks awesome ! This year it is all about soft in contrast with extravagant colors, it kinda reminds me of the colors from the 50s photos .
Another thing that I would like to mention are the long tights which can look very good in that particular combination , feminine yet tough. It shows all the curves that a woman must be proud of , yet it gives the impression that a woman can still be powerful and in control of the situation . As, in the second part of show, it is presented a more elegant style, using mostly monochrome colors such as black and white with a bit of boyish touches, nevertheless keeping the fluid shape of the female body. The suits have as a central element the V shape, maybe inspired from the architecture of the cathedrals, which makes the neck look longer and the body more elegant.
And, in addition I must admit that I love the loose style of the dresses, they look comfortable and so light as if they were only wearing a piece of veil which can easily fly in the wind. It reminds of me of the seaside and all the relaxed and detached attitude of everybody walking on the shore.
In conclusion, this is a very diverse collection which brings something to fit almost on everybody`s taste. I can`t say it is his best collection but it surely is a nice one with some pieces that every woman dreams about.

More Lolita styles

2009-04-23T11:11:00.011+03:00

I am very glad to announce that many people seemed interested in my other posts about Lolita fashion so I decided to continue and describe the other styles as well . Hope you all enjoy it ^^ !
I admit I am fascinated by this Japanese trend so it is a real pleasure for me to talk about it here. I am aware that not many people know about this special outfits and if you have any questions don't be afraid to ask me or if I am wrong somewhere feel free to correct me.
In my earlier post I discussed the well known Gothic Lolita along with the cute Sweet Lolita, the royal Hime Lolita, the complementary pair Shiro and Kuro Lolita and last but not least Classic Lolita. Today I will mention Punk Lolita, Guro Lolita, Ero Lolita and Kodona.

Punk Lolita
In my opinion Punk Lolita is one of the most interesting styles because it combines 2 different images : being cute but looking tough and rebel as an western punk. In addition, it is also the most difficult outfit to achieve because it requires a good sense of combining pieces and colors in order to look well together or a vast knowledge about fashion.
Punk Lolita is not that different from the other styles, keeping the bell shaped skirt but excluding the bows and swirls from Sweet Lolita. The fabric and accessories are the most important, for example a good choice are the deconstructed fabrics and fishnets, but also the chains and studs. This outfit also includes the girly type skirts shorter or knee length, which can be bell shaped or not, as long as it isn't skin tight.

Guro Lolita
Guro Lolita or the broken doll as I like to call it, is meant to bring back to life those anime scenes when sweet girls fight horrible monsters and afterwards they are all dirty with blood and full of scratches, but they still look cute. This outfit can be achieved with bandages, or some blood splatters on your clothing, but not overdoing it. In my opinion the best will be to choose a white dress if you want to achieve the maximal impact. Apart from that , the make up depends on your imagination, you can always add new "injuries" or "wounds" to your outfit.

Ero Lolita
This style is very controversial due to the fact that the name "Erotic Lolita" may make people get the wrong idea out of it. This is not about being naked or showing as much skin as you can but rather being more mature and leaving behind most of the girly accessories. Furthermore, it also includes fetish elements such as tight corsets, leather, collars and fishnet stockings with extremely high heels which cannot be worn with any other Lolita style. Skirts might be a bit shorter that the other Lolitas . And the make up should stay in the same tone, a bit more elaborated and mature.

Kodona
Kodona or Ouji (prince), how they call it in Japan , represents an outfit with strong boyish influences, which can be worn both by boys and girls. However, this style has a lot of feminine touches such as platform shoes and accessories and it is mostly adopted by girls. One particular piece for this style are the "prince pants" , which are capri-style pants, usually cut off at the knee and adorned with some details (for example lace-edged cuffs). Furthermore, suspenders, ties, bowties, long socks that cover the leg make this extravagant look complete. The hair is usually kept short and those with long hair tend to wear it in a tail and hide it under a hat.

New Portrait

2009-04-21T21:59:00.008+03:00

I remember that a month ago I was browsing a magazine in search of inspiration and I found an interesting commercial. It showed the face of a beautiful girl holding a necklace with flowers, and I found it suitable for my mood and my inner desire for spring. I decided to draw a sketch and immortalize my ideas on paper. Anyway, that was just the starting point of the whole composition. I drew the face lines softly as I saw in that magazine but I decided to make it more personal. As I have an obsession with green eyes, maybe because I, myself have bright green eyes, I happen to like them at other people too, haha, so I draw some big green eyes and applied a strong make up , extremely long eye lashes, dark shadow which gives the impression of a perfect shape. I wanted to create something beautiful, as I see it not what other people want us to believe.

Furthermore, I wanted to bring everything to life by adding a bit of color. And what comes next? Red, of course, an immortal color, always fashionable, chic, feminine, mysterious. Everything that i like , no wonder is my favorite color . Red lips look so appealing , and will always be the superlative of everything that is feminine and beautiful so this detail cant be missed. Red will also be found at the Victorian style hat she is wearing combined with other shades of pink and orange.
But, apart from all these elements I wanted to picture my mood from that particular day : waiting and begging for the spring to come and the rain to stop. So the girl has a special facial expression, she is asking something, as I was. Holding thin flowers in her hands, she shows them to a powerful somebody to who she is praying. Will her prayer be listened? Let`s wait and see ...
I know that the quality of the picture is not very good but I hope the drawing is visible enough. This is only a sketch and i want to continue it ...someday when I will be in the right mood .

Nudes and Pastels

2009-04-07T22:31:00.011+03:00

This spring seems to bring a natural , comfortable and fluid look which reminds of gardens with trees in blossom and the soft rays of sun which find their way through your window every morning.
Wearing dresses in tones of beige, soft pink, aqua blue or white , you would look like a new born princess ready for a walk on the warm sand of the shore . So are you ready to welcome spring into your life and let the sun warm your heart ...and your wardrobe?

Dior ->

This outfits make me think about the ethereal spring, accompanied by a song of birds flying in circles. And the perfect accessory would be a crown of flowers in your hair . This is an absolute reborn of nature and after getting sick of wearing the heavy winter shades like black or grey , you need to shine and be part of nature, body and soul.
What better way to bring some light and optimism to your life than surrounding yourself with bight colors ?

<- Dolce & Gabbana

Lolita Fashion

2009-03-15T17:48:00.014+02:00

Starting as a street wear in Japan mainly inspired by the clothing and styles of the Rococo and Victorian periods, Lolita fashion has now grown as an universally recognized trend. There are no specific rules to follow in order to be a true Lolita but the elemental ideas are to be elegant, feminine yet cute in the same time .
Now Lolita fashion is not only a fashion movement but it can also be referred to as an entire culture and some people see it as a very precious hobby (and quite an expensive one if you plan on obtaining only high quality products).
However there are so many Lolita styles that it offers everybody an opportunity , and here i am gonna present some of them :

Gothic Lolita
"A Gothic Lolita outfit like all Lolita styles, is very modest in today's standards. As with other Lolita styles a Gothic Lolita outfit can usually be recognised by the bell-shaped skirt, and puff-sleeves. A Gothic Lolita outfit is usually comprised of black or rich dark colors such as burgundy, purple and navy. It is common for this style to involve details in complementary or contrasting colors, such as the infamous black and white coordination choice."

Sweet Lolita
This can be seen as the most extravagant style of Lolita and it is all about being cute . The dresses are adorned with a lot of lace , ruffles and many bows. This is also the most child like kind of Lolita. The dominant colors are pink, white, light blue , it is usually consisted of light pastel colors . The patterns have often printed strawberries, candies, cakes, flowers, polka dots or hearts.

Hime Lolita

This style is also known as the "Princess Lolita" and it often involves miniature crowns, tiaras with extravagant hair and accessories altogether with a suitable dress . The key to this style is to look as if you are royalty , but not vulgar, so a natural make up is the perfect choice along with pearls, roses and bows that look classy but fir this style very well.

Shiro Lolita
Also called "White Lolita" it consists of a Lolita outfit made entirely of white/cream/off-white co-ordinates. Shiro Lolitas often pair themselves with Kuro Lolitas in twin outfits to create an interesting contrast. Shiro Lolita can be taken from any style of lolita, whether it be Gothic, Sweet or Classic, if the co-ordination is completely white then it is accepted as Shiro Lolita.

Kuro Lolita
Kuro Lolita, or 'Black Lolita,' like, Shiro Lolitaais an outfit made-up of co-ordinates of one colour, in this case; black.

Classic Lolita
Unlike Sweet Lolita that is about looking cute, Classic Lolita is about looking classy, and harks back to Lolita fashion's roots in Victorian fashion, taking inspiration from the floral patterns, and the sense of elegance of the era; bold colors aren't normally found in Classic Lolita clothing.

Wa Lolita
Easily recognised by the Kimono styled outfits, this particular lolita is very differrent from the others.Wa Lolita involves long 'sode' or, sleeves, and 'obi' or sashes that are taken from Kimono/yukata outfits, and fused with the bell-shaped skirt of lolita. Wa Lolita fabrics are often very extravagant like most Kimono fabrics, involving detailed flower prints, and cranes.

Fashion and ... Anime

2009-02-17T20:56:00.011+02:00

Paradise Kiss (part3)

Characters :

Miwako Sakurada

She is a student at Yazagaku and works together with George and other 2 fashion students at their own brand, Paradise Kiss. She tends to act in a childish way , wearing her Lolita dress and using her unique vocabulary (she was the one that named Yukari, Caroline just because that name suited her) . However she is extremely cute and sweet .

Arashi Nagase

He is another fashion student that takes part in the Paradise Kiss project. He is unique in his taste of punk style, the many piercings he adorns his body with and his love for alternative music. He has been knowing Miwako since childhood and he has been her boyfriend since they started high school. Although he appears to be quite tough, cynical and sometimes with an abrasive personality, he deeply cares for those around him , being the voice of reason whenever the members of Paradise Kiss have a conflict to solve .

Daisuke "Isabella" Yamamoto

Issabella represents the mother figure to the members of Paradise Kiss. This tall Yazagaku student is a childhood friend of George and was even the first one to inspire George in creating his first dress. Since then, she usually wears every piece of clothing George finishes. She truly epitomizes class, beauty, glamour and high femininity with her special style. She often gives advice to Yukari when she has trouble in her relationship with George or about quitting school and starting a profession as a model. Anyway, this character hides under the glamourous dresses an impressive secret , she is actually a crossdresser , and she is deeply insulted when somebody calls her by her birth name, "Daisuke" .

Fashion and ... Anime

2009-02-16T22:13:00.010+02:00

Paradise Kiss (part 2)

Characters :

Yukari "Caroline" Hayasaka

She appears as a school girl with a monotonous and boring life, forced to study for her exams all day long and always listen to her strict mother. However, after meeting the ParaKiss crew she changes completely and starts thinking what she really wants to do with her life by doing her first steps alone . She decides she wants to be a professional model once the students revealed her qualities as a model . But her relationship with George, quite uneasy at times , makes her reflect on her personality and it starts the complex process of her self-discovery. While he is pointing out all her flaws, she realises how miserable her life was until then and is keen on experimenting more.

George Koizum

George is an eccentric, handsome , and an extremely charismatic student who has extraordinary talent for fashion design , especially haute couture . He always has impressive yet extravagant ideas which unfortunately doesn't appeal to everybody , that`s why he is not meant to be a prêt-à-porter designer. Although he doesn't show it, he cares a lot for Yukari and wants her to become an independent woman, who takes responsibility for her own mistakes. He claims he is bisexual or "an equal opportunity lover" , and he is strikingly similar to Brian Slade from Velvet Goldmine. Moreover, George also comes as cold , distant and manipulative , "he is not the man to make a woman happy" . He has a top-notch lifestyle, living in a loft apartment and driving a vintage Jaguar .

Fashion and ... Anime

2009-02-16T21:10:00.008+02:00

Paradise Kiss

Nobody ever thought that an anime about fashion would become so popular and appealing to a world wide public. Tagged at a first sight as a girl anime , Paradise Kiss is more than this, it is offering something different than all the violence stuffed anime that everybody was used to .

First of all, what deeply impressed me was the possible plot, the feeling that it could happen to me, to you, to your neighbour, your friend. It looks so real, it is not far-fetched, neither treacly ..it is just how things really happen in life. We all know that the path of succes, especially in the fashion domain, is not that easy. And that is what this series want to show, that high fashion is not a mass-production industry, instead it is art and above all a lifestyle. Once you enter into this world, you are captured and you will always be its prisoner no matter how much you try to escape. It becomes part of you .

Paradise Kiss is based on a 5 volume manga series by internationally acclaimed artist Ai Yazawa. It actually features some excellent fashion designs by 'A/T' (Atsuro Tayama). It's a rather interesting concept to have a real fashion designer creating for an anime.

The story starts how a group of four students from the Yazawa School of Design, who have their own company named Paradise Kiss, are looking for a model to wear their dress at a contest . Yukari seems to be the perfect one ,although at first she just looks as a simple school girl who doesn't expect important trepidations in her life . However their determination convinces her and they all start an adventure of love, passion, artistic challenges and characters` evolution .

And, in addition, a song from Franz Ferdinand features at the end of every one of its 12 episodes, which makes it even better .

Japanese Fashion

2009-02-11T14:44:00.004+02:00

Anime Resurrected h. NAOTO S/S 2009

One surprising element of his creations is, in my opinion, that h. NAOTO is able to put together in one collection, the dark side of clothing with a rather creepy Gothic tendency and some extremely cute outfits, which reminds us of those cute little girls with multicolored hair and their lace dresses with a lot of flounces.

Using many traditional Japanese pieces, he combines different styles, creating a totally unique image, a real piece of art .
The presentation starts out with a mysterious atmosphere: long black dresses inspired by Gothic fashion, white dresses looking like a corpse bride`s outfit ready to attack but also some Victorian inspired outfits which brings back the elegance yet the coldness of a long gone trend. This part of his collection can be compared with a parade of fantastic witches resurrected to attend their final sabbath .
What comes next is even more surprising. Some cute girls jumping around and waving at everybody while holding tight their teddy bear enter the stage, bringing a smile on everybody`s scowl face after a rather horrifying spectacle.
How can these two styles be combined ? I don't know but I am sure that the result is amazing !

More Sketches

2009-02-05T14:13:00.006+02:00

I just wanted to share some drawings I made. Some are inspired from different magazines and others are my personal designs. They are not perfect, I know, I just meant to work more on the body not on the actual design. I never really had fashion design classes but it was always a passion of mine so I need practice. By the way , any criticism is welcome !
1.

2.

Back

2009-02-05T14:03:00.002+02:00

I had some problems lately with my pc and I couldn't sign in , but I hope now everything is solved . So I bring you a sketch I made some time ago . I remember I inspired myself from a magazine article , and this picture attracted me especially because of its sophistication .
Enjoy !

Missoni - Collection Fall/Winter 2008

2008-12-12T14:51:00.009+02:00

I was really surprised by this collection, I can say it exactly suites my taste. Glamorous yet elegant and very feminine, the influence from the 30s is clearly a revolution in 2008 trends .
First of all I want to add that this photograph is unbelievably expressive and involves true art not only the exhibition of some pieces of material. Furthermore ,the shadow and the light gives the impression of a rather mysterious atmosphere . And looking back in history we can make a connection with the new discovery of feminism in that era, as we all know, then was the time for women to shine, to conquer all the domains that until then were forbidden. Then women had the chance to be fashionable, to dress as they wish and to be chic . So in this picture we can see the women that want to walk away from the shadows, who are powerful and above all sure that they are equal to men and deserve to be in the limelight. Anyway this was a new world and anxiety is a natural feeling which comes with any change, that is why their facial expressions are quite worried, like they want to hide from something and not daring to come out .

The straight shape of the dress is specially made for showing the beautiful curves of a women but not tight enough, so that a gram of mystery and elegance to be kept . Shining accessories are one of the main icons for this particular style also expressing the revolution in the entertainment industry , as new dances were very popular for their extravagance and energetic moves .
Another specific detail for that time is that women had short hair , arranged in waves , which again shows the determination to be equal to men . For both women and men the concept of elegance is clearly shown in this collection with a very strong feeling of person`s attachment to what she or he is wearing.
This collection wants to highlight how much a simple dress or a bag can mean to the person who is wearing them or how much it can say about her/him , and altogether the importance of one`s image .

Make up - Winter Trends

2008-12-10T17:54:00.010+02:00

Bold and Charming !
This winter, eyes are the main focus, creating veritable dangerous looks. In addition to the smoky tones of the eye make up, the thick and dark eyebrows are the ultimate details highlighting the pale skin, which is again fashionable.
However if you prefer a more "quiet" natural look for the eyes , it would be a perfect opportunity to try out the latest shades of red and dark pink for your lips, bringing back some of the 30s beauty concepts.

Anyway, you must take into consideration that too much tones of dark eyeliner is not advisable to be worn during day time because you might attract some negative comments. Nevertheless, this is the perfect make up if you want to be the queen of every party !

Inspired by the ancient goddesses and queens such as Cleopatra , the tones of gold and bronze are perfect for any color of the eyes , ideal for day time use , offering the skin an oriental feeling and a healthy, yet glamorous image .

Deep red, blueberry and burgundy lips work the best with a very natural eye make up and a healthy, smooth skin, combining the innocence of the eyes with the daring shades of the lips, just as the divine beauties shown in the late Renaissance paintings .

If you always want to look girly ,young and energetic try the soft pink blush on your cheeks , combined with minimal eye make up and the pale soft skin .

Little objects with a very strong sentimental value

2008-12-09T21:21:00.001+02:00

It is all about jewelry .
We all know it , we all love it !
The ideal gift , the perfect detail for an amazing evening .

Browsing the latest number of Vogue , I noticed the special attention given to jewelry . Glamorous , gorgeous and shining can be the three adjectives that best describes the latest trends . More and more diamonds and crystals , forming the fluid shape adorning our neck , ears or hands.
So this winter you must stand out !

Elegance

2008-12-09T21:09:00.001+02:00

In my opinion one of the basic rules , lets say , is elegance , and I really believe that Christian Dior can be used as a true definition of elegance and style .
That is why I want to share this video .
Christian Dior , Haute Couture (winter 2005 )

Introduction

2008-12-09T20:44:00.001+02:00

Hello all !
First of all I just want to give you a feedback about what I am going to write here .My main interest has always been art , any kind of art appeals to me . But what I am trying to cover here would be arts as a lifestyle , and where can we find this ? In Fashion of course .
Fashion is not only an industry, but a civilization , it emphasizes all the cultural elements of people . By instance let`s travel in time and analyze all the trends from the typical roman robe , the medieval shirts and dresses , the renaissance and baroque fascination to the Victorian elegance , the glamour of the 30s and the jeans of the 90s to the free styles.
So times change , fashion changes .
Finally , I will post my random ideas and comments about latest trends , fashion shows , collections or reviews about long gone trends , but which still inspire all the designers .
Hope you enjoy your stay here !