going overground

DZHUS is the conceptual womenswear label founded
by young Ukrainian designer and stylist Irina Dzhus,
an underground talent that goes overground at a brisk
pace shaping her new architectural approach to
fashion. Struck by the 'avant-garde statement' she
made with her structural/experimental 'Technogenesis'
collection, I'm still delighted with the results 

of her tailoring research.

DZHUS' design concept is based on the interaction
and transformation of modules to produce ”intellectual
clothing”: her latest AW 2013-14 ”Overground” collection
aims at conveying a sense of monumental majesty
through geometric shapes and specifically textured
fabrics mimicking building materials like nets, crinkled 
metallic or folded paper-like fabrics subtly referencing
architectural forms and industrial objects.

”I analysed shapes and structures of monumental
constructions and tried my best to embody their
principles in the silhouettes and cut of my designs”
Irina declares illustrating her experimental apparels
ranging from rust and grey to terracotta and blue
with copper and white touches showing structured
outfits wittily accessorized with wide zips, squared
buttons and monolithic concrete bracelets made

 in collaboration with MEL Design.

'Overground' will be featured in the upcoming June
edition of 'Be Next', the design contest founded by
the Georgian charity fund 'Societe Anonyme' to
help young designers from Georgia, Eastern Europe
and the Caucasian region ”to overcome the barriers
they face in the process of establishing themselves 
on local and international markets”. 

I bet it won't go unnoticed!

> all images © by Olga Nepravda <

up north, on the farm

Iceland, despite its size, in recent years came into
its own as the cradle of several 'creative industries';
the arts are constantly flourishing turning the small
island country into a cultural destination full of vim
and vigor that also prides itself on a distinctive
Nordic approach to fashion. 'Farmers Market' is
a design company founded by textile designer
Bergþóra Guðnadóttir with her husband, musician
Jóel Pálsson, in 2005 which is strongly tied to the
local art scene and draws inspiration from the
island's unspoiled environment and traditional
Icelandic organic materials, primarily wool.
Bergþóra graduated from the Icelandic Academy
of the Arts in textile design, soon starting off her
own label with a small collection of woolen clothes
but shortly after she got the chance to become the
head of the design department of a notable local
outdoor brand where she hugely improved her skills.

Farmers Market debuted with a small range of hand
knitted sweaters for both women and men with a few
pieces for kids utilizing local wool that grew into a
line of multifunctional clothes and accessories
employing other raw natural materials such as silk,
leather, cotton and linen, developing a characteristic
style that subtly combines classic Nordic design with
chic modernity. ”We place ourselves on a junction.
A place where heritage meets modernity, the national
meets the international and the countryside meets the
city. We find this an exciting place to explore” Bergþóra
declared introducing FM in an interview with Anna
Moiseeva for Reykjavik Fashion Festival where the
label's catwalk show featured live music and a king-size
waterfall in the background that suddenly jogged my
memory to the interactive installation by Rúri, one of
Iceland's most prominent artist, called 'Endangered
Waters' in which she came to 'archive' the images 

of Icelandic waterfalls threatened by 

increasing dam building.

Yet the core of the show was represented by the array
of genuinely styled woolen garments for men and women,
the natural fabrics they're made of and the timeless appeal
of well-crafted items suited both for outdoor activities
and city life. ”We believe that sustainable fashion and
recycling is not just a passing trend, but a key to the
future. As our brand name suggests, we focus on using
natural materials for our designs. Synthetic fabric
is kept to absolute minimum and only used for fabric
strengthening, water repellence or an occasional  
decor deemed necessary by the designer” 

Bergþóra and Jóel affirm.

Farmers Market's fabrics aren't only sourced locally,
they include merino wool from Australia, yarns from
Italy as well as Indian raw silk; they like to work with
people who share the vision of creating beautiful,
high-quality products while maintaining the highest
ethical standards towards humans and nature.
But the label's pièce de résistance is actually the
Icelandic wool which is uniquely soft, warm and
water-resistant, in some sort a symbol 

of national identity.

RFF show images (4-5) © by Eva Björk Ægisdóttir
all other images from Farmers Market's website

The collection fully shows FM's elegant knitwear,
superb woolen sweaters and belted cardigans,
plaid-like and leopard coats, berets and shawls
seldom with fur warmers through gorgeous, warm
and I dare say friendly images of a farmhouse family
subtly emphasizing the label's signature style as
well as the natural 'country comfort' feel peculiar
to the island of fishermen, farmers and... 

talents to watch.

Farmers Market's founders, image © by blog.icelanddesign.is

the amazing Temperley sisters

Today's story begins in the desert outside the Banyan
Tree Al Wadi, a gorgeous resort surrounded by rolling
dunes close to the town of Ras Al Khaimah, UAE,  

where gifted 'true Brit' sisters Alice and Matilda 

Temperley are shooting their latest fashion campaign. 

I've lived by the desert for a couple of years and
I utterly know how beautiful is to camp out in it
overnight waiting for the rose-pink light of dawn to
brighten the sandy landscape so I can grasp how
exciting their far-off adventure can actually be.

> images 1-2 © by Matilda Temperley <

Alice and Matilda are styling and shooting pieces
from the House of Temperley's bridal and scarves
collections while taking images of the mainline winter
collection which is based on birds of prey (falconry
is an Emirates' long-lived fad, after all) in their own
untroubled version of Hitchcock's 'The Birds', yet the 

Temperley London's spring-summer 2013 collection

 made a profound impression on me.

Alice Temperley is the well-known London-based
designer trained at Central Saint Martins who
finished her studies with a Masters degree at
the Royal College of Art specializing in fabric
technology and print who was appointed Member
of the Order of the British Empire by HM the
Queen in 2011. Alice designs 13 collections a
year for several lines: Temperley London, her
mainline launched back in 2000, Temperley Bridal,
ALICE by Temperley and Somerset, an exclusive
range for UK department stores John Lewis,
named after the birthplace of the talented duo.

True to form, Temperley London's s/s 2013 collection
is simply amazing: timeless, feminine designs
combining meticulous details and embellishments
with the label's distinctive British peculiarity and
a French Riviera chic subtly evoking late 1950's
leisurewear through variations on the sundress,
full-skirted silhouettes, lace embroideries, openworks 

in a constant play between sheer and solid in a radiant 

palette of scarlet, powder blue, navy, white and black.
A collection, it's plain to see, plenty of inspiring
romantic ideas to foster over consecutive seasons:
sublime workmanship and Alice's know-how 

in digital printing do the rest.

”While constantly being expanded in breadth,
the House of Temperley always stands true to its
philosophy; appreciating what women want with
creations that exist outside of the trend of the
moment and always flavoured with a sense of  
Alice's individual 'magpie' style” the luxury
brand's website states; a credo that's fully
expressed by Matilda's outstanding pictures.

Matilda is a visual artist and a skilled freelance
photographer who previously pursued a career in
tropical infectious diseases working in East Africa
for years (she documented the unique tribal cultures
of the Omo valley in a gorgeous reportage called
'Abyssinian Dreams'). She shoots most of her sister's
creations but she actually made a name for herself
with breathtaking insights into marginalized groups
and societies with her 'Human Zoo' series of portraits
of unconventional types, from contortionists and 

performers to present-day freaks.

The rolling hills of Somerset county meet the rolling
dunes of the Arabian desert to appeal Temperley's
devoted fans worldwide: the company operates four
stand-alone stores in London, Los Angeles and Dubai
plus the brand new boutique of Doha, Qatar.
'Cool Britannia' at its best!

> all catwalk pictures and details © by Fashionising <

rock me like the '80s

Emma Mulholland made her debut as a fashion
designer two years ago as one of four TAFE students
(the Technical And Further Education Commission  
of New South Wales) chosen to present a range 

at the Australian fashion week.

Emma made her solo debut at MBFWA, the Mercedes
Benz Fashion Week Australia last April showcasing
her s/s 2013-14 ”Spring Break” collection suggesting
a trip down memory lane with looks that instantly bring
back the 1980s through a cheerful ”surf chic” aesthetic
with the typical trans-seasonal spirit of Down Under
fashion subtly featuring the shift from winter into spring.

Bomber jackets with Arctic-inspired prints with penguins
and whales and a polar bear wearing sunglasses are
mellowly paired with summery outfits in clashing colors
and chirpy prints with techno pop references, see-through
inserts and paillettes of different size and shape.

The whole collection is stunningly accessorized and
it represents a gorgeous collaboration between Aussie
talents: Emma worked with jewelry designer Ryan Storer
(known for his bedazzling Swarovski encrusted ear cuffs)
who created silver spike earrings while star-shaped Perspex
pieces and neon colored rubber neckbands were specially
designed for her by Isobel Badin. The teamwork became
even more groovy in a Style Me Romy's issue involving
photographer Zachary Handley and hair pundit Alan White
for ghd who realized mind-blowing spray-painted extensions
contributing to make Emma's statement debut.

all studio imagess © by Zachary Handley for StyleMeRomy.com
all catwalk pictures © by MBFWA

nothing but flowers

Mother's Day is approaching and it's customary for
my blog to mark an occasion like this with flowers
celebrating it like a thanksgiving for spring sharing
the pictures I took in the last two weeks during long
walks through town and on its outskirts.

Thanks to last winter's generous downpours, flowers
are everywhere, from backyards and gardens to traffic
islands and riverbanks, in a profusion of colors and
scents with butterflies and insects constantly 

on the prowl for fresh blossoms.

Showing my appreciation for mothers, all mother
figures and mothers-to-be, let love in and enjoy 

a lavish Mother's Day weekend!