Fashion Superheroes. Comic Strips Feature Funky Fashions For Men & Women.

above: glasses and unitard by Bernhard Willhelm

The fabulous French online magazine and shopping site Prestigium, has an inventive series of flash interactive postcards that feature trendy and unusual fashions for men and women by some of the most irreverent designers of today.

Items by Viktor and Rolf, Bernhard Willhelm, Yves Saint Laurent, Af Vanderhorst, Anne Valerie Hash, Etro, Sinha Stanic, Alena Akhmadullina, Raf Simons, Lacoste, Marc Jacobs, Boris Bidjan Saberi, Martin Margiela, Balenciaga, Salvatore Ferragamo and Walter Van Beirendonck are nestled into comic book and graphic novel art.

Viktor and Rolf:

Walter Van Beirendonck:

Bernhard Willhelm:


The photos of the designer fashions are collaged into moving superhero art comic strip illustrations. It's not really easy to see the fashions, nor is that the point. The postcards, which you peruse by clicking on an arrow, have a lot of movement and move quickly, so I took screengrabs of them for you. Each "postcard" has little "click" pulldowns that mention the designers and describe the item (in French).

Sinha Stanic:

Yves Saint Laurent:

Berhard Willhelm:

Balenciaga:

Yves Saint Laurent:

Raf Simons:

Salvatore Ferragamo:

Bernhard Willhelm:

Martin Margiela:

Bernhard Willhelm:

Marc Jacobs:

Lacoste:

Alena Akhmadullina:

Sinha Stanic:

Yves Saint Laurent:

Balenciaga:

Bernhard Willhelm:

Af Vandevorst:

Boris Bidjan Saberi:

Etro:

Balenciaga:

Walter Van Beirendonck:

Anne Valerie Hash:

Balenciaga:

Bernhard Wilhelm:

Sinha Stanic:

Go see them in their flash glory here.

Cartier's Surprisingly Hip Launch For Their Latest Watch

While I've always been a fan of Cartier, especially their watches, I wouldn't have described them as a hip company or a cutting edge company or even a company in touch with an audience under 40 years of age.

However, their fabulous, artful and beautifully illustrated launch of their newest watch, the Ballon Bleu has changed my mind.

By creating a microsite that showcases six different comic book writers/illustrators' work as well as seven Ninth Art writers in an unusual visual odyssey they have made me re-examine my previous notion of this luxury jewelry and watch manufacturer.

I can hardly do the entire site justice without reproducing it, so let me just share a few of the illustrations and a few frames of the comics and let you experience the entire thing for yourself.

Click on the images below so you can see them larger and appreciate the art.




Above: six different illustrations, each showcasing the blue cabochon in a different visual interpretation.




Above: 3 different examples of partial comic strips written about the watch

Of course, the watch is stunning. It's most notable feature, the large blue cabochon sapphire winding mechanism incorporated into the bezel and open on both sides. Followed by the unusual slightly rounded shape of the front and back of the face.





Above: The unusually set blue sapphire cabochon winding mechanism on the newest Cartier watch


Above: A detail of the watch face

Like most of Cartier's bracelet watches it's available in 18k yellow, pink or white gold (with or without diamonds) and 18k yellow gold combined with stainless steel (no diamonds).


Above: The unusual shape of the Ballon Bleu

So, in addition to tempting me with yet another stunning horological adornment, Cartier's microsite has captured my eye as well and I wonder if they've produced hard copies of these 'stories'.



Most surprisingly of all, I must declare, Cartier is hip.

See for yourself here.

or buy the watch here.