Voltage - Shockingly Cool Couture By Iris van Herpen With Electrifying Kicks for United Nude.

The edgy fashion designer from the Netherlands does it again with her latest shoe design for United Nude, part of her latest Haute Couture Collection named Voltage, all of which is shown after the shoes.

The Voltage Shoes by Iris van Herpen for United Nude:
Continuing the collaboration for the seventh season, United Nude and Iris Van Herpen joined forces to create another shoe for her Haute Couture show in Paris. These handcrafted leather ankle booties were made for Van Herpen’s Voltage collection and their availability will be very limited.



United Nude

Iris van Herpen SS 2013 Haute Couture Voltage Collection:


For her fourth collection presented in Paris as a guest member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, Iris van Herpen explores the idea of electricity and the light it creates. Experimenting with its use in the field of creation, this collection seeks to render its tangible movement and power.




This light and electricity’s ability to change states and bodies is being reproduced using the most innovative technologies. Described as an alchemist fashion approach, Van Herpen’s designs perpetually initiate new collaborations with artists, architects and researchers.




As part of the show there was a performance arranged by New Zealand artist Carlos Van Camp, echoing his notion of controlling high voltage electricity and its interaction with the human body. Van Camp became known for founding “The Lords of Lightning,” an innovative show that depicts two fighters exchanging real lightning with three million volts running through their bodies.



Van Herpen shares Canadian architect Philip Beesley’s fascination with materials and structures. They focus specifically on how the reaction of chemistry and electricity causes structures to respond to their environment and react as living beings.

Iris van Herpen is also know for being todays leading fashion designer in the use of 3D printing. Drawing on the idea of movement, this technical revolution is the result of collaborations with Neri Oxman Keren Oxman of the MIT Media Lab, architect Julia Koerner, and Materialise.

United Nude
Iris van Herpen

Please Kill Me. The Latest Menswear Collection From Sibling of London.

A collaboration between Joe Bates, Sid Bryan and Cozette McCreery, SIBLING is a brand based in London which launched in 2008 born out of a desire to give knitwear for men a good old fashioned shake-up with cartoon ka-pows of color and bams of very English humor. Their latest collection, PLEASE KILL ME, is nothing short of outrageous - intentionally, of course.


above: Joe Bates, Sid Bryan and Cozette McCreery of SIBLING

While one can't discount the technical skill in the oversized knits, the A/W 2013 Menswear collection is a little Dumb Donald meets Fair Isle meets Mickey Mouse. Furry long shorts, mufflers and mittens on steroids, colored leopard prints and knit hats that belong on Fat Albert's gang are paired with sockless converse shoes.





While I commend them for creating fashions inspired by art, music and culture as opposed to concentrating on commercial wear, these pieces are simply ridonk.

Here are all 16 looks in the collection as they walked down the runway at London Fashion Week:


















UK Stockists:
Hervia, Manchester
39-39, London
Dover Street Market, London

International Stockists:
RA13, Belgium
Darlingyou, South Korea
Daily Projects, South Korea
International Gallery Beams, Japan
Heathen by Midwest, Japan
LHP, Japan
Steps, Japan
Cannabis, Japan
Circus, Japan
Jour, Japan
Banal, Japan
Fan, Japan
Opening Ceremony, USA

SIBLING

Gaultier Brings The 80s Back With Fashion Homages to Grace Jones, Madonna, Annie Lennox, Boy George and More.

As the latest Ready-to-Wear collection by fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier walked down the runway during Paris Fashion Week, some might have felt they were tuning into MTV circa 1984.



Inspired by eighties Pop singers who have influenced fashion over the past three decades,Gaultier presented various pieces ranging from tuxedo styled pantsuits to corsets and fishnets, accompanied by era-appropriate music such as Bowie's 1980 hit "Fashion" and Madonna's "Vogue"



Nods to The Culture Club (Boy George) with Japanese-like flowing kimonos and David Bowie a la Ziggy Stardust circa 1972 with glitter platforms marched down the runway:





...along with androgynous and beautifully tailored suits reminiscent of both Grace Jones and Annie Lennox:


The Material Girl (Madonna) was fully represented in looks harkening back to her 1985 movie, Desperately Seeking Susan and Michael Jackson's fedora, glove and jackets were made an appearance as part of the Spring 2013 collection.




 

Satin and leather baseball jackets and matching knickers brought up flashbacks of ABBA and Amanda Lear made a cameo appearance as the show came to a close.




The hair, make up and styling deserves a bow as well, that's for sure.

See the entire Jean Paul Gaultier 2103 Spring RTW collection here.

From The Slutty to The Sublime. The Blonds' 2013 Spring Collection.

The Blonds' 2013 Spring Collection trotted down the runway to cheesy disco music with models clad in big blond wigs. Bathing suits, bustiers, corsets, skirts, lingerie, tanks, leggings and the occasional jacket made up the design duo's newest collection themed "Psycho Beach Party."








As expected, there were a lot of sparkly bustiers, coupled with a high 60's kitsch factor. To fit the theme, some of the clothes were embellished with or designed as seashells and shark fins:





Non-beach related imagery like psychedelic florals and neon streamers punctuated the male and female ensembles:





A Lipstick Tube theme, as both textiles and jewelry, was prevalent throughout:









Sequins, pearls, glitter and faux gems are par for the course when it comes to the form-fitting fashions from The Blonds and this collection was no exception.









David Blond (who looked uncannily like actress Nicolette Sheridan) appeared mid show to the JAWS theme, sporting a toothy bejeweled open-jawed shark mouth on his midsection.



After the finale, Phillipe and David appeared, this time with David wearing the image of the limited edition Barbie designed by the two of them for Mattel.




The Blonds: