fash ionab le sub stanc e VOLUME 1
Illusions
First Time
Illusions
...I noticed my shoes before I noticed everything else
it happened I was in a bar drinking whatever was on tap, absentmindedly folding and unfolding the serviette my drink had been passed to me on. I didnt know the name of the bar or really take in my surrounds; it was just the first bar I had seen open on The first time it happened I was in a bar drinking whatever was on tap absent mindedly folding and unfolding the serviette my drink had been passed to me on. I didn’t know the name of the bar or really take in my surrounds; it was just the first bar I had seen open when walking a new route to the station from work. I went up some stairs and there was a bar and there was something on tap that I could drink at no specific speed and then leave at no specific time. I wasn’t waiting for anyone or anything I just was for a few moments occupying a space that even now I cannot really describe to you because I am not the kind of person who notices. I can’t tell you names and places let alone details. Not usually anyway but I do remember the group of people asking to occupy the rest of the booth. I do remember smiling politely and giving short answers to personal questions as they attempted to include me in their conversation. I also remember going to the bathroom and coming back to the last swig of my drink, feeling an awkward urgency to leave what s like a relatively banal social situation. I think I was polite in my excuses as I departed but I only vaguely remember that too. THE FIRST TIME
substance #1
Illusions
“faded gold lettering told me” they were Ferragamo
the rest of the walk to the station that was clear to me. My shoes were the first things to breach my consciousness. Standing at a set of lights waiting to cross – I looked down and took in the plain black loafers enclosing my feet. The scuffed toes and slightly uneven edge from having been re-soled cheaply. The patent leather had matching cracks on each shoe from wear but seemed to hold its shine fairly well. I seemed to know instinctively that they were good quality (having never considered the quality of them previously) and without consideration as to why I slipped one foot out to see a faded makers mark inside. Faded gold lettering told me they were Ferragamo1. This satisfied me a great deal at the time but now I am disillusioned by the relationship between the maker of my shoe and my level of satisfaction with it. What should it matter? Nevertheless the light changed, I slipped my shoe back on and continued on to the station. IT WAS
1. Salvatore Ferragamo (June 5, 1898 – August 7, 1960) was an Italian shoe designer. He worked with many Hollywood stars in the 1920s, before returning to Italy to found the eponymous company making unique hand-made footwear. His scientific and creative approach to shoes spawned many innovations such as the wedge heel and cage heel. Film stars and celebrities continue to patronize his company, which has evolved into a luxury goods empire spanning the world.
substance #2
Illusions
substance #3
Illusions
“this richness of hue” ...and vibrancy of texture
THE REST
of the walk took longer than usual, I was distracted by shoes, bags and clothes;
Jill Sander printed flats3; a vintage Gucci4 shoulder bag from 19735; a Theyskens’ 6 acid wash denim jacket7. There was this richness of hue and vibrancy of texture in everything, even the seat upholstery on the train captivated me until it didn’t and I was just looking at the dirty material waiting for my stop. 2
2. Heidemarie Jiline 'Jil' Sander (born 27 November 1943) is a minimalist German fashion designer and the founder of the Jil Sander fashion house. Sander's trademark look, a contemporary, somewhat odd, New Look – originally intended for women conquering executive positions in the 1980s – was that of a precisely cut pantsuit, a slim blouse and a form-fitting coat made of luxurious fabrics in plain grey, beige, blue, black or white. Jil Sander enjoyed almost cult-like followings for her fashions that could all be easily coordinated and have always ranged in the top price segment. For her single-minded focus on understated elegance, high-end materials and refined tailoring, Sander has been described as the Queen of Less, Cashmere-Queen, Master of Minimalism, Cool Blonde, Gentle-Jil or Fashion Reductionist. Sander's eponymous fashion label still exists today but has been carried on without her involvement since 2004. In early 2009, Sander, after years of absence from the world of fashion, announced the creation of her own fashion consultancy, and her employment by Uniqlo of Japan. 3.flats [flæts], flatties [flætz] pl n (Clothing & Fashion) shoes with flat heels or no heels 4.The House of Gucci, better known simply as Gucci is an Italian fashion and leather goods label, part of the Gucci Group, which is owned by French company PPR. Gucci was founded by Guccio Gucci in Florence in 1921. A craftsman, Gucci opened his store to sell leather goods, and a legend was born. Over the decades, people around the world have admired and appreciated works from the House of Gucci---whether it's women's ready-to-wear, men's designs, children's clothes, accessories, handbags, shoes, or fragrances. Today, designer Frida Giannini holds the reins of this venerable Italian line. 5. Gucci 1973 Medium Shoulder Bag. Light brown suede. Golden hardware. Single shoulder strap with 13" drop. Oval GG and buckle ornaments on top flap; magnetic button closure. Signature Gucci logo jacquard lining. Inside zip, cell, and pda pockets. 8"H x 11 1/2"W x 4"D. Made in Italy. 6.Olivier Theyskens; born January 4, 1977 in Brussels, Belgium) is a fashion designer who has worked with several major houses, including Rochas, Nina Ricci, and Theory.For Spring 2011, Theyskens was tapped by CEO Andrew Rosen to design a capsule collection for Theory. On October 25, the company formally announced Theyskens as artistic director. 7. Acid-washed denim is washed with pumice stones and chlorine until it is bleached almost white. The process was invented in Italy by the Rifle jeans company. Acid wash jeans, worn with fringe jackets or the Perfecto motorcycle jacket were popularised by hard rock, outlaw country and heavy metal bands in the 1980s. Skinheads and punk rockers would spatter bleach on their jeans for a similar effect. Acid washed jeans made a comeback in the late 2000s among teenage girls.
substance #4
Illusions
“I had experienced” ...fashion
IT DIDN’T OCCUR
to me until late the next day that, I had experienced fashion8.
The group that had sat opposite me in the bar must have dropped some in my drink – perhaps as a gesture of pity or merely as a bit of fun. I was angry at being taken advantage of, how dare a complete stranger decide that I need to be drawn into a world so trivial that even the tiniest details have merit. It was during my dissection of the events and my disillusionment of being taken advantage of that somewhere at the back of my brain I felt the burgeoning of desire to feel enamoured by my surrounds once again.
8. Fashion is a general term for a popular style or practice, especially in clothing, footwear, accessories, makeup, or furniture. "Fashion" refers to a distinctive; however, often-habitual trend in a look and dress up of a person, as well as to prevailing styles in behavior. "Fashion" usually is the newest creations made by designers and are bought by only a few number of people; however, often those "fashions" are translated into more established trends. The more technical term, "costume," has become so linked in the public eye with the term "fashion" that the more general term "costume" has in popular use mostly been relegated to special senses like fancy dress or masquerade wear, while the term "fashion" means clothing generally, and the study of it.
substance #5
Illusions
“the seemingly unattainable� ...five stories up
I WENT BACK
to the bar that evening but it was closed. I walked up and down the
adjacent laneway several times in the throws of distress, knowing full-well that I had no real chance of getting what I craved but not willing to let this pursuit fall by the wayside and return to my regular existence. I wracked my brain for any hint of the conversation I had been part of the night before. Perhaps there was another bar or a club they had mentioned? Nothing came to me so I walked with intent on an aimless mission through side streets, alleys, back onto main roads and into arcades. Even as I became really too tired to continue I kept walking staring at the ground, the walls or the sky not really taking in my surrounds once again until I did. There were people standing on a chainlink floor about 5 stories up with another storey above them emitting a dull red glow and I recognised that this was where I would find the seemingly unattainable.
substance #6
Illusions
substance #7
Illusions
“with a trite tone” ...he gave me what I wanted
IN FRONT
of a small pile of rubble, I happened upon him. He was just inside the door
of the red rooftop building. Even if you came from the most sheltered world you would know it as I did, he had fashion. As with the bar I couldn’t really grasp what he looked like or the details of the space, however the overwhelming sensation that I should know pushed me forward with an outstretched hand towards him. He made no acknowledgement of the gesture. I spoke my request then, with a trite tone he replied about the cost followed by a surprised twitch [he] gave me what I wanted as I gave him the correct denomination.
substance #8
Illusions
substance #9
“I told you so”
Illusions
...exclusivity, boldness and extreme opulence
I HELD IT
in my palm and stared. I held it in my palm and stared. I wrapped it back
up in its baggy and put it in my pocket. I walked back outside and stood in the blur of life. I pulled it back out of my pocket, out of the baggy and popped it in my mouth. I swallowed hard and there was my life cue. The sign lit up on the other side of the road, a simple dictation of the rest of the night but to me right then it was the city saying “I told you so”. He took my hand then. Smelling of Tom Ford9 Private Blend Arabian Wood10 the sleeve of his Jennifer F M Murray11 ‘Cirque D’Amen’ embellished fur robe12 brushed my wrist. Completely encapsulating the exclusivity, boldness and extreme opulence I had been yearning for. I appreciated the fine line of topstitching13 on his collar and the distressed metallic finish on his brogues14. 9.Thomas Carlyle "Tom" Ford (born August 27, 1961) is an American fashion designer and film director. He gained international fame for his turnaround of the Gucci fashion house and the creation of the Tom Ford label before directing the Oscar-nominated film A Single Man. 10.Private Blend Arabian Wood was launched in autumn 2008 for Kuwait market exclusively. Its presentation started in 2009 Galeries Lafayette, with two other fragrances of this house: Private Blend Champaca Absolute, and Private Blend Italian Cypress. Private Blend Arabian Wood belongs to luxurious collection Private Blend. It is composed as a mixture of woody notes with a clear chypre accord. 11. Austrian London College of Fashion graduate Jennifer F. M. Murray is one of the most prominent upcoming names in menswear fashion. Her graduate collection is called 12. Cirque d' Amen and is inspired by the religious robes of Catholic priest and the craziness of circus people, aiming to reconsider the role of church in today's society. The young talented designer used rich materials such as mink fur, heavy ecclesiastic brocades and tapestry originally from the 15th and 16th centuries and silk, all hand encrusted with crystals on a wide selection of oversized coats, jackets, robes and pants. 13.Topstitching is a sewing technique. It is used most often on garment edges such as necklines and hems, where it helps facings to stay in place and gives a crisp edge. Decorative topstitching is designed to show, and may be done in a fancy thread or with a special type of stitch. Otherwise, topstitching is generally done using a straight stitch with a thread that matches the fashion fabric. 14.The Brogue is a style of low-heeled shoe or boot traditionally characterized by multiple-piece, sturdy leather uppers with decorative perforations (or "brogueing") and serration along the pieces' visible edges. Modern brogues trace their roots to a rudimentary shoe originating in Scotland and Ireland that was constructed using untanned hide with perforations that allowed water to drain from the shoes when the wearer crossed wet terrain such as a bog. Brogues were traditionally considered to be outdoor or country footwear not otherwise appropriate for casual or business occasions, but brogues are now considered appropriate in most contexts.Brogues are most commonly found in one of four toe cap styles (full or "wingtip", semi-, quarter and longwing) and four closure styles (oxford, derby, ghillie, and monk). Today, in addition to their typical form of sturdy leather shoes or boots, brogues may also take the form of business dress shoes, sneakers, high-heeled women's shoes, or any other shoe form that utilizes or evokes the multi-piece construction and perforated, serrated piece edges characteristic of brogues. 3
substance #10
Illusions
substance #11
Illusions
“”
WE CLIMBED
...
the stairs and as we hit each landing the fashion intensified.
substance #12
Illusions
Maison Martin Margiela
15
A/W12 Invitations
15. Martin Margiela (born April 9, 1957 in Genk, Belgium) is a Belgian fashion designer. He studied at Antwerp's Royal Academy of Fine Arts along with the legendary avantgarde fashion collective the Antwerp Six. Many still consider him to be the "7th" member of the collective. Margiela worked at Jean Paul Gaultier before launching his own label in 1988. A leader of contemporary style, the elusive designer - who has famously never appeared on the runway - has now handed the creative reins to an in-house design team that continues to 16 16. push the boundaries between art and fashion. Prada S.p.A was founded by Mario Prada in 1913 as a leather goods business. In 1978, the company came under the helm of his granddaughter Miuccia Prada, who ransformed it into one of the world's most respected clothing and luxury goods labels. Sophisticated and elegant with a strong sense of craftsmanship, the covetable eyewear collection has frames from the downright dramatic to the coolly classic ensuring there's a pair of Prada's for every sun-loving fashionista. 17 18 17.Chloë Stevens Sevigny born 18 November 1974) is an American film actress, fashion designer and former model, born in Springfield, Massachusetts. Sevigny gained reputation for her eclectic fashion sense and developed a broad career in the fashion industry in the mid 1990s, both for modelling and for her work at New York's Sassy magazine, which labelled her the new "it girl" at the time, garnering her attention within New York's fashion scene. 18. Opening Ceremony (est 2002) is a multifaceted retail environment comprised of shops, showroom, and private label collection that establishes a new, international creative forum in downtown Manhattan. Opening Ceremony brings together emerging American alent with both young and established designers and artists from abroad. Each year, the unique commercial and cultural character of a visiting country is represented at Opening Ceremony by capturing the essence of the country’s consumer experience. Opening Ceremony has also become known for its myriad collaborations with the likes 19 19.Just of Chloë Sevigny, Spike Jonze, Pendleton, Levi's, Timberland, Keds, Robert Clergerie, and more Cavalli, with 40 years in the business, Italian designer Roberto Cavalli is famed for his high-octane runway collections and curve-contouring cuts. In 1998 he launched diffusion line Just Cavalli to cater for a new generation of fierce fashion lovers. Look out for daring cuts and animal prints with a distinctly flirtatious edge. 20 20. Edward Meadham and Benjamin Kirchhoff met while studying at Central Saint Martins College, and their runway show is now a regular must-see at London Fashion Week. The duo have earned a reputation for eclectic womenswear with serious attitude, offering up unexpected shapes, mix 'n' match fabrics and a modern take on grunge glamour. 21 21. Chanel S.A. is the French house of high fashion that specializes in haute couture and ready-to-wear clothes, 22 uxury goods, and fashion accessories. 22. Family-run house Missoni has been at the forefront of fashion since founders Tai and Rosita started producing their signature crocheted knits in 1953. Now under the creative leadership of he couple's daughter Angela, the label continues to deliver exquisite collections with inimitable Italian flair. Elegant eveningwear, bohemian accessories and must-have 23 23. Ann swimwear are among its extensive contemporary repertoire. Demeulemeester (born 1959, Waregem, Belgium) is a fashion designer whose eponymous label 'Ann Demeulemeester' is mainly showcased at the annual Paris Fashion 24 Week. 24. The House of Chanel (Chanel S.A.) originated in 1909, when Gabrielle Chanel opened a millinery shop at 160 Boulevard Malesherbes, the ground floor of the Parisian flat of the socialite and textile businessman Étienne Balsan, of whom she was mistress. In 1983, Karl Lagerfeld took over as chief designer for Chanel. He changed Chanel's fashion lines from the old lines to shorter cuts and eye 25 26 to B25. CSS is a Brazilian rock band from São Paulo. The band was labeled as capturing designs. part of the explosion of the New Rave scene. Their songs are in both English and Portuguese. CSS is an abbreviation for Cansei de Ser Sexy literally "I've grown tired of being sexy" in Portuguese.26. B.Heart stands for Bold Heart. A collection of limited edition silk scarves. Bheart was born from the idea of crossing the line between a scarf and a necklace, to play with the weight of the wood or embroideries and the movement of the silk. This dea evolved into an easy-going collection of printed scarves, released in series of 6 or 7 every three months. B.Heart was started by Iracema Trevisan is a designer based n Paris. She was born in Brazil and from 2001 to 2006 she worked with Alexandre Herchcovitch in São Paulo, as his main assistant, before going on a world tour with CSS, the band she started with some friends in 2003. n 2008 she moved to France and started the Fashion Design Post Graduate Program at IFM in Paris. Following the program she did an internship at Lanvin’s women’s wear studio between 2009 and 2010. Since then she has been working as a fashion and textille designer or brands like Nike or Kenzo. Her work is broad and multidisciplinary, It is inventive in the way it plays with figurative codes, no-sense and colors. The overall feeling is 27 hat nature and fantasy are taking over. 28 27. Dazed & Confused is a British style magazine, that was set up in 1992 and published monthly. Its founding editors were Jefferson Hack and Rankin. Topics covered include music, fashion, film, art, and literature. 28. Viktor & Rolf is an Amsterdam-based fashion house. The company was founded in 1993 by designers 29 Viktor Horsting (born 1969, Geldrop) and Rolf Snoeren (born 1969, Dongen). 30 29. Carolina Herrera (born María Carolina Josefina Pacanins y Niño (born January 8, 1939) is a Venezuelan and naturalized American fashion designer and entrepreneur who founded her eponymous company in 1980. 30. Another Magazine is a bi-annual culture and ashion magazine for men and women. It was launched in 2001 under the umbrella publishing company Dazed Group. Another Magazine is internationally renowned for its conic cover images of Hollywood's leading actresses, including Nicole Kidman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore, Jodie Foster, and Uma Thurman, nnovative and wide-reaching coverage of what is in fashion each season, as well as in-depth interviews with icons including Julie Christie and Mia Farrow, and high profile cultural figures including Gore Vidal (issue #10) and President Hugo Chavez (issue #02). Dazed Group also publishes Dazed & Confused and Another Man. The 31 31. forte_forte , collection designed and produced in italy by Giada Forte and Paolo Forte, Editor in Chief is Jefferson Hack. hus the family name become the company name.Two brothers with two different backgrounds: Giada, heart and soul of the label, she graduated knitwear design at Nottingham Trent University, england, ad worked as a fashion designer both in paris and Italy. Paolo, mind and strength of the company, after his business studies, he worked in the family knitwear company, dealing with important luxe brands, and then moved to London and New York.
Prada
brogues with multi layered platforms
Sevigny / Opening Ceremony
Chloë
Resort 2011
Just Cavalli
Meadham Kirchoff Chanel Beauty Spot Missoni
Womenswear S/S11
The in the Museum of Everything
Ann Demeulemeester Holographic Nail Lacquer by Chanel From CSS to B.Heart
Rolf
Dazed
carpet
A/W 12
Time Capsule Auction: Viktor
Party hosted by AnOther
Carolina Herrera
Forte_Forte
substance #13
&
Cocktail
Illusions
“unfashionable� ...fashion consciouness
HAVE YOU EVER
gone on a trip? There are moments that are diamond-like in clarity
and pure in potency. These moments however have a tendency to run together into a single stream of consciousness. I experienced a fashion consciousness. More accessible than I had ever perceived I digested it prematurely. This was my come down as a fashionable world became overly familiar I started to find it trivial. Understood it too early; fashion had said all it was ever going to say to me. The red light at the top of the building was red, the rooftops in the morning light were rooftops and the world was just as unfashionable as it had always been.
substance #15
Illusions
Thanks to http://www.thelmagazine.com/TheMeasure/archives/2010/11/11/vintage-pick-of-the-week-ferragamo-loafers http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod58130011&parentId=cat285001&masterId=cat269601&index=1&cmCat=cat000000cat200648cat203100cat261003cat20087cat238207cat26960cat285001 http://www.google.com.au/imgres?hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=XCK&sa=X&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1280&bih=601&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=CzGc0jDItE0SZM:&imgrefurl=http://www.flickriver.com/photos/adonline/2783249849/&docid=DoyZ973jVVF-yM&itg=1&imgurl=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3249/2783249849_b1240cfe13.jp g&w=341&h=500&ei=Cj7IT93pAsXamAWpsZTtDg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=219&vpy=197&dur=5574&hovh=272&hovw=185&tx=122&ty=226&sig=103817138978549018418&page=2&tbnh=138&tbnw=91&start=18&ndsp=26&ved=1t:429,r:20,s:18,i:155 http://www.google.com.au/imgres?hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=yAK&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1280&bih=601&tbm=isch&tbnid=u1AuJ_5LqwbBOM:&imgrefurl=http://torontosavvy.me/category/development-2/page/2/&docid=c61I95P78AdZpM&imgurl=http://torontosavvy.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/okeefelane1.jpg&w=560&h=420&ei=qT3I T-qNFsv3mAXYgumYDw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=875&vpy=85&dur=772&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=90&ty=92&sig=103817138978549018418&page=3&tbnh=135&tbnw=180&start=44&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:10,s:44,i:188 http://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/10285/1/from-css-to-bheart http://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/gallery/19/9485/3/forte-forte http://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/gallery/19/9452/0/missoni-in-the-museum-of-everything http://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/gallery/19/9129/1/lane-crawfords-4x31-project http://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/gallery/19/8602/1/scanlan-theodore-by-nan-goldin http://www.net-a-porter.com/Shop/Designers/Prada?resType=designer&keywords=prada http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/woman/fashion-beauty/chlo-sevigny-fan-of-opening-ceremony-16167448.html http://www.anothermag.com/current/view/1803/Fashion_Carpets http://www.anothermag.com/current/view/1835/Womenswear_AW12_Highlights http://www.anothermag.com/current/view/1884/Holographic_Nail_Lacquer_by_Chanel http://www.anothermag.com/current/view/1956/The_Chanel_Beauty_Spot http://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/10285/1/from-css-to-bheart http://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/12054/1/dazed-time-capsule-auction-viktor-rolf http://www.anothermag.com/current/view/1013/Carolina_Herrera_Cocktail_Party_hosted_by_AnOther http://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/gallery/19/9452/0/missoni-in-the-museum-of-everything http://www.modemonline.com/fashion/mini-web-sites/fashion-brands/references/forteforte http://www.net-a-porter.com/Shop/Designers/Just_Cavalli http://www.net-a-porter.com/Shop/Designers/Meadham_Kirchhoff?resType=designer&keywords=meadham%20kirchhoff http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvatore_Ferragamo http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jil_Sander http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flats_%28shoe%29 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gucci http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olivier_Theyskens http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid_wash http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fashion http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Ford http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Tom-Ford/Private-Blend-Arabian-Wood-6363.html http://www.fashioninstallation.com/2012/04/cirque-d-amen-by-jennifer-f-m-murray.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topstitch http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brogue_shoe
substance #16
“fashion futures” ...as imagined by Cluny McCullagh