As a younger more impressionable design enthusiast would say: " I DIE!"

via lorismarazzi.com

This exhibition just ended, but what an amazing digital recreation of this remote region from the South of France! This beautiful multimedia installation was created by New York artist Doug Aitken

Described by Aitken as “land art for the electronic age,” Altered Earth: Arles, City of Moving Images explores the relationship between, man, technology, and nature. AND... there's an app for that!

Installed in the Grand Hall of the Parc des Aterliers in Southern France, the commission comprises giant cinematic screens that have been hung from the ceiling to appear as though they are hovering. Each screen projects its own ever-changing journey through the Arles region at random, providing the viewer with “an almost holographic view of the physical landscape.”

Researching videos for a new Accessory Design class I am writing I came across this video. It gave me so much satisfaction to watch something made by hands. There is something magical about carving the wood and stretching the leather and making an object you can wear. I have so much respect for anybody who spends 30 years to get something right!

The Last Clog Maker in England from Artisan Media on Vimeo.

This our second story from Derrick Jones, who had the opportunity to spend time with Greek photographer and artist Nikos Rakkas:

Nikos Rakkas has recently traveled to my hometown of Rome to take part in an exhibition devoted to photography of the deep and sensual.

At The Room gallery in Rome the mix was eclectic.
photography from all over europe and each offering a different perspective on emotion mixed with fashion. Nikos seems to grab the essence of the dark mood of Greek youth. Full of turmoil, want, anger, frustration, sex, energy... All portraits in these series, but what Nikos does best is trick you.
He teaches you this somber story only after he draws you in with light, color and a subject in the photos which are beautiful.

One wouldn't expect such a deep rooted opera from Nikos if you consider some of his most famous works using Play-mobil. But then again, don't be fooled. These light hearted, ironic works may not be of the fashion oriented kind but they still reflect society more than any second skin would.

A family of a passionate  culture visiting another, Nikos and his family stayed on in Rome and we spent time enjoying the differences but finding many similarities in the two.
As they told stories of the changes and the fear happening in Greece one listened with heavy heart but with the underlined fear that we too were next and that no one is safe from the economic cancer spreading.

Derrick J Jones

I'm sure you've seen the troubling news coming from Greece again and again about riots and economic crisis, but what does it mean for the creative industries? Photogrpahers? Fashion designers? How are they adapting and surviving during these difficult times? Some of these personal stories are brought to you in th enext two posts by our Italian corespondent Derrick Jones.

It had been a good year since I had stepped foot in Athens for work. It all came back to me quickly. The passion, the sounds and the heat!

I reunited with some friends that I hadn't seen in awhile. It was one of those memorable moments of life. A build up of panic, stress and worry mixed with memories that brought the final occasion to a dramatic head. What changed was the face of Athens. Many store fronts black and empty. Foot traffic to them fell to an all time low. Conversations over a freddo cappuccino no longer of glamour and vice but all turning to the turmoil of the troubled culture. Demonstrations, violence, fear, these are the daily occurrences that should bring a people to their knees but I can attest from personal experience that it makes a people grow. The pride and the desire to be seen for their passion and talent and not just as stereotypical victims of a global crisis is a force to be dealt with.

And after a long 3 years I met again with Spyridon. As I approached the table where we decided to meet, his towering presence reminded me of the first time we met. In many ways it was the same. Such a dark strong figure, I thought. What would his story be?

Femininity, elegance,integrity and all the natural aspects that a woman was born with. Spyridon had managed not only to keep this philosophy during these trying times but also to evolve it. He is always true to his beliefs and never swayed by negativity. Instead he uses it much like an alternative fuel to feed his creations.

The innovative folds and fabrics, the goddess like drinks of water who wear his gowns set in front of a familiar and iconic back drop. In this past year Spyridon has received a lot of press and attention for his work and it is easy to see why. When you don't know where your culture is headed and you feel it will be lost, Spyridon will show you an image of a world  that he has created to remind you that all is not lost and never will be.

Derrick Jones

Feeling inspired by the upcoming hurricane Sandy, combined with full moon and a nor-easter, this project by Stéphanie Baechler seemed appropriate. It has the windblown look and diconstructed feel, but refined with a solid concept. To put it in her own words: The starting point for her project was formations, shapes and material combinations that resulted from the accidental rather than the conscious.

via: http://stephaniebaechler.com/

Sydney Seltzer's thesis fashion collection was inspired by her journal and how obsessively she writes in it. She has been writing in these books for years now and has a total of six of them. After looking at them she realized that they have become progressively more obsessive and controlled. She would write down what she had to do for the day and scribble it out perfectly on each page. For this collection she started thinking about the idea of control, and how she uses these books as a way to have some sort of "control" in her own life because a lot of things are so chaotic. To bring the concept into my thesis she focused on the idea of control vs. chaos. Control through color, line, and mimicked shapes. She created shapes with minimal seams or shapes that the wearer can change or control herself.
The clothes are all monochromatic, building up in color and many pieces have a way of unwrapping or can be altered. I have shoes that can unsnap and convert into boots and everything has a fold or loop that is mimicking the shape of the pattern.

Sydney was winner in the SAGA fur competition and had the opportunity to visit their Design Centre in Finland, where she learned creative techniques to work with fur. Below is one of the garments she created through that epxerience.

Sydney Seltzer is a graduate from the Fashion Design BFA program at Parsons The New School for Design and can be reached at: selts821 {at} newschool.edu

Nicole Ghosn is a fashion design graduate from the fashion design BFA program at Parsons. Her thesis is a crochet-based collection, titled:  “From mother to daughter.” Her collection reminded me of my grandmother's craftsmanship and it transported me right back to my own childhood. Nicole's inspiration came to her during a summer she spent in Northern Lebanon, where her family has its roots. Having grown up all over the world, in cities, with modern values she felt disconnected from her family’s roots and tradition. Nicole discovered the crochet table covers that had moved houses and countries with her family, and realized she had never really paid attention to them. Her mom told her how her grandmother and great grandmothers had made them by hand for their family and homes. This was a craft that had traditionally been taught from mother to daughter, and continued through generations, but it had skipped her.
So with this thesis collection NIcole decided to bridge the gap between generations and breathe new life to the crochet tradition that had been in her family for generations. She taught herself to crochet, inspired by the patterns of her ancestors, and used modern silhouettes that connected her forgotten heritage with her present.

Nicole was sponsored by the shoe polytechnic in Italy, and had the opportunity to visit the school and the factories outside of Venice this past January. They created 6 prototypes for her:  two designs, in three colorways each. The inspiration for these shoes is again her summer house in Northern Lebanon, specifically back in the early stages of its construction, and the scaffolding used. This first shoe has a stepped cantilever heel; and the second a shifted heel. The braided leather component adds texture to the upper of the shoe. The shoes are meant to anchor the looks, through their structure as well as the use of darker colors.

You can find out more about Nicole Ghosn at her website KnittyLittleThings.com

Here is part two of the Parsons fashion design thesis show - graduating class of 2012.

This is already old news as it happened last week and we all know how fast fashion trends come and go. But I think it is never too late to recognize the talent of the Parsons fashion graduates who have worked on their collections for a full year... blood, sweat and tears. And I swear I have seen it all and more. The Parsons Annual Gala Benefit show happened last night and I am enclosing some of my favorites in this post. In the next couple of weeks I'll feature some of my favorite collections as they happened through the thesis judging panels, but first here are some of my favorite shots from last night's benefit gala fashion show: