Riitta Ikonen

I stumbled upon recent Royal College of Art graduate Riitta Ikonen tonight before bed, and I felt compelled to show some of her pictures. She appears to be a photographer and a textiles designer - a perfectly complimentary match. Her photographs are some of the most moving, emotional and humorous I've almost ever seen. I feel compelled to share her. Perhaps I will pitch her to V or even save her for Surface's art issue. Whatever it is, I think she's somebody worth noticing.

From the series "No One Belongs Here More Than You":



"Human Nylon":




From the "Snowflake" series, a self-portrait:



"Leaf and Bird":


I think this is pretty amazing. I'd love to see a movie about her images. Glad to get her in before I say good night.

NYLON :: Shameless Self Promotion

Check out this September's Nylon. It's the TV issue, but notice the fashion news section for three pieces by a very familiar name. There is one more - my intro piece on by boe jewelry, but I didn't grab a pic of it.

Here' are some shots because there is no digital issue yet:






www.nylonmag.com

Hooded Justice

I recently watched Nicolas Roeg's classic sci-fi "The Man Who Fell To Earth". The movie, of course, further defined Bowie as an experimenter and a pioneer, but it is also a style cornerstone for any young man who has embraced the lure of androgyny.

Even those who have never seen "The Man", Bowie's orange, wig-like hair and porcelain skin are iconic (from the cover of "Low" as well). Yet, the thing that caught my eye the most was his reoccuring jacket, a dramatic piece that included a large, ear-height collar double with a hood that looked more sophisticated than street.




My nearly obsessive, practically exhausting search for a winter coat last year allows me to believe that no one has really picked up on this striking hood/collar combo. I finally found a collar that was acceptable at Mackage, but to find a hood attached was difficult. (Note: This year is going to be ALL about obnoxiously huge collars - lets hope someone pops in their Low album and finds a way to stand apart by be-hooding their creation.)

This fall, I will do my best to revive the hood - take it away from hoodies and put it on fitted, well-tailored ensembles. My search has been fairly unfruitful, but I did want to point out Kill City's killer "Black Hooded Dress":

http://www.killcity.net/handlers/style.php?groupvalue=Womens%20-%20Dresses&style=73-265


This delish eBay find from Japanophile's Rabbit Angel:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=260277175085



Hooded tee from my favorite NYC boutique I can't afford, Oak:

www.oaknyc.com


A great vintage find from Nasty Gal's webstore:

http://www.shopnastygal.com/


What I'm trying to say is: Hoods...I fancy you.

Friday Music Videos - Madonna ed.

Sometimes I really love Madonna. Yes, she's totally crazy and probably a little scary, but as an icon, as a visual force, she is undeniable. You can track trends by tracing her professional trajectory. And her videos have ALWAYS been a tour de force. So today, I get a little gay for Madonna:





"Rain" - a personal favorite of mine. That hair is incredible, and so perfectly mid-90s. (Also, a Mark Romanoff vid)





"Justify My Love" - What is going on in this video? I don't care, its so bloody sexy.






"Open Your Heart" - There is a reason that the cone bra is so epic. And that reason is tassles.






"Express Yourself" - An early David Fincher directed this pre-Alien III vid.






I know "Get Together" is a little late 2000's rave, but I kind of love this song. It reminds me of a Sunday, drinking a mojito on a rooftop. But the relaxing way, not the cheesy way.




You really cannot deny the Madge.

Vancouver Zombie Walk 2008

Canada loves its zombies, from Toronto being blown to bits in Resident Evil 2 and Max Brooks' World War Z has it as a safe zone because zombies freeze in the hellish winter. I was recently referred to the photography of Goh Iramoto, a young Vancouver photographer who captured the 2008 Zombie Walk in Vancouver. It looks really amazing. That hand makes me hungry...






You can stalk the aspiring photographer on his Flickr account. I know I will.

Lolla pt. 2

So, basically this is super outdated, but I have GOT to post it, right? I'd been talking about it for days and days and weeks. But Sunday was what it was all about, and Adam and I enjoyed some Girl Talk, Love and Rockets and then, of course, Nails.


Adam and I start our day off by noticing that someone spilled their drunk guy on the lawn.




Then Mr. Black dragged me to see Flogging Molly. Like most Irish bands, people brought accroutements to wave about in the crowd.



I ran into Andriu Strausser and Hannah Adams waiting to see Girl Talk!




The crowd actually went NUTS for Girl Talk . It was the craziest I saw them all weekend. Go Gregg!


Adam and I struggled bc Girl Talk/Flogging Molly/Love and Rockets were all playing at the same time. Guess our passion for 80s goth/pop wins in the end.


This dude stopped us to tell us that we each had the best shirts that he saw in the whole festival, and he felt better about humanity knowing we were friends. He insisted on taking our picture.


Here is his work:


The crowd, as the sun begins to set



Then the guys from Bauhaus sans Peter Murphy + the extras from a Flaming Lips show (not true, but it kinda looks like it...)



Trent takes the stage. Adam and I know that enduring the crowds/heat/hangovers may be worth it.



Best way to close a show ever:




The sign, as we leave, exhausted...



The maniacal crowd, which made me miss Chicago ten-fold.



Parting image: Me lost on Michigan Avenue, people a bit too blurry.



In summation - I wish I didn't miss Saturday. Also, the fact that press passes got you literally no where was silly - it was impossible to cover the concert in any sort of reasonable way without being trampled by hundreds and hundreds of exposed breasts. Basically - this concert made me irritated with the Gen X-ers it came to represent, mostly because they are trying so hard. So darn hard.

Unexpected highlights: None
Best show of the concert: NIN or Radiohead
Worst: So, so many

Well, perhaps next year...

Lolla-review pt.1

Yes, I know how long its been since Lolla, but if you had the kind of week I've had you would be probably dead, in an alley somewhere, with cats eating your eyeballs.

Chicago was great, had a rough night Friday and missed out on Saturday but made it out on Sunday. I refuse to let my personal weakness interfere with my blogging, so I present you a photographic journey of Lollapalooza, starring myself and Adam Black.


Entering the city:


Look! I finally get to take a picture of the Bean as a tourist!


Millenium Park/kids in the fountain/bliss


Ellen at dinner, skyline behind



More kids! Water pouring:



Lolla begins. Adam and I are hot



and cool...



Gogol Bordello outside of the press tent:



Surveying the scene with Adam Black/Red


I geeked out because of the photo op


Tony and Dylan; we were walking from one end to the other



Clayton Hauck, from everyoneisfamous.com
(You can see me HERE!)


Tony, Cristina and I are deciding to go to see the Cool Kids


Aleah mustaching while we were watching the Cool Kids DJ



Adam and I in the Hippie Pit with his Bruised Pit. There were these awful hammocks and we got stuck in one during a lull



The always beautiful Edie Renee, whose boyfriend (now fiancé!) also played the fest!



Watching Cool Kids DJ from backstage. Kids were going wild!






The Dj (a friend of Adam's whose name eludes me) stage dove. I love the little shoe sticking out!

Radiohead! Dylan and I snuck into the VIP area. It was a really intense light show.


That's it for Day 1! Will put up Day 3 pics tomorrow!