Link About It: This Week’s Picks
In celebration of New York Fashion Week: Google Glass, party people and ghostly makeup in our weekly look at the web
Sponsored content:
1. American Fashion is Commercial
At the Lincoln Center tents, one cannot help but feel a strong trade show vibe as sponsors flit about, offering gifts from cosmetics to alcohol. Although there are complaints about the commercialism behind the overtaken floors, these companies are in fact underwriting the excessive cost of fashion shows, argues New York magazine’s Robin Givhan. The subtext to each complaint is that corporate sponsors make the New York collections more banal by some kind of mass-market osmosis. But American fashion has always had broad mass-market appeal, allowing it to grow in a way that French fashion hasn’t. Most people are not interested in complicated apparel, and the American consumer searches for wardrobe selections across multiple price points. That market need doesn’t make American fashion any less creative. From J. Crew to Proenza Schouler, the American aesthetic mingles with market appeal.
2. Google Glass Fashion Week
This New York Fashion Week, Google Glass took their newly launched Instagram account to the streets. From Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center to MADE Fashion Week at Milk Studios, Glass snagged sartorial photos of attendees. The one through line to every photo—from high fashion to street style—all subjects were wearing Glass. Diane von Furstenberg was the first to incorporate the technology into her Spring/Summer 2013 show last fall, and it seems to have certainly taken off from there.
3. 10 Types of People You Meet at Fashion Week Parties
For many New Yorkers, Fashion Week is as much about the opulent parties as it is the cutting edge design. While the endless flow of bubbly and canapés are enough for some, the real joy is simply observing your fellow partygoers. This slightly sarcastic yet startlingly accurate list of the 10 types of people you meet at fashion parties does the party-going and people-watching for you. From the obvious list-toppers like “Models who only hang with other models” to the headier “Just one glass of champagne fashion mom,” illustrator Peter Arckle and NY Mag editor Kurt Soller prove they have earned their stripes (are stripes in?) in the fashion party scene. While high fashion is a true art form, there’s nothing wrong with having a laugh at the scene surrounding it.
4. threeASFOUR on the Jewish Museum Runway
Gabriel Asfour, Adi Gil and Angela Donhauser, the designers that make up threeASFOUR, explored classic religious iconography for a show and exhibition at the Jewish Museum in New York City. Together—in line with the goals of the MER KA BA exhibit—the designers used geometric patterns found within imagery from the three major monotheistic religions to create a stunning line of black and white gowns. Comprised of a mix of classic silhouettes and avant-garde patterns and expressions, the show paid homage to its history with a wave of contemporary courage. All the photos are available at Paper Mag.
5. Rescue Meets Runway
Founded in 2008, modern sportswear apparel brand Unruly Heir is known for creating rebellious twists on new classics—all produced and handmade in New York. True to their nonconformist perspective and appreciation for the city, the two designers Joey Goodwin and John Gagliano had a few surprises in store for their S/S 2014 show in TriBeCa this past Tuesday. The brand collected suggested donations at the door to benefit the New York City Rescue Mission, but also upped their support for the oldest non-profit in the country by featuring David—one of the men in their recovery program—as one of the models. This collaboration brought the issue of homelessness into the spotlight, declaring a resounding and significant social message in the midst of hectic Fashion Week.
6. Is Wearable Technology Actually Fashionable?
The Cut’s series of candid Q&As with notable figures in the fashion industry asked for opinions on wearable technology. After a slew of tech specs and reviews, it’s refreshing to get a fashion perspective on the style aesthetics of Google Glass and Samsung’s new smartwatch. The overall theme seemed to be one of hesitance, but the best blunt reaction of Google Glass came from Deborah Needleman, editor-in-chief at T Magazine, who said: “It’s like the worst kind of German architect nerd glasses.” Runner-up: Paper magazine’s Mickey Boardman made a particularly interesting point on how quickly fashion moves: “They’re not even out, but they’re already old.”
7. Best in Menswear
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the precipitous volume of fashion coverage over the course of the event-laden week. Luckily for menswear fans, our friends at Four Pins sifted through the streetwear-inspired athletic formalwear, the athletic-inspired formal streetwear and everything between. Known for their deft blend of snark with genuine love and respect for fashion design, the crew at Four Pins opted for mostly subdued yet mega-high quality pieces that appear to be truly wearable for us mere fashion mortals. Don’t miss out on the captions for Four Pins’ signature brand of humor that both pokes fun at fashion and aptly pays homage to the near-obsession that keeps us coming back to the crowded shows each year.
8. Fashion Insane Asylum
In typical Thom Browne fashion, his Chelsea show this NYFW totally blew our minds. His emotionally inspired collection and above-and-beyond showmanship made for a cinema-worthy event. With headless plaster bodies hanging from the ceiling and models passing out meds (which were actually white M&Ms), the models hit the runway with smeared red lipstick and frizzy grey hair. As for the dresses, the white palette and careful cuts and folds appeared to be surgically produced. The craftsmanship was the finest you’ll see coming out of NYFW. Check out all the garments and mental patient-inspired makeup via V Magazine.
This week’s Link About It—our filtered look at the web, published weekly every Saturday morning—was in celebration of New York Fashion Week and sponsored by Motorola. Read all of the articles from this week’s report in our handy Nextly stream.
