GOLD DOT 'Automaton' Holiday 2011 Collection

I dislike the use of the word EDGY especially if its describing a fashion brand. Ever since the inception of GAGA and other otherworldly pop stars the word had been thrown in and out of proportions. I had always connotated the word with something that is postpositive (Tensity, Anxiousness and Nervousness) qualities of which a fledgling fashion brand should never have. I would rather prefer the use of words such as Provocative, Innovative and Forward. Such play on words can mean so much more.

'Toujour avoir une longueur d'avance' should be the underlying motto of every local independent fledgling fashion brand here in the Philippines. Brands like GOLD DOT (as you can see in this entry their fantastic HOLIDAY 2011 Lookbook featuring top model Ria Bolivar photographed by Edrick Bruel) OS, Paradigm Shift, Bosquejo, Proud Race, Miadore, Soule Phenomenon,... and the list goes on, lest not forget the young and talented group of fashion designers should always and forever strive to be ONE STEP OR AT LEAST TWO STEPS AHEAD OF THE CURVE. One way or another the eyes of the international fashion market might just look this way and see that our mainstream, designer and independent brands are as competitive and as brilliant as theirs.

I could see it! They could make it international! Its as clear as the clear plastic pieces on this lookbook!

GOLD DOT

'Automaton'

Holiday 2011 Collection

PHOTO CREDITS:

Photographed by Edrick Bruel

Styling by Mike Magallanes

Hair and Makeup by Janelle Duazo and Karl Leuterio

Model: Ria Bolivar

Special Thanks to

Nica Duazo, Thysz Estrada and Christian Go

Thank you Aly and Karl for sharing the amazing Gold Dot /Lookbook PR photos! Congrats to the team! The amazing lookbook matches the fantastic couture shoes! I loved it! ♥

I cant wait for the menswear version of this collection!

Visit their website for more info on the fabulous shoes!

www.golddot.com.ph

Things I Need to Have # 4 - SANTIGOLD X VANS Sneakers

i love Santi White aka Santigold.

If youve been living under a rock and just came back out, her album SANTOGOLD is a definite must listen! Songs like Creator, Say Aha, Lights Out, L.E.S Artistes, and my favorite You'll Find a Way are just some of the amazing tracks from her 2008 album. As diverse as her music, she is now venturing into a new collaboration with VANS

The Santigold Sneakers feature perforated full-grain leather, fauz gold chains, and a custom removable SG gold pin created by Jules Kim of Bijules. Here is the Santigold X VANS colloboration sneakers (Photo courtesy of Refinery29)

love it

For more visit the VANS PH Facebook page.

xoxo

EXCESS-ORIES

I especially love Accessories. It is one of the best ways to update a look, make an ensemble from boring to vavoom! The equation of Cycle + Celebrity = TREND (as according to WhoWhatWear by Hillary Kerr and Katherine Power. Who i adore! i recommend everyone to grab a copy of their book! i even made it compulsory for my fashion styling students in FIP to buy a copy. Ill discuss that in another blog entry) paved way to a fast revolving trend cycle powered by celebrities. Whatever they wear (the trendsetters/the living fashion icons/the fashionphiles ofcourse) instantly becomes a norm on what the mass (thats us) will wear. ''IT'' status on Bags, Shoes and Excessories are a by-product of this phenomenon. Best examples of this are the following:

The Balenciaga Motorcycle Bag (launched in Spring 2001 together with the Le Dix and the Lariat) now in many varieties

and

The CHANEL Maxi XL Jumbo 2.55 (I especially love the RED)

Both bags were pictured in the arms of Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, Sienna Miller, Kate Moss, Kelly Osbourne, Sarah Jessica Parker, Gwyneth Paltrow and ofcourse Nicole Ritchie (among others)

The paparazzi or the unlikely on/off bestfriend of the celebrities are at fault of this cult following on what celebrities wear. TMZ, Us Weekly, et. al. made available the images of off-duty celebrities. This made the designers create even more outstanding pieces and stylist scour for new groundbreaking/ heartstoping/ breathetaking accessories to feature.

And now comes the fun part. Finding amazing designer shoes. My friend photographer Rxandy Capinpin showed me the website of Footwear Designer Kobi Levi. I was amazed how visual and conceptual the shoes were! Here are some of the pieces i loved!

XXX Pumps (2010)

Blow Pumps (2010)

Banana Slip Ons

The Chewing Gum

Market Platforms (1998)

Kobi Levi graduated from Bezalel Academy of Art & Design, Jerusalem in 2001. Specializing in footwear design and development/making. He is a freelance designer. He is designing his own Men Shoe line named Tel-Aviv, Israel. He also designs industrial footwear in both Italy, China and Brazil and Presented his designs in various exhibitions in Tel-Aviv, Jerusalem, Tokyo, Verona, St.Etienne, Berlin et.al.

He said in his profile: " In my artistic footwear design the shoe is my canvas. The trigger to create a new piece comes when an idea, a concept and/or an image comes to mind. The combination of the image and footwear creates a new hybrid and the design/concept comes to life. The piece is a wearable sculpture. It is "alive" with/out the foot/body. Most of the inspirations are out of the "shoe-world", and give the footwear an extreme transformation. The result is usually humoristic with a unique point of view about footwear. Another aspect of the creation is the realization. All the pieces are hand-made in my studio. The challenging technical development is the key to bring the design to life in the best way."

For more check out his website

Kobi Levi Design

xoxo