Maison Martin Margiela 20 The Exhibition

I love Finland, but cool fashion exibitions never find their way to Helsinki. First I missed the Tim Burton exhibition at MoMa NYC and now I´m going to miss Margiela´s exhibition. He has been such an inpiration to me when studying and really the person who got me thingking that recycling and reusing can be made to look fashionable. It sucks sometimes to live so far from everything.. If you're in town, go see it and get inspired. I would.

"Somerset House is proud to host Maison Martin Margiela ‘20’ The Exhibition, a major exhibition celebrating 20 years of one of contemporary fashion’s most influential and enigmatic designers. This ambitious, multi-layered exhibition captures Margiela’s unique aesthetic and vision, incorporating garments, installations, photography and film. This exhibition was initiated by the Fashion Museum Province of Antwerp and Maison Martin Margiela. Young as its history is, no other fashion house has had quite the same impact on our understanding of fashion and its relationship to history, craft, commerce and innovation. Twenty years on, Maison Martin Margiela’s radical questioning and rethinking of what fashion is, how we clothe the body and ideals of human beauty, is still as groundbreaking as ever."

Photo: Maison Martin Margiela Artisanal elastic band jacket

DIY inspiration - The cage bustier

There has been loads of different kinds of harnesses and corset bone caged clothes/accessories going around in the past seasons. I never get tired of them as I feel they make an intresting, timeless, sexy addition to any wardrobe. Not tied to any season or particular trend. These fun and fabulous cage bustiers are by Chromat Summer 2010 collection called Cities And Cages. Available at I Don´t like Mondays. Buy... or DIY.

You´ll need:
1 pair of bust under wires from your old bras
corset boning (rigilene)
satin bias tape
wide elastic band
short zipper

.. and a friend to help you pin the damn thing on you :)

A Pair and A Spare

I have not been an active blogger lately. The weather and company is far too great to stay inside ans write all day. But while you´re waiting for me to get back to work, check out Geneva's DIY fashion blog A Pair and A Spare.

Trashion for Queen

Michelle from Kingdom of Style wearing a shredded black & white shredded Marimekko shirt I made for her. She makes it look so good!

Aquarelle delirium

Soda zip

Fall haute couture evening gown collection by Basil Soda. Gorgeous trim and draping details with metal zippers. Zips are so not going out of style for seasons on.. Photos via Firstview.

Shadowplay

Gorgeous handmade rodartesque knitted mohair necklaces with stones, gems and metal details. I also like the fact that these necklaces have a bit more bigger metal lock to contrast the soft threads. By Shadowplay

Coctail chakra

Summer brides attention! Buy a vintage pencil dress and loads of tulle (stiff organza is also good) and some wide satin ribbon. Sew the tulle into a skirt (full circle as pattern). Add satin ribbon to waist and . Tie it on top of the pencil dress waist, just below bust. Instant update to an old coctail dress.

Inspiration: Coctail dresses from Georges Chakra Fall 2010 collection.
Photos via Firstview.



This dress is formed from a circular piece wrapped around the body. Pinning and sewing on the gathered tulle and lace will take ages though, but totaly worth the trouble..




Also adding layers around the shoulders looks pretty sassy.

Helen Furber

Now that you have scrolled down all the images and I can just imagine you sitting there lusting after a pair, even if you could never walk on one cause their so high.., let me drop the cherry on the cake. This new shoe design by 2010 Cordwainers Footwear design graduate Helen Furber is S U S T A I N A B L E. That´s right! Fabulous and eco fashion! Not just plastic fantastic that makes you consider twice about abandoning your consumption principles (just this once.. they are just so beautiful) or a basic shoe "in a new eco package" (box made from recycled cardboard).. It is real sustainable luxury footwear with a breathtaking design. Unfortunately this shoe is still a concept prototype and cannot be ordered or bought anywhere. If you want to follow up on Helen´s work, check out her blog.

Helen, your eco designs are the bomb.
I wish you the best in fashion and good vibes on your career.
The fashion industry needs your shoes to come to life.

Via StyleBubble.

Icica from Helen Furber on Vimeo.

Sweatshop cafe

A while ago this wonderful new DIY cafe concept - Sweat Shop - opened their doors in Paris. The concept is simple, come in, have a cup and rent a sewing machine while you´re there. For a few euros an hour you can enjoy the lovely creative atmosphere, do your DIY (even if you don´t have a machine at home) and get advice and help from the staff for your projects. Combine this with a printer and internet connection and you can download patterns online from BurdaStyle. I can´t say how much I love this concept and hope to have them soon popping up in all major cities! StyleBubble wrote a post on these new DIY cafes, and how she thinks more designers should be making trendy DIY kits to complement their collections. I cannot agree more.

You can also find Sweat Shop at Facebook.

Blondies

Two of my favorite blondies and all-round hot chicks, Stella and Jenni. The shredded cobweb tee I made for Jenni is just props with these gals... Via Paras Aika Vuodesta. Photos Tiiu Kaitalo.

Miparti

I always thought cutting two secondhand band t-shirts and sewing them back together with each others halfs would be a smashing idea. It would not even matter if the print, collar or hem did not match. Photo via Is Mental.

Illuminating laundry

Holy shoot. This series of lamps was created for the interior of Il Cestello, a restaurant in Florence, Italy designed by Gaetano Pesce in collaboration with Sandro Cammilli. Via Wright.

$6,250
resin over fabric, stainless steel, cast aluminum
220.5 w x 8 d x 49 h inches



My friend Pauliina did something similar just mixing transparent glue with water and soaking the garment in that. Then it was left to dry on a torso covered in plastic.