JC Report: RSS

Cover Curation: Theocharis' Classic And Edgy View

chelsea — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:21:22 -0500

"Beauty is not the result of profound inspiration, but of the acceptance of imperfection," claims Greek-American lensman Dimitris Theocharis. Whether using energetic bold colors or moody tonal hues, Theocharis body of work encompasses a gallery of images that have a sense of visual currency and an appreciation for the unexpected.

As it turns out, this sense of timeliness is rooted in both classical art and contemporary design methods. The London-based Theocharis actually studied Fine Art, with a concentration in sculpture, at the Northumbria University at Newcastle Upon Tyne and Photography & Digital Arts at the University of Westminster.

We're curating Theocharis' work in the coming weeks, but it's probably not the first time you have seen many of the images—they've been exhibited at Exit Art in New York and have appeared in various publications including Harpers Bazaar, Mother, Upstreet, reFresh, Evening Standard and The Independent. If anything, Theocharis shows us that beauty is as much a matter of the beholder as it is the subject's flaws.

Fancy Footwear

chelsea — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:20:11 -0500

With shoe obsessions continuing to grow exponentially, venerated footwear instutions have stepped up to the plate with products that satisfy industry influencers as well as the consumer audience.

Footwear Plus, the footwear industry's monthly magazine, just launched a new website with a Nylon-esque feel and decidedly downtown sensibility, a daily updated blog with op-ed about how the larger retail world trends translate into the industry and a free Trendspotting email blast.

Meanwhile, ANCI (Associazione Nazionale Calzaturifci Italiani), otherwise known as the The National Association of Italian Footwear Manufacturers, follows up its groundbreaking Made in Italy social media campaign with a spot-on trend report for spring/summer '10 straight from Milan. Originally intended for the shoe industry, the report offers key inspirations for global fashionistas this fall from trend stories such as Vertical Garden to Urban Chic Marina.

Despite publisher Jay Spaleta's recent replacement by Men's Vogue publisher Marc Berger, Footwear News pioneers forward this fall with the first ever Stepping Out in Italian Shoes event during Fashion Week in September. The event is set to be like an Academy Awards for shoes, celebrating the best in Italian design and manufacturing.

These changes, varied as they may be, could be the ticket to opening the industry to consumers rather than just insiders.

—Meghan Cleary

Trendsetter: Tim Hamilton

chelsea — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:18:23 -0500

What's hot right now:

"I'm currently obsessed with Fever Ray's music."

A Global Round Up

Michael Miller — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:16:09 -0500

M &S Sales Rise 2.9% in Quarter. (WWD)

West End to Capitalize on London Fashion Week Fever. (Drapers)

New Bangladesh Textile Protests. (BBC)

Madonna in New Vuitton Ads. (WWD)

--Staff

Tim Hamilton

chelsea — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:04:13 -0500

I'm currently obsessed with Fever Ray's music.