In essence, DAKS’s Autumn/Winter 2013 womenswear collection celebrated craftsmanship and the art of the pattern cutter by playing on traditional shapes and proportions through folding, draping and layering. To accentuate this notion, McKain-Waid opted for non-traditional pattern-cutting techniques and for the manipulation of fabrics such as felted wool, flannel, mohair and suede offered in a palette of greys, olive green, deep claret red, camel, navy blue and black.

Also inspired by the depiction of Charlotte Rampling’s sophisticated and androgynous style both in her life and in the characters she portrayed in films, McKain-Waid used the collection to push the traditional representations of the female silhouette forward by adopting masculine tailoring with gusto. This was evident in looks where all-in-one pieces evoked male suiting, waists were dropped or not very pronounced, and pleated trousers abounded. In spite of this genderless approach to the overall cut of the collection’s garments, feminine shapes were introduced via the juxtaposition of fluid long skirts and dresses with cropped jackets and fitted tops.

Similarly, and to emphasise the dichotomy between (feminine) softness and (male) rigidity that underlined the forms and concepts behind the collection, DAKS’s tartan pattern clashed with oversized florals, natural materials such as wood, leather and suede were paired with rubber and metal to emphasise contrasting textures, and accessories reworked traditional functionality and construction, with rigid angles combined with fine, curved seams.

The post DAKS Womenswear Autumn/Winter 2013 appeared first on The Style Examiner.

Inspired by Julie Christie’s character Lara in the film Doctor Zhivago, Choi mixed Russian folk costume, art and culture in a strong collection with a palette of white, black, moss green, burgundy, pink, vermillion and cerulean blue. In addition, ornate fabrics and prints such as lace-effect jacquards, boucle, leather, died fur, shearling, velvet bows, metallic threads and Swarovski embroideries in floral shapes provided rich undertones to elegant bell dresses, pleated cotton blouses and chiffon skirts, wide-leg trousers, cocoon coats and fitted cardigans and jackets.

The post Eudon Choi Womenswear Autumn/Winter 2013 appeared first on The Style Examiner.

The 2013 Interiors Awards winners are:
Large Office: Microsoft Vienna in Vienna by INNOCAD

Small Office: XAL Competence Center in Graz, Austria by INNOCA

Hotel: Grand Hyatt New York in New York by Bentel & Bentel Planners/Architects

Restaurant: Untitled in New York by the Rockwell Group

Healthcare: Randall Children’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon by ZGF Architects

Education: Cranbrook Art Museum Renovation and Collections Wing in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan by SmithGroupJJR

Public Space: Lakewood Cemetery Garden Mausoleum in Minneapolis by HGA

Showroom: Chongqing Mountain & City Sales Office in Chongqing, China by One Plus Partnership

Entertainment: Wuhan Pixel Box Cinema in Wuhan, China by One Plus Partnership

Adaptive Reuse: Confidential Multimedia Entertainment Company in New York by FXFOWLE Architects

Retail: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Museum Store in Bentonville, Arkansas by Marlon Blackwell Architect

Sustainable: 22squared in Atlanta by Gensler

Student: Play Lab by Nicole Germano

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Massimo was always drawn to the technology and functionality involved in the production of fabrics and the actual military garments. However, when he experimented with such fabrics and designs for C.P. Company, he realised that the garments that he created did not fit in with the brand’s vision. To address this, he created Stone Island to market these designs. Today, Stone Island’s garments vary between innovative jackets to functional and fashion forward Stone Island jeans and everyday wear garments.

Now in its tenth generation, Stone Island’s Shadow Project is the result of an ongoing collaboration between the owner and creative director Carlo Rivetti and designers Michaela Sachenbacher and Errolson Hugh, also known as ACRONYM. The project has roots in experimentation and in the fusion between technical functionality and the performance of form. The latest incarnation of the Shadow Project has been foregrounded by a video found here.

For Autumn/Winter 2012, the Shadow Project collection used empty urban locations and pieces falling slowly from the ceiling to distil the concept of interplay between form and function. The Spring/Summer 2013 collection, which is just now upon us, features a very exciting garment that glows in the dark. Not one to shy away from experimentation, Stone Island has called this ‘the luminescence technique’. The fabric is wind and water resistant, and also has the ability to capture light and emit it back when it is dark. This technology has been applied to twelve different garments, either in parts (such as the hood or a zip) or to the whole item.

The post Stone Island Shadow Project Spring/Summer 2013* appeared first on The Style Examiner.

The hides used in the Diego Vanassibara shoes and boots come from Italy, where production also takes place. In order to guarantee quality to his footwear line, the designer chose to trust the manufacture of his designs to a small family-run company that has been making shoes for three generations. Similarly, the wood pieces used in the collection come from a man-grown plantation of 100% legal and certified sustainable trees in the island of Java and are produced by the Rohim family, who have carved wood and been involved in carpentry for more than a century.

I had the opportunity to examine these shoes closely and speak to the designer in London and was very impressed with the attention to detail and high quality of his shoes. Diego Vanassibara footwear is most certainly a label that deserves swift expansion and further admiration by men.

The post Introducing Diego Vanassibara Footwear appeared first on The Style Examiner.

ECCO is unique in being the only shoe manufacturer that owns and controls every step of the shoe-making process, allowing them monitor the impact of their actions at every level and change them accordingly. This means that they can integrate their environmental and ethical practices into every manufacturing stage of their shoes. In addition, the company tries to employ local talent to help create meaningful work for people in the community.

As examples of ECCO’s commitment to improving their ethical and environmental practices, the company has installed a new lighting concept in their stores that reduced electricity consumption by 35%, opened an energy efficient tannery where the energy consumption is 20% lower than the average tannery, began to install energy-efficient tannery drums in their tanneries, which cut electricity consumption by 48%, and began using tannery waste as bio-fuel, cutting the amount of waste by 50%.

The post ECCO Shoes: Ethical Designs and Innovative Processes* appeared first on The Style Examiner.

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Over the years, Guide London has grown steadily. Its branded products were so successful that they started being commercialised on a wholesale basis to retailers both in the UK and internationally, a development that saw Guide London winning the BKCEC British Apparel Export Award in the mid-1990s. In 2005, new managing director Isaac Benson reformed the business and re-established Guide London as a brand that focused on marketing its own designer products.

With their roots firmly in British ground and all their garments designed in-house, it’s quite unsurprising that they are now defined as a British design house. Attention to detail and little quirks that make British design individual and unique to consumers as far afield as New York or Paris is what is distilled in Guide London’s clothes.

The cutaway and double collars on their shirts add interest and a degree of the unusual into everyday office wear. Crisply cut blazers and trousers, waistcoats to match, and three-piece suits in a variety of materials are all designed by the company. Made from high-quality fabrics, their collections are intended to reach the target audience of the stylish professional man. As well as smart office wear, they also design casual wear including polo shirts, casual long sleeve and short sleeve shirts, as well as knitwear and winter coats to cover all seasons.

*Guest post

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The 2013 winners are:

• Alissa D. Luepke Pier, AIA
• Andrew Caruso, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, CDT
• Brett Charles Taylor, AIA, LEED AP
• Deepika Padam, AIA, LEED AP
• Derwin Broughton, AIA
• Eric R. Hoffman, AIA, NCARB  LEED AP

• Jennifer A. Workman, AIA
• John Dwyer, AIA

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