September Issue(s)

by Joachim Mueller Ruchholtz for Contributing Editor, mirrored by me

September is a riot of new directions, new ways without number to choose. This lashing of novelties confused me in the past weeks, and took my beloved words away. It's a complicated feeling, when there's so much to say that one idea cancels the other, and finally the labyrinth of thoughts becomes so tangled, that it ropes bound the voice.

I'm still numb, but started to figure out where to turn my head. The compass rose sheds its petals already. Autumn, wreathe your arms round my neck and whisper in my ear!

by Steven Klein for Vogue Homme Japan #3 mirrored by me

Regards, Miska

Private Detective by Mareunrol's

A mood noir.

The veil of the night falls noiselessly on the motionless landscape. Stupor reigns in every corner of the darkness. The unknown man listens numbly to the dead silence. His eyes are burning from haze, fear numbed into boredom in his mind. Reality ravels into imagination. Hours have elapsed since then. Action twirls slowly. Glutinous, ductile dollop.

Film noir is a bunch of confused moments, strung on straggly stills. A whole story concentrated in one black and white picture.

With the advent of the evening, I accidentally ran into an inteview with a Latvian designer duo. The article was illustrated with surreal moody photos, which intrigued me immediately.

I looked up the designers, like a good private detective and found many interesting and inspirational features about them.

They are Mareunrol's Marite Mastina and Rolands Peterkops, double winners of the Festival d'Hyéres in 2009. Their award winning collection, "Private Detective" was inspired by film noir, gangster and detective stories, and was represented with an impressive short film, directed by Latvian video artist, Kristine Kursiaa.

photos by Kaspars Lielgalvis from I Love Fake Spring/Summer '09

For the "Private Detective" short film noir, visit Mareunrol's website. And let's start to memorize the names of the Riga-based duo, I sniff rare excitement associated with them.

Regards, Miska

Autumn Breakfast

Sometimes there are no legs left to stand on, or at least the way runs out from under your feet. It happens. It happened.
After the monotonous days of the past summer, the realization came so sudden, autumn is here, again.

My favourite term of the year, with the ticklingly abundance of colors, lights and options. I'm galvanized by the inconsistency of the upcoming season inevitably. So many new trends, directions have started to emerge in menswear, like never before. No doubt, we live in the age of the great discoveries regarding mens's fashion. I personally hope, this stays a tendency, and not just a passing fancy.

"And yet, beyond, the trees already wave their golden arms to me" - but I will remain close this time.

The featured photos were taken by Thomas Lohr, fashion editor Kim Howells, helmet by Alun Davies. The originals can be found at Contributing Editor, the ones featured here are retouched by me.

Regards, Miska

Aerial by Julia Kim & Bart Kiggen

The '09 collection of Julia Kim was inspired by urbanism and aerial photography, so was Bart Kiggen, who created a short movie to accompany the presentation.

In keywords: vestment-like outfits, razor sharp structures, irresistible details; with this collection the promising designer from Antwerp reiterated, and even outshone her previous ones.
Broad perspectives, unearthly calmness and motionless gestures, planes, windmills and the Milky Way as regard Bart Kiggels's interpretation.
Typical instance of a well-thought-out cooperation, impressive.

Here, you can find a previously published interview I made with Julia Kim about her preceding collection.


Regards, Miska

Topman AW'09 "Wilderness" Necklace

photo from Topman "Wilderness" AW'09

A new kind of passion is in the rollout phase. The latest and sorely needed object of my desires is this piece from the Fall collection of Topman. I was never really in favor of jewels, but recently, this claim has began to revaluate in me. Perhaps Mr T's heavy blings in the "A Team", or Ricardo Tisci's Givenchy Homme accessories lit a spark in my head.

However I feel untameable thirst to get hold of this wondrously austere but excrescently complex necklace.

Like a clutch of metal snakes, entwine my neck and embrace my chest...

Regards, Miska

Burberry Prefall '09

If I'd be asked to mention a timeless piece of clothing, I'd definitely pick the Burberry trenchcoat, because every number has its own history, a perfect synthesis of the past and the future but always fits into the current trends. A pure fix point in the always-changing world of fashion, a modern classic.

In addition to the aforementioned trenches, the prefall collection of Burberry musters up a number of exciting pieces, like eye-strokingly silky knitwear and trousers, which feel like a chilly breath on the skin. Tingling.

photos from Burberry

Regards, Miska

Acceptible in the '80s - Maria Blaisse

I'm feeling the early tingling of the upcoming fall season in my bones, and also dreaming with shoulder pads since last week. The odd thing is, that these dreams are getting sweeter. At first sight I had a kick against the revival of the riotousness and crudity of the '80s, but the initial antipathy seems to calm down, and I'm just getting more and more interested about the characteristics and visions of the decade when I was only a tiny package of life.

Last night I was rambling around with a question in my mind. What is acceptible from the '80s? Why are the '80s stigmatized as the black sheep of style, in spite of that incredibly strong visuality, and look which were represented in those years.

Maybe it ensues from the antagonism between the signature '80s look and the much softer, more sophisticated silhouette of the days that we are used to.

Kuma Guna by Maria Blaisse (1996)

Returning to the question raised above, last night I accidentally tumbled on the inspiring artwork of Maria Blaisse. The iconic sculptures of the Dutch designer have been making an impact on fashion since the early '70s. Her work is an investigation of form and material. Denudative, extremely stylized pulsating vitality resides in every shapes, created by Maria Blaisse. Her spherical foam costumes were revolutionary at the time, and they are still a dazzling visual experience to a man, who has been around a lot.

Spheres by Maria Blaisse (1989)

For more information and visual pleasure visit the official site of Maria Blaisse. And also read a recent interview with the artist on DazedDigital.

Regards, Miska

Woodstock - 40th Anniversary

One of the most iconic photos of the legendary festival.

40 years before I wasn't even a thought. 40 years from now I hope I will still enjoy the freedom of mind.

My "Woodstock" ended last night, when I was running in the middle of a dark highway. I was running to find the way back here. I found it, and finally here I am.
The first chords were already played, and now I continue to compose the repertoire.
It feels good to be back.


Regards, Miska

Damir Doma S/S '10 Runway Videos

He presented my favourite collection for the next spring/summer season in Paris.
He created a smoking new look in menswear.

His designs make me wonder every time I see them.
He is Damir Doma.

I don't talk to the wind, see videos of the whole collection and backstage below.
My review about the collection, can be found here.

In addition to the motion pictures, also read the official press release of the collection. I have to admit, nor could I conceive my thoughts better.

"Between spirituality and philosophy, Doma explores the delicate balance of humanforms and harmonizes the ongoing dialogue between body and soul.

Oversized and almost floating elements are meant to provide space between skin andgarment representing a new spiritual freedom allowing the mind to focus on life’selemental values.

With an understanding of humility and purity, Doma eliminates the unnecessary andconcentrates on the essentials of shapes and forms resulting in a heightened appreciationfor simplicity. No buttons or unnecessary trimmings were added to thegarments to maintain its integrity and mutual respect for the individual and nature.

Our relationship to nature and the things that permit our existence, is spoken throughthe colors, with white symbolizing purity, red the energy that rushes through our veinsand black’s thoughtfulness, the beginning, the end and what is still yet to be discovered.

Doma’s quest to fuse mind, body and spirit, stands as a trinity with fabrics, colors andshades as its loyal disciples."

~ Damir Doma

Regards, Miska

Pure Desire - Rozalb de Mura Unisex Painted Trousers

Perhaps it's a kind of fetishism, who knows... in any event, since I first saw I can't get it out of my head. Have you ever felt unappeasable carving to possess a piece of beauty? I think this feeling might be familiar for everyone in our materialistic world, and come on, fashion is all about that. Awaking the slumbering instincts and let them be free...

"... And do not take us into temptation..."
Why not?

Even if these unisex painted Rozalb de Mura trousers would be the perdition itself, I won't protest against them. They are more like a piece of heaven, fallen down to earth, and got dirty from the sky during the fall.

photos from Not Just A Label, retouched by me

"These statement making painted cotton trousers feature black embroidery on the thighs. "Vitezkotes", the Hungarian for "the string of the brave" is the beautifully embroidered black string that nowadays is a graphic decoration on the traditional Hungarian male costume. This is the symbol that ignited the Transylvanian designer's curiosity and made him delve into XIXth century cutting and assembling techniques." ~ Not Just A Label

Along with other beautiful creations, the pair of delight is available at Not Just A Label's webshop.

Harrowing desire, leave me alone...

Regards, Miska