Late Post from NYFW.- Unconditional

The pictures I took from Unconditional spring 09 fashion show during New York fashion week have been lost in my computer till today, when i realized I never wrote about this event.

It took place right after United Bamboo's so that is why the pictures got lost; I focused on UB and forgot all the rest. Inexcusable mistake.

Bed Peace, the collection's name which takes inspiration from John Lennon and Yoko Ono's infamous 1969's "Bed In" peace protest, was shown at the Maritime Hotel in the Meat Packing District, one of those hotels that take your breathe off once you're in.

Up on the rooftop I stumbled upon a cocktail party with free cocktails, beautiful people, photographers and models wearing the collection, both male and females, mixed with the crowd as in a party. So this wasn't really a fashion show, it was more a presentation, and for that reason it was so special and surprising.

Philip Stephens, the head behind Unconditional, started this label in 2003.
His designs have been since characterized for the use of ethically produced (often organic) fabrics and sustainable dyes.

Bed Peace is definitely a very 60's collection for her, but for him was a bit different and was hard for me to realized this was a 'together' collection (male/female).

Both genres seemed from two totally different worlds; women came from Woodstock wearing sheer and loose dresses... men right from a Norwegian summer, with long sleeves cotton t-shirts, bear's ears crocheted hats and striped blue&white sailor tees...

models mixed with the press

the people


the models


a room with a view

New York Fashion Week. SS09. United Bamboo

I was really exciting to attend United Bamboo's SS 09 show.

My relation with them started when I interviewed them for hotel diana magazine months ago.
Although their style is too girly for my taste, I respect and like their subtle experimentation in a place and a market, New York, where experimentation is not the norm. I even think they don't experiment more because they're not "allow" to, not because they don't want. I remember once in a sample sales to see really interesting dresses that i didn't see later at the stores. When I asked their PR why he told me because American buyers told them not to produce those pieces because the stores would never buy them... too avant-garde for American standards. Here is where I live...

Miho and Thuy presented their SS09 collection at the Altman Building in Manhattan.
It was Saturday and hurricane Gustav was paying a brief visit to New York. The day woke up windy and overcast and looking depressing. At least for me.
In any case, there I went, exciting with my invitation on hand.

The line to enter the building was LONG as expected and we had to wait outside for a little while. The girl in front of me was dressed beautifully, with a nice floral dress and red shoes and purple shirt, the same color combo I was about to see inside... in general people was dressed really nicely and there there were many street style photographers taking pictures, among them Yvan the FaceHunter.

One of the reasons I love to see shows is for the people who attends them. The show sometimes is secondary because at times your location is so far away you can't even see the cloths, or the show is way too short to really enjoy... United Bamboo's crowd was really interesting to see.

The collection was pretty and very 60's, girlier and less experimental than their SS08, with really nice color combos.

The finishing touch was given by Iekeliene Stange; it's always a pleasure to see this girl on the catwalk.

New York Fashion Week. SS09. Iris Loeffler

A show that starts with Grauzone's Eisbär can't be a bad show.

German designer Iris Loeffler's SS09 collection put a beginning to my fashion week schedule, and it was totally by chance that I went because I was still unpacking from a trip to Madrid when I received the call of my friend Max sanjulián who was DJ-ing at the event.

The show was held at LaViolaBank gallery on East Broadway, and it was cram with beautiful people, many of them European.

Free beer for everyone, just like an art opening.

This was Iris, who interns at Zero Maria Cornejo, first collection.

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El viernes pasado, recién llegadita de Madrid, se inauguró mi fashion week con el desfile de la colección Primavera Verano 09 de la diseñadora alemana Iris Loeffler.

Iris, que trabaja en Zero Maria Cornejo, se estrena como diseñadora con esta colección que fué presentada en la galería LaViolaBank en East Broadway, en la zona de Chinatown.

Mucha gente guapa, muchos de ellos europeos cómo no :) y cerveza gratis para todo el mundo.
Para empezar el show, un tema mítico, Eisbär de Grauzone, que mi amigo Max Sanjulián, DJ del evento y quien me invitó al sarao, nos regaló para dejarme más contenta que unas pascuas. Con una canción asi no hay show que pueda quedar mal!

Another Year Again. New York Fashion Week.

As opposed to other seasons when I used to RSVP to every single show in town, I decided I only want to attend those I am interested in and avoid wasting my time with designers I care very little about.

Thus, this year's summary of my NYFW experience will be petite, maybe just 4 or 5 shows on the whole.

This doesn't mean I only like 4 or 5 designers in town; it just means that among all my invitations there are only 4 or 5 I am interested in.

Unfortunately there are many others I love I haven't been invited to like Patrik Rzepski, Zero Maria Cornejo, Ohnetitel, Y3, Alexandre Herchcovitch, Alexander Wang, Preen, Rodarte, VPL...

Yesterday I attended my first show, the SS09 collection of German designer Iris Loeffler, an intern at Zero Maria Cornejo who was presenting with this her first collection.

I'm uploading the images, will be ready by tomorrow with more news from today's shows, among them, United Bamboo.

Good morning Fashion Week!

Perfect Instance

The AW 08-09 fashion show of Danish designer Camilla Staerk was the perfect instance of how a "i-don't-know-what-to-do" invitation can turn into a really gratifying experience.

The presentation took place at one of my favourite spots for fashion shows, The Scandinavia House in Manhattan (the reason why i fancy this place is quite haphazard; let's say everything "Scandinavian" is just cool per se) and it was presented by Gen Art that broadcast the work of only one designer, Camilla, for the first time in their history.

The collection impressed me, I must admit. From the beginning to the end. I took notice of the styling for the first time in my life, which is funny when one is a stylist: all the pieces were put together in a very interesting way and there were some details, like the big hat at the end and some fabric combinations, that kept my attention excited. Actually as soon as I could I asked for Camilla's PR in New York to borrow clothing for my next photo shoot...

Although she once said "I am becoming too known for dark and melancholy, and I don't want to be" Camilla is back to her beloved black which I think is a good move: I find her more powerful designing black pieces than colorful. Or that was my impression after seeing her SS 07 collection.

In another note, I'd like to mention the fact that when I tried to find further information about the designer I stumbled upon another website also under the name Camilla Saerk and which look and font and navigation was exactly like the real one... the only difference was the designer, in this case an Epsom School of Art graduate (a place which website I couldn't find) named Roger Craig Searle.

It all got really confusing to me and thanks that I saw the designer with my eyes I knew she is a woman, otherwise I would definitely think that Camilla was Roger... I can't really talk about this because I don't know anything about it but i just guess they started a collaboration together, it didn't work out and Camilla decided to start her own new line.
It must be upsetting not to have full ownership of your own name, it makes me think of the great Jil Sander when she "lost" her name to Prada.

all images courtesy of dkcnews

Press Power to the Drain

I started milkshake chocolate because i was dead tired and frustrated of meeting really good artists and designers whose art was getting lost into anonymity for the fact that they weren't born rich or didn't have the PR gift given to them.

I am very aware and sensitive to the "lack of press support" in young and upcoming designers because after all I live with them.
For this reason I get mad and really upset when someone who has the power of being listened for the press just throw that power to the drain offering really unthoughtful stuff and things that anyone can find anywhere very easily.
Malan Breton's fashion show during fashion week was such a "packed with press" catwalk, "emptied with thought" show. My experience told here.
images by Alex Wright.


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Cuando fundé milkshake chocolate lo hice porque queria ante todo apoyar a todos aquellos jóvenes diseñadores y artistas que por unas razones u otras acababa conociendo y cuyo trabajo era digno de ver y de lo más interesante pero que iba directo al anonimato por falta de apoyo por parte de la prensa ya que o no habian nacido ricos y con los contactos necesarios, o les "fallaba" la parte de las relaciones públicas, que al final en este mundo lo es quasi todo.
El hecho de haber esudiado diseño me ha dado la oportunidad de estar muy cerca de artistas y diseñadores jóvenes que emiezan y que ven cómo falla a parte de apoyo. Al fin y al cabo yo soy una de ellos tambien. Por esta razón me cabreo cuando veo que alguien con poder mediático tira dicho poder por la alcantarilla, ofreciendo cosas que no inspiran nada y que pueds encontrar en cualquier lugar. No ofreciendo nada original.
Esta fue la sensación que tuve cuando atendí el show de Malan Breton durante la pasada semana de la moda... más criticas (en inglés) aquí.
Gracias Alex Wright for las imágenes.

NYFW aw08.- Patrik Rzepski

Patrik Rzespki backstage. Image by Alex Wright

Fashion Week AW 08 is over... now let's talk about it.

Sorry for the lack of "immediacy" but it takes me some time to digest the shows and being able to talk about them...

The first (and best show) I attended this season was Patrik Rzepski' s in Chelsea.
I'm a big fan of Patrik: in a city like NY where the average designer is as safer as it takes, Patrik push the boundaries and his creations are interesting and "good looking".

The location chosen was some art space/art gallery, very big, very white, in Chelsea New York. The crowd was noisy and very "modern"; almost everyone was wearing black.

I run into some friends and that surprised me because a) i didn't know they were invited, and b) it's always nice not to be alone in a show, having someone with who commenting the going ons of the evening.

Being this my first show of the season (problems with my photo shoot didn't let me go to more shows) I was eyes wide open.

Although the show started 45 minutes late, the waiting was worth it.

Black color abounded, as it's the norm in Patrik, and he mixed it with plaid lumber jack in some beautiful instances.

If there is something I went nuts for in Patrik's creations were his zip-up and very loosy tights (you know i love them!): they look trashy and elegant all at the same time, difficult task and beautiful result.

" Back to nature boys, Vasser girls too
Watch what you say, or think, or do
Continental style strasse girls might
But you know exactly if it's wrong or right "

- Roxy Music

(from the show program)

Thanks Alex Wright from Dripbook for sending me these amazing images, which are way much better than they ones I took!.

Patrik Rzepski

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Ahora que la semana de la moda en Nueva York ha acabado, vamos a hablar de ella... es curioso lo rapido que trabajan algunos bloggers a la hora de comentar desfiles, yo necesito un tiempo de asimilación.
El primer desfile de esta temporada, y el mejor de los que yo pude atender (ya sabeis mi problema con mi edito, me fue imposible hacer otra cosa que no fuera la produccion de dicho editorial), fue el de Patrik Rzepski en Chelsea. Desde que descubrí este diseñador he sido una gran fan de el porque hacer colecciones interesante y chulas es algo de lo que brilla por su ausencia en esta ciudad.
La localización fue en una galeria de Arte en Chelsea, en Nueva York, muy grande, muy blanca. Y toda la gente que assitio el evento, muy "moderna": practicamente todo el mundo vestido de negro.
Me encontre con varios amigos una vez alli, lo cual me sorprendio porque no tenia ni eda de que estaban invitdos y porque oye, siempre se agradece el tener compañia para hablar de lo que esta pasando, y para cotillear.
El show empezó con 45 minutos de retraso, que es norma en fashion week al fin y al cabo, pero merecio la pena la espera.
La coleccion estaba compuesta de prendas negras casi en su totalidad, exceptp algunos cuadrod dispersos aqui y alla.
Sin lugar a duda fueron las medias, grandes y caidas, lo que mas me gustaron (ya sabeis cuanto me gustan las medias que Patrik diseña!), con un toque trashy y elegante al mismo tiempo.
Las fotos son todas de Alex Wright de Dripbook que me dejo usarlas en lugar de las mias que las pobres daban pena...

About NYFW This Year and Me

Some people is asking me how come I'm not posting anything about NY fashion week so let me explain it very quick...

Although I have been invited to some shows during the last three days (Mandate of Heaven, The Accademy of Art, Alexander Hercovitch, Alisha Trimble, Araks, Alexander Wang, Ohnetitel, Ports 1961 and The Blonds), due to my photo shoot for Celeste and all the problems involved in producing a photo shoot during fashion week (more here) I have had time zero to attend any show or to flip through style.com. Besides, very capable bloggers are commenting about them so all i can do is enjoining their posts myself too.

In any case, fashion week is still going on and there are more shows I've been invited to attend so i'll do my best to tell what's happening and what's not.
Alex from Dripbook offered me to cover fashion week for them and so i will. I will post my experience there but will post some lines in bobble-bee with a link so you can all can know where and when to go.

Many thanks for your lovely comments. :)

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Mucha gente me esta preguntando como es que no estoy escribiendo nada sobre esta fashion week, como es que estando aqui todavia no he dicho nada al respecto...
El caso es que a pesar de haber estado invitada a algunos shows durante los pasados tres dias de fashion week (Mandate of Heaven, The Accademy of Art, Alexander Hercovitch, Alisha Trimble, Araks, Alexander Wang, Ohnetitel, Ports 1961 y The Blonds), el hecho de estar produciendo un edito para Celeste y todo lo que ello conlleva cuando es fashion week (para mas info aqui) no me ha dado ni un minuto libre y los he dejado pasar, no he tenido tiempo siquuiera a abrir el ordenador y empaparme de style.com...
De todas formas todavia queda mas fashion week y algunas invitaciones mas, asi que ire escribiendo sobre ello.
Este año Alex de Dripbook me pidio que hiciese el coveraje para ellos asi que mis posts los pondre alli aunque lo avisare desde aqui con un link y asi no tendreis problemas de hayarlo.

Y mil gracias a todos los que me han mandado su apoyo :)

Fashion Week is Heaven. Fashion Week is Hell.

Days of stress. Fashion week around the corner and I'm booked to style an editorial for Mexican magazine Celeste with German photographer Claudia Grassl.

Fashion week can be the best moment to prepare an editorial in NYC, or the worst.- the best because the BEST models are in town so you can have the chance of working with them for your shoot. The worst because all the good girls are booked to do fashion shows and it's basically impossible to do a casting.

Another reason for which one should avoid fashion week to do a photo shoot is the fact that the most important showrooms are all closed dealing with the shows and so is IMPOSSIBLE to get any clothing. Only contacts will help you to get what you want... but those contacts work in fashion, therefore they are normally working their ass off with no time to deal with you.

getting the looks ready

Claudia and me are running like crazy these days all over Manhattan and Brooklyn to find locations, clothing, models... I have to say though that I'm getting some really nice clothing so far... remember those amazing zip-up Patrik Rzepski's stockings I talked about? I was able to get them for the shoot! I'm very happy about that... :) more news very soon.

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Estos dias ando de arriba para abajo, estresada pateandome la ciudad y haciendo llamadas cada hora. La fashion week la tenemos a la vuelta de la esquina y aparte estoy preparando un edito para la revista mexicana Celeste con la fotografa alemana Claudia Grassl.

Preparar un edito durante la fashion week puede ser de lo mejor, o de lo peor: por una parte tenemos a las mejores modelos en la ciudad con lo que la oportunidad de poder tenerlas es mayor que normalmente, mientras que por otra, al ser fashion week todas las chicas andan de castings para los desfiles y no hay manera de conseguir a nadie.

Por otro lado esta el tema de los showrooms que por estas fechas cierran para preparar los desfiles asi que cuesta dios y ayuda el conseguir ropa, hay que tirar de contactos pero los contactos obviamente trabajan en la industria de la moda y ellos mismos andan como locos y sin tiempo para dedicarte a encontrar ropa para tu editorial. Un infierno.
Pero bueno, la verdad que no me puedo quejar, me hubiese gustado oder tener acceso a mas ropa pero he ido consiguiendo cosas muy chulas como las medias con cremallera de Patrik Rzepski de las que hable en la pasada fashion week.

Dekaibrands, Kylza Ribas and Fashion from the Outside

It gives me great pleasure to find hidden fashion treasures when I travel; stores with merchandise I haven't seen before, designers or designs that any fashion catwalk has offered me yet, fashion facts that any book has explained to me ... it makes me realize that fashion is a part of human culture and not a part of Paris or London's market.

Massah Kaikai had a very similar thought...

Massah sent me an email during fashion week about her soon-to-be-launched fashion business Dekaibrands, a personal project that was born after two trips, one in Morocco and the other in Brazil, when she decided to support young designers from burgeoning fashion capitals around the world.
She was showing for the first time the work of Brazilian designer Kylza Ribas and invited me to attend the event.

The date changed a couple of times but finally, last Wednesday Sept 19, in the impressive pent house of The Time Hotel in Manhattan, the event took place.
The work of Kylza is very elaborate and I was amazed by the explanation of how some of those dresses were made and how much time it took to finish them.
Her collections, (she brought samples from all of them), are very different from each other, so that sometimes they seem designed from completely different designers.
She explained to me, half in Portuguese half in Spanish and half in English, with the help of her mother, that for each collection she takes a subject to develop, which is what everyone does, but in her case, I can tell, she really means it: everything is so that subject, that any past inspiration is just forgotten.

Her fall-winter 07-08 collection Pieces of Time was my favourite, but I wonder if that was because it's the most "European"-like, which gives me very little credit if I'm trying to sell my open-minded view of fashion... o well...

Here samples of Pieces of Time and The House.

more NYFW SS:08 = Poltock & Walsh + Thuy

There were two fashion shows that I couldn't attend during NYFW that I regret; the first one was the all favourite London-based designers Poltock & Walsh and the second the Vietnamese designer Thuy.
P+W was full already when I did my request and Thuy's invitation arrived way too late to my inbox.
Thanks goodness that internet exists and so I can still enjoy what these two labels offered to an absentee to their shows like me.

Poltock & Walsh
The ruffles in these designers' creations make my heart beat. Love, Love, and Love. I am interviewing them for MilkshakeChocolate because I'm a big fan of their work and can't find much info about it. There is only one thing to complaint about their clothing and it's that i don't know where to find it ! ..
































Thuy
NY-based designer Thuy has stolen my heart with her palette of whites for next summer. I love the total look and can't wait for summer to come back.