RYUNG RYUNG: 2011/01

30 Jan 2011

Sleep Suit by Forrest Jessee

The Sleep Suit is certainly fitting for any toiling design students in need of the so-called power naps. Inspired by Buckminster Fuller’s practice of Dymaxion Sleeping, which involves four segments of half-hour naps every six hours, Jessee redefined the sleeping ritual while challenging the roles of private and public space by designing the portable Sleep Suit. Structural pleats made of EVA foam which absorbs shock in sports equipment is used to “dress” or contain the body much like a sleeping bag.

Iris Van Herpen

28 Jan 2011

Felicity Brown collection 2010

As I was browsing through Vogue, my eyes chanced upon a rather delicious print. Felicity Brown was the designer of the print in question. Since graduating from the Royal College of Art with a Masters in Textiles, she has been busy designing for Loewe, Mulberry and Alberta Ferretti.

This collection has been inspired by the ladies in Toulouse-Lautrec's paintings. Flirty ladies in swirling dresses that ruffle with every hip sway. Brown spends time in Dubai and Abu Dhabi where she has a studio. She takes influence from the desert colours and stark lights and these in turn inform her rough, dipdyed technique.

Kirsty Ward

Central Saint Martins’ Kirsty Ward graduated in 2008 with distinction and went straight on to design for Alberta Ferretti in Italy. Ward launched her label with a S/S11 debut at Vauxhall Fashion Scout during LFW. Ward’s trademark use of metal jewellery combines to create structured silhouettes and classical pieces.

Hermione de Paula

Polly Crystalline A/W10

For the Autumn/Winter 2010 Hermione looks to a tale of an enslaved/trapped femininity- whereas in previous seasons this femininity has been overt, this time it is literally frozen in time. The inspiration for the prints began with lots of experimentation with ice, with the collection name taken from the Poly-Crystalline structures of ice, and is translated into the female personification of this: Polly, while also playing on the idea of a Poly-amourous character.

Las Venus S/S10

For SS'10 collection, 'Las Venus' Hermione looks to the Anatomical Venus- life-sized wax anatomical models of idealised women. Hermione invites the wearer to portray Venus, and to consider the modern incarnation of this figure. Our fascination with celebrity and female icons attract crowds in much the same way. 'Las Venus' The name of the collection takes inspiration from the dramatic tabloid headlines of these subjects, and the nicknames publications brand them with.

Viktor and Rolf SPRING/SUMMER 2011

With illustrator Piet Paris’ abstract creations serving as a backdrop, models strutted down the runway in a series of theatrical looks that showcased V&R’s talent for cutting as well as their flair for drama. Revisiting a favorite motif, via cuffed detailing on dresses and tops, Horsting and Snoeren explored the allure of the classic tailored shirt. The simple wardrobe staple was fringed, folded, worked and re-worked into ornate tops, breezy dresses and of course intricate pieces of the grand finale. In a season where everyone seems to be cutting back and paring down, it is comforting to know that there are still designers who can be counted on for flights of imaginative fancy. The grandiose gowns featured at the tail end of the collection were nothing short of jaw dropping; the pure white and the piles of folds and layers all adding up to the kind of ensembles you usually have to wait until couture to see.