Rockett Mansion's Art Book

We're movin' on up

2010-05-08T20:44:00.000-07:00

Thanks for checking in with us. Rockett Mansion's Art book has moved to www.rockettmansion.com/art_book/. We'd love to see you there so swing on by. We hope you enjoy our new website http://www.rockettmansion.com/, too. We promise to continue to provide you with the content that's kept you coming back.

Best, Rockett Mansion

Rockett Mansion Vintage

2010-04-27T22:36:00.000-07:00

Have you ever seen them in this color?

www.rockettmansion.com

Rockett Mansion

2010-04-27T13:54:00.001-07:00

Ya digg? Sho nuff.

Shoulda Put A Ring On It

2010-04-11T18:54:00.001-07:00

Source: pigeon.toed

Samantha Donnelly's Compendium

2010-04-08T08:47:00.000-07:00

In The Vitrine Gallery's first ever exhibition, collage, sculpture and found objects come together to create a strange new world.

The Vitrine Gallery, situated in Bermondsey Square, is run by two artists Alys Williams and Rennard Milner and the space is entirely self-contained. It's situated along one side of the square as a shop front, allowing them to work full-time on their art and to run the space showcasing new artists. They are currently looking to focus on artists from outside the London scene and bring a fresh perspective into the mix. Also based in the square is the independent Shortwave Cinema and soon to come is an independent bookshop, making this a thriving place for the arts as they aim to bring together the creative elements of the square for events over the summer encompassing film, spoken word and visual arts.

Samantha Donnelly is the first artist to exhibit at Vitrine Gallery. Using elements of collage and sculpture, Samantha works with found objects creating delicate and surreal ‘sketches’. These three-dimensional collages are an aesthetic treat. Having exhibited alongside Rachael Whiteread and Cornelia Parker in Leeds as part of 2009’s group show Perhaps Everything, Perhaps Nothing and having her first solo show Silver Sheer at Liverpool’s Ceri Hand Gallery in the same year, Compendium marks Samantha Donnelly’s first solo London show.

Source: Dazed Digital

Art + Altruism

2010-04-04T18:06:00.000-07:00

I never thought I would say it but I'm actually starting to fall in love with Chicago. Sad I know, but I've always had "the grass is greener" syndrome when it came to my hometown. There are lots of great things going on here, especially in the areas of art, that make me glad I stayed. Here is a great place I've yet visited but am sure I'll enjoy.

Nestled in the area of Bridgeport where, aside from Pilsen, is one of the city's best-kept art secrets. With Zhou B. Art Center not too far away, Co-Prosperity Sphere (C-PS) is an experimental cultural center that is both electrifying and progressive. With their hands in non-profits, magazines and city festivals, this place is sure to be staple in the Chicago art scene for years to come.

The Co-PProsperity Sphere contains the offices of the Public Media Institute, their parent company that is a 501 (c)3 non profit arts organization. PMI helps produce the annual Version Festival, the city's best art festival, and Select Media Festival. Public Media Institute also produces the art magazines Proximity, Pr, Matériel and the (Con)Temporary Art Guide Chicago. C-PS is also the home of Lumpen magazine and the newsletter The Bridgeport International. They also have a few artist studios as well as an international artist residency program. They help facilitate two satellite spaces: Eastern Expansion and our newest space/project in Chicago’s loop, The (Con)Temporary Art Space.

For more info and upcoming shows, visit coprosperity.org

Creativity x Coffee

2010-04-02T09:33:00.001-07:00

Happy Accidents

2010-03-30T10:24:00.000-07:00

Photographer Matt Stuart is exhibiting a decade worth of accidental moments captured in London.

In the midst of Hoxton Square - once the epitome of Shoreditch cool – photographer Matt Stuart is showing off nearly a decade worth of work. Not everything made it of course - only a few and well-selected images hang on the walls of the KK Outlet. But this isn’t your average East London cooler-than-thou fashion exhibition. This is about more than avant garde jewelry and ripped stockings. Go and see Stuart’s street photography and you will find yourself smiling and nodding in approval in regards to his humorous touch, and impressing patience.

Stuart has perfected the art of snapping the fleeting moments of everyday big city life. The sidewalks, the tube parks, shops – nowhere is safe from Stuart’s lurking lens. The result is an honest – and often amusing – take on the absurdity in which we live. Whether in black and white or using colour, Matt Stuart puts the fun back into photography.

Source: Dazed Digital

Bird's Eye View - Fashion Films

2010-03-26T09:09:00.000-07:00

The only film festival in the world to celebrate female auteurs brings you the very best in cutting-edge fashion film.

The Birds Eye View festival, now in its sixth year, is a celebration of female filmmakers from around the world. For many the film industry is seen as the last bastion of the patriarchal social structure from which it arose. And although Bogart slapping some broad round the face is considered something of a faux pas by today’s standards, the portrayal of gender roles rife in Hollywood films – the ‘hero/damsel’ relation – seems depressingly archaic. This is of little surprise considering that out of the 311 nominations for Best Director in the history of the Oscars, only four have been female and if Kathryn Bigelow wins this year, she will be the first female to win the award. As well as various feature films being screened, including the fabulous The Hurt Locker, documentaries include a history of female matadors, a short season celebrating the brash and the bold of female Hollywood legends such as Marilyn Monroe and Marion Davies and the first feature-length animation ever made, The Adventure of Prince Achmed by Lotte Reineger. One of the most anticipated events is Fashion Loves Film, which presents videos by various fashion designers and photographers including Ruth Hogden, Camille Vivier, Mel Bles and Toyin and will be followed by a panel discussion co-hosted by Jaime Perlman (art director of British Vogue), Kathryn Ferguson and Wendy Bevan.

Source: Dazed Digital

Red for Good

2010-03-24T17:48:00.000-07:00

I'll be in the house...

I just wanted to let you all know about a fab event happening here in Chicago on Thursday, March 25th. Chicago-based HIV/AIDS non-profit The Red Pump Projectis celebrating their 1st birthday with a fashion show styled by Aramide Esubi of The Sassy Peach!

The event is from 6:00-9:00pm at Bottom Lounge on 1375 W. Lake St. Not only will designs by local designers & boutiques be showcased, but Emmy award winning HIV/AIDS activist Rae Lewis-Thornton will also be honored with a "Living Legacy" award.

We encourage you to join us & rock your red pumps! The cocktail hour begins at 6:00pm, & the fashion show begins at 7:00pm.

Tickets can be purchased through the event page at: http://rockred.eventbrite.com. VIP tickets are going fast, there are only 20 left which include a seat along the runway, 2 complimentary drink tickets & a swag bag.

The Versitile

2010-03-20T09:05:00.000-07:00

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

Available soon at www.rockettmansion.com

Crochetdermy

2010-03-19T22:25:00.000-07:00

So, apparently I'm really into taxidermy but here's a more PETA-friendly version of the practice that's more recently been used as a medium for art. Shauna Richardson crochets these life-size animals. Sure, it sounds like something with bags of novelty value, but these are actually the product of years of research. "When I entered into art education I thought I would first get to the bottom of what art was, then study and practice it," she explains. "What followed was an obsessive three year attempt to find an answer to the question ‘what is art?’ During this time I devoured books, explored theories and attempted to push the boundaries of those theories to the limit. The fact that 'anything can be art’ is one popular theory. This contemporary concept has permitted artists to produce wide ranging work that includes audio pieces, gestures, text, actions, the void... I began searching for different directions to push the anything can be art theory."

Source: Dazed Digital

WTF

2010-03-11T07:10:00.000-08:00

These incredible 10” platform heels. Can you guess what the straw-like secret ingredient is? Dirt and hay? No, guess again. Granola bars? Nope. The answer: elephant dung. Shoe designer and former graffiti artist INSA was asked by Tate Britain to create an homage to Chris Ofili, the Turner Prize-winning, Nigerian-born, British artist with a retrospective currently on display at the venerable London art institution. Taking the task more seriously than you might think, INSA retraced the steps Ofili made 15 years ago and found pachyderm patties from the same family of elephants that produced the, um, material that the artist infamously varnished and added to his paintings in the nineties. With these works of art on your feet, you won't have to wonder what you stepped in. On display March 14.

Source: Hint Mag

Observer Ethical Award for Fashion & Accessories – your chance to be recognised!

2010-03-11T07:02:00.000-08:00

The Centre for Sustainable Fashion is proud to be working with the Observer Ethical Awards once again this year. CSF director, designer & innovator Dilys Williams is the expert judge for the fashion & accessories category once again this year, and they are keen to see beautiful, inspiring and groundbreaking businesses, concepts and products blow all misconceptions of ethical fashion out of the water.

This is your opportunity to promote yourself! You must nominate yourself to be considered for an award, so don’t be shy - be proud of your work. Benefits include unrivalled profiling in the Observer Magazine, and amazing networking opportunities with potential investors, industry experts and pr-friendly celebs. This year the award is sponsored by Marie Claire so no doubt there will be significant editorial coverage to boot.

Closing date is 11 MARCH 2010 so get applying!

Full details at

http://www.guardian.co.uk/observer-ethical-awards

Enter at https://www.global-research.net/oea/

http://centreforsustainablefashion.wordpress.com/2010/03/01/observer-ethical-award-for-fashion-accessories-your-chance-to-be-recognised/

Jellin'

2010-03-01T09:16:00.000-08:00

Vivienne Westwood's latest creations for Melissa, Brazilian makers of recyclable jelly shoes, shown yesterday with her Red Label fall collection at London Fashion Week. This time the Dame rocked it out with ankle boots, ribbons and fancy buttons.

Source: Hint Mag

Easy

2010-02-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

Gimme, gimme.

Pierre Debusschere

2010-02-20T07:32:00.000-08:00

Pierre Debusschere is a visual artist working in the fields of photography & video. He has shot editorials for several leading magazines such as Vogue Homme Japan and Citizen K, as well as being a regular contributor to Dazed & Confused.

Irina Shaposhnikova 09 from pierre debusschere on Vimeo.

Source: f&art

What We've Lost

2010-02-12T08:02:00.000-08:00

photo courtesy of purple DIARY

I fell in love with Alexander McQueen after seeing his art direction of Bjork's Homogenic album cover in 1997; it made me look at fashion in a whole new light. He brought a creepiness to fashion none of us had seen before that would soon after bleed into other areas of art and culture. His references to extraterrestrial species, post-mortem remains and cultural controversies would set him apart and carve out a new direction in the world of fashion. I'm deeply saddened that we've lost such a genius and my heart goes out to those closest to him. Unfortunately, some of the most brilliant people are also the most sensitive to life's disappointments. It's the delicate balance of creativity and depression, which often go hand in hand, that artists struggle with the most. Although we've lost a beautiful mind, I hope we can learn to truly appreciate and support those artists who are still with us and especially ones we personally know. Our world would be bleak and colorless without their life's work.

A-S DÅVIK-Nail Ring Set Gold

2010-02-08T08:04:00.000-08:00

The full set of the illustrious nail rings from Anna-Sara Dåvik. One ring for each finger! Each nail is handmade and features the beautiful A-S monogram. They are made in 18K gold. The rings circumference is adjustable.

Source: AnOther

Taxidermy x Art

2010-02-07T08:28:00.000-08:00

Oh, the oddities and curiosities of taxidermy. I think this is frowned upon in the African-American community but I've come to appreciate it when done artistically. Courtesy of Crappy Taxidermy, most were creepy but a few seemed well thought-out and executed.

/// http://crappytaxidermy.com/

Smells Like MMM

2010-01-20T12:43:00.000-08:00

Maison Martin Margiela's fragrance launch in Paris. Photos only.

{These make me want to bring back my discoball earrings.}

Coming Attraction: The Art of Ja

2010-01-18T15:29:00.000-08:00

New York based visual artist, painter, graphic designer and art director, Nathan Jalanie Taylor, is rolling through Chicago and we can't wait to see the show. His work is best described as "expressive semi-abstract" and his 'shadow people' in his latest body of work "RE:BORN" are both creepy and wonderful. His images seem to take you to a surreal world where you can become lost in your own imagination. This should be an exciting and interesting viewing indeed. He'll be showing at the Avram Eisen Gallery in Chicago from January 21st to February 28th with an opening ceremony on the 21st.

Movement of the People

Mighty Men The Harvest

Eye On The Sparrow

The Ancients Know Yourself

Dreamtime

Embrace Essence Magazine, February 2010

Amazonia

First Clue: Gonzalo Cutrina

2010-01-15T07:53:00.001-08:00

Extinction In Technicolor: Gonzalo Cutrina’s latest collection takes plastic higher with Aurora Vilaboa.

'Extinct' is the name of Gonzalo Cutrina’s latest collection, a Barcelona based illustrator that together with accessories designer Aurora Vilaboa, manages to take plastic jewellery into a higher level every season. Colourful, playful and bold, from the idea of reproducing extinct animals from pre-history, Gonzalo’s newest proposal represents a more than appealing rescue of pterodactyls and multicoloured fossils.

Source: Dazed Digital

The Muhsinah Sessions

2010-01-13T09:26:00.000-08:00

The Grammy nominated vocalist and producer doing it for the girls.

Muhsinah was a classmate of mine at Howard University and from what I remember, she seemed to be one of the most genuinely gentle souls you could ever meet. She's very talented indeed and her success comes as no suprise. She says about her Grammy nomination, "I feel like it was a sign, a reminder to do more and more because our efforts are worth it. I feel like my life is only just starting. How exciting!" She performed for Obama’s Inaugural Ball with Common, was on Letterman singing with the Noisettes and got her first Grammy nod. Now Muhsinah is stepping to the front. Her new album, the epic heavy soul bump of The Oscillations: Triangle features her own deep, fizzy productions, setting pretty and definitely holding their weight alongside beats from Flying Lotus, Mike Slott, Exile and Oddisee. This DC-based siren is doing it for the girls.

Muhsinah // "Before" - The Oscillations:Triangle Teaser from Rock Slinger Incorporated on Vimeo.

Rockett Mansion

2010-01-09T17:09:00.000-08:00

I like a lot of black, so what... This is a really cool piece with functioning pockets.

Lady Gaga is Creative Director of Polaroid

2010-01-08T08:15:00.001-08:00

Wow. I don't know how I feel about this yet. I guess if it saves the company...

Rockett Mansion

2010-01-07T15:57:00.001-08:00

Ain't nothing wrong with a lil' vintage. Here's the picture of the day.

Rockett Mansion

2010-01-06T15:22:00.001-08:00

More things.

Rockett Mansion

2010-01-06T09:21:00.000-08:00

I know it's been a while but I've been back in the lab making new things. These two neckpieces were made of vintage and found/stolen objects.

A.F. Vandevorst Goes Guerilla

2010-01-05T10:10:00.000-08:00

The Belgian label showcases hospital chic at their guerilla store AKTION I in Antwerp.

Installing mid-century hospital beds in a store might be an eerie concept for a fashion label, yet it all begins to make sense in the hands of A.F. Vandevorst – the Antwerp-based designer duo, whose fascination with austerity and utilitarian clothing has granted them a firm spot on the Paris schedule for the last 11 years. Their guerilla store AKTION I launched with a big bash in Antwerp last Thursday.“At first we wanted to open a big concept store” explains Filip Arickx of the idea. “But after seeing so many derelict spaces in Antwerp, we thought it would be a shame not to make use of them.” Conceived as a three month venture, the store is located in the city’s Volksstraat and brings to life all the elements that made Arickx and An Vandevorst succesful in the first place.There is a reference to hospitals in antique sick beds and glass cabinets, which were borrowed from Dr. Guislain Museum in Ghent, and which here, display military-inspired holdalls and felt jackets – a reference to the couple’s ongoing fascination with the artist Joseph Beuys. Meanwhile, utilitarian ideas play through the genius idea of a store dumpster, where customers can deposit their worn out clothes. “We’re going to duplicate the best pieces” says Arickx. “It’s like an exchange. and those who we picked are going to get a piece in return!”Aside from showcasing A.F.’s women’s collection, Nightfall (lingerie) and Fetish (footwear line), the store’s opening also coincides with the news of the launch of their new collection A. Friend, which promises jersey pieces at only a fraction of the main line price. A. F. Vandevorst AKTION I will remain open the 31st of March with plans to move to another city afterwards.

A.F. Vandevorst AKTION I, Volksstraat 29-31, Antwerp open until March 31.

Source: Dazed Digital

I'll Give You the Moon.

2010-01-04T11:21:00.000-08:00

New eBoutique alert! The Moon And Mars looks like it could grow into a very interesting boutique indeed with labels such as Bliss Lau, Surface to Air and Samantha Pleet in their inventory so far.

Happy New Year.

2010-01-01T19:29:00.000-08:00

Project White T-Shirt

2009-12-23T12:35:00.000-08:00

Over 30 designers have re-interpreted the humble white t-shirt and alls designers have been curated into an online exhibition.

Charity and t-shirts have gone hand in hand so many times that we wonder whether 'yet another designer t-shirt collaboration all in the name of charity' will grab our attention. Certainly the name Project White T-shirt brings to mind other similarly spirited collaborations, what with humble white t-shirt being the perfect canvas for any designer to apply their signature. What marks Project White T-Shirt out though is the type of designers that have been chosen to partake in this project. Ritchie Chan of creative studio/agency Triple Major scoured the world looking for designers that could potentially do something genuinely interesting with a t-shirt. The 31 names involved, include Andrea Crews (*ring ring* Hello?), Bruno Pieters, Pelican Avenue, Slow and Steady Wins the Race (*ring ring* Hello?), Daniel Palillo and other contemporary avant-gardists that are mainly still carving out a signature for themselves and so we look to their t-shirts with curiosity. Looking at the designs that are all exhibited online, these aren't lazy efforts on the part of the designers. Chan personally ensured this was the case by visiting almost every designer to make a video of the process of each white t-shirt interpretation. Some designers have made simple shape adjustments and some have taken their tees out of a wearable context altogether. Just to cite a few of the creative endeavourts the designers have taken their tees, we have a marshamallow covered shirt from Swedish collective Doktor Doktor, a spider web cut-out tee from Kling by Kling and a Mundi t-shirt that went travelling around Iceland for six days and thus accumulating that expedition's imprints.The rest of the Project White T-shirt story is a simple one; the t-shirts will be going on exhibition around the world and then they're up for auction and all proceeds go to Designers Against Aids. They're currently swishing around in a giant laundromat at L.A. Boutique Welcome Hunters and then they go to Space 15 Twenty Gallery.

Source: Dazed Digital

REED + RADER

2009-12-21T10:06:00.000-08:00

NY duo Pamela Reed and Matthew Rader take photography to a whole new level. I never thought I'd be a fan of these GIFs photos but they've managed to make them very artistic, and quite frankly, they're the sh!t. Their mixed-media photography work is beautiful as well.

Don't believe me? Check it out for yourself at REED + RADER.

YSL New Vintage II

2009-12-19T12:02:00.000-08:00

This winter, Yves Saint Laurent launches ‘New Vintage II’, the second edition of environmentally-conscious capsule collections.

Introducing the Yves Saint Laurent ‘New Vintage II’ collection, this Winter will see the second edition of an environmentally-conscious capsule designed to recycle and sustain. By recycling unused fabrics from the YSL archive and adapting them to his classic silhouettes, Creative Director Stefano Pilati combines sustainability with his iconic designs. In this second ‘New Vintage’ collection, Pilati presents several important silhouettes transforming the archive fabrics with varied treatments and distinctive textile combinations. ‘New Vintage II’ will be available as of mid-December 2009 in limited, numbered editions at the YSL flagship boutiques in Paris, London and New York.

Source: Dazed Digital

James Hopkins

2009-12-18T08:43:00.000-08:00

Ill.

First Clue: Tina Kalivas

2009-12-17T07:25:00.000-08:00

Tina Kalivas’ African graphic print origami style collection catches my eye.

Folded, dyed and folded again, Tina Kalivas’ unique fashion origami finds its roots in a layered drum beat for A/W 2010. From Afghanistan to Japan, Tina’s influences are culturally disparate as season after season she traverses the compelling and rich terrain of precious ethnicity. Her new collection, 'Polyrhythm', takes style to the beating heartbeat of the African savannah and its tribal underbelly, where somewhere on the distant horizon straining ears can pick up the steady sound of drums and dusty, stamping feet.

Source: Dazed Digital

The Magic of Lucy and Bart

2009-12-08T08:18:00.001-08:00

Rockett Mansion finds out how this British and Dutch fashion/art duo create their mindbending ensembles.

The Lucy and Bart collective are made up of British Lucy McRae and Dutch Bart Hess who met at Philips Design, working in a far future design research programme. They describe their work as an instinctual stalking of fashion, architecture, performance and the body. Translated to physical pieces, the duo use unexpected materials like foam, shards of wood and even balloons to create mindblowing ensembles that do much to distort the body. This duo is not done just yet, they are curating a show for Milan Furniture Fair with the Maastricht Arts School as well as live shows. I'm waiting with baited breath to see what will these two think to put on a human body next.

Source: Dazed Digital

Nightshades by Pleasure Principle

2009-12-03T08:02:00.000-08:00

These Nightshades from Pleasure Principle came about from the idea of selling sunglasses in vending machines at nightclubs. Why? For that crushing moment you realize it's dawn and you're minutes away from your walk of shame. But with 100% UV protection, the frameless shades, which uncoil like film, work perfectly well all day long.

Source: Hint

Fashion Show Today!!!

2009-12-03T08:00:00.001-08:00

Fuse x Fela

2009-12-02T07:25:00.000-08:00

New York's finest visual strategist helps to bring the Fela Kuti story to life on Broadway.

Presented by Jay-Z, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett, Fela! is the electric new Broadway show portraying the life and times of Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti, and if nothing else, it looks incredible. The dramatic art for the show was all made by the celebrated NYC Fuse. Known for his work with Mos Def, Lauryn Hill and Q-Tip, Fuse’s original styles are as integral to hip hop as beats. In his recent project with the talented producer 9th Wonder entitled The Planet ink, collage, paint and digital illustration all come together to create a surreal world, which 9th Wonder's soul-charged production provides the perfect soundtrack to.

Source: Dazed

Mmm

2009-11-30T19:36:00.001-08:00

There are no words to describe what I feel when I see 3M things for the first time. It is the most exciting thing; it feels like a first kiss. Revitalizing.

Launching today Monday 30th November, in an unprecedented move Yoox.com will be selling Maison Martin Margiela's super-luxe Artisinal collection including a dress made out of records, an elasticated jacket, a blazer crafted from sandals, and a disco-ball top. The Artisinal collection which includes both men's and women's garments will feature rare, one-off pieces that have been reworked by hand in Margiela's Parisian atelier (though not necessarily by the man himself sadly...) Source: Dazed Digital

Faroe Away

2009-11-28T11:22:00.000-08:00

Designers from the Faroe Islands are stitching up a storm with adventurous designs whilst maintaining sustainable ethics.

Trying to make interesting fashion whilst sticking to the guidelines for sustainability is an arduous task. But the girls in the Faroe Islands are doing just that, with crayon coloured knits by Jóhanna av Steinum and doubled-up symmetrical leather pieces from Barbara í Gongini. Elsewhere, Guðrun & Guðrun and the Sirri label use only home-farmed Faroese wool from sheep that live in the surrounding mountains feeding off unfertilised grass. Focusing on sustainability and traditional ethics, much of Guðrun & Guðrun's collection is also handmade by Faroese and Jordanian women in the North Atlantic.

Hooked: Maison Martin Margiela x Michael Stipe

2009-11-25T10:37:00.000-08:00

There was a reason Michael Stipe couldn't be spotted at the Paris shows sans his Margiela mono-shield (including after hours at Le Baron). It turns out the R.E.M. frontman had been in cahoots with the elusive triple Ms, putting his arty proclivities to good use. I give you the Maison Martin Margiela x Michael Stipe collaboration, and inspired union of conceptual rigor and general weirdness titrated down to one little microcassette cast in sterling silver.

Continuing where Stipes' first sculpted (his cast bronze Polaroids, exhibited in New York at Rogan) left off the piece is part accessory, part object d'art, and comes equipped with an unraveled tape that serves as a chain. Yet I'm not entirely sure of the actual function of the mysterious little trinket. Is it a necklace? Bracelet? Knuckle duster? Eyepatch? Whatever, I love it. And aren't questions the domain of vulgar dilettantes? I say art for art's sake. But start plotting now, since only a limited edition of 199 will be available at Margiela boutiques and select retailers.

First Clue: florine

2009-11-21T09:49:00.000-08:00

Loveliness...

More florine.

Men Love the 90's

2009-11-20T15:00:00.000-08:00

Opening Ceremony x Where the Wild Things Are

2009-11-18T15:27:00.000-08:00

I could have used this a month ago but it's still good all the same. Where the Wild Things Are x Opening Ceremony x Abbey Lee. Wonderful. Source: Dazed Digital

First Clue: Hannah Martin

2009-11-12T11:08:00.001-08:00

Hannah Martin is a young jewellery designer based in London who has been establishing her place in high-end jewellery slowly and steadily with her uniquely sculptural and masculine designs. Since graduating from CSM in 2005 she has gone on to produce her own line of successful high end and conceptual jewellery as well as working on exciting collaborations with designers such as Hannah Marshall and Carolyn Massey.

Source: Dazed Digital

Ctrl.Alt.Shift Unmasks Corruption

2009-11-11T16:01:00.000-08:00

The youth charity commission asks some of the biggest names in the comic industry to tackle political corruption. Comics and politics have been big news ever since Marjane Satrapi's sassy Iranian girlhood memoir Persepolis busted out of the comics ghetto and Joe Sacco's Palestine put comic-books-as-serious-journalism on the map. In fact, this is no new trend – it stretches right back to the birth of comics at the dawn of the 20th century, but political comics are only now being given the respect they deserve. Youth charity Ctrl.Alt.Shift have commissioned new work from international artists exploring the theme of corruption, creating a unique comic that bursts with different styles and approaches. The comic, simply titled 'Ctrl.Alt.Shift Unmasks Corruption', includes some of the biggest names working in the medium today – Dave McKean, Pat Mills and Bryan Talbot all present work, alongside previous unknowns from places as far flung as China and Africa. Musicians VV Brown and Lightspeed Champion also contribute. Source: Dazed Digital

And You Love...

2009-11-10T09:37:00.000-08:00

Arnsdorf's new collection. Titled exactly that for a S/S 10 line catered to the graceful and romantic girl-next-door. Still, graceful, haunting and romantic, Arnsdorf has captured a generation of Australian dreamers with its girlish whimsy and silent strength. Reminiscent of 90s Californian beauties- think Brooke Shields for Calvin Klein- Arnsdorf has now added another dimension to the label’s already richly layered dynamic. Drawing on the quiet power of feminity for S/S 09-10, Arnsdorf takes the girl next door, rolls her together with natures grubby handed, intrepid explorer and adds a generous dose of simple, just-as-she-is sex appeal for one hell of a covetable package. ‘And You Love’ is a collection bursting with a myriad of conflicting elements- modernity and nostalgia, softness and toughness, innocence and sex.

Source: Dazed Digital

I Love the 90's

2009-11-09T14:00:00.000-08:00

All available at GMarket.

First Clue: Alain Quilici

2009-11-08T20:11:00.001-08:00

Alain Quicili available at LUISAVIAROMA.

Invisible Children Introduces: MEND

2009-11-07T15:08:00.000-08:00

I'v just discovered these amazing handbags by MEND, a new brand created by Invisible Children. A subdivision of IC, MEND is constructed with the belief that what’s on the outside and what’s on the inside- should both matter equally, a value that we carry close to our hearts at Rockett Mansion. MEND is designed to seam a personal connection between products and their makers, while repairing the lives of women in distressed regions of the world. MEND's handbags are story-driven. Each garment carries the name of the seamstress who made it. Each individual name unlocks online profiles of each seamstress, to meet these amazing women and hear their stories, check out MEND's youtube site. The videos are both beautiful and inspiring, I'm praying that I'll be able to carry this line in the new Rockett Mansion space. The new MEND Handbag line launched November 2nd, not only are they great bags but they are also supporting a well worthy cause, I will definitely be getting my hands on one this winter!

Buy Me

2009-11-05T18:47:00.000-08:00

3.1 philip lim dress, $675

sue ellen necklace from charm & chain, $300

lindsey thornburg red mendoza cloak, $966

ASOS iridescent feather clutch, £25

wendy brandes onyx skull ring, price upon request

less charm bracelet, $150

rhinestone studded black leather purse by antik batik, $345

booties from anthropologie, $178

First Clue: ANREALAGE

2009-11-04T10:17:00.000-08:00

Just when I was both too busy to care about fashion and too bored to give anything a serious second look, ANREALAGE comes along and shatters everything I think about fashion at the moment. ANYTHING but dull, trendy and unthoughtful- I am impressed beyond words. The 2009 A/W collection「凹　凸」has had my head spinning for weeks. After reading a few interviews about the designer and the A/W collection, I've learned that the collection is aimed at looking at clothing with a 3 dimensional design process-exploring and forgoing the limitations of flat construction and pattern making to end up with an amazingly creative, artistic and well thought out collection that when taken out of the museum setting is even more beautiful. Every piece works both ways. I can't wait to see their S/S 2010.

Source: Dusty Dress

Much Mors To Come

2009-11-03T20:18:00.000-08:00

Footwear designer Jonathan Mors thinks that the sneaker market is not yet saturated and has launched his own new brand.

The high fashion sneaker/trainer has come into its own in the last few years with every high-end brand trying to get in on the market with their own luxurious version that are of course not meant for any physical activity other than the act of fashionable wear. Ex-Nike/adidas designer Jonathan Mors has decided to weigh in on the sneakers game with his newly launched brand of footwear, Mors, that hopes to bring a fresh perspective by creating trainers that are handcrafted from premium materials. Forgoing complicated design, Mors has gone for a clean-cut first collection that concentrates on luxurious materials like elk suede and calfskin.

Source: Dazed Digital

Elise Gettliffe’s Dripping Delights at RA

2009-10-31T15:53:00.000-07:00

The French menswear designer showcases her first installation at the new art space, RA in Antwerp. The Antwerp Academy has a long-standing history of weird and wonderful alumni, each carving out their own signature in the local and international worlds of fashion design. One of the latest movers and shakers to graduate with flying colours is Elise Gettliffe, a French designer with a rather ‘un-Parisian’ take on menswear.

Source: Digital

Reconstructing Function

2009-10-24T22:20:00.001-07:00

Designer Christopher Raeburn recycles fabrics from the Ministry of Defence to reconfigure outerwear.

Designing uber-stylish but functional outerwear, Christopher Raeburn makes his pieces entirely out of old military uniforms and parachute fabrics meaning each piece is a ‘one-off', celebrating attention to detail. Awarded Best Emerging Designer in this year’s Hospital Club’s Top 100 in association with The Independent, his recent projects have also included making Richard Branson and his team jackets from his hot-air balloons.

Source: Dazed Digital

Buy Me

2009-10-21T10:58:00.000-07:00

Up and Down. by justkate featuring Rick Owens

Plain & Fantastic

2009-10-19T20:12:00.000-07:00

The Little Girl Giant

2009-10-19T12:39:00.000-07:00

Yang Du

2009-10-16T14:15:00.000-07:00

Yang Du presents her whimsical fashion exhibition at the Assembly Rooms, London. Featuring an array of knitted pork chop jumpers, cactus hats to beaded bears and tuxedos with elephant headwear, Yang Du's new exhibition hints at her artistic past of painting before she adventurously launched herself into fashion design. When she realised that fashion too could be seen as a medium of artistic expression in itself, she created a surrealist world of playful accessories of which Du says, "I am happy when people tell me that my collection made them laugh"...

Source: Dazed Digital

PRISM

2009-10-14T13:30:00.000-07:00

If you want something done right, do it yourself. Anna Laub did... By day a high (and frequent) flyer at fashion industry website WGSN, Laub was such a frustrated shopper that founded her own company. Now, with her eyewear line PRISM, she sees things crystal clearly. "I was thinking about doing jewellery actually – but at the same time I was desperately trying to find glasses to buy. I had money to spend and literally could not find what I wanted. And somewhere along the way the two ideas crossed over. I really saw a need in the market for something a bit different to what was there already – and specifically exactly what I wanted and was looking for." says Laub. Here are a few pics from her look book.

Source: Digital

Wonderful M3

2009-10-03T20:49:00.000-07:00

Rockett Mansion

2009-09-20T18:20:00.000-07:00

A quiet photoshoot on a Tuesday afternoon. Behind the scene pictures of Rockett Mansion's photoshoot for the the new online store.

Stylist Dezmond Omega Fair

Photographer Thomas Paul Williams

Makeup Lauren Crowhurst

Models Kortnee Quiza Destiny Jones Jennifer Machuca

///Special Thanks to Zhou B Art Center for location and City Soles for footwear.

Lonely's Company

2009-09-13T12:43:00.001-07:00

Can you spot the Rockett Mansion piece in this video? Ill, big ups Marcus Ivory.

Lonely's Company Presented by HD from Cam Be on Vimeo.

Walking on Art

2009-09-10T10:20:00.000-07:00

Footwear designer Kerrie Luft combines in her creations ornament and construction, drawing from Art Nouveau’s dynamic natural motifs.

Source: Dazed

First Clue: Dion Lee

2009-09-10T10:00:00.001-07:00

Dion Lee strikes Australian fashion week like a bolt of sartorial lighting- and it may never be the same again.

Source: Dazed Digital

A Flyer on a Wall

2009-09-08T08:43:00.001-07:00

I wish I were there.

Source: Hint

Christina Kernohan: Gammel Butikken

2009-09-04T10:00:00.000-07:00

The LuckyMe Collective photographer presents her new solo exhibition of Norwegian solace.

Source: Dazed Digital

M3, You're the Best

2009-08-28T08:00:00.001-07:00

Maison Margiela's eyewear debut, L’Incognito, brought you sleek anonymity with its black-barred face redaction. Now the Maison brings you the Mono Lens, a highly evolved descendant of the classic aviator—or, perhaps more accurately, a car windshield you can strap to your face. The ultimate in retro futurism by way of Dada playfulness, the latest model also manages to reflect fall's armored mood, in its own perverse way. $495 at Oki-Ni, available in amber or gray.

Source: Hint

Going In For The Kill

2009-08-27T08:22:00.000-07:00

Reid Peppard is taking taxidermy to new levels of luxury creating androgynous jewellery and accessories out of creatures' corpses. Born and raised in California, Reid Peppard is now based in London after doing a Foundation Degree and Fine Art Bachelors Degree at Central Saint Martins. As a member of the taxidermist’s Guild in the UK, she taxidermies all the animals (with few exceptions) in her sculptural work and installations which have also been shown as part of Hackney Wicked Art Festival. Using little white mice heads and the wings of birds, 'scent, sound, texture and moving image' are often incorporated within her work.

Source: Dazed Digital

Rockett Mansion Handmade

2009-08-24T20:01:00.000-07:00

Fringe necklaces. They're so long they touch your crotch.

Coming soon to http://www.rockettmansion.com/.

Rockett Mansion Vintage

2009-08-23T10:40:00.000-07:00

Handmade rings made with deconstructed vintage findings.

Coming soon to http://www.rockettmansion.com/.

Mark King

2009-08-22T08:56:00.000-07:00

Using a photojournalistic approach, Barbados-based Mark King documents what inspires him through his camera. Mark King takes a range of pictures documenting festivals, and everyday objects. Having worked as a photography assistant with Wired Magazine in San Francisco, he has also spent his life living in Washington D.C., The Bahamas, Belgium and is now based in Barbados.

First Clue: Dean Quinn

2009-08-18T09:48:00.001-07:00

Dean's first foray into fashion was making a dress for his GCSE art project, which was lost on his conservative high school. But he sought out a mentor and, at only 16, traveled from Ireland to to London to intern with Zandra Rhodes. There he was put to work painting pattern designs and found out about applying to Central St. Martins. Fast forward eight years to his win—and on his birthday, no less.

First Clue: Demna Gvasalia

2009-08-16T18:43:00.000-07:00

Asger Juel Larsen

2009-08-16T18:27:00.000-07:00

It is time to get medieval with Asger Juel Larsen's exploration of unusual material blends and silhouettes which create the knights of the future.

P.S. This is my new haircut!

Rockett Mansion Vintage

2009-08-11T23:49:00.000-07:00

Oldies but goodies.

Petrou/Man S/S 10

2009-08-07T18:44:00.000-07:00

The Cypriot designer turns his hand to menswear for S/S 10 inspired by deconstruction of men's active sportswear.

Nicolas Petrou is an MA graduate from CSM who has been occupying his time in NYC working for a number of design companies including his own (PETROU). The launch of PETROU\MAN sees the Cypriot designer turn his hand to menswear for SS10. Inspired by men's active sportswear, the debut offering is a deconstructed mix of patterns, mesh and a reinterpretation of the classic jacket.

Merci Beaucoup!

2009-08-04T10:28:00.001-07:00

A 1500 square meter charity shop laden with style and concept in Paris.

If you look for ‘Merci’, it is likely you will miss it. All one can see is a flowershop and a seemingly unrelated bookstore. But if you take time to push the door, you’re in for a surprise. At the back lays an enormous, luminous loft – reminiscent of Berlin, which petite Parisian architecture usually doesn’t allow.

Merci is Paris’ least well kept secret. Opened in March, it is a charity shop à la Française, or rather, a charity concept store. It is the result of several years of hard work by Marie France and Bernard Cohen, the creators of French luxury childrenwear Bonpoint. The 1500 square meter (16,000 square feet) space was previously a fabric factory; today, it is like a contemporary cavern of Ali Baba: split up into three stories, it offers a multitude of books, clothes, flowers, furniture, but also a café and an elegant canteen.

Better, yet, is the fact all the benefits – minus the costs and salaries – go to children in Madagascar, one of the poorest countries in the planet where a child dies of malnutrition every five minutes. “I had worked with Madagascar during my Bonpoint years,” explained Marie-France during an interview, “my priority is to help little girls and train them towards a job.”

And this is a joint effort: Merci offers specially designed pieces by Stella Mc Cartney, Yves Saint Laurent, Paul Smith. These are 30 or 40 percent cheaper because the designers gave up their profit margin. The collection includes YSL’s famous Safari Jacket, specially re-edited for Merci in white and Khaki.

Situated in between the Marais and République, Merci has rapidly become a nest for Paris’ Bobo(= Bourgeois Bohemian)population, who stroll in on lazy afternoons, or chose to spend the day – what better way to spend the weekend than bumping into Charlotte Gainsbourg and doing a good deed? Amen.

Merci, 111 Boulevard Beaumarchais, 75003 Paris, +331 42 77 00 33

Source: Dazed Digital

MAN S/S 10 Line Up Announced

2009-07-30T21:43:00.000-07:00

The MAN showcase unveils the line up for London Fashion Week S/S 10.

Continuing to support creative talent in menswear, MAN, a collaborative effort between Topman and Fashion East, is out to showcas the best of emerging menswear talent in London. In the past, Man has supported innovators such as Kim Jones, Derek Walker, Siv Stoldal, Cassette Playa and James Long to name but a few.

For the coming season, MAN has set the sartorial bar high, welcoming back Christopher Shannon and JW Anderson to the runway. Showing for the first time at MAN will be exciting newcomer Katie Eary, discovered a mere season ago by Fashion East, and whose installations at the Old Embassy Town House were received with gushing accolades.

S/S 10's MAN participants will showcase their collections alongside the new Topman Design range, and in celebration of the event, Topman will be including the A/W 09 mainline collections by Christopher Shannon and James Long (shown at last season’s MAN show) as part of their retail collection at Topman Oxford Circus. The new retail space on level 2 of the flagship store will be unveiled, along with the new names fostering there, during fashion week in September as part of a huge overhaul of the forwarding thinking high street brand. A special project between JW Anderson and Topman will also come to light later on in the year.

Christopher Shannon

JW Anderson

Katie Eary

Source: Dazed Digital

Purposely Tacky

2009-07-27T05:38:00.000-07:00

Umit Benan’s Spring/Summer 2010 collection is inspired by an imaginary Cuba, filtered through cinematographic references.

S/S 10 'Cuba' Collection

Umit Benan is not thirty yet, but he has already travelled extensively in his life, moving around the world from one country to the other. Born in Germany in 1980, Benan worked and studied in Istanbul, London and New York, before finally settling down in Milan. After contributing to collections for Marc Jacobs and Motu Tane by François Nars and Sophie Théallet, Benan became head designer at Cacharel Homme in 2008 and launched in the same year his own line. Benan’s first menswear collection, entitled “Day 77” (A/W 2009-10) was inspired by his own life experiences. For the next Spring/Summer season the young designer has instead focused on cinematographic references, mixing them with his passion for Slim Aarons’ work. Benan has showed through his collections he has a genuine talent for tailoring and a passion for researching fabrics and materials.

A/W 09-10 'Day 77' Collection

Source: Dazed Digital

My Apartment...Eventually

2009-07-20T13:49:00.000-07:00

I just need my apartment, or any living space, to look like all of these things. Preferably with white concrete polyurethane floors. Homespun minimalist design is so beautiful. I want it now.

La Rabida Summer Fest!

2009-07-16T10:33:00.000-07:00

Just got my ticket today!

(click picture for more information)

The Child Advocacy Center of La Rabida's Children Hospital is a safe, child-friendly environment for children who have experienced psychological trauma and for alleged victims of sexual abuse and other violent crimes. The CAC provides investigative, therapeutic and support services free of charge to children and their families throughout the Chicagoland area. This celebration will highlight CAC's efforts and accomplishments while providing an opportunity to learn more about the free services that CAC provides. Also, if you are unable to attend, please make a charitable (and tax deductible) donation at http://www.giveforward.org/larabidasummerfest. Thanks for your support!

Let's Start a Movement

2009-07-13T14:32:00.000-07:00

Why don't we all do this? Give the middle finger to the money makers and stick-up kids.

Source: The Diary of a BROKE College Student

Monochromatic Love

2009-07-12T20:01:00.000-07:00

Source: Facehunter, Street Peeper, Style Bubble, Hel Looks, Garance Dore

Rockett Mansion Vintage

2009-07-10T14:37:00.000-07:00

First Clue: Dominic Jones

2009-07-06T07:30:00.000-07:00

Much has been written about hot new jeweller Dominic Jones- like how model Alice Dellal put her own money towards the label after pulling on a ring off the designer's finger at a party and never taking it off...and how his superhot lookbook was shot by the team of the fashion crop, photography by Matt Irwin, styled by Katie Shillingford, with Sophy Robson on nails and Tomo Jidai on hair. Jones jewellery, influenced by rose thorns, studs and fangs is a smash hit, with an outlook on being investment pieces for a younger generation. But what I love are these hot metallic nail gloves? No need to worry about your manicure getting lost this winter, now you can show off your ore dipped tips with these babies...

Pink leather with rose gold tips

Black leather with white gold tips

More Dominic Jones, please.

Rockett Mansion Vintage

2009-06-29T15:19:00.000-07:00

SOLD

Useless Magazine

2009-06-29T12:03:00.000-07:00

What started off as a music zine has become a credible art publication.

Useless, the brainchild of New York artist and photographer Conrad Ventur, started out as a stapled music zine, but over five years since its launch, has morphed into a tabloid-sized, much sought-after art publication. Ventur, who earned his first credit as a photographer of New York City’s burgeoning art and music scene in 2000, finished his MFA at London’s Goldsmiths, and cites Andy Warhol’s early Interview magazine as his key influence. “We didn’t want to be precious with it” the 30-year-old explains. “The mag was meant to be sort of here today, gone tomorrow. We weren’t out to make some holy grail of what’s cool and what’s not – we just wanted to share what we personally thought was fun and interesting.” Amen. Here are some other magazines you should check out.

You're welcome.

This Is Why I Want to Move to Sao Paulo

2009-06-25T07:47:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me well knows I want to live in Sao Paulo at some point in my life. It's been described as the city that feels as if New York threw up on L.A.- who wouldn't love that? The art and fashion scene reflects the same idea resulting in pops of bright and breezy colors against both edgy and classic lines. Sometimes you'll even see traces of traditional and indigenous elements thrown in there. Here are two shows from Sao Paulo's Fashion Week that caught my eye.

Ronaldo Fraga

Neon

Royal College of Art Fashion MA 2009

2009-06-24T08:47:00.000-07:00

Backstage at the graduate show for the Royal College of Art's Master's in Fashion 2009 program held this June.

The fruits of the RCA fashion MA students' labor were finally revealed and Dazed Digital was there to capture the collections backstage at the show. Earlier in the month we got a preview of the students' work with sketchbooks and inspiration images and here are the final results of what are the beginnings of great things to come.

The Tortoise and the Hare

2009-06-22T08:56:00.000-07:00

I became obsessed with New York label Slow and Steady Wins the Race as soon as I saw this pair of sunglasses..

SSWTR is a clothing label presented as a bimonthly clothing diary, whose mission is to "push and produce interesting and significant pieces from the simplest and most inexpensive fabrics and materials". So far, they've covered 20 themes including the white t-shirt, bags, shirts, shoes, evening wear, sunglasses, etc.. Only a hundred piece of each items is produced, which ends up in an impressive range of limited items at affordable prices.

So far, they've came up with several bright ideas but their latest addition is a collction of "rainwear" gear in collaboration with shop Stand Up Comedy. For more on SSWTR and Stand Up Comedy along with an interview, check the story on One Perfect Morning.

Rockett Mansion Vintage

2009-06-19T18:43:00.000-07:00

Rockett Mansion vintage sheer & beaded dress.

Verse Chicago 773.486.4434

Model Corry Law

Stylist Dezmond Omega Fair/Melanie Lyke

Photography Dezmond Omega Fair

Fresh Retro: Listen Up! (In Spanish)

2009-06-19T00:05:00.001-07:00

Combining an new-age retro aesthetic, Eskuché presents itself as a combination of both design and performance. With their LR Soundsystems, the headphones recognize the need to properly balance sounds for the best in listening pleasure. The vintage aesthetic is evident with some brilliant metallic finishes as an added contemporary touch. For more information, check Eskucheme.com.

source: eskuche blog, hypebeast

Three Are Better Than One

2009-06-18T08:26:00.001-07:00

Interactive art was all the rage at the 2009 Venice Art Biennale last week, and not just the marquee installations showing on the main strip at the Giardini. Set in a beautiful old palazzo off the beaten path was Ukraine's offering, titled The Steppes of Dreamers, where Ukrainian artist Ilya Chichkan collaborated with Japanese fashion designer Mihara Yasuhiro to produce a dreamlike setting, complete with a sand-filled entrance hall. (Not since Hussein Chalayan for Turkey last year has a fashion designer represented a country at the Biennale.)Upstairs in the palazzo, a labyrinth of smoke-filled dark rooms lured one in with an interactive system of noises and half-human kinetic installations that moved or made sounds upon entry. Themes such as travel and consciousness were examined, looking at the past, present and future of the Eastern European landscape through various cinematic metaphors inspired by Ukrainian film director Kira Muratova. The installation was made all the more spooky by the palace's grand fireplaces, flock wallpaper and huge chandeliers with multi-colored bulbs. But stranger still, the piece was curated by Volodymyr Klitchko, Ukraine's world champion boxer!

A Cake Walk

2009-06-17T09:23:00.001-07:00

Before and backstage pics of Justin White's F*ck, Let Them Eat Cake held at Heaven Gallery in Chicago.

More pics on the way. What a beautiful beginning.

First Clue: Teamo Tee

2009-06-16T14:02:00.000-07:00

Amazing Teamo Tees feature sketches of icons as Courtney Love, the Olsen twins and Vincent Gallo.

Available at New High (M)art.

Dutch Oven

2009-06-13T09:28:00.001-07:00

At the opening of Arnhem Mode Biennale a couple of days ago, Haidee Findlay-Levin of Hintmag had the opportunity to meet some of the 43 international and national designers whose work was on display, with the show's artistic director Piet Paris as her guide. One of the young designers she met was Mattijs van Bergen, whose current summer collection—under the single name Mattijs—already sells at local concept store Coming Soon, alongside other Dutch designers such as Klavers van Engelen, Orson+Bodil and Lucas Ossendrijver of Lanvin Homme. Here's what he had to say...

Haidee Findlay-Levin: Your work tends to be quite elaborate, with a lot of embellishment. Why did you choose to exhibit garments made from plain cotton calico and decorated with a simple biro pen?

Mattijs: As with many young designers at the moment, I am struggling with my financial situation. Even though I am selling in certain places, for my recent collection, which inspired this installation, I wanted to be creative and challenging, and create something quite elaborate without going over budget. I start a garment in calico and from there I work on the shape and form. The biro becomes the embellishment. There is a lot of work, because it's all hand-drawn. In the end, it looks like embroidery. It's almost like a couture way of working.

Calico has a starched quality that breaks down the shape with wear. Was this the effect you were going for? Firstly, I like its weird off-tone color; this color looks good on everyone. The fabric wears, changes and evolves when you wear it. You can't wash it or even dry-clean it.

So it has a limited lifespan. Exactly. You can only wear it for a moment, really for no more than a few events. There is a beauty in its limited lifespan.

You studied in Holland and London, earning your BA in Arnhem and your MA at St Martins. What did you take away from each? Arnhem is more about technique and how to build a garment. At St Martins, it's more about the image, about the woman. It's more about the idea of fashion, the dream. The combination has worked well for me.

Is it true that you work with your mother on your collections? Yes. My mother does all the pleated metal pieces. It started at St Martins. The director, Louise Wilson, commented on a brooch I was wearing, something my mother had made. She said, "If you have a mother this talented, why don’t you work together on something.” This way I get to really spend time with her.

Is your mother based here in Holland? Yes, she lives close to Arnhem. My parents met here. My father is a painter and they both met at the Academy. Initially I didn't want to study here. I didn’t want to be the baker’s son who becomes a baker. But it was unavoidable.