This is the set for a rather beautiful restaging of a conceptual performance play written and originally staged by the late French artist Guy de Cointet (1934 - 1983), in his adopted home of California in the late 1970s. An amalgam of influences from popular culture, including overheard conversation, soap... [more]
Namely, it's Ljika from New Zealand, new doyenne of the VOLTA Gallery. Thanks Ljika you've single-handedly readdressed the diversity of an otherwise masculine corner of the site. See Ljika's and all previous gallery entries here or start your own Björk Poster here.
To add to our ever-growing list of competitions running at the moment, ad-industry bible Shots is sponsoring its annual Young Photographers' Competition. Degree-level photography students are invited to submit work that interprets the theme of "Chapter 3..." in any way they like, with the best 60 entries featuring in the... [more]
The East End's most talked-about new venue, Shoreditch House, became even more fashionable this morning as its fourth floor bar was given over to Uniqlo's Autumn / Winter press breakfast. Turning out in massive numbers to show their support for the event's host, PR girl-about-town Mandi Lennard, an eclectic mix... [more]
Yes, that's right, today Tate Modern launched a competition offering you the chance to create your own track in response to a plethora of artworks selected from its collection. Chosen tracks will then be placed upon a plinth alongside the artwork for visitors to listen to. The competition is open... [more]
Added this week to the Kilgour Campaign Portfolio is a series of movies made on-set with Nick Knight and Peter Saville. In accompanying interviews, Kilgour's Creative Director Carlo Brandelli talks us through how each shot was achieved. Filmed over the last six seasons, since Brandelli took over at Kilgour; ‘Icon’,... [more]
I just want to extend a very heartfelt thank you to all the people who sent scripts in, submitted political slogans or phoned in to the 24 HOUR broadcast. I don't know how it felt from your side, but for myself it was one of the most exciting projects that... [more]
Our VOLTA Poster continues to propagate all corners of the globe with two new entries added to the Download Gallery this morning. Sea navigator, Yevgen from The Ukraine and Isreal (with his 'beautiful coccon Reyes' pictured here) from Mexico are the latest dedicated Björk fans to submit their entries.
Keep 'em... [more]
You can say one thing for fashion: it's very, very good at saying thank-you! This box of the best cupcakes in town arrived at SHOWstudio mansions this morning, cancelling out any memories of fraught moments,struggling with 100s of scripts, tense moments wondering whether 50 mobile phones might go off simultaneously... [more]
Photographers not content to stay behind the camera, take note - a new TV series is giving you the chance to make a name for yourselves in front of it as well. Channel 4's 'Picture This' is set to do for the photography world what 'Project Runway' has done for... [more]
Enemies of "the lowest common denominator, ultra-commodified, faux-culture, within which you are usually immersed" Throbbing Gristle tried Tate Modern's turbine hall out for size last month, as a venue to pay tribute to their friend and one time collaborator Derek Jarman. Playing two long tracks first, then a live new... [more]
A big thank you to all of the SHOWstudio viewers who contributed treatments for our 24HRS live shoot. Those super-talented indivduals include: Farrah Karapetian, Sarah Tan, Jere V, Konrad, Lane Stewart, Kelsey Bostwick, Roman L.A., Sylviane Louzoun, Sayaka Rui, Tina Jiang, Marilyn Ashworth, Jason Evans, Aaron Duarte, Mamoru Kobayakawa, Natalie... [more]
We've made it to the twenty-fourth hour: Act IV, Scene 6!! Here's the 'Coat Check', as described in Kelsey Bostwick's final scene.
Contributed by Farrah Karapetian, this scene features Jessica and her mini-me counterpart, played beautifully by Nick's twelve year-old daughter, Ella Knight.
As we said, Jessica's got great moves: even when she's 'dancing to the wrong tune' (as instructed by Sayaka Rui in their treatment for 'The Performance').
Nick briefs Jessica and a cast of masked dancers for the next scene, contributed by Mandy Lee and inspired by Maya Deren's cocktail party scene in the 1946 film, Ritual in Transfigured Time.
And note the hemline on his trousers, boys: you'll all be wearing 'em that short come winter!
Multiple portraits of Jessica and Stefano are being prepared by the art department -derived from Roman L.A.'s treatment- which will later adorn a rotating ring, suspended above the set.
SHOWstudio contributor Marcus Werner Hed has come in with Sola especially...to have an argument, as per Lane Stewart's script. The narrator's voiceover, drawn from Mamoru Kobayakawa's treatment, may not have much to do with the action, but Nick just liked it. OK?
As Trieste realigns its reality, the ITS# SIX entourage migrates with another successful year under its belt. While fashion competitions and platforms have become common in capitals such as London, ITS# international focus defines its uniqueness. This year the level of creativity was impressive and all collections communicated design individuality... [more]
Perhaps the dramatic narrative of Marylin Ashworth's original script for this scene has been twisted somewhat, but the gist is there!
To construct the classic Parisian street scene suggested by Tina Jiang's treatment the team sieze an opportunity to re-work Newton's controversial YSL shot of 1975, 'Rue Aubriot'). For this version, Jessica will be photographed twice as she's going to play both characters!
Simon indulges his adolescent enthusiasm for model railways as Jessica performs a set of instructions found in Jason Evans' 'secret dossier'.
Composer Philip Sheppard conducts while eleven Japanese make-up artists embellish Jessica's face in time to the music...all drawn from treatments submitted by Kelsey Bostwick, Marilyn Ashworth and especially Sayaka Rui.
Roman L.A.'s Mondrian-inspired set is -rather reflexively- the inspiration for Gideon's set for the first scene of the third act.
It's midnight and we're at the end of the second act: that's only two more (and twelve scenes) to go! Just in case her energy was on the wane, we've emptied an overhead locker full of YSL accessories on top of Jessica to give her a bit of a jolt.
... [more]
If there's any dancing to be done, Miss Miller is not about to be excluded. To illustrate Farrah Karpetian's treatment for 'The Movie', the trusty SHOWstudio projector comes in mighty handy.
Milliner and RCA graduate Justin Smith won both the i-D Styling Award (€3.000 and a placement at the magazine) and also the Maria Luisa Award, which provides him with a window display during Paris Fashion Week at the Maria Luisa Boutique in Paris. His collection, ‘Le Cirque Macabre’ was informed... [more]
Acting out Sayaka Rui's daydream sequence involves creating a 'modern Mary Poppins' dress out of a layer of tulle and screeds of dry ice.
Nick tries out the leg room onboard our 'plane' which will serve as a backdrop for the next six scenes. These include 'Last Minute Call' -inspired by treatments courtesy of Kelsey Bostwick and Konrad- and later, at approximately 22:00 (BST) when Brazilian art rockers, CSS will perform live on set!
... [more]
The ITS# ACCESSORIES award partnered by YKK, (huge zip firm) was judged by Alberto Pierotti from Salvatore Ferragamo, and Heather Blake, last years’ award winner. German Susanne Happle from the Royal College of Art won with her intelligent and beautifully constructed ‘Icons Undercover’ collection. Moulding quintessential shapes and forms the... [more]
Drawn from Sylviane Louzoun's treatment, Jessica strikes her pose, dressed in a belted YSL mac, in her 'Paris hotel room'. You can just make out our faithful SHOWstudio assistant, Jenny Campbell-Colquhoun, who has jumped in at the last minute to paint a striking political slogan on the wall 'outside'.
The ITS# FASHION awards were judged by Raf Simons, Sophia Kokosalaki, Wilbert Das creative director of Diesel, and Brits' favourite journalist Colin McDowell. The prestigious ‘Collection of the Year’ award was given to Thai Ek Thongprasert. The prize included €20.000 to develop a collection and a platform at the next... [more]
The ITS# DIESEL AWARD was presented to Japanese Taro Horiuchi. According to Wilbert Das, Diesel’s creative director, Horiuchi’s collection was championed for “its innovative use of fabrics and detailing.” Inspired by African primitive religions and tattoos, the garments fused both sports and tailoring techniques. The prize involves working with Diesel... [more]
For the 'Fitting' scene -drawn from submissions from no less than four SHOWstudio viewers- Jessica stands in the centre a multi-faceted mirror structure and dresses. A wind machine is then introduced and pieces of silk, printed with images of garments from Yves Saint Laurent’s ‘Edition 24’ collection, whirl around her... [more]
It's not just Jessica who is lucky enough to wear Yves Saint Laurent on set: here, Stefano fashions black velvet ribbon around the necks of our two Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs, Asher and Rishon, in preparation for the next scene.
Last night witnessed the concluding fashion foray into ITS# SIX. Finalists, fashion heavy-weight jury members and fashion press all witnessed the super-slick fashion presentation at an old fish market in Trieste. Fortuitously ‘Live Fragrances’ courtesy of IFF (International Flavours & Fragrances)wafted through the air and created, according to IFF’s master... [more]
Jessica did a fantastic job of juggling calls on fifty (!) mobile phones, made from all corners of the world -including Finland, Russia and the USA- in our first scene, based on an excerpt from Charles Warren's treatment. Thanks to all of those dedicated SHOWstudio viewers who took part!
The shooting has started already. To create a 2-D interpretation of the body lying on the bed next to Jessica (mentioned in Charles Warren's treatment for Scene 1), Nick is photographing ballet dancer Adam Linder. We are currently printing out a paper version to add to Gideon Ponte's abstract, Richard... [more]
A cast of thousands (check the credits!) is assembling at a West London sound stage, readying themselves for the challenge of a lifetime. WE NEED YOUR HELP with the first scene's task. At c12:45 hrs the live stream will transmit a selection of telephone numbers. WE NEED YOU TO CALL... [more]
The MINI INTERNATIONAL PHOTO AWARD at ITS# SIX was awarded to Singaporean Jing Quek. The prize includes €10.000 and work experience with MINI International Magazine. The title of the competition this year was 'UNIQUENESS IS...' and Quek titled his series of images "INDIVIDUALITY WITHIN SIMILARITY". His photographs of easily identifiable... [more]
You've contributed to the script and charged our set with political, philosophical and social statements: now we need your help with the soundtrack. During the opening, one-hour scene of our 24HRS shoot, starting tomorrow, Sunday at 12:00 noon (BST), we'll be placing 50 mobile telephones on-set to create an alternative... [more]
Our man on the Fashion Frontline, Hywel Davies, is currently at the ITS#SIX festival in Trieste. He reports:
"Silver balloons depict the 'ITS#SIX' logo and celebrate the opening of the annual international fashion competition held this weekend in Trieste, Italy. The project created by EVE and in cooperation with Diesel, -now... [more]
As our cover's been blown on our own FORUM (!), we'd better fess up that Brazilian art rockers CSS are among the host of surprises that will be playing, dancing and cavorting live from 12 noon on Sunday until 12 noon Monday!! As for how they fit into the screenplay... [more]
A polite call to action: SHOWstudio needs your politics for the shoot on Sunday! We're working on a system of political graphics to reflect the initial Godard reference for 24hrs, as well as YSL's lasting association with the socially-engaged woman. We want you to contribute the content, of course, so... [more]
Hear renowned Japanese fashion journalist, Take Hirakawa, and stylist/designer, Akiko Murata, discussing their new magazine, Lepli: a venture that proposes to stir up fashion education as we understand it. The name 'Lepli' comes from the French pli meaning fold. Any fashion creation is composed of a particular system of folds... [more]
A disembodied hand, received through the post's not your usual passport to a major museum retrospective...unless it's Bernhard Willhelm's, that is. He and Jutta Kraus donated their entire fashion archive to the Antwerp Fashion Museum last year and in return, MoMU have made it the focus of their new show... [more]
Between this week's shows, i-D contributors Ben Weller and John Colver have been combing Spanish beaches in search of the ultimate kouros for an upcoming issue. Here they are looking moody on the balcony with some Catalonian cats in the background.
Staged at Barcelona's brutalist style Olympic Pool (where Kylie's Slow video was done incidentally) and offering a breathtaking vantage point over the city, Thierry Mugler's retrospective brought grown French men to tears this evening. Unfortunately, lighting meant the video is kind of grainy but if you look closely you might... [more]
This is better than the first video - watch as crystals are painstakingly applied onto lips and eyes.
Don't ask me how i got here
Laurent (right), Art Director and Fashion Consultant for 080 Barcelona, has helped to mastermind the smooth running of this week's proceedings and it's because of him that Thierry Mugler's retropective will be showing this very evening! He also happens to be a huge fan of SHOWstudio. Here he is with... [more]
Lee Carter of Hintmag warned me Jose's presentations are noted for their exceptional showmanship so I had to be vigilant my front row seat wasn't nabbed whilst noseying backstage. The collection turned out to be a captivating crescendo of camp with pink chiffon ruffle dresses appearing to coccoon larger and... [more]
One of spanish fashion's biggest names, jose's show is a hot ticket this afternoon. Here he talks about his inspiration for the collection: the women of his family.
It's difficult to determine how exactly piqueras's take on the nu-rave look differs from london's homegrown versions. Maybe a little less nuanced?
Well, aren't you the lucky ones? For the lithe, leaping, Las Vegas lovely Jessica Miller has been confirmed as our model/actress for the live, 24-hour YSL shoot at the weekend! Jessica's the greatest dancer - literally: her mother was a showgirl from whom, presumably, the model learnt all her... [more]
From left: Katharina from Teutonic style bible Achtung, Isabelle from Qvest and Yiorgos, designer.
Futuristic, demure, saleable - the resounding verdicts from buyers and press after Yiorgos Eleftheriades's show. The Greek designer's summery metallic dresses, deconstructed suiting in raw silk and super 100s as well as his unisex structured shoulders took us into a space age elegance, without any evidence of shiny overkill. The... [more]
It's all in the eyes.
Black, combative and adolescent: a collection of romantic protest.
While austere, Txell Miras' collection also struck a mournful levantine resonance this afternoon. Superfluous sleeves and fussy origami detailing on bodice fronts appeared in black and white accompanied by a dirge of feral wailing. Angsty but definitely compelling.
A scattering of impressive spanish tomes set under sheet glass - has trendy intellectualism reached spain too?
The first and only show to take place today, Teresa Helbig's homage to the 60s Mediterranean beach goddess was totally commercial and without any trace of irony - but then again, why not? Bronzed, leggy and with hair chignonned, the overriding statement of gauzey summer sexiness drove home an unapologetic... [more]
An interesting artist who works adeptly accross the mediums of photography, scultpure, film, and performance is Amsterdam-based Jimmy Robert. Using his own body as a material - a means of creating composition - and as a place on which image can be made - he projetcs film onto his own... [more]
Not in our wildest dreams did we think we'd receive so many scripts: over 200 at the latest count (and three new poly-boards to accommodate them!) I've near blinded myself by reading through the first three acts this afternoon and we have been enjoying excerpts including: the bit where the... [more]
A recent count shows us that viewers have sent 80 scripts for the project so far with every one of the 24 scenarios having accrued at least one attempt. We are still looking for more – look at what's already there and see if you can do better.
We've received no less that 45 different treatments over the past 4 days and are starting to realise how many repressed screenwriters there are among you!! We have yet to receive entries for Act II: Scene 3 and Act IV: Scenes 3, 4 & 6, however, so please turn... [more]
So far 13 scenes out of 24 have been attempted and the treatments we have received seem to be contending with French film noir on one hand and high fashion farce on the other (who knows, we might even have a new genre on our hands). Keep being as explicit... [more]
Surface Magazine has announced its annual search for the best new fashion photography talent – the work of whom it will be showcasing in its 10th Annual American Avant Guardian Issue and Exhibition. The competition invites photographers working or studying in the U.S. or Canada to submit a series of... [more]
