ARIELLE DE PINTO

Canadian designer Arielle de Pinto first caught my attention when her accessories collection was snapped up by Dover street market in London last year. De Pinto a fine arts graduate of Concordia University in Montreal has no formal education in jewellery design, however this didn't stop her from fashioning metal together as a means of thread in creating her unique crocheted concoctions.Her hand crocheted accessories are beyond beautiful, since living in Montreal I want a piece of that action, when the time arises that I can afford one at least.I bumped into a friend of hers at a sample sale and I just wanted to snatch the very piece that she was wearing, it had the most fascinating chunky charms attached to the delicate metal which gave the design an extra toughness.Her astounding designs can be found at Reborn, DSM, V-Store, Kokon To Zai and Apartment.

INTRODUCING: ARTIST DARKO DRAGICEVIC

On my first encounter with the artist Darko Dragicevic he was wearing a fantastic Bernhard Willhelm check shirt and shopping for some Henrik Vibskov pieces. For Darko, clothes aren’t merely clothes but art in themselves and his interest in fashion lies far beyond the scope of a fondness for good design aesthetics. He prefers fashion that has a strong concept, an impacting ethos, and above all he admires designers who are multifaceted like design genius Henrik Vibskov. (C)Branka Dutina.

A native of Belgrade, Darko attended the New York film academy and his work as a film director in several different projects brought him back to Europe where he currently resides in Berlin. Darko devised the ‘Taste of Life’ exhibit in New York in 2007, the exhibit consists of 12 video pieces which are followed by 12 tracks and 12 pages from a selection of published works. The principal plot concerns time and physical absence in the domestic space such as ‘the apartment in the big city’. Under the name SCHNITT, Darko along with Berlin based architect Branka Dutina, organised and facilitated the ‘Taste of Life’ exhibit in and around Berlin. The moveable exhibit took place within a camper van positioned in various locations around Berlin. The exhibit is scheduled to wander further afield in the coming months. Below is an interview with the artist.



Style-Sphere: How did you conceive the idea for the 'Taste of Life' exhibition?
Darko: By observing what was going on in the boxes being called the apartments in the big cities…At the time I used to live in New York, so the concept of the space and everything that’s been happening inside of it was more dramatic than now. Then when I came to Berlin the idea of the videos was adopted to this place and it slightly changed. Many new things were born inside of SCHNITT, in collaboration with the Exhibit Architect Branka Dutina.



Style-Sphere: Has living in Berlin changed your overall outlook in your work ?
Darko: No, I wouldn‘t say so. The basics will always remain the same. My work is who I am and I don‘t believe that people change.



Style-Sphere: What element of the Berlin lifestyle has mostly influenced your development as an artist?
Darko: It’s structure. Buildings and people. It’s past. It’s landscape of diversities.



Style-Sphere: 'Taste of Life' is essentially a mobile exhibition, what places do you aspire to travel to next?
Darko: Places that would bring something new to the ‘Taste Of Life‘. Places with a completely different landscapes or social structures.Places where I could have a byte of something unexpected.



Style-Sphere: 'Taste of Life' took place in a camper van. Whilst living within the exhibition, what music did you play the most? what food did you eat? and what did you wear?
Darko: Apart from the music used for the videos, I was mostly listening to Cat Power, David Bowie, Bebi Dol, M83 and Bach played by Glenn Gould. I was eating whatever I had in the van or what my friends would bring over. That was always a surprise! The clothes I wore weren’t that impressive as I’ve mostly had to think about how cold it was both outside and inside (the doors were open for the visitors). It was always the same: military coat, scarf and hat, pants or jeans and warm shoes.

Style-Sphere: How would you describe Berlin in three words?
Darko:Bad news!Good news!Bad news!

Puppet on a Chain

The movie Puppet on a Chain based on the thriller novel by Alistair Mac Clean, is an unlikely fashion reference, but I couldn't quite take my eyes off the colourful trench coats, the big hair, and the white knee socks that the actors wear throughout the movie. The male protagonist, a narcotics bureau agent is just as impressive as far as the style stakes are concerned,he carries out his detective duties dressed in a Hedi Slimane esque beaten up biker jacket teamed with a silk cravat, or a sharp suit complete with skinny tie and a suave comb over.Perhaps the seventies aren't so bad afterall.





Pictures (c) http://www.moviescreenshots.blogspot.com/

Backstage Balenciaga 1989

A stylist friend of mine gave me this. I'm not sure where she picked it up, but I think I will frame it, it's such a quirky image, and probably the only vintage make-up poster I have come across. The makeup definitely has an eighties vibe!

Tactile Textiles

The interview in my previous post was based on Diana's AW08 collection which is still available to buy online on circusstore.net with a 40% discount! The SS09 collection is just as beautiful and delicate as former collections, I viewed it during PFW in the Swedish showroom 0046. The prints in her current collection are inspired by her working environment and her choice of fabrics come in a selection of diaphanous silk chiffons and soft summer jerseys.

Diana Orving created the most enthralling textile exhibition at the Nordic Light Hotel in Stockholm, a collection of the most exquisite fabrics hang in the lobby of the hotel and decorate selected rooms. Her draping techniques are simply genius.

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Catwalk Chic

I received this quirkey little card from my friends lately and I couldn't quite get those stylish kitties out of my head. Of course, the phenomenon is the brainchild of a Japanese artist called Satoru Tsuda who became inspired after rescuing four kittens from the streets. He figured that the kittens could represent the similar social interactions that occur between humans and thus the 'Nameneko' cat was born. Nameneko by the way, stands for "don't bullshit me". The shoots were constructed exactly the same as a real life photo shoot, all the sets are handmade, and everything down to the lights is one sixth of its original size. Ad poster campaigns follwed with the Nameneko cats being used in political campaigns, Coca Cola ads, and even the Police force. The kittens modelling life is short and they usually retire before growing into an adult cat which isn't unlike the current fashion model industry...

www.nameneko.com