Small, Precious Things

A sampling of work from As Small As It Gets opening tonight at Art Since The Summer of '69.
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Dwelling in New York City definitely gives you an appreciation for the smaller things in life, and with everyone's everything shrinking, small is the big new thing. After staging ephemeral art shows in unexpected spaces across the nation, like a make-up artist's studio and an existing retail store, gallery Art Since the Summer of '69 is christening their new permanent space on Chrystie Street with a show called As Small As It Gets. Size queens (and kings) will have to reconsider their priorities, as all of the works in the exhibit are smaller than 15".

A Ligia Dias piece inspired by the work of Robert Morris. Click image for source.

One of the featured artists in the show is jewelery maker Ligia Dias. Dias' industrial materials (rope, metal washers, chains) are mixed with a sculptor's finesse and pretty, precious things to create Robert Morris-inspired pieces. Alber Elbaz liked her work so much that he invited Ligia to join his staff at Lanvin where they collaborated to create the house's jewels for three successful years. Rei Kawakubo is also a huge fan, and Dias' noose and pearl necklaces added heaps of edgy cool to Phillip Lim's Spring/Summer '08 collection. Digas' work is part of the small offering from As Small As It Gets and can be seen at the exhibit, which runs through July 15th.

The Shape of Things

Images: Marcio Madeira for Style.com

Rei Kawakubo's latest show for Comme des Garcons was a love letter to black and white hexagons. Maybe she's a secretly huge soccer fan, or perhaps she's trying to reach that coveted goth-glam-football-hooligan demographic. Whatever the reason for the shapes, she certainly made them her own.

Ms. Kawakubo's work for Comme des Garcons is always something of a phenomenon. It is usually shocking in its unique way, but her vision always seems to filter into other collections a season or two later, and ripple on down until every girl in Forever 21 has an outfit on that somehow quotes Kawakubo. In fact, you too can have your very own Comme clothes when Rei teams up with H&M and takes over the duty of translating her fashion for the masses herself.

Images: Courtesy Nitrolicious.com

This collection WILL sell out like Japanese hotcakes so you better go line up now for the November release. I'll see you there.

I just wanted to tell you...

This is the most excited I have been about commercial fashion in a long time. There is a newness in the air. A freedom of expression is floating around, loose from the over-sexed, over-shot, consumerist focus on wearable trends.

I want to be free from the trend, free from the unwashable $15.98, disposable facsimile of a dress I feel compelled to pick off the rack at "insert trend chain name here" because it is so cheap. I want to see how the cheap-o stores attempt to water down the newest Marc Jacobs show, which is all cut up and collaged. It is focused on texture and color with displaced and replaced references to the past, present, and future. In case you can't sense the sarcasm, I seriously don't want to see what they will make of any of the looks from his shows this season, like the ones below for Loius Vuitton.




This is not to say that I am wholeheartedly in support of the elitist, big-bucks fashion houses either. That is exactly why I loved so much shown this season. This is the thinking girl's moment to shine. Comb the racks at a vintage store, raid your mom's closet, and cut up everything you own then stitch it back together sideways. Follow Rei Kawakubo's example at Comme des Garcons and let your clothes out to play.





As for the claims that both Marc Jacobs shows this season were hijacked from Kawakubo? I say maybe. I also say so what? None of us lives in a bubble; no ideas are unique. If this random aesthetic is going to be the poached prize of the season, I say let it spread. This isn't polka dots or sailor stripes. This is mash-up randomness. Everyone should try it. Looks like fun.