Dark romance has been a term branded about so much over the past few seasons that you'll be forgiven for forgetting that it's an aesthetic that Ann Demeulemeester has long mastered. Completely unaffected by the encroachment on her territory, it was business as usual at her S/S13 show.
This season she was inspired by the butterfly and this was apparent on the series of dresses that opened the show that had high hemlines but extremely long flowly sleeves that looked like wings. But don't be fooled. As you would expect from Demeulemeester, her butterflies were far from sickeningly sweet. Instead, they were strong and sensual and the series of tough martial arts-like tuxedos in jewel tones and leather harnesses styled over floaty dresses made it clear that she hasn't gone completely soft.
If, like myself, you can't get enough of Ann Demeulemeester, I come baring good news. Yesterday thecorner.com announced that the Belgian designer has created an special capsule collection that will be sold exclusively on their site just in time for Christmas.
While the collection only features four pieces - a waistcoat, tank top, pair of pants and a shopper - each pieces is unmistakably Ann Demeulemeester. The waistcoat comes in a unisex style in soft leather with a cotton back, the tank tops come with a snow print on cashmere and the shopper works studding perfectly.
Nobody quite masters the masculine/feminine affect quite like Ann Demeulemeester. Despite the trend dominating the shows for the past few seasons, the aesthetic is something that the Belgium-born design is known for. Continuing to prove that masculinity and femininity are not mutually exclusive concepts, the collection was full of tailoring without compromising on the dark yet romantic feeling that Demuelemeester does so well.
Jackets often came in tailored elongated styles in black, softened by sheer chiffon tops teamed with wide legged trousers or subtly draped maxi skirts. Silhouettes were loose and fluid under structured double breasted jackets that helped balance the dichotomy and while the collection was black heavy, she did introduce a selection of nudes and neutrals with fringing on jackets and along the hemlines of dresses in both black and nude, for good measure.
Headed by the likes of Ann Demeulemeester, Rick Owens and Meadham Kirchoff, the glam grunge look has had a cult following that is not going away anytime soon. The anti-trend mixes black deconstructed clothes with leather accessories for a tough directional style. For SS09, Demeulemeester took inspiration from a caged bird, with delicate chains hanging from the models' faces. Floor-length black skirts and dresses were teamed with leather waistcoats and tailored cut-out jackets.
This trend is all about street style, so it comes as no surprise that we found many a doting Demeulemeester fan channelling the look. The zebra wedge boots and tartan bag add a personal touch, whilst the black maxi-dress and leather jacket are classic glam grunge. Sheer fabrics and cut out detailing will take this through to summer, but until then layer up that leather.
Got a spare $6,500 and a hankering to see previously unpublished images in a limited-edition magazine? Well, Erik Madigan Heck saw a gap in the market and went. For. It.
Nomenus Quarterly, a iimited-edition folio that costs more than most pricy handbags and some teenagers' first cars, usually costs about $2,500 and has a print run of 50 per issue. But because that wasn't selective enough, Heck opted to boost prices by a few grand and slash the release number to 10 per run. The new seventh issue will feature work by the likes of Lucian Freud and the photographer Roger Bollan, and run a tribute to Ann Demeulemeester's menswear.
So, the world's most expensive magazine is something like the haute-couture version of print publications. Could you ever find a magazine worth its four-figure price?
