Foxy Business

I think it goes back to our caveman instincts that we can never seem to get enough of fur. Whether it's just in animal print or sherling or whatever, real or faux, it always exudes an air of luxury and charm.

This season when Louis Vuitton's bags hit the shelves, we'll see more swinging foxtails on the high streets than ever before. And I'm sure for more than just 1 season. The long tassel and other dangling bits add more movement and character to this otherwise simple silhouette, although the ombre is quite striking here! I've seen the editorials on this bag for a bit now, but it was only recently when looking through my j-rock collection that I should have realized the fox tail trend sooner, because visual kei seems more on a designer's calendar than the stores'. Right away I pulled out my copy of Vandalize and realized what's lying around Shou's neck. (Du!!) And this CD graced stands about a year ago. I wonder if Alice Nine did a tour around Europe at that time? Spot on, LV.

Next time- I have more fashion musings on the Tokyo Fashion Festa this past Friday! Good times, and lots of pictures!

Neon Underground- Echostream, Seileen, and GPKISM

The first night of February was a good one, to say the least. Concert nights are always good, no matter how cold the weather outside. And it was a cold one.

But after getting inside to thaw, it was almost worth freezing my toes off. Echostream was great, playing some old favorites and some new ones, as a good way to get the night going. Clothing-wise, vocalist Ryoko had a fur jacket which was echoed (haha, pun) by Selia later that night in his all white floor length gown. And I couldn't keep my eyes of Tomo (the guitarist, who signed my CD when I didn't even know who he was at NYAF 2008...sorry Tomo! He's really nice in person). And I didn't realize it then, but they have 2 drummers, CJ and Jen. Very cool!

Then out came Sisen! (Unfortunately, all my pictures of him came out either too fuzzy or too dark!) Who of course took the crown already dressed to the nines in Cyber Goth gear and spun until the house became a mini nightclub. (Well, they did have a disco ball!) During small intervals of spinning he came around and gave little gifts to the crowd and danced with his dancers. I didn't see any happier person out there than Sisen.

In the next drove, Selia came out to pair with Sisen. Unfortunately, no pictures of vids here at all, but let me try to paint one with words. He was a vision in white, in a floor length white gown and fur vest, and a feathered headdress. And the highest voice I've heard a man sing. (And I was shocked when I heard Hizaki scream into a mic!) If only to live in Baroque times where this music would *ahem* sorta have contemporary relevance.

Unfortunately, had to make an early night of it and completely missed GPKISM, which probably would have had the most elaborate and Gothiest costumes of them all, and really upset I missed that. Especially since at the end apparently, Sisen, Selia, and Tomo rejoined the stage and they all played one huge song together.

What more could a j-rock fan want from life?

Reflections on Fashion Week

So now that New York Fashion Week is upon us (actually, already started), I can't help but recall my past experiences with the brilliant show of excess and art that is cloth turned into clothing. The exclusivity of the event is of course what draws half of it's stary eyed participants, but we all know that when it gets down to it, that's just surface drivel, and 99.9% of fashion week is sweat and tears of creative genius, pure and simple.

I mean, who doesn't deserve a little glamour after developing a line and producing a show? That's what it's all about, working hard for that big moment when you present your work to the world's critics. It's no different from a gallery opening, really, just here, the art moves, and it's emotional because it's something you can take with you.

Fashion transforms you. It's no secret that you don't go to work in sweatpants for a reason. Yet we still all own sweatpants and use them when the time arrives. We feel different in the clothes we wear, depending on the type of presentation we want to give, and how we want people to perceive us. It's a simple deduction, but one we often overlook and take for granted.

Perhaps that's where the real excitement of fashion week lies, not in the after parties or who turns up in front row, but all the new points of view that designers are giving us to express. Fashion at this point is so cyclical it's dizzying; designers look to express their own views, but also reflect on the views around them at the very same time. So it's at once a personal and global connention.

It's easy to get caught up in the glamour of the high rollers and faces we see on the covers of magazines we pass in supermarkets, but when it really comes down to it, and everyone's finally in their seets, everyone's focused on the runway. Cloth flies down the runways in all shapes and colors, concoctions and methods, both done before and re-worked into creations that make us wonder how human hands could accomplish such amazing things. And at the end of the day, when reporters go back to their desks, and buyers are busy with orders and (just recently) the blog posts get written, each designer sits down with a pencil and paper, down to business.

Because creativity, like New York, never sleeps.

A moment of silence~ Alexander McQueen

Back in August, we said goodbye to a great and glamorous j-rocker, the beautiful Jasmine You. Our hearts poured out in shock and sadness for the bassist that made such an integral part of Versailles ~Philharmonic Quintet. This week, we said goodbye to one of fashion's greatest men as well.

Alexander McQueen was only fourty, and poised for only more greatness with a collection scheduled to show just next week, after the New York fashion week tents were taken down. Much has been said already about this visionary, but no words express the rippling fear and sadness that drove through the hearts of the fashion world this past Thursday.

He will be sorely missed, and thanks to him, many more will be inspired by his legend that will surely carry on through the pages of fashion history forever.

A Little Heart

Nothing's more fun than LM.C sometimes. I love how their logo appears everywhere. And they're just so COLORFUL! If you could mix up lolipops and bats this is what you'd get. (hey, this PV is entitled Ghost Heart, after all.) For lack of a better metaphor anyway.

Comming Soon!!!~ Yeah, ok

Ok, so what, 3 posts in and I'm already not keeping up? I'm delaying on my report of Echostream, DJ Sisen, and Selia from the past week. Amazing!!! I am only a little excited when great j-music acts come to the US.

And although I missed the GPKISM part of the show, I got their new CD. It's mostly remixes, but it is good stuff, and I'm exploring new music now, which is always exciting.

As far as outfits, I don't want to give too much away for later, but probably the widest bredth of costumes I've seen for a good while. I mean, it was all "goth-like" to the untrained eye, but Sisen's adorable neon bright cyber goth look contrasted with the aristocratic elegance of Selia in their dual act Seileen is probably the one visual of the night I will never forget.

And now, I leave you in suspense of that magical moment. Peace.