Obscur

"Distressed leather and finely crafted materials coil around the body in soft forms, creating a bound sensation. With "Bound" Obscur's Autumn - Winter 2012 collection, Swedish label Obscur remains faithful to it's raw and essential aesthetic. Refining classic silhouettes through suggestive structures. Fluid and heavy textures are perfectly balanced in the garments construction and sublimely treated leather pieces wrap the body like armor." 

"Obscur never ceases to symbolize purity and simplicity, contrasting the chaos and inconsistency of today's world."

Simply beautiful. 

Obscur A/W12 "Bound" collection. 

In The Rough

It's hard to believe I've only just discovered this editorial of Kinga Rajzak, I find myself google imaging her quite often. She is one of my favourite models.

Taken from The Last Magazine, Kinga Rajzak is photographed by Gregory Harris and styled by Tony Irvine. Decked out in some of 2011's most beautifully dark designs, including one of my favourites Damir Doma!

Photos by Gregory Harris.

OVATE by Audrey Cantwell

I'm a huge fan of Audrey Cantwell. Since discovering her on Etsy as "BlackMarketBaby" I've been an avid fan (and buyer) of her work. I was so, so thrilled when I discovered her latest label "OVATE".

In her small, dark studio in Montreal, Audrey blasts black metal while she weaves leather, wool and silk with Norse poetry and Druidic Wisdom. Her clothing carries an ethereal, dark energy around it. Most of her designs are created by hand. Knitting leather and wool, hand-printing on silk. The effect is both ancient and modern at once and would be equally at home on Scandinavian icy plains and dirty streets. 

An "Ovate" is a shaman, prophet, seer, healer and diviner, an ancient bearer of wisdom and Ovate clothing evokes such wisdom without uttering a word.

Photos by the amazing Alison Scarpulla for the "Nine Worlds" collection.

Rei Nadal

Rei Nadal is an artist based in Barcelona who was born in Sevilla, Spain. Nadal  has garnered attention for her unique and intriguing tumblr page "Death and Milk" on which she intersperses imagery from fashion editorials, art, photography, video and candid self- portraits and text. 

Rei was lucky enough to be asked by Nick Knight to contribute to his award winning fashion website "SHOWstudio". For 7 days Nick Knight sent her amazing designer garb to don in anyway she wished. And these are some of my favourites...

Some of these outfits include pieces by Fleet Ilya and Aoi Kotsuhiroi!

In The Desert Sun by Ann Demeulemeester

Amidst billowing Ann Demeulemeester fabrics, ballet dancer turned model Jamie Bochert stalks mercurially through the sand dunes of the Moroccan desert in boyfriend Michael Pitt's directorial debut, "In the Desert Sun". The Film sets the dark-eyed, defined beauty of Bochert against a haunting soundtrack. 

If I could own just one piece of Ann Demeulemeeter's beautiful creations I would be the happiest girl.

Stills from "In The Desert Sun", directed by Michael Pitt.

Maripossa

Maripossa is one of my favourite Australian jewellery labels. Hailing from Sydney, self taught Lauren Besser handcrafts each piece. Transforming coarse metals into fabric-like statement pieces. She fuses raw earth crystals, sterling silver and fine chains into her distinct style and aesthetic. Each piece is hand oxidized or dip-dyed ensuring it's exclusivity. Each beautiful made piece is made in Australia and is available at Fallow.

Maripossa is a playful reference to the Spanish word for butterfly...the expression of an obsession with the tragically beautiful transformation and life cycle of the butterfly. 

  

Photography by Zac Steinic for the "El Homenaje" collection.

Fannie Schiavoni

Fannie Schiavoni's SS12 collection pushed the boundaries in the best way possible. Building on her use of scales and chain mail she's added clear and ombre PVC elements. Giving the medieval armor-reminiscent pieces a softness and futuristic vibe never seen in her work before.

Fannie originally hailed from Sweden but moved to London when she was 18 to study tailoring. Her background in tailoring and use of traditional methods of handicraft has helped her develop a unique approach to the design of her chain metal accessories.

Photos from Fannie Schivavoni's SS12 collection.

Aoi Kotsuhiroi

Aoi Kotsuhiroi is a mysterious hunter of memories and forgotten tales. The French designer is known for her beautifully haunting jewelry and conceptual pieces. Every piece she creates has a tribal, primitive, powerful charm which awakes the bestial instincts within us. Aoi captures brutality and shapes it into poetry.

There is no concept, no calculation to her work, just affect and subject. She is in the moment. Her use of unconventional materials really encapsulates her unique style and aesthetic. She often uses human hair and bone along with leather to create pieces truly beyond simple accessories. 

Egle Cekanaviciute

Paris based designer Egle Cekanaviciute comes from a family of tailors, she is part of the fourth generation whose work and interests revolve around clothing. Originally from Lithuania, Egle studied fashion in London. She worked at Dior and now is an assistant womenswear designer for Maison Martin Margiela! 

Egle has a strong interest in global politics, "Global issues motivate my world, as well as the passion for creating beautiful shapes that style the human body. I try to speak to the world through my clothes, they are the message carriers." she told Jacqueline WayneGuite.

Egle Cekanaviciute's 2010 collection "Artefact" incorporates orthopaedia with fashion creating a wonderfully bizarre mix of plastic, metal, leather and beautifully delicate fabrics. 

"It's all about fitting the body into the "right" shape. The difference between the two fields is that tailoring is much more aesthetically acceptable and appreciated than orthopaedia, even though the latter is inevitable and needed every day. Just look around. It's all around you." 

Some stills from Ronaldas Buozis' collaboration with Egle for the "Artefact" collection.

Gabriella Marina Gonzalez

Gabriella Marina Gonzalez is an uninhibited and exquisite fashion, footwear and accessory designer who continues to broaden her spectrum of materials but maintains focus on her unique shredding and applique techniques and hand leather work. Now on her sixth collection which, keeping true to her design aesthetic features her signature platform wedges that she has become most widely recognized for.

Some might say design is in GMG's blood. Her grandmother was a seamstress and her father a fashion designer. Growing up she was always around art and design and was encouraged to be creative. She has such a humble outlook denoting that she is neither artist nor designer, stating "I try not to consider myself anything; it's too restricting. These are the things other people have made me."

Naturally I'm head over heels for Gabriella Marina Gonzalez's amazing work. Those shoes!

Photos by Sarah Piantadosi for the "Your Heavy Heart Pressed Against the Dusk" SS12 Collection.