Undone

Perfectly undone details, on a perfect undone babe. It’s nice to see a non-white girl with curvier proportions modelling for a change. After the last Editorial mag shoot I posted, a few readers expressed some consternation at the thinness of the featured model. Although I’m not one to shame any woman for her body, regardless of whether she’s too thin or overweight, it’s always a good thing to look at clothes on a variety of body types. Especially when they fit like they do here ❤

All pieces by Vaquera & Women’s History Museum. Shoes by Céline

Photography by June Canedo
Styling by Tess Herbert
Model: Lee @ Lorde Inc.

Up to Code

Featherweight chiffon laid against hard concrete intrigues in these shots by London-based (and German-born) film photographer, Theresa Marx. Maybe there is something that gets lost in the digital film process. I’m not really sure. All I know is that I’ve never seen blonde hair look this gold, or glass and sky that looked this crystalline.

Marx certainly has a skilled hand when it comes to fashion editorials. After all, she did study womenswear design at Central St. Martins. While interning at Chanel and Chloé, her interest in fashion slowly transformed from design to image making. She was drawn to the photographer’s ability to create desire in the viewers, and inspire them to dream. Yes, dreaminess is never far from her work. Models look like they’re in complete reverie, lost in thought, as the monuments behind them tower in size and scale. Being also a fan of architecture, I love the way she uses the geometric lines of buildings in her fashion photography work. It’s an A+ combo, that’s for sure.

Marx has shot for magazines like Vulkan, Vein, and Zeum. She has also collaborated with designers like Rejina Pyo and Hyon Park in the production of their lookbooks. Stay tuned in the coming days for more coverage of Marx’s work.

Images via Theresa Marx

It’s a Rave

This past weekend was the official kick-off of the 2015 World Pride. As a lover of fashion and dance music, neither of which would be what they are today without the gay community, I love that Pride parties give attendees the freedom to wildly express themselves regardless of gender and sexual orientation, all while dancing to amazing house and techno. Over the weekend, NYC’s legendary rave Shade—helmed by nightlife queens Ladyfag and Seva Granik—popped off the two-week World Pride celebration in a cloud of feathers, chains, and glitter. I picked a few of my favourite looks from the party, to inspire me (and you!) for my own upcoming weekend of boogieing.

Images via Thump and Gayletter

Hazy Shades of Gold

Sophia Coppola’s once-illustrious film career may have fallen off in a pretty big way, but her stunning debut still stands now as it did 15 years ago upon its release. Part of The Virgin Suicides‘s power was its dreamy film score, composed by French band Air. Another part, of course, was its 1970s costume design. To celebrate the iconic film’s 15th anniversary, The Pack selected some of our favourite shots from the film, each one more sun-drenched and lush than the one before. To get the girls’ looks, all you need are white lacey dresses, short-sleeved white blouses, and a pair (or two) of wide leg jeans. And I guess a head of flowing blonde locks….

Images via The Virgin Suicides and Dazed

Caitlin Price

Baggy silhouettes decked out in intricate pleats. Girly braids worn with tracksuits. These are the kinds of contradictions that make London-based Caitlin Price’ designs so appealing and visually arresting. With one foot in street wear and the other in high fashion, Price designs garments that are technically complex while maintaining a relaxed, cozy feel. Caitlin is a recent graduate of Central Saint Martins, but has already shown during London Fashion Week as part of the Fashion East show. Her work is so quintessentially South London, I can’t help but hear the sounds of UK garage and grime whenever I see her designs in editorials, much like the one from High Content seen above.

Follow Caitlin on IG for updates on when her designs will be available in shops outside of the U.K.

Co Resort 2016

I was tipped off about Co’s Resort 2016 collection by my dear pal and collaborator, Chelsea. Much like her reaction to the designs, I was impressed by the minimal-with-a-touch-of-70s-boho aesthetic of the collection. Silhouettes are relaxed and flowing, but unfussy. As much as I like elements of 70s-inspired style, a lot of it—the maxi dresses, the frilly collars, the prints—don’t really appeal to my taste for structure and simplicity. Co designers Stephanie Danan and Justin Kern have always had an affinity for clean lines and refined colours, you can see it from any/all of their past collections. I appreciated the designers for staying true to their core brand, while casually flirting with this trend in order to maintain marketability. See the frilly dresses paired with structured coats, practical denim dresses embellished with sleeve ties, boyish Ts manufactured in silk velvet. I cannot get over the champagne silk velvet pieces. Especially the top… but especially the pants.

Images via style.com

Faustine Steinmetz

You may remember the name Faustine Steinmetz from previous features here on The Pack. I’ve been following the young wunderkind ever since I saw the extremely strong denim work from her debut collection for AW14. Focused on quality, handmade production, and very limited runs, Steinmetz is one of a few “artisanal” designers out there who actually earns the label. Steinmetz isn’t concerned with trends. Her labours of love are atypical, complex, and utterly devoid of references to time periods. Artistic and meticulous to a fault, she creates garments from scratch for a specific type of woman, someone as disdainful of waste as Steinmetz is, perhaps. Or perhaps someone as dedicated to their work, and as unwavering in their principles as Steinmetz is.
In spite of (or because of) her rejection of trends, Steinmetz’s clothes more than hold their own among those produced by the world’s most forward-thinking designers. Her creative vision and technical skill caught the eye of the fashion giant LVMH group, and she was a finalist for this year’s Prize for Young Designers. Although she didn’t quite come out on top (competition was very very fierce), it doesn’t take away in the least from what will surely be a long, illustrious career.

You can contact Faustine to order a piece from her here.

Images via Faustine Steinmetz, Wonderland magazine, and Dazed

Koo

If you’ve been following street style within the past 5 years, chances are you’re already familiar with Youngjun Koo. With a taste for street wear and an eye for capturing the energy of fashion week, Koo has shot street style for his personal site, I Am Koo, GQ, and NY Mag‘s The Cut. Turns out he’s just as talented shooting editorials. I find him to be especially skilled at portraits and long shots. And, yes, shooting beautiful Asian women. ❤

Images via I Am Koo

Ji Oh Resort 2016

Some neutral-toned realness for you on another gorgeous summer day. This almost-exclusively black, white, and grey Resort collection was designed by Ji Oh, South Korea born and bred and trained at Central St. Martins and Parsons. Inspired by all things minimal, sophisticated, and restrained, it’s no wonder Ji Oh’s clothes appeal to me. Her Resort 2016 collection incorporates relaxed and structured silhouettes, and textures of leather, wool, silks, and some kind of gold knit (which I love). The clean straight lines of the trousers, cut at the perfect length, are immediate favourites. I’m always down to look like a well-dressed gazelle. Sure, there’s nothing particularly game-changing about the garments, but it’s hard to say no to clean, classic clothes that flatter the wearer like Ji Oh’s.

Images via style.com

Last Minute Ballers

I’m wearing asymmetrical gown by Zara, vintage brocade jacket and bamboo bag

Last Thursday I attended, for the second time, Toronto’s largest and glitziest annual art gala, the Power Ball. As a massive fundraising event for the Power Plant‘s art programming, the party has become a hugely influential and innovative party, attended by artists and supporters of artists (from the worlds of fashion, film, media, finance, advertising, and music) alike. The food and cocktails are usually a highlight for me, as I’m the type of woman who feels more at home at a pizza bar or a techno dungeon than a fancy fashion party, and this year was no different. Still I, along with my companion Karolyne Ellacott, made the best of our surroundings, reclining in vintage chaise lounges, posing for the paps, and splashing around in kiddie pools of rainbow balls.

Images by The Pack