Hint Tip: Hermès

Since its humble beginnings as a saddle-maker in 1837, Hermès has been synonymous with leather. Celebrating its 175th year, the august French house pays homage to the proud, patrician material in the exhibit Leather Forever, on display at the Royal Academy of Arts in London.

Spanning twelve rooms, the show takes the visitor on a tactile journey through the fated pairing, showcasing notable pieces from Hermès' past and present. These include pieces commissioned by the Duke of Windsor for Wallis Simpson, as well as some of the label's later icons, for example the Kelly, named after Princess Grace, and the Birkin, inspired by Jane Birkin. Craftspeople from the Hermès workshops in Paris will also be on hand to demonstrate the art of leather-working.

Leather Forever, May 9 - 27, Royal Academy of Arts. A small collection of Great Britain-inspired Hermès bags will be auctioned off online by Christie’s from May 16 - 31.

• Posted May 15, 2012
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Just the Pics, Please: Met Gala

Here they are, the decked-out arrivals at the Met Gala last night. An archival army of Prada and a blitz of Schiaparelli pink made for a riot of glamour on the red carpet. Photos by Chance Yeh for Patrick McMullan...

• Posted May 08, 2012
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Lady Gaga Wore...

a Swarovski-encrusted black leather trench from Versace's fall 2012 collection when landing at Nartia Int'l Airport in Tokyo today to begin the Japanese leg of her Born This Way tour.

• Posted May 08, 2012
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Christian Louboutin After-Party

It was a fashion invasion of Theatreland at the after-party for the private viewing of Christian Louboutin’s retrospective at the Design Museum. Hot-footing it in their scarlet-soled shoes across the river from the museum to the Ivy Club, a cross-section of well-heeled society could be observed. From the aristos (no fewer than two Guinnesses, Daphne and Jasmine) to the Euros (Heather Kerzner, Evening Standard owner Evgeny Lebenev), via a healthy quota of British design talent (Roland Mouret, Holly Fulton, Todd Lynn), it was the freshest of English roses who really stood out. The genetically improbable model Mary Charteris radiated well-bred glamour like the nouveau Mitford she is, while the nominally improbable starlet Holliday Grainger rocked up in pink, which, as the saying goes, made all the boys wink. However, this being a shoe party, straight boys were thin on the ground.

The homegrown ladies, however, gallantly made the best of things, knocked back a few of the divine Martini-laced cocktails and were the first on the dancefloor. Henry Holland spun the disco discs – the crowd took to them with jiving aplomb. They certainly kicked their heels back – but, these being Louboutins – not quite off.

• Posted May 03, 2012
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Parsons Presents New York Its New Crop of Talent

With its annual graduation show, Parsons reminds the world why it’s often considered New York's best design school. Past years have introduced new talent like Marc Jacobs (’84) and Proenza Schouler (‘02). This year, the show at Chelsea Piers, hosted by Parsons alumnae Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs (’07), was packed with proud parents, plus plenty of press looking for the next big thing.

Among the 39 BFA grads, a few trends emerged: collaged fabrics (Ashley Riley, Janelle Abbott), reinterpreted Aztec prints (Tanni Xu, Giuliana Raggiani), and the color red (Alex Perez-Castells, Aram Sung), while highlights included Lizzie Wright’s padded silhouettes and Gihae Choi’s beaded pieces. At the end of the day, the womenswear award went to Jin Kay for his relaxed black separates, Christy Jeehyun Lee took home the men's award for her mismatched patterns, while Giuliana Raggiani took the children’s crown. No matter the winners, we look forward to seeing them all at New York Fashion Week.

• Posted May 03, 2012
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Scarlett Johansson Wore...

a daisy print top and checker print skirt from Preen's fall 2012 collection as she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles today.

• Posted May 02, 2012
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Ryan McGinley Likes to Hug Animals and Wild Out

What you see is what you get with Ryan McGinley—no high-falutin concepts, pretentious doublespeak, or deep-seated pathology. His photographs of naked young things frolicking in nature don't suggest a parallel lasciviousness, just as his portraits of friends hanging out in his apartment don't claim to be anything other than that.

Two simultaneous solo exhibits of new work launching this week at the original Team Gallery and its new second location are just as self-explanatory. The first, Animals, is a series of studio portraits in which live animals are paired with nude models, just a couple of god's creatures hanging out the way he intended—in the buff. And the second is Grids, consisting of three giant grids filled with photos of young concert-goers blissing out to one of life's simple pleasures, music.

In both shows, the images are large, colorful and a joy to look at. Here, Ryan McGinley gives a glimpse into their making...

Where did the idea for staging two concurrent exhibits come from? Seems like a lot of work.
Team Gallery opened a second space on Wooster Street last year. It's right around the corner from its Grand Street space in Soho. I'm the first artist in the gallery to have a double show. I've been working on the Grid project for about four years now, traveling all over America and Europe to different music festivals. The Animals have been in the works for nearly two years. I've never exhibited my photographs in a grid presentation or displayed an entire show of color studio images so they both feel very new to me.

Actors warn never to work with animals. Which was the most challenging critter to direct?
Yes, that's true, you can't direct animals and that's what I love about them. They are out of control, wild, and they do what they want. Shooting in the studio you have control over how everything looks. It's completely artificial and usually feels staged. I wanted an element that created chaos, a sense of spontaneity, a little controlled weirdness. The ibex [goat] created some turbulence by tearing up the set the minute he walked onto the colored paper. The marmoset used all parts of the [model's] body like a jungle gym.

If you could be any animal, existing or extinct, what would it be and why?
A spider monkey, which was my favorite animal to photograph. I wanted to take it home with me. I was so sad parting with it after I photographed it. I like that they are highly agile. They communicate their intentions and observations using postures and stances, and their diet consists primarily of ripe fruit and nuts. Seems right up my alley, kinda the way I lead my own life. They also have disproportionately long limbs and their tail functions as a fifth arm. I just love the way they move and I love they way they hug me. Their little body on my chest and their long arms wrap all the way around my back. It's amazing.

In Grids, you photographed enthusiastic teenagers at concerts and musical festivals. Are you still a kid at heart?
My mom breaks out into singing and dancing at any given moment. My father acted so silly well into his 80s. He'd say to me, "Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional." The subjects in my photographs are a representation of my spirit. I love their soul, it's a meaning that I understand. I'm trying to capture a feeling that speaks to me. Musical performances let you lose control. They let you scream and jump and wild out.

I imagine you've been to a lot of concerts. What's your most life-changing concert moment?
I saw Stevie Wonder in Austin City Limits this past year. The most beautiful experience is closing your eyes and dancing to music, that's what I want my photos to feel like.

Animals, 83 Grand Street; Grids, 47 Wooster Street. Both exhibits run from May 2 to June 2. Joint opening reception: May 2, 6-8 pm. Visit Team Gallery

• Posted Apr 30, 2012
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Hint Tip: Chelsea Girls

These days the term Chelsea Girls calls to mind ass-swishing Muscle Marys mincing up and down Eighth Avenue, but back in the day—1966, to be exact—it was Andy Warhol's greatest film, and has been ever since. Well, we should qualify that by saying it got mostly terrible reviews at the time, but in the decades since it's achieved a well-earned patina as a kind of historical glimpse into the heyday of the Factory and Chelsea Hotel. Plus it was shot both in color and black-and-white, intended to be shown split-screen, which is pretty cool.

In a rare public appearance, the poet and Warhol Superstar René Ricard will present an even rarer screening of the film at the Anthology Film Center. The only cast member who lived in the hotel at the time, he does so on behalf of the Tenants Association of the Chelsea Hotel. He'll also discuss the making of the film and its sordid cast of characters—Nico, Ondine, Brigid Berlin, et al—as well as reflect on Warhol's lasting impact on art and culture. Given that the film alone clocks in at over three hours, the evening requires your complete commitment.

Tuesday, May 1, 7:30 pm, Anthology Film Archives, 32 Second Avenue (@ 2nd Street), NYC, $25

• Posted Apr 25, 2012
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Tilda Swinton Wore...

a white tuxedo-style jumpsuit by Céline to the Time 100 Gala in New York last night...

• Posted Apr 25, 2012
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Hint Tip: Helmut Lang

Since quitting the fashion game, Helmut Lang has shed his designer lifestyle and shredded his archive, even using those clothes as, well, new material. Now a resident of the farther reaches of Long Island, Lang is making a rare return to Manhattan for a solo show of new sculpture that proves that even though he’s no longer in fashion, he hasn’t lost his touch.

Organized by art-world bigwigs Mark Fletcher, Sadie Coles and Neville Wakefield, the exhibition Helmut Lang: Sculptures will feature more than 20 new pieces: monochrome totems reconstructed from uneven layers of pre-used materials, from rubber and foam to sheepskin and tar. Like earlier work made from destroying his archives, the pieces show signs of their former industrial uses.

The exhibit will be held May 5 - June 15 in a Greenwich Village townhouse at 24 Washington Square North, not far from Lang’s onetime atelier.

• Posted Apr 24, 2012
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