The Surreal Photography of Andy Houghton

When looking for some cool, edgy photography for my apartment back home I ran into a site online featuring the work of UK based photographer Andy Houghton. Houghton runs his photography business out of Kingston upon Hull in the UK and produces striking and surreal photographs that are not only done for personal use but also have been featured in editorail spreads and magazine pages. His mix of staged subjects, lighting techniques and quirky surreal touches give the photographs a very interesting quality as well as an intriguing sense that draws the viewer in rather than just being a pretty or attractive surface image. Please visit his personal website as well as his Flikr page for additional information and images from this visionary and interesting photographer.

--Stephen Fisher--

http://www.modelmayhem.com/andyhoughton

http://www.flickr.com/photos/andyhoughton

Riccardo Tisci for Givenchy Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2010. McQueen similarity or no?

Riccardo Tisci seems to be adjusting well to the House of Givenchy, after recently releasing his Haute Couture Winter 2010 collection, a collection that I feel has the expert craftsmanship and luxury that one would associate with one of the great fashion house, yet possesses a modern edge and forward focused style direction needed to breathe further life into the house.

When I first saw the pieces I was immediately drawn to them due to their silhouette, fit andconstruction. The pieces seem to possess en exceptional fit, especially around the torso and combine striking metallics, exquisitely pieced lacework, feather accents, fur, and articulated upper jacket and dress panels that reminded me of historical photos of renaissance Italian articulated armour.

The feel of the collection I thought hit me as definitely being his own view of fashion, where he wanted it to go and what he wanted to present, yet also drew strong parallels between it and the Alexander McQueen collection of that same season, as was evident in the brocade, beadwork a heavily embroidered and embellished fabrics, Valentino through the fluid use of light and airy fabrics and attatchment techniques on the skirts as well as the use of the feather accents, and also possessed a feel of Tom Ford’s collections for YSL during this tenure at the house.

A look at the similarity of the two collections of the separate designers for the same season.

Weekly Trend Report: Burberry Shearling

OK so I decided to cover this trend due to the fact that it has popped up on so many catwalks recently and will definately be on the streets as the weather cools down and fashionable citygoers look for a more dressy alternative to that of the basic winter coat. The shearling is a yearly favorite and has been for decades, due to the ability to look dressy yet also relaxed, and perform well in both casual and formal settings depending on the cut and fit, and designers like Christopher Bailey are doing great things with them this past season. I have included three pieces that I really liked from Burberry Prorsum, and I believe are great additions to any wardrobe.

The first piece that I chose was that of the Burberry Prorsum shearling coat. This coat hit the ground running when it was introduced and has appeared in countless blogs, magazines, and websites due to the popularity. It takes the traditional item of a shearling coat, yet is reworked to form a more modern and urban formulation, one that is at home both in the country as well as the city streets.

The next piece is another offering from Christopher Bailey at Burberry, and is a shearling ankle boot that I love. This boot possesses everything that you love about a traditional shearling coat, yet embodies it as footwear. These boots possess an edge to them that could be worn with a pair of plain tights or with skinny dark jeans for a great statemant piece that will be sure to make a statement and garner compliments.

The last piece that I really liked was that of the Lambton shearling messenger bag/tote/hobo from Burberry Prorsum Menswear collection F/W 2010. I love this bag because of the fact that it is not what one expects when they think of a traditional messenger bag. This bag offers a chance for any man to mix it up without going out on too far of a limb, but still taking a fashionable risk.

--Stephen Fisher--

A few more pictures of the Lambton bag and messenger.

On Pins and Needles: A Chat With Master Patternmaker and Couturier Nicolas Caito

Being the man penned as "New York's most in-demand patternmaker" by Elle Magazine is no small job. It requires hours of handiwork, a highly developed skill level, knowledge of fabric properties, and an acute attention to detail. I recently had the pleasure of meeting Nicolas Caito, patternmaker to some of the biggest names in the industry. During this meeting at his studio in Tribeca, I was taken aback not only by his love of patternmaking and the way that he excels at such a underappreciated art, but also at the skill level possessed by this man, a man who has worked with some of the biggest names and houses in the business,yet still carries with him the time honored traditions and craftsmanship of some of the oldest and most respected fashion houses in history.

Born in Sicily and raised in Southern France, Caito honed his skills and technical knowledge at the houses of Lanvin, Hermes, and at Rochas under Olivier Theyskens, later moving to New York City after being persuaded by a friend. This exceptional training and collaboration no doubt taught Mr. Caito not only the proper techniques for the dying art of handmade patternmaking, but also instilled in him a sense of appreciation for beauty and the ways to achieve the desired look through many mediums and fabrication methods. “When a designer comes to me, we never say no”, says Caito in response to a question about tough projects. “I believe in saying yes and making it work despite the difficulty, rather than saying no and seeing another patternmaker or designer complete the project that was declined”, a trait that no doubt has served him well over the years, helping to garner him the title of “New York’s most in-demand patternmaker”

Upon surveying his atelier and pieces in progress, it is no wonder that Caito has the reputation that he does. Draped masterpieces hang beside architecturally pieced and fitted jackets, showcasing the raw talent and old world couture craftsmanship techniques of this master at his craft. “Not many people are teaching these techniques anymore” states Caito, a sentiment echoed and appreciated by his intern Adam, a student that will continue this rich heritage of true couture level garment making within an industry that seems to be ever pushing the worth of the machine over that of the individual. “I want people to see what a...how do you say, underappreciated art patternmaking is, and to really know what goes into the creation of a garment” says Caito in closing, and encourages consumers to “know that there is a lot more behind the creation of a garment, that it is more than just an item or dress” a statement that will hopefully resonate within the youth of the industry and spark a fire within a few to carry on this age old and slowly dying craft.--Stephen Fisher--

"Nicolas Caito: Starting Out" Afingo Interviews from Aric Avelino on Vimeo.

Meg Goldman Gets it Right

The world of a stylist can be a tricky one. One has to constantly deal with what the client wants, working within budgets, how the image will turn out on film, and the end result of that intertwined project. Many people would be overwhelmed when confronted with this job, yet Meg Goldman, a stylist living and working right here in New York City does it with finesse, ease and of course, style, working magic for her corporate clients as well as personal ones over the past fifteen years and counting.

Meg Goldman, a graduate of Cornell University, and native New Yorker herself has not only an eye for style, but also more importantly, an eye for style that the “real woman” can use and work with. It is this helpful insight in providing service journalism and answering through the job of stylist, solutions to problems that the real woman has to deal with in her everyday life that Goldman seems to excel at best.

One example of that service is typified in her pieces for Stylelist.com, in which she styles a woman in a piece titled “How To Wear Cropped pants for Every Body Type”, and also the piece “How to Wear Summer Shapewear.” In these article she presents a very real woman and styles her in a very real way, to accentuate the positives and downplay the negatives of her body type, a trick that is extremely helpful and popular with woman interested in achieving a more trim look for any occasion. It is through this attention to what a real woman wants, as well as what she believes that the average woman is looking for that works so well in her favor, and continues to as judging by her ever growing resume. “I believe that a woman should feel beautiful but also comfortable” states meg when asked about her work and how it benefits the average woman, adding that “styling can be a very tough job, but it pays off when you see the look come together in the end and see that the job was done well”, a sentiment that no doubt rings true and continues to further her career within all aspects of this exciting industry.--Stephen Fisher--

Paper Trail: Following Peter Davis

What do Jewish mother figures, Vogue Magazine, and Michael Bastian jackets have in common? They are all things that define the man known as Peter Davis, Paper Magazines reigning resident New Yorker. I decided to ask Peter a few questions, and in doing so came to learn a little about where he came from, how he got there, and where he believes the publishing world is going.

Peter was born here in New York and attended Bennington College to pursue a degree as a painting major, but came to find his true calling in the world of fashion and magazines. During High School, Davis took an internship at Paper magazine and was given his first column by Kim Hastreiter, Publisher, crediting her with his early success within the industry. “She gave me my first column when I was barely out of college and always told me I was a good writer. Without her I would not be writing today” he states. “She also taught me how to edit and what makes a good cover and a good fashion story. As a very WASPy boy, Kim is the Jewish mom I always wished I had” says Davis nostalgically, recalling the way Hastreiter became more than a boss to him, and helped to really guide him as a mentor and friend within the magazine industry.

One true passion of Davis' is that of the fashion industry, and it was this passion that helped to continue to further his career early on when coupled with his magazine experience. Davis was asked to cover the womenswear shows in Paris during his early years at the magazine, and fell in love with it from that point after a chance encounter that happened “by accident.” “Paper brought me to Paris to cover the behind the scenes of the women's shows. I was 21 and loved every second of it. And from that trip on, never stopped writing. An assignment from Vogue came 3 months later, followed by Vanity Fair. The editors had read my Paper stuff” says Davis, a move that acted to meld the two interests into one, and really allowed him to express both areas of interest while growing and evolving.

Now that Davis has solidified his career within the magazine industry, and continues to be at the forefront of the fashion world through his place at Paper Magazine as Editor at Large, he has his finger on the pulse of both the style scene as well as the ever changing publishing scene, both from the traditional publishing side as well as that of a blogger. When asked where he thought the industry was going in the near future, he stated “More and more the publishing industry, like the music and movie industry is going digital”, a viewpoint shared by many in the industry. “The iPad will make this web based magazine craze happen even faster. Magazines have to make every issue a collectible to stay alive,” a statement that seems to echo in this quickly changing industry where bloggers are replacing traditional journalists and contributors.

One thing that seems to really resonate from Davis is a deep understanding of how the industry works, and an appreciation for fashion and designers at a very deep level, stating Michael Bastian and the recently retired Martin Margiela as two of his favorites. “Bastian is the closest to bespoke that is off the rack - his jackets fit perfectly and the details, especially the wild linings, are perfect” says Davis, and credits Margiela’s pieces as being outrageous and worthy of a spot “in a museum”, a comment that demonstrates his appreciation not only for clothing but also for the entire fashion and cultural lifestyle that seems to resonate from this man and his own timeless and ever evolving brand of chic that is always in style no matter the season or trend, a chic that has worked to evolve his career and cannot help but do so in the years to come.--Stephen Fisher--

Angela Gilltrap Opens Up to Me About Magazines, Mentors and the Future of Media

When one thinks of magazine editors and their job within the media, images of hectic schedules, deadlines, and chaotic travel regimens come to mind. While these images are very true and real scenarios within the role of a magazine editor today, one would multiply that schedule by about ten, and in doing so would arrive at somewhat of an image of the workload of Zink Magazine’s contributing editor, Angela Gilltrap. Ms. Gilltrap has been in the limelight in some way, shape or form even since childhood when she took a junior role at a news station in her native Australia, and since then has managed to work her way into almost every facet of the entertainment industry. At twelve, Ms. Gilltrap was a guest at the Lido in Paris, refined her Japanese in Tokyo at fifteen, and by sixteen was juggling school commitments and working to make a living as a jazz singer, appearing in her first musical as well as dancing up to fifteen hours a week. Since then Ms. Gilltrap has gone on to gain recognition as a television presenter, author, social commentator and performer, excelling at each independently. Even with all of this under her belt, Ms. Gilltrap still seems to take the industry on with a passion and drive that shows and has worked in her favor for years, no doubt a trend that will continue in the future.

When one talks to Ms. Gilltrap, the first thing that you pick up on is her drive, experience, and knowledge of the industry, experience that encompasses a wide range of areas. As was stated before, Ms. Gilltrap started early on in the media and branched out in various directions along the way, working her way through news channels, books, music, theatre, dance, and ultimately the magazine industry, a jump that she states was an easy transition due to her background experience and knowledge of the industry up until then. “I was on tour, so I had my finances under control but had an inch to know more. So I started freelancing,” says Gilltrap, a move that seemed to work well. “ I figured the best way to talk to those I admired was to interview them. I chose those people, pitched the stories to various editors, and ended up with assignments. Having come from an entertainment background, you get used to trying again and again until something finally gives.”

Another area that stands out about Gilltrap is the way that she has cleverly and smartly positioned her endeavors to succeed using business savvy and ingenuity. Talking to her about the way that she works, she seems to always be thinking of the big picture and what more can be done to help the project, story or item work rather than trying to limit herself to expected or limited ways of doing so. Even within the fickle and changing industry of publishing, Ms Gilltrap has a positive and creative outlook when asked about her thoughts on where magazines and print is headed in the near and changing future. “Print is not dead no matter what people say” she states, “I think all publishers, media and marketers have to think outside the box to give brands value for money when it comes to funding publications. Whether online, in print or on the web, the ability to create something has never been easier, being able to sustain that momentum however, is where the difficulty lies.”, further adds Gilltrap, showing her positive outlook on an industry that is in a state of flux, yet as she states has a tremendous opportunity for creation and industry when handled smartly.

These days, as in her younger years, Gilltrap still has a hectic global travel schedule and busy lifestyle, yet still manages to find time to write great columns for Zink magazine, crediting one of her fellow colleagues, Casey Gillespie, as one of her mentors and people that she continues to look up to in the industry. “In terms of publishing I think it's the people you work with in very stressful situations that really influence the way you work, so for me it's Editor-In-Chief Casey Gillespie of Zink Magazine. She taught me to make decisive decisions, put the quotation marks in the right place, and keep on truckin even when the going gets tough”, a sentiment that seems to be working incredibly well for her so far, and will no doubt continue to do so in the years to follow, wherever her busy life and thriving career decide to take her.--Stephen Fisher--

Be sure to check out Angela's book, "Sunshine on Sugar Hill"(ABC/Harper Collins) available online.