It’s hard to believe it’s been nine months since posting Ritwik Dey‘s Harmonogram series of Lissajous figures. Each delicate marking was representative of the hypotrochoid illustrations we had been seeing so much of last May. Fast forward and today’s imagery draws similar parallels, though the materials are tangible and the movement unruly. Be it high-end hardware from Peguerin or a male model in Dazed and Confused, the the still chaos of continuous wiring leads our eyes throughout the page, proving yet again, the materials can be simple, so long as the energy is electric.

Designers and stylists can’t get enough of the safety pin this Fall/Winter season. Forever a signifier of punk culture, fashion houses alike are using this affordable accessory to translate their vision, be it tough, tribal or eclectic. Alexander McQueen‘s latest print campaign along with Dazed and Confused‘s styling techniques and Moschino‘s demurely edgy accents are giving the pin as much prominence as the model, inviting the viewer to draw inspiration and replicate at home. A box of safety pins paired with last year’s twinset can give your wardrobe the facelift it needs to stay current. Just remember, there’s a fine line between cheap and chic.

There’s true intrigue when it comes to lace.  Delicate and dainty, it both conceals and reveals. While we’re all accustomed to seeing its multitude of personalities in fashion, home goods and accessories, reoccurring ties to privacy and obscured visibility have been a constant theme over the past few seasons, making us wonder if everyone’s watching Eyes Wide Shut all over again.

The editors at Dazed and Confused are continuing to manipulate eyes in sadistically interesting layouts just as designers are racing to reinterpret them into tactile accessories.  This Karl Lagerfeld tote is brilliantly inaccessible and proves our point with it’s € 1500.00 price tag.

Uma Thurman’s styling on the May ‘09 NY Times Magazine cover adds a layer of intrigue just as the geometric lace pattern on these Urban Outfitter curtains convey feelings of graphic obscurity. Pulling from past [...]

Scales represent the outer most layer of our skin and are therefore a significant part of our daily lives. Until we start aging, require additional protection, are injured, or are simply inspired by various layering techniques, most of us spend our time thinking about other things. Today we’re tying this theme together across several platforms in an effort to follow a visual timeline. This scale armor vest was a necessity during wartime as protection against bludgeoning. It appears as though Iceberg, a well-known fashion label has pulled inspiration from this exposed layering technique for their fall09 collection. Replacing traditional fish scales with shiny records, this graffiti collage from the Wooster Collective reveals pop culture at it’s finest, mixing things up.

A few weeks ago, we found ourselves obsessing over Marc Jacob’s duct tape and bondage window.  Not long after, this Dazed and Confused spread landed in our mailbox.  While we’re not certain who’s influenced who here, it’s evident that creative teams across the board are embracing fashion friendly confinement this summer. Adding an elegant angle to this trend, Sussanna Petkov’s Viennese window along the Wollzeile, showcases color blocked striping for the less experimental types.  Once again, broad concepts have trickled into both market extremes, proving that the ‘wow factor’ is usually the invisible arrow pointing towards the more practical merchandise.

The scattering of physical features is similar to how digital identities resemble a kaleidoscope – lots of colorful parts pieced together to create different patterns. We are constantly juggling multiple on-line identities which when built together illustrate who “we are.” It’s not hard to take a trip down the digital rabbit hole and become lost in a sort of Wonderland, a marvelous “imaginary” place where we experience a bit of an identity crisis. Imagery reminiscent of this theme has been popping up throughout the fashion world, be it in this Agent Provocateur military spread, this Dazed and Confused Beth Ditto cover, or as Diane Von Furstenburg’s signature lip toss. It’s like Alice in Wonderland where Alice grows too big and then too small and in a conflicted state exclaims, “I know who I was when I [...]

Summer’s finally here and balloons appear to be the signifier of the season.  Be it literal or interpretive, pastel floaters have gained an inspirational edge, as it’s hard to resist a balloon’s youthful, colorful zeal.  Artists and photographers seem to be using balloons to convey messaging representative of our time, mixing hopeful optimism with realistic and momentary pleasure. Tiara Mia of Turkey has photographed an incredible layout, using a string of vibrant balloons to convey color, mood and atmosphere.  Dipping into the Vogue archives, Dolce & Gabbana have recently curated the exhibit, Extreme Beauty in Vogue, in correlation with the launch of their latest makeup campaign. This June 1949 photograph by Clifford Colin glorifies the swimming cap while reminding us of this familiar prop.

In conveying hope and wonder, Disney Pixar, Bloomingdales and [...]

On a November trip to Paris, Pattern Pulp noticed a wash of insect repeats on everything from silk pillows to woven monograms.  Fast forward five months and it appears that this trend has traveled west, as we’re seeing beetle influences everywhere.  Samantha Gregory, the VP of Communications at Tory Burch successfully represents her company in this bold monochromatic repeat for her April feature in California Magazine.  Back on the east coast, Christopher Marley creates luxurious insect mosaics, showcasing his bizarre connoisseurship in the installation entitled, Pheremone at Barneys Madison Avenue location.  As usual, Dazed and Confused stylizes seed concepts at their best with this Alexander McQueen and Swarovski Spring/Summer 09 collaboration.