Diesel’s Black Gold fall 2011 collection shown at NY fashion week, was nice and dark and gritty. Layers, leather, textures, and laced-up. There are some hints at a steampunk aesthetic here. But I’d rather see it as vagabond troubled artist strolling the streets of a dirty crumbling city or militaristic survivalist cowboy making it in a post-apocalyptic scared world. At first I wasn’t sure on all the lacing, but once I saw the asymmetrical laced-up leather vest I was sold. I’m loving the color pallet of black, navy, slate blue, brown, mauve, olive, and ivory. Maybe it’s because I just rewatched the Matrix after a few years, but I had forgotten the nice styling details in that movie, and this collection is right in tune with that (yet nicely updated), right down to the men’s flapping leather trench coat and the women’s tight long black leather ensemble.
Tripp NYC has really impressed me with this hot little Natural Cheetah Jungle Dress. The strapless sweetheart design will hug your curves in all the right places, and it has boning in the bust to keep those puppies locked and loaded! The cheetah fabric has a nice sateen finish that will look killer with a pair of black patent leather heels. If you’re feeling extra saucy, wear some nude back seamed stockings, and red lipstick for a modern retro appeal.
focused music news for week 08 : February 20 to February 26 2011
February 25 – This week finally sees the release of Komor Kommando’sOil, Steel & Rhythm on Alfa Matrix. This is a modern electro industrial album with a nostalgic feel. Sebastian R. Komor has been around for a while now and with a résumé that features Zombie Girl, Squarehead, Brunderschaft, and of course Icon of Coil, it’s no surprise that this album is good. Read our review in the February/March 2011 Issue.
February 21 – Also out this week is Rachel Goodrich’s self titled album on Yellow Bear Records. Normally I wouldn’t care out this indie rock release, but her last name is Goodrich and I use to live on Old Goodrich, so with this logic I had to listen to it. The album is what it is… but this video is great!
It’s easy to look at Anna Sui’s fall 2011 collection shown at NY fashion week or Anna Sui’s designs in general and get overwhelmed by all the bold colored bohemian 60s prints. But there is a ton going on in this collection and in her design style in general that is worth taking cues from. As I see it Sui is inspired by a whole many decades, periods, and subcultural styles and it’s just a matter of picking the pieces where she blends the styles you enjoy together. And sometimes discovering you enjoy periods or styles you didn’t think you did.
There are many 60s/bohemian prints and cuts in this collection that I just can’t get into. But there are some cases where the color and prints come together in a way that catches my eye. Side stepping this look that was the meat of the collection, there were four main aspects I enjoyed in this collection. First, animal cosplay hats and designer fashion, perfect! Cosplay hats have been popping up all over for the past couple years, but this is one of the best ways I’ve seen them done. Second, glasses on the runway. There were a few bookworm inspired outfits pushed further in that direction with a pair of frames, very cute. Mainly, were the all black ensembles pulling from many decades to create a dark, lush, and just plain beautiful effect. Sui can do sweet and super chic all black ensembles drawing from Victorian, flapper, mod, goth, and boho all at once amazingly. And lastly, she does this look in all white and I am inspired!
Auxiliary Magazine’s regular contributor, the infamous Vanity Kills, is one that matches sharp wit and insight with a varied background in fashion, cosmetics, and music to bring readers content that is not only informative, but also highly entertaining. Vanity Kills has plenty of experience writing on topics she enjoys and embodies, currently she has an online column on Lip Service’s webzine entitled, Lethal Style. Contributing beauty articles and a multitude of in depth interviews with designers from around the world to each issue, she brings a unique and fun persona to Auxiliary Magazine.
What do you do at Auxiliary Magazine?
Instruct and inform the masses in all manners related to the fine art of warpaint application, interview people that don’t suck, and formerly provided comic relief with some 100% fictional ridiculous goth drama. Also I allegedly partied with the copy editor in at least five different states.
As an independent writer working with multiple companies including Lip Service and Auxiliary, what is it about writing that is most appealing to you? How did you get started?
As frustrating as it is at times, it’s the air I breathe. As much as writing the perfect paragraph which conveys my thoughts on Hello Kitty corsets in the exact matter I want it to keeps me up at night, I cannot picture ever NOT doing it. Being physically rewarded for my efforts with money and merchandise is nice, since I put a lot of effort into the written word, but it’s never been my motivation. The greatest reward is the immense sense of accomplishment derived from bringing to completion a finished piece that I would have loved to stumble upon, in either a book or a blog, and find myself. When I feel like I’ve written something equally informative and pleasurable to read.
I’ve always loved fashion magazines. As long as I can remember, I’ve read every woman’s magazine I could get my hands on and mentally devoured all the vignettes that accompanied the fashion spreads. My brain absorbed them like a sponge. It didn’t matter if the outfits themselves were hideous or exquisite. You can’t mount a painting on the wall without a frame. Words are that frame. In time, I found myself ‘styling’ things in my head. Constantly thinking of what shoes would go with what skirt and what earrings would complement the ensemble as a whole. Fleshing out these thoughts into full fledged fashion and beauty articles was just a natural extension of all that internal style obsessed dialogue.
Take And One’s “Military Fashion Show” done in a rockabilly style and it makes me a very giddy girl. I’m a big fan of And One and rockabilly music, so having the band mesh the two is pretty awesome. I know some hardcore EBM fans won’t find the video or song to be true to And One’s style, yet it shows the range and musical talent that the band possesses. I think this shows the guys in the band have a great sense of humor and it’s just a damn good version to possibly swing dance too! Oh, and Steve Naghavi looks amazing in his leather jacket and cuffed denim pants. Me-ow!
This past Thursday, we threw a party to celebrate our two-year anniversary at Club Diablo in Buffalo, NY. It was a great night and we’d like to thank everyone that came out to party with us! Hear are a few photos from the evening.
most of the Auxiliary gang [left to right] Steve Prinsen, Aaron Andrews, Adam Rosina, Jennifer Link, Molly Hoeltke, Mike Kieffer, Luke Copping, Meagan Hendrickson, EJTower, and Paul Morin
Opening tomorrow, February 19th at Last Rites Gallery in Manhattan is Michael Mararian’s solo exhibition entitled Snow White. Famous tattoo artist Paul Booth opened Last Rites Gallery in 2008 and it has become a première gallery for art with a darker vibe and a haven for artists who prefer to explore the ominous, uncomfortable, and eccentric in their work. If you are in the New York City area, this is a show not to miss! Auxiliary featured Mararian in the October/November 2010 Issue.
left “Snow White” . right “Doc”
Mararian reveals his technique as, “hand drawn in various paint, dry-brush and ink forms, crudely scratched at times for a gritty, textured aesthetic. He is inspired by new and old journalistic-style photography, vintage graphics, cabinet cards, as well as retro advertisements and post mortem photography.” Mararian clearly defines his intent as, “touching upon such topics as gross consumerism, school violence, teenage disappointments, pressures and the slowly growing social isolation that are part of our childhood and adult culture. The use of contradiction is an integral part of my work to magnify the absurdity of any given situation and draw a conflicting reaction from the viewer.” What can, on one level, be construed as melancholy and cruel, can alternately be viewed as amusing, or even charming. Mararian enjoys letting his audience decide.
A graduate of the Art and Theater program at the University of Bridgeport. His work has previously been shown at various galleries around the world. Originally from Andover, Massachusetts, Michael currently lives and works from his studios in Brooklyn and Buffalo, New York.
The show will run until March 19th, the opening is tomorrow.
SNOW WHITE a solo exhibition by MICHAEL MARARIAN DATE : February 19th, 2011 TIME : 7pm-11pm LOCATION : Last Rites Gallery, 511 W. 33rd Street, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10001
At NY fashion week, Betsey Johnson showed two fall 2011 collections. First was her Black Tag line which was full of velvet, black, flowers, and animal prints. There were many dark, goth and punk style ensembles but all with a Betsey feel. Each model was wearing an animal print pantyhose bodysuit, which is questionable in general but in some outfits works surprisingly well, and a ruffle neck-corset-esque choker, which I have seen all over the place lately from “alternative” designers, an interesting trend for Johnson to pick up. I love the exaggerated shoulder coats and the huge floral attachments on just one shoulder of many of the pieces.
In addition to her Black Tag collection, Betsey Johnson revealed her new Pink Patch line. The models for this collection were Betsey Johnson employees and friends all in matching blonde wigs. It’s refreshing and fun to see regular sized and shaped women on the runway at something like NY fashion week. Instead of going to big-box stores to create a lower price point line, Johnson did it herself and created a line full of her signature looks, poofy party dresses to kitschy and floral bold prints, with all items priced at under $100. I love this because it means it will be easier to get some Betsey items into your wardrobe but everything from this runway show that I am truly lusting after is from the Black Tag collection.
Valentine’s Day has come and gone, but I’m sure you’re still in the spirit as you nibble on the last pieces of your chocolate heart. The Fatal Affection Waist Cincher by Heavy Red features a blood red heart with alternating black and white stripes that will remind you of love all year long. The steel boned underbust corset would look nice over a black flowing gown for a romantic gothy look, or paired with a short ruffled skirt and blouse for a fun gothic Lolita aesthetic.
The Fatal Affection Waist Cincher is available online at www.heavyred.com.
The designer duo known as Rag & Bone put their fall 2011 women’s collection down the runway at NY fashion week. Technically the first thing that comes to mind when I see this collection is it’s paneling. I know it’s very anti-climatic to most, but not to me. This is an art that has been meticulously curated by many and mastered by few. Paneling is the trend that has really captured me intently in the last year. It is difficult to find garments that achieve it in a way that is both chic and flattering, not to mention unique. It can very easily end up looking like retro color blocking or worse like patchwork. Rag & Bone seem to have inspired themselves and their viewers to look at the very shapes themselves within the garment from without. Arranging balance through contrasting weights in fabric, as well as size in the shapes and panels creates a very tasteful asymmetrical balance.
Esoterically this collection reads to me as though there were an emphasis on the strength of the female essence, utilizing the influence of earthy Native American tribes to Scottish warriors. I also felt a very worldly region based almost patriotic feel, like they took every culture’s essence and turned their designs into mini futuristic tribal tributes to each.
Valentine’s Day, some hate it, some love it. Today we have a special online edition of “Ask Arden”, our new advice column where Arden Leigh, today’s freshest voice on women’s dating and relationship strategies, answers your questions. Bringing together her experience in neuro-linguistic programming, brand marketing, psychology, pick-up artistry, and the fetish industry, she coaches women on developing a proactive approach to achieving their romantic goals.
Q : I hate Valentine’s Day. There’s so much pressure! What can I do to make sure that we both have a good time without unrealistic expectations?
A : I would say that if you pay attention to the clues your partner unwittingly gives you, you should know what kind of things will make them happy on Valentine’s Day, but the truth is that if you pay attention to those clues you should know what kind of things will make them happy every day. People are fairly easy to read once you learn to pick up on the signals they drop. Figuring out what to do for Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be all that different from figuring out what to do on any other day of the year. The only difference is you have an excuse to live it up a little more.
There’s no reason to hold yourselves to the standard of Valentine’s Day set forth by the greeting card companies, chocolatiers, and pricey restaurants offering prix-fixe dinners with champagne toasts (i.e., all those who stand to make a profit from it), but that doesn’t mean you should miss out on a day set aside to celebrate couple-hood. Being part of a couple is fun and if it weren’t you wouldn’t choose to do it. So why not celebrate a little?
Tailor your Valentine’s Day experience to the kinds of things you and your partner enjoy. Perhaps instead of a dinner with roses on the table, it’s a sporting event, or a movie you both want to see. If you choose to buy a gift, it doesn’t have to conform to the standard V-Day. I bought one of my first boyfriends a CD alarm clock for Valentine’s Day so we didn’t have to wake up to a staticky radio station (though he did then insist on waking up every morning to Alice Cooper’s “Poison”, a great song but not one I necessarily want to hear before noon).
Whatever you do, make sure it’s personalized to the things you know you will both enjoy, and you’ll be guaranteed to have a good time.
If you are going to be in the Buffalo or Western New York area this week there is a fantastic photography show opening on Wednesday night. In the début show of Allen Street Hardware’s new gallery space, street photographer, director, documentarian, and producer Nathan Peracciny will present his collection of work People And Things I Shot Today.
People And Things I Shot Today is a dimensional portrayal of a day in the life of, and a site line into the vision of Nathan Peracciny’s creative mind’s eye. Instinctual moments of day-to-day life encompassing the people, culture, and landscapes of Buffalo, NY, comprise the body of work in his exhibit.
On Wednesday, February 16th at the newly developed gallery space connecting to the original Allen Street Hardware Café location, the show opens at 8pm. The course of the evening will display photographic works by Nathan Peracciny, all of which is available for purchase. Music and beverages will also be available. The show supports the recent involvement of Peracciny with WNY Jesse’s Children and the Flying Dentists Association of Western New York, as well as the launch of his new website.
“I’m excited to document and tell the story of individuals from Western New York that dedicate to creating change,” says Peracciny.
Nathan’s work has been seen in dynamic avenues of photography, video, and directive efforts. Working with individuals, independent, and corporate businesses, his creativity has interpreted a body of work built on relationships and art-form.
PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT : People and Things I Shot Today DATE : February 16th, 2011 TIME : 8pm -2am LOCATION : Allen Street Hardware Gallery, 245 Allen St Buffalo, NY
New York Fashion Week has begun and fall 2011 collections are being revealed. The fall Z Spoke collection by Zac Posen is darker and more serious than previous collections. I am liking what I see! Many textures, but they are calm not busy, subdued colors, a mix of structure and flow. Many great business/work options but some good casual pieces too, and everything looks comfy to wear, which is always a plus. With pieces ranging from $80-650, it is attainable. Maybe more so than the designs themselves, I am in love with the styling and mood of this collection. You can do black lip stick and look super chic and it doesn’t have to be paired with over the top hair and clothes.
