Betsey Johnson’s fall 2012 collection shown at New York Fashion Week didn’t seem as cohesive or impressive as her fall 2011 collection. It seems this collection is drawing on many influences and ended up including many elements… mod, herringbone, 90s, florals, skulls and bones, and party dresses.

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Zac Posen’s fall 2012 collection shown at New York Fashion Week threw Japanese influences into the mix, obi belts, rich jewel tones, and jacquard prints. Nothing out of his mold, but gorgeous and glamorous non-the-less.

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Anna Sui’s fall 2012 collection shown at New York Fashion Week ventured into bohemian, folkish, bright patterns and prints perhaps a bit farther than my comfort zone. There were details I really enjoyed such as the round glasses, peter pan and yoke collars, and the hint of cosplay in the owl knit hats. I think the best approach to this collection is to edit, pick select pieces and draw inspiration from select aspects.

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Fluff’s DecalGirl Molly Mermaid Mobile Phone Skin

image source decalgirl.com

Turn your mobile phone into an adorable piece of artwork by covering it with a DecalGirl device skin illustrated by Fluff. Fluff has been making cute retro themed collections of bags and accessories like coin purses, key chains, wallets, and more. Now you can bring Fluff’s designs to your phone (or laptop, tablet, or gaming device for that matter) with her brand new DecalGirl skins. Turn your phone into a vintage pinup and tattoo inspired aquatic world. And theme all your on-the-go essentials with other items from the Molly Mermaid collection.

The Molly Mermaid Mobile Phone Skin is available for around $10 (depending on the device) at www.decalgirl.com.

- Jennifer

IHazABag’s Skulls Wine & Roses Kiss Lock Purse

image source ihazabag.etsy.com

This bag does it all. This bag can be casual or dressy, could fit for many looks from pinup to steampunk to Victorian, it can be spring with its floral print or winter with its muted tones, girly with its roses or tough with its skulls. This bag will blend nicely into your wardrobe and being black and grey tones, it will work with most any outfit. Purses by IHazABag always have great detailing, love the closure and the spider bow and chains on the side, too cute! (but sophisticated at the same time too).

The Skulls Wine & Roses Kiss Lock Purse is available for $70 at www.ihazabag.etsy.com.

- Jennifer

featuring fashions by Iron Fist, Hell Bunny, Spin Doctor, Rose Mortem, RockLove Jewelry, and more

photographer : Joey Buczek
fashion stylist : Jennifer Link
makeup artist : Jodie McGuire
hair stylist : Tasha Wagner
models : Queenie Lafeenie and Marie Christina
Queenie Lafeenie’s hair style : Carly Kostiw
extras : Eric Gacek and Tasha Wagner
photography assistant : Michael Hanlon
paintings : Hugo Rodriguez
location : Hugo Rodriguez’s Carriage House Studio

view the full editorial in the December/January 2011/2012 Issue

I love Santigold’s (aka Santogold) self titled debut release from 2009. It has a great indie dance mixed with hip hop sound. This spring she will be releasing a new album, Master of My Make Believe. The first single “Big Mouth”, with a music video, premiered today. The video is rather fun animated video with a retro look and some humor, it at least kept my attention the whole way through, though the styling is nothing special. I think her outfit in the video sums it up nicely… a pvc dress that doesn’t look top quality but not too standard, leopard print creepers that sorta match and don’t match at the same time, simple Egyptian-esq cat eyes, and a fresh hip haircut… it’s her own style and it’s not too serious, kinda what she was feeling that day, with an I-don’t-really-care-what-you think punk attitude. As far as the song goes, after a couple listens I don’t dislike it but I don’t love it straight away, but I am still very excited to hear the upcoming album.

- Jennifer

If you are new to Aesthetic Perfection, you have to overlook the initial perception of cheesiness to understand it’s crucial to the music and the artistic vision behind it.  And similarly in this music video for “Inhuman” from Aesthetic Perfection’s latest album, All Beauty Destroyed, you have to do the same. I thought I could have done without the imagery in the first half of the video, as I find the black and white painted body imagery in the second half much more interesting, but the honesty and personal nature of Daniel Grave’s music make it is a key aspect.

- Jennifer

With a few new endeavors on the horizon, the famous fashion design company and Sydney, Australia boutique known for their corsets and alternative couture, Gallery Serpentine, is still going strong after 15 years.

interview by : Vanity Kills & Jennifer Link
photographer : Zelko Nedic
fashion stylist : Gallery Serpentine
makeup artist : Emma Lee Court and Renee De Bono
makeup : Illamasqua
hair stylist : Ambo Ars
models : Miroslav Naskovic, Sophie J. Wilde, Susy Natal, James Heathers, Lauren Kyle, and Jeremy Ansley

It’s safe to say that upon handing yourself over to the whimsical couturiers behind Australia’s celebrated Gallery Serpentine, you’ll soon forget all about the outmoded notion of, “being dressed to the nines”. Instead, you shall be whisked right past 10 and into a world of instantly recognizable style that is off the charts. No surprise there, since this Sydney-based “Home of Australian Corsetry and Alternative Couture” prides itself on being an “Antidote to the Mundane”. After all, nothing lights up a room like a Gallery Serpentine pointed waist cincher fashioned from black aston brocade, a distinguished pinstripe kirtle skirt that drapes just right, or a high-collared undertaker inspired coat. But that’s just one small piece of a greater fantastically fashionable puzzle. If you heart’s desire lies in transforming your entire wedding entourage into a horde of airship pirates, the brand’s alternative bridal salon, can help you satiate your steamiest matrimonial appetites. And if you wish to be plucked from the banality of day-to-day life by the way of sartorially minded old-school carnival magic, where tunes and togs collide: Dark Fashion Theatre beckons with promises of delivering a tantalizing, multi-performer road show unlike that which you’ve ever seen, letting you fulfill those, “I’ve run away with a really well-dressed circus,” fantasies you’ve always harbored. At least for one night.

Writer Vanity Kills and editor Jennifer Link had the pleasure of interviewing Stephanie Calkin of Gallery Serpentine.

Jennifer Link : Gallery Serpentine has had multiple designers and guest designers throughout its 15 years, can you give us a mini history lesson, who were some of the highlights and who is still working with Gallery Serpentine today?
Stephanie Calkin : Annette Magus, my sister, was the sole designer when her first label, Magus, morphed into Gallery Serpentine in the early years after she came back from Camden in London where she had a great following. She developed the corsetry during this period when you couldn’t buy a corset in Australia. She continues to contribute her signature romantic neo-Victorian styles and also what I’d categorize as “practical goth” or “corporate goth” daywear. For me I was making “deadtech” creations utilizing circuitboard screen prints and wiring diagrams with used computer parts and often pictures of Einstein. It was great to have this recognized with a color spread in a local Sydney gay publication and getting the cover of another local paper and having the winner of the Miss Geek competition in the USA wearing one of my deadtech corsets.

Once GS started growing and we were employing some creatives who in the main came out of the theater costume background an acceleration of dramatic designs came through. Basically nearly everyone who has ever worked here has ended up contributing designs whether it is the production team or the retail team. We used to have very intense staff design meetings every few months and design sheets were rampant pieces of paperwork wherever you went upstairs in our old shop in a Victorian terrace.

Shannon Mullane is still with us after about eight years, she originally started as a work experience student and is now Production Manager and has designed some great new styles for us.

Other guest designers are USA steampunk legend, Evelyn Kriete and Sydney’s own Robert from Red Rabbit & Ensign who really helped us kickstart our GS Gentlemen ranges. Our new Dapper Bastard ranges are being spurred along by a Victorian style strong man and scientist, Abbadon/James Heathers.

read the full interview in the December/January 2011/2012 Issue

“Bulbform” is the second single from the up and coming electronic music duo Trust. Formed by Robert Alfons and Maya Postepski (Austra) in 2009 in Toronto and having performed with DFA1979, Crystal Castles, Balam Acab, Glass Candy, and Hercules and Love Affair, Trust release their debut album TRST on February 28 on Arts & Crafts.

- Jennifer