This past week I've been working on the jacket that the twentyten is making for a designer drugs music video.  Nina, David, and Jeff are pretty amused by how smitten I am with it (I try almost every sample they make on once, but this receives a bit more attention).  I just cut the fabric out to make another one for Elizabeth, in addition to a nail embellished neck piece she's getting from them, too.  And, of course, I'm going to be making one for myself (sans nails).  Expect a big post about their F/W 10 collection come February.

One of my favorite parts is the inside, though it's now covered with a facing.

And the outside..

I get some pretty interesting comments from time to time, though I'd say most are simply unfounded, harsh criticism (the internet can be a convenient release for passive aggressive individuals).  But recently, I received some thought provoking comments on my old blog.

Here's the comment that caught my attention:

"Eat death you hipster scum.

STOP STEALING THE UNIFORM OF PUNK AND RUINING IT. 

Punks are declaring total war on hipsters."

My response:

Punk uniform? You make punks sound so conformist. Forget all preconceived notions about style; wear what you want. It's more fun that way.

Their response:

That statement proves to me how little you understand this and why the appropriation of stylistic symbiology is such an affront to us. Clothing within this context is primarily a communicative device which displays representation/affiliation often combined with very clear statements (if one is wearing a denim vest with a Hells Angels or Outlaws patch he is a member of that club, if one is wearing a motorcycle jacket bearing the name of a punk band/musician that person communicates that they listen to that group and may ascribe to the ideology of said group (be it Crass or GG Allin); therefore you have a uniform that sets a framework for communication amongst tribal groups. When one wears the framework divorced from context or placed into a context that is contrary to the original and/or lacking in sencerity you demolish this traditional visual language/symbiology through an empty gesture that says "I'm fashionable" and shows disrespect if not outright scorn towards the group that the style/symbol was pilfered from.

The fashion industry and the trends inserted into that industry are dictated by the Illuminati (unknowingly to the underling participents due to compartmentalization) this process doesn't work how you are probably invisioning it (men setting around a table saying "let's dress hipsters/yuppies/preppies like punk rockers"; it is more broad and organic than that but results in that outcome; it is social/cultural engineering with the intention of destroying group solidarity with emphasis placed upon destroying/assimilating groups/symbols/language/music that are in some way defiant of the pyramidial control structer. All they have to do is incrimentally place forcibilly assimilated elements of said defiant subsets of humanity into a framework they control (fashion magazines, hollywood, MTV, the fake hipster "art" subculture of NY- meaning you) in order to eat away at the potency and solidarity of defiant groups. The past 10 years have shown a mass assimilation of defiant/rebel-social/cultural symbolism (the customized motorcycle, the mohawk, tattoos) and class based symbols (trucker caps, "white trash" culture) while the symbols of elitism are not assimilated by those under them or are assimilated in such a way that it reinforces the power of the elite (one cannot afford to emulate the royal family and their golden crowns, one cannot legally impersonate a police officer, but it's encouraged to assimilate/steal trucker hats, studded jackets, etc); also notice that military inspired garb which makes the military seem stylish/romantic is encouraged. It's a game of capture the flag/crown; except the elite place that crown on their slaves after taking it from the peasants that dared defy them. You are representative of the slave class and by wearing a cheap imitation of garb that is a signifier of the defiant, you benefit the elite.

My last response:

I'm not sure why you're so insistent that fashion is so direct and vindictive (yet you also assert that it's organic?). For one, it's mostly visual. Designers see things they like (militant and punk styles, for example, express the current aggressive direction in fashion now) and tweak them to their liking.

As for any supposed disrespect or scorn you think it expresses, I think you're absolutely crazy. That's completely how you interpret it. No one is that methodical in their clothing choices. Certainly you make an extremely fascinating point that is an effect of fashion, but I would never say it's that contrived.

Sounds like something you'd read in a book about fashion theory or cultural studies.  They could (and should) write a book.  I'm imagining it titled FASHION CONSPIRACY or FASHION; A SECRET HIERARCHY.  Can I be first on the waiting list?

See the full post here:  http://avantgardemeetsanarchy.blogspot.com/2009/07/fucking-do-it-yourself-i-love-seven-new.html

Igor Dewe wearing THE F/W 09 Nina Ricci ankle boots.  If you are somehow unfamiliar with him, look him up immediately, he's pretty amazing.

Just pulled an all nighter.  Gross.

Dyed the upper black earlier this evening.  There are a few little details to fix up later, but they're mostly done.