Dope Ass Book: Photo Icons The Story behind the pictures

I have made another great and cheap discovery in the book department. As I strolling along Notting Hill Gate, (as you do) on a hot saturday (26/8) in July I was drawned in by a big yellow sign with red, white and black letters that said: The Book Warehouse - Sale!. I immidiatly found an excuse to get shelter from the sun. I know I'm a nerd so sue me!.
Anyways I found this great book for only £7,99 called Photoicons - The story behind the pictures by Hans-Michael Koetzle, published by Taschen ( we love, looooove their books).
Nedless to say I was ecstatic. It a fantastic book that guides you through the history of photography from the very first ever photograph taken " A view from the study room" by Joseph Nicephore Niepce, to Helmut Lang and Rene Burri's famous Che Guevara pictures, in a most ambitious manner. By putting the images in a wider social context, and depicting it's importance to photography's aestetic and technical qualities.

I'm in love.



: Joseph Nicéphore Niépce

" A View From The Study Room" ca 1827

Is This You?

"WHY IS THIS YOU?
we've been collecting these pictures for some years now. they come from photobooths and pavements all over the UK.
the isthisyou project was born out of a simple question: is it possible to reunite these images with their owners?
you can help by e-mailing this url to people you know.
then, perhaps, one day, someone will recognise themselves on isthisyou "

I think this is quit an old thing, still pretty cool though. I've always loved looking at picture's of random. There's some sort of voyertistic beauty in it. defiently worht a look.!


Is This You?

I-Advertise, Apple presents Wall E

I'm obsessed. murketing is officially the most fascinating blogg I've come across in a while.. Here Rob Walker quoetes an article on Ad Age on the subtle product placemnt of Apple in Disneys Walle E.


"Apple products only physically appear in “Wall –E” a few times –an iPod that re-projects a favourite movie, the sound of the Mac start-up tone signalling that Wall-E, the titular robotic romantic lead, has fully re-charged via solar panels, and one-button mice scurrying around a garbage dump. However, there is a less obvious but still noticeable Apple influence that runs throughout the film.

“My first thought when I watched the movie with my kids and I heard that Mac boot tone and the whole audience laughed… was that it’s so subtle, it’s almost indoctrinating.” Said Forrester Research Analyst James Mcquinvey. “That 600 year from now there’s nothing of value on the Earth, but there’s the Mac boot tone.” Abram Saur, a freelance writer who pens the annual product placement awards for brandchannel.com, said the whole film could serve as a model for the future.

“People talk about how products and brands will sponsor movies… that’s what’s going to happen. But Apple has already done that here without being directly involved. This is what we would use as a great example of how to sponsor a movie,” he said. “I would call it product homage. And that is way more valuable than a product placement. It doesn’t just reinforce a single Apple product, it reinforces Apple’s entire design approach from Mac book to IPod to Iphone.”


What makes this "experience" so annoying for me is the fact that Steve Jobs the head of Apple used to own Pixar and is still a member of it's board and Wall E is a Disney/Pixar movie.
What do you think?.

Full blogg:
Saving the world from dystopian corporation — while touting cool brand?

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Nike goes homo?

Great Post on this amazingly clever murketing blogg by Rob Walker , a New York Time Magazine Columnist.

AntiFriday: In Nike’s face; “Never Greens”; etc.

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Dope Ass Magazine: THE FACE

The Face magazine was first published in May 1980 by Nick Logan, out of his publishing house, Wagadon. The sole initial purpose of the Face was to cash on the new breed of magazine that portrayed street culture and fashion, that had been started by I-D magazine.

The face had a very unique art direction that mirrored I-D magazine yet still managed to not feel like a copy of the original.

Sadly this inspirational magazine was taken out of circulation by EMAP who later bough Wagadon from Logan

The Face, often referred to as the "80s fashion bible", was influential in championing a number of fashion music and style trends, whilst keeping a finger on the pulse of youth culture for over two decades; its best selling period was in the mid-1990s under editor Richard Benson.

In the late 1980s, the magazine contained an article suggesting thatJason Donovan was a hypocrite and in consequence of the subsequent court case it needed the readers' donations to pay substantial libel damages. The magazine set up the Lemon Aid fund, so called as one of the points debated in the libel case was whether Jason Donovan used lemon juice on his hair to highlight it. There was even a special aid CD by The Shamen with special mixes to gain funds to keep THE FACE alive afterwards.
Notable names associated with the magazine were designer & typographer Neville Brody (Art Director, 1981-86), Julie Burchill,Tony Parsons, photographer Juergen Teller and writers including Jon Savage and Fiona Russel Powell.

The face closed down in 2004 to benefit the launch of spin-off fashion magazine POP, that proved to be a whole lot more successful than The Face.

RIP The Face

Dope Ass Music: Leon Jean Marie

I've already established that I'm an all round nerdy kid. But the nerdiest I get is when I stumble across some other worldly sounding music. Something so new and fresh I just have to tell the whole world. Usually I'm pretty ahead of everyone on what's coming out, it feeds my nerd ego.

This time however my nerd powers failed me and I found out about this new obsession called Leon Jean Marie from youtube after seeing his giant and colorful poster on my way to work every day.

Having already received all media acclaim that is possible to claim (mind the pun) this 24 year old east London native is destined for grand accomplishment.

Hot piece of future funk, that gives Prince and other wannabes (Justin) a run for their money.



Single "Bring It On" is out now

Album "Bent Out Of Shape" is out now.



find out more Leon Jean Marie

Dope Ass People: Larry Levan

Once upon a time in the '70s and early '80s there was a place called the Paradise Garage.
At this magical place people from all different walks of life came together to dance, party and celebrate the escape the harsh reality of '70s New York (drugs, drugs and more drugs).
Larry Levan gave these people the road to walk on their way to this fabulous escape.

Larry Levan (born Lawrence Philpot,July 20, 1954 – diedNovember 8, 1992 was probably one the most influential DJs in the history of dance music. The club has been described as the prototype of the modern dance club, because it was entirely focused on dancing, and was the first to put the DJ at the center of attention. Larry developed a cult following.
, who referred to his sets as "Saturday Mass". Influential US DJ Francois Kevorkian credits Levan with introducing the dub aesthetic into dance music.

Levan was openly gay and got his start alongside DJ Frankie Knuckles at The Continental Baths as a replacement for the DJ from The Gallery, Nicky Siano.
Levan's DJing style was influenced by Siano's eclectic style, and by The Loft's David Mancuso
(the father of modern day clubbing!), who briefly dated Levan in the early 1970s. As Knuckles was still trying to make his way in the New York club scene, Levan became a popular attraction perhaps due to his "diva persona", which he developed in the city's notoriously competitive black drag houses .
Nevertheless Levan drew manage to hold court at the Paradise Garage until 1987, when the authorities closed down the legendary club where Levan drew a mixed crowd of black & hispanic gays and str8 dance fans.



All hail queen Larry.

CLIPS:
Larry DJ:ing
Paradise Garage
Larry Levan Mix

Dope Book: Helmut Newton Autobiography

I'm a bit of a nerd. I transform from a magazine slave into a bookworm during summer time when school is out and I in general have more time for myself.
So in my quest for a good book I stumbled upon a great find, Helmut Newton's "Autobiography".
I'm a sucker for a find and most of my more memorable items have been found in a yard sale.
The newton book was an unlikely find as it was being discontinued at Waterstones for £4,00.
"Autobiography" is a tell all tale from one of the world's most successful and influential photographers.
Newton let's you inside his inner thoughts on his amazing life story.
From pre 2nd world war Germany to his escape from the Nazis to Singapore as an 18 year old.
A highly recomendable book and a great find.

Dope Music: Raphael Saadiq ft Stevie Wonder and Ray Parker Jr

The man is back! Having produced stars such as Erykah Badu, Kelis, D'angelo to name but a few.
Raphael gives us a taster of what is to come of his new record dropping later this year.
Ever so soulful, ever so clever this old school sounding track will put you in the right mood for the rest of the weekend.

Raphael Saadiq ft Stevie Wonder & Ray Parker
" Like It"


listen & read more HERE

Paris Couture Week 2008: Givenchy

I know I tend to say this a whole lot but it is worth saying again. I might be biased (being of latin heritage) but I am loving the native Peruvian touches of this collection. Who knew an upcoming trip to Peru would equal such interesting fashion.
Tisci for Givenchy is probably my favourite designer right now after Nicolas Ghesquiere (Balenciaga) of course.
Conceptual chic and urban features mixes with the tobacco brown of the gaucho,the vivid pinks , folkloric alpaca blanket stripes, and patterned knits of Inca culture, a true homage to a way of dressing that I am used to seeing in a more traditional way when I visit my old country (Chile).
Definitely my favourite of this years fall Couture week.
I bet all my money Tisci is the new Ghesquiere just give him a couple more of settling in seasons.

Couture Fashion Week 2008: Christian Lacroix

Welcome to the mind of Lacroix. A world that simply explodes in colours, and contrasting references of fashion history. Dreamy, theatrical and completely unpractical.
It's more than just pretty.
Is art? Or is it fashion?. I guess the answer is that is is art that you can wear, where it can be worn to is a totally different questions, Is it fashion?
most certainly.

I don't want to be a hater. Dior is a fashion powerhouse whose significance one should never EVER underestimate.Dior was a genius and Galliano IS a genius.
However I'm sort of getting tired of all the '50s and '40s references of Galliano for his past couture shows. Perhaps the collection is a stepping stone as he moves to explore new territory
(I hope) , as it was "fresh couture - restrained and refined" according to Galliano himself.
I say it was a typically beautiful Galliano collection, with a lot more obvious nods to Dior's New Look, perhaps that is the "fresh couture" Galliano was talking about.
Perhaps it's the fact that the first lady of France madame Sarkozy, is a walking & publicly talking (and singing) advertisement. She has already publicly declared her love for the fashion house and apparently wears nothing else.
CATCHING $ $ $ $

Paris Couture Week 208: Armani Prive

Armani reviseted the '80s elegance and the pant suit look that made him incredibly popular with working women at the time. The collection let's us know that Armani has finally settled down as a couturier in le gay Paris, after arriving a couple of years ago.
An interesting couture show to say the least as Armani updates some of his signature work.

Dope Ass life: Soundtrack

Revisiting Maxwell today. The wait for some new material is on 10000 years and counting. Stupid record companies.

Maxwell - Luxury:Cococure
Maxwell - Let's not play the game

Stockholm Fashion Week: Nicolaj d'Etoiles S/S 09

Men's fashion is a lot harder to design, as men's clothing doesn't have the range female, fashion has, men's are also traditionally less willing to experiment.
d'Etoiles S/S 09 show sits like a cold pint of lemonade on a hot summer day, in other words, re-freshing and cool. A laid back cool.
The designer put an emphasis on the male waist, creating a masculine man of the new century, that embraces his female side quite freely.
Loving the colour tones and the scarf as a belt look.
Looking forward to next year already

Nicolaj d'Etoiles