Speaking of Christopher Kane, I know his Resort 2010 is old news but I couldn't help but feel a lingering feeling reawaken today and finally have put together the words in my mind to voice them. The other day I was browsing through some images on ffffound and was drawn to one image in particular: a photograph of a piercing neon yellow cloud. It was beautifully destructive and I saved it. I was reminded again of Kane's Resort collection with the mushroom cloud graphics and harrowing clouds carrying radioactive rain drifting across his dresses. At the time, I was surprised at how many people thought the dresses were beautiful must-haves. All I could focus on was the fact that some of the images used are actual photographs of the aftermath of the atomic bombs dropped over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. How is this beautiful? Is this fashion? I'm not going to say too much more because I'll only be opening a can of worms, but it's just some food for thought on a Saturday night. I still wonder why those images were selected, what was the inspiration, what was he trying to express? Hey, I'm just sayin'... :)
26 comments:
Good point, the meaning behind it is dark, and not beautiful at all. Yet the images are captivating...and it is a true part of history. It's an interesting idea, I do wonder what he was trying to express...
that is very interesting. i wonder what message he was trying to get across too with these images. i'm glad you're letting people know about this.
I know. When I heard about this and saw these images, I was horrified and disgusted. (Of course, being married to someone who is Japanese, and having Japanese inlaws may color my views a bit...)
The images are beautiful without any historical reference, but oh, once placed in such a context, the absolute hideousness that resounds from them...
How can they be fashion must-haves???? How???
(For ladies so shallow they'd wear anything if it's by a famous designer? Next we'll be putting that image of that naked 7-year old covered with napalm from the Vietnam war on our t-shirts and calling that fashion because it's "provocative." It makes me want to cry - that a symbol of such mass destruction and extreme human suffering can be so crassly merchandised.) *pukes*
Carly
I couldn't agree, it's kind of odd how such horrific images could create such beautiful clothes. My question is, what do the Japanese think of it?
Personally, I think it's just to get press inches when a designer does something which is so clearly 'HEY GUYS LOOK OVER HERE I'M CONTROVERSIAL'. Ironic, really, that to a certain extent people like Mr Kane are relying on blogs (in the capacity that there will be dozens of people reposting the images and dicussing them, rather than the single shot without words you might expect in an editorial most of the time) to get the 'controversy' out there, when the reason I am less than enamoured with him at the moment is this little sound bite playing down the importance of blogs...
“It’s a bit mad, isn’t it? It feels like it’s happened all of a sudden and at some shows this season the front row was just all bloggers. I think it will die down though, and people know what they are doing. No one who wants to read a serious review of a show is going to look at what a 14-year-old thinks. But it has become more critical; people can say what they want about anyone on a blog without consequences and that’s quite scary. There are real repercussions for a designer if a photo of something is leaked by a blog; it can be copied in a fortnight and that can really harm a business. You have to be much more careful now.”
Source: http://www.fashionologie.com/6495637
Maybe I'm looking at things totally wrong, but that's how I see it...
http://dreamingspiresandoldcartyres.blogspot.com
very nice concept
Wow, these creations are absolutely amazing.
i never knew that they were actual photographs. i too, wish to know if he had made use of these to make a point. i remember discussing in class about the mushroom cloud; what it means for us as a species when one of our most beautiful images is that of destruction.
My feelings are that these dresses do invoke intrigue, however, weather beautiful or not depends on your attitude towards the issue. I think the events of these images should not be repeated nor celebrated but most importantly they should not be forgotten.
check out the book 100 Suns by Micheal Light. Black & white photos of nuclear explosions but nonetheless amazing. I saw the exhibit & had to buy the book
That's really...odd.
hmmmmmmmm interesting point. Definitely made me look at this at a whole new perspective.
www.thestarvingstylist.com
I loved this collection - I do wonder what message Kane was trying to convey.
Have you seen the silk printed moto jacket? SO BEAUTIFUL
scary but gorgeous!
i loved this collection so much
As soon as I saw the images...I was confused (to say the least) too. I wonder if he has some inspiration story...somewhere. I would love to hear his thoughts.
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Maybe a manifestation of collective guilt/memory in an effort to warn against its repetition. Or a (rather cliched) way of turning destruction into creation. Or a comment on our glaring lack of historical perspective/education in history. Or perhaps a mix of the above. In any case, it's not the first incendiary controversy instigated by a designer, and certainly not the last.
happy new year
super robes originales
bravo
k
I can see how the dresses are beautiful in an objective way, but it's impossible to be objective about something so terrible that killed thousands of people. Fashion is meant to incite a reaction, but I'd rather not purposefully motivate hate and disgust. Fashion wouldn't be fun anymore.
I knew they were actual photos, but I thought they were from atomic testing in the American desert, not from Hiroshima and Nagasaki. That seems incredibly insensitive, and knowing that now, I can no longer say that I like these pieces.
I don't think there's anything wrong with choosing tragic events as the basis of art (just look at Guernica), but there is obviously a right and a wrong way to go about it.
The most terryfyig thing is that they were designed not to express anything, but just to shock people. That's really horrible.
incredible! ffffound fan!
Good point, im not quite sure how he got the inspiration or what he's trying to say through this line...the money for this dresses should all go to war victims...that's what i would do
When I first saw the dresses (on your blog) I liked how the 1st picture seemed to go nice with the body of the model. But thinking that this are pictures that are killing so many people on the moment it was taken, I would never want it on a dress.
You can do a lot in the name of fashion, but with this I'm really wondering what the f*ck he was thinking!
i love this post!!! christopher kane is soo freakin cool <3
While the dresses may be "pretty to look at" one has to question the sheer gall to use the image as "pretty making". Of course it is offensive, simply based on the insensitivity of the "artist" offering me fashion out of millions of deaths, I am offended.
On the same topic of questioning the taste level of designers and artists comes Vivienne Westwoods menswear collection 2010 "inspired by homeless".
I am sure most of you are familiar with the show, so I ask you: how tasteless is it to direct the hair and make-up to mimic being frozen to death as a result of having nowhere to sleep but outside on a winter night?
Do I like the peices out of context? Yes, I love V. Westwoods quirky cool. However, within the context of the show it is disgusting.
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