Affordable Avant-Garde

I know how hard it can be to find a great, avant-garde piece at a good price. CdG, Junya, Yamamoto, Ann D, Rad Hourani, Margiela and the like are awe-inspiring but their prices are quite prohibitive. I don't see this as a completely negative thing, I believe these garments to be "wearable art" and most probably are way more deserving of their gasp-inducing price tag than say, clothes from Dsquared.
When I buy something pricey, I think about what I'm spending money on, and hope that the highest percentage does not go the brand name. How much am I paying for the material and quality? but most importantly, how much am I paying for design, and the artist's thought process? This is what I think it is important to support.

Even more deserving of their pricetag is the mid-market avant-garde... These labels keep the materials basic to be able to focus on the design and remain affordable.

COMPLEX GEOMETRIES
As the name says, it's all about the geometry. Garments are meant to be worn in different ways, and with each piece they show the pattern so you can appreciate it's construction. Most are unisex!

Inversible jacket
$146

giant square hoodie
$130

Ribbon sweater vest
$138

SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE
From their site:

Slow and Steady Wins the Race is a new clothing label, presented as a bimonthly clothing diary, cataloguing ideas that are focused on a specific and fundamental characteristic of clothing design.

here are the Sweats: various garments constructed in heather grey fleece, complete with ribbed edges and slouchiness.

Shirt: re-interpretation of the basic white whirt.

Sunglasses:

The best part?
EVERYTHING is $100!
I invite you to visit their website, as these are mere snippets of what they offer.

I know these are not the only two labels... so if you know of any other brands that are worth mentioning please don't hesitate to say so :)

Candy

I totally pigged out on this ^^^ yesterday. Me, the BF and his best friend hit up a fair/music festival kinda thing and we ate junk food like there was no tomorrow.
I nabbed a really cool chunky necklace made of wooden links.. very Marni-esque...pics to come!

I am wearing a Gareth Pugh top over an oversized rick owens shortsleeve shirt, Noir bridle belt, and zara gladiator sandals. As you can see, I am trying out dark red lipstick. I usually never wear the stuff, but the SS08 Lanvin runway makeup was too exquisite to not give it a try.

Photography: dirty glam

I love the grittiness of these photos, where beauty isn't glamorized. It is taken, thrown down on a gross, sticky sidewalk and stepped on repeatedly with muddy boots.

Marilyn Minter










Irving Penn







Mario Sorrenti







(well, this is an editorial for V mag, with Lara Stone, I might add, so it's gonna look pretty nonetheless)

Ben Rayner






Giovanni Di Mola






Adrian Mesko




Unknown - if you happen to know the photographer of these pics please tell me..it will be much appreciated!

Diego Dolcini for Dr. Scholl

Susie Bubble did a post awhile back about the Diego Dolcini collab with Dr. Scholl. I remember searching for these shoes and coming back empty handed, also because the official site neglected to point out retailers. Anyway guess what I found on good 'ole Yoox?
The selection is quite limited but here are some shoes from the FW07 collection. Sky-high, chunky heels and comfortable, I thought I'd never see these adjectives in the same sentence.

available on www.yoox.com

buy 4 me plz

A collage of things I have had my eye on recently.

I like gray, taupe and all it's derivatives... does it show?!?
so easy to wear and easy on the eyes.

I <3 ebay

I found these gorgeous fw07 Nicholas Kirkwood shoes on Ebay for an absolute steal. I thought finding hidden, high-end treasures at real bargain prices was a thing of the past!

I cannot wait till they get to me.. I will post lots of pictures once they do!!

pretty in pink

Nicholas Kirkwood and Camilla Skovgaard know exactly how to get any self-respecting ferocious betch to wear pink shoes.