Greige Sky

 


Normally, we speak of blue skies. In Cairo, the sky has this wonderful gray-brown tone that in the 1930's would easily have been called "greige" (gray/beige). I won't go into the environmentals here; this is just a moment in time.

The structure is the Cairo Tower.

- AP

The Sphinx: Carioca Menswear 2012

Western male dress is changing. No, it is not becoming more feminine. Nor is it another oft-proclaimed return to the Dandy - which is no more than the aristocratic impulse made defiant through the available dress codes of the 19th century.

Male fashion is recognizing its beauty, which is the sole province of neither Western conception(s) of gender. There are, to be sure, undertones of this or overtones of that; reality is multi-contextual and multidimensional.

While extended fashion writing has a tendency to bore, let me posit a wardrobe for one of my fave cities (Rio de Janeiro, home of the Cariocas) for 2012:

- organdy hoodie
- gazaar capoeira pants
- silk jersey t-shirts
- feather collar necklace (Lemarié, thank you very much)
- sunga/slip du bal (as shown above) - for the balls during Carnival

Enjoy!

The Wrong/Right Space

 




I find la Place de la Concorde fascinating for all the wrong reasons. It's relatively hard to navigate (for cars and pedestrians alike), and rather...imposing. Never mind the Egyptian obelisk which marks the spot (so the story goes) where the Burbon king, Louis XVI, and his Hapsburg queen (that would be Marie Antoinette) left this world. It's an odd space/place.

It's a lesson in fashion as well: one can be attracted to the odd, the stand-offish...sometimes something totally wrong can seem so right. The mistake many make is taking the seemingly right for the absolutely right. But this is fashion's playpen; we can suspend belief in all the contradictions and absurdities that real life poses.

This is not Giverny

 




Couture is form, color, and movement - although not in that order or equal measure. Flowering plants can be a quick way to gain inspiration (Bloom, anyone?). Personally, I love it when designers figure out that silk crepe feels like flower petals.

As for yesterday: we've had the funeral. La Deneuve was wearing the YSL "heart". Every couture season, that heart was placed on the model wearing the master's favorite design of the show. Check out the following for coverage (no hyperlinks today):

http://www.iht.com
http://www.tf1.fr - 5 June edition, 20h.
http://www.france2.fr - 5 June edition, 20h.

- AP

Cairo Colors

 




In Cairo, only tourists wear white. If you don't want to stand out so much, wear blue and orange. Just a globalocal travel tip.

-AP

Predictions from this Sphinx

Here is what I spouted recently:

1. Lace for men should be more geometric. Forget the flower themes.
2. Green is the Navy Blue of the Army.
3. We're overdue for a return to more formal standards of dress.
4. Kimono with tuxedos should be worn on Opening Nights.
5.The cultural state of Technoafroasia dominates urban youth culture. Except in Germany.

Life After Yves

Fashion design can be described as the relationship between "playing by the rules" and "going with the flow." Or, more simply, tailleur and flou. In English, we're talking about contructed garments (suits, for example) and draped garments.


One example of each is shown here.

As for the passing of Yves Saint Laurent: his muse lives on. Not every designer is so fortunate, no matter what level of mastery has been attained.