Wednesday, October 26, 2011

The Art of Fashion

Linda Brownlee (on the left) & Aoife Wasser


So week I was sent a press release invite thing from the Dublin Contemporary. Over the past three years of running the blog I've gotten my fair share of press releases, (its very exciting at first, but once you have Black & Decker telling you about their latest range of power tools, the magic kinda wares off). That was until I read the email from the Dublin Contemporary, inviting me to The Art of Fashion, a conversation with Aoife Wasser & Linda Brownlee. The more I read the more fascinated I became, so I decided to get the train to Dublin, and hear what Aoife had to say.

Held in the intimate setting of the Dublin Contemporary, I have to say it was one of the most fascinating, and somewhat inspirational, hour that I've recently spent. Hearing Aoife talk passionately about her previous projects, was a great reminder that hard work and perseverance can lead to great things.

Having studied Visual Communications in Dublin, Aoife found herself in New York City for a Summer, and like any other recent graduate she figured that an internship would be the next step in beginning her career. So like the smart girl that she is, she simply picked up the phone book, and rang the person that she wanted to work with most, that would be famed designer, David Carson. From Carson's studio she made her way to Visionaire, the luxury, and highly coveted, arts and fashion publication, as well as other publications and advertising agency. For the following six years she oversaw the art direction of Visionaire, V Magazine, V Man and V Agency and worked on several special collaborations with renowned luxury brands, celebrities, fashion icons and photographic legends. In 2008, she became Creative Director of Teen Vogue, being nominated for an ASME award for General Excellence and won three categories of SPD awards along the way.

Its easy to see why she has become the successful woman that she is. In the brief hour that we spend in her company, she is charming and funny, and instantly likeable. Casually dressed in jeans and a shirt, she is the embodiment of New York easy chic. She talks about applying to Teen Vogue and the interview with Anna Wintour that followed, and anyone that has Mario Testino as their reference on their CV is pretty amazing in my book.

This year saw her leave Teen Vogue, to start her own creative agency, offering advertising, branding, and consultancy for the fashion, luxury and media industries. Along with her new venture, Aoife is working on publications for Rizzoli publishing house, as well as lecturing in Parson's School of Design.

At the end of the presentation there was a short Q&A, and I was lucky enough to be able to ask Aoife a question, and a pretty simple one too. I asked what advice she had for someone starting off their design career. Her reply was to simply intern, to assist, and to learn as much on the job experience as possible. She also said something important, which was "apply to the places where you would like to work, the place that you think is doing the best work". This is something I never thought of before, foolishly enough, I figured I would apply everywhere and hope someone would take me on, but, just as Aoife looked up David Carson in the phonebook, I too have decided to start with the best. Because, who better to learn from?

DRN






A brief collection of some of the Project that Aoife was involved with




A Visit to the Dublin Contemporary



Last Saturday I was lucky enough to be invited to a talk by Irish Art Directer, Aoife Wasser (more on that later), held at the Dublin Contemporary. After the facinating talk, my mate, and fellow blogger, Joey (THE BUBBLE BOY) and I checked out the space.

I have to say I was more than impressed, and pleasantly surprised by the quality of work on display at the Dublin Contemporary. The building itself adds to the character of the space, and the varies mediums of work fill the building with a new lease of life.

It really does have everything. From photography, to instillation work, performance art, and some interactive art too, it really is a great collection, a solid and compressive body of Contemporary art.

The Dublin Contemporary runs until the end of this month, October 31st, so if you have not already been, I highly recommend a visit.


DRN















Little Print Shop of Horrors



Yes, there has been a lot, and I mean A LOT, of minimalist movie posters hovering around the design blog scene this past year (Blame Olly Moss) but these Halloween inspired prints are particularly sweet.

Agency Creative Spark have produces six prints on their favourite scary films. The prints cost £10 each, with all profits raised going to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

You can buy the prints HERE

DRN








Sunday, October 23, 2011

Alice In Shape...



How great is this? I would be a lot more motivated to visit my gym if they had climbing walls like these...

Inspired by Alice in Wonderland, its an interesting collaboration between art, design and exercise, 3 areas which are not usually brought together, at least not in such an effective way like this.

The climbing wall was designed and developed by the renowned design studio Nendo Japanese architecture and equipped for one of the rooms in Tokyo fitness club Omotesando ILLOIHA.

DRN




Thursday, October 20, 2011

Red or Dead...



Hi guys, firstly apologies for the lack of posts lately... Im having serious heartache with my laptop, I think laptop years are kinda like dog years, do now mine laptop is acting like a bold teenager and refusing to do anything I say!

Anyways heres a little red blooded fashion from GQ China to brighten your day.

DRN


via the fabulous Tom & Lorenzo






Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Scared Shitless!



Its that time of year again, Halloween! Niagara Falls haunted house Nightmares Fear Factory captures some of the reactions of people as they pass through.

DRN








How You Doin'?



I Love Wendy Williams. Her show on BET is one of my (many) guilty pleasures. So say it loud, and say it proud, HOW YOU DOIN?

DRN

Monday, October 10, 2011

New Living Art II



At the weekend I was lucky enough to see The Irish Museum of Contemporary Art's New Living Art Exhibition held at Moxie Studios (Lad's Lane, off Baggot St.) The Show run until the 30th of October, and opens daily, 12-5pm.


My amazingly talented friend, Ciara Killalea, had two fabulous prints in the exhibition. They are part of her Inhabiting Space series. Ciara is one of those fabulous photographers that is able to capture a story, every time she clicks her camera, a true talent. And not to be bias, but she had the best work of the exhibition...

I highly recommend the exhibition, it has a rich and diverse collection of instillations, photography, moving imagery and some taxidermy. What more could you want from an exhibition?


DRN











Have a "Romy and Michele" day!



The stars of Romy & Michele's High School Reunion, Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino, are back together for a Post-It inspired fashion shoot, for Entertainment Weekly. Its hard to believe that R&MHSR is 14 years old. I Love this movie so much. And it has given me so much valuable advice, such as this jem: "can you excuse me, I cut my foot earlier and my shoe is filling up with blood!"

DRN