12 inch

Last week, THE queen of disco, Donna Summer passed away and that took me back to my teenage years, listening to her songs, anthems of coming of age. Besides having an amazing voice, the diva was a true pioneer in music and style.

I used to listen to her records (yes, I know - some of you don’t know what that is) and I still remember the excitement of going to the record store, and holding the paper covered double-record. It opened like a book and had many photos and sometimes even lyrics.

The 12 inch was a record that typically carried one track. Originally, it had wider grooves and produced better sound quality. DJs used them to play in discos (clubs) because the visual spacing of the grooves helped them locate the approximate area of the 'breaks' on the disc's surface.

Love to love you, released in 1976, is said to be the second song found on a 12 inch single, with a 17 minutes version of the then controversial ‘moan and groan’ that became a huge success, though some American and European radio stations, including the BBC, refused to play it! I remember how embarrassing and exciting it was to hear her on the radio.

Her song I feel love was probably the beginning of electronic dance, but my absolute favorite Donna Summer track still is MacArthur Park Suite: MacArthur Park/One of a Kind/Heaven Knows/MacArthur Park reprise, the 12 inch version! 

Almost 18 minutes of sheer happiness!!!

Anime II

More beautiful images from the RAZ KEREN Spring-Summer 2008 campaign photographed by the talented Bruno Rand. Grooming by the artist Affan Malik and special thanks to Mr. Orlando Reece, who let us use his gorgeous abode as a backdrop.

photos: Bruno Rand

Anime

Think bespoke construction with a humorist twist. That’s the feeling behind the RAZ KEREN Spring line. Take his classically tailored, rich beige trousers. At first glance, you might just catch a glint of shine from the seams of the leg but when you look closer, you’ll notice the piping is a tan colored rubber. This type of subtle whimsical detail can also be found on the belt loops that are slightly on an angle. It’s these unexpected details that make this season’s offerings so unique, yet so very wearable.

Some other key pieces in the line include a PVC coated black linen blazer that looks lushly wet, cropped pants with pale blue piping detail on the knee for slightly futuristic aesthetic and a saturated brown bamboo short-sleeved shirt with the RAZ KEREN signature horns appliqué on the chest. And of course the mindfulness of fabric choices was no mistake. Incorporating bamboo and sustainable PVC is yet another demonstration of how RAZ KEREN is a forward-thinking brand.

Although all the pieces can strongly stand on their own, they are crafted to pair together to meet any need of their wearer - from a trip to London, the Sahara desert or even Mars. And along with attention to the finest of details, you can always expect the finest fabrics, exceptional tailoring and a rich palette that are the hallmark of RAZ KEREN.

photos: Bruno Rand

Fantasy Island

This might be my favorite: the RAZ KEREN Spring-Summer 1999 collection.

Light natural fabrics in colorful prints bring a faraway island breeze to the urban pirates.

For this collection, yours truly was awarded 'Fresh Face - Menswear Designer of the Year' by GEN ART.

These designs were presented at GEN ART's Styles for the New Millennium on March 31, 1999, which was the first annual fashion presentation and design awards program for top fashion design talent in menswear, womenswear and accessory categories.

Genre Magazine 1993

Before digital recordings of cameras or smart phones and almost two decades later, here's a fashion spread I took part of titled A second Skin, from the Aug-Sep 1993 issue of Genre magazine, styled by Bradley Garlock:

Photo: Bill Emrich

"There is a fascinating relationship between our maleness and what we wear. Gay men, more than any other culture, eroticize ourselves by our clothing, and certainly leather and denim are the most sensual of all our coverings. They impart a feeling of comfort, of familiarity and of security, and no other material fits this this well - like a second skin".

Role Model

Day two at the 'Accessories The Show' at the Javits center, standing at the Adam Scott Design booth, showcasing the many accessory lines created by my esteemed colleague, Adam Scott.  

Recently, I was hired to model for the T-ties catalog.

From the press release:

"Drawing form his menswear background and twenty years of experience as a fashion designer and women’s accessory retailer, Adam Scott brings us new products with innovative and novel designs, creating a new twist on women’s American sportswear accessories. The bright concepts and designs bring a fresh style to the classic accessories, a decidedly modern twist to an old world sense of style. 

The T-Ties collection is a new look for men, or women, with an easy-to-wear, younger and sexy appeal. All the items are made of leather, ultra-suede and beads, are adjustable, and some can be worn as a necklace or a bracelet."

To purchace your Adam Scott design, click here!

Photos: Daniel Belknap

PARSONS benefit 2012

Tuesday evening I had the honor of attending the PARSONS benefit dinner 2012, at Pier Sixty, where some of my students and a selected group of our graduates presented their creations on the runway to the kings and queens of the fashion world. The honorees were Donna Karan (whom I had the pleasure to meet) and Sheila C. Johnson.

For this black tie affair, with the tag-line You Never Leave Parsons, I had to make myself something to wear. So here it is - the off-white silk tuxedo jacket!

And I'm tellin' you - I am not leavin'!

To see the live-feed from the event click here!

Creatures of Light

"The American Museum of Natural History's Creatures of Light: Nature’s Bioluminescence is a new exhibition about the extraordinary organisms that produce light, from the flickering fireflies found in backyards across the Northeast to the deep-sea fishes that illuminate the perpetually dark depths of the oceans"

Last week, my student Erica Fenn presented successfully her menswear thesis collection to a panel of fashion insiders. Inspired by these deep sea creatures, with a beautiful balance of materials, textures, fit and proportions she takes menswear to a much greater depth.

Here are a few images from her collection:

 

photos: Jetro Nicolas