Patrik Rzepski is a New York-based fashion designer. His aesthetic derives from punk rock, violence and teenage angst. He’s best known for his odd inspirations, such as Myra Hindley, the child-murderess, and JonBenét Ramsey. Some in the industry are calling him a younger Alexander McQueen, but I think his talent has a P.O.V. of his own. Always on the moodier side of romance, Patrik’s aesthetic is sexy, sophisticated, mixed with a little bit of darkness. I won’t spiel you, so let’s just get into a quick interview I did with Patrik instead:

SY: With past collections inspired by the mystery behind JonBenét Ramsey, notorious English Murderess Myra Hindley, and infamous ’70s gang of German terrorists Baader Meinhof, is it safe to say that you are a subversive hardass obsessed with murder?

PR: Inspiration comes from everywhere. I think people are more drawn to those reference points. In the end, the inspiration becomes quite romanticized, nothing is literal.

SY: It seems like the most genius artists in this world are also dropouts. No matter how relevant the school is, it just can’t give you that innate talent that will ultimately be needed to “make it.” Was there a moment that made it crystal clear for you to leave school?

PR: At the end of my first semester during finals, the director of the fashion department saw my final and asked what class I was teaching. I think you can never have “too much” education, however school was not for me and luckily fashion is an arena in which experience counts for just as much if not more.

SY: I’m a native Angeleno, so I always try to throw in an LA question when appropriate, here goes: Rick Owen’s said something like “LA should stick to sitcoms and leave fashion to NY,” How do you feel about that perspective? How do you feel about LA and fashion?… I mean, on the one hand we have natives like Paris Hilton (boo) and on the other we have the fashion genius of MK Olsen (yay.)

PR: I will agree with anything Rick Owens has to say, but I also think that LA can’t help but be celebrity centric and unfortunately that dilutes and distracts from what’s actually going on, but I have no idea what if anything, is going on in LA.

SY: I love collabos in fashion, especially when the avant garde and mainstream come together. Jil Sander’s doing a line for Uniqlo, Rogue Gallery is doing a line for LL Bean, Raf Simons did one for Eastpack, etcetera, etcetera… If you could do a line for the masses, who would you collaborate for?

PR: I would definitely be up for doing a collaboration, I’ve been crushing on Nike.

SY: Is it true that you once buried a dress in your parents backyard before digging it up and sending it out on the runway? Explain?

PR: True, for S/S 2004 I dug a trench in the yard and buried a pink linen party dress and left it for 2 weeks to give it a bit of femininity and gore.

SY: FAVORITE CITIES…

SY: For life?
PR: Barcelona/Madrid

SY: For love?
PR: Brighton Beach

SY: For fashion?
PR: Milwaukee

SY: For your work… biggest market/buyers?
PR: Asia

SY: For food?
PR: Paris

SY: For sex?
PR: Current Location

SY: For inspiration?
PR: New York

SY: I can’t live without…?

PR: Coffee/Peter/Ipod

SY: If I could only buy/afford one thing from your collection, what should I buy? Is there a definitively P Rzepski piece?

PR: Anything with straps/horsehair

SY: What’s upcoming for you? What would you like to communicate to us for your line in 2010?

PR: You’re so chic, you’re so sheer, teenage rebel of the week

SY: Where will you be for New Year’s Eve?

PR: I will be doing the Polar Bear Swim @ Coney Island again on New Year’s day, so nothing wild

SCORE! I found this awesome Patrick Nagel poster at the Salvation Army Family Store for 10 bucks!

I assume that some of you may be thinking that I’ve lost my mind with this one, but let me explain my love and respect for Nagel’s work:

Not only did Nagel’s images embody the chic and sleek style of the 80′s, but I think his work had a greater hand in creating what the 80′s were becoming at the very time. What I’m trying to say is that Nagel was less an observer of the time and more so an influence to the time… Would the 80′s be the same without his images? Would have Armani evolved YSL’s “Le Smoking Tuxedo” to create the famous power-suit for women? … Would have Donna Karan introduced her ‘Essentials Line’ for the 80′s working woman if not for Nagel’s images?

Nagel’s vision of the iconic 80′s woman was so influential that even today his images are popularly used. How many times have you seen a mom-n’-pop hair salon or nail shop use a window decal with a Nagel-esq picture? If you haven’t noticed, I dare you to take a look… you’ll be surprised at how many beauty shops use his images even today.

The man even influenced computer software applications like that of Adobe Photoshop. The simplifying tools on photoshop are like an undeclared homage to the working style of Nagel. You see, all of Nagel’s illustrations were based in photography. “Nagel would start with a photograph and work down, always simplifying and removing elements which he felt were unnecessary. The resulting image would look flat, but emphasized those elements which he felt were most important.

IMO, one of the last influential artists of the 20th century, Patrick Nagel.

Karl Lagerfeld with quote by German Philosopher, Arthur Schopenhauer.

Books are good.

-S

Rick Owens
Evolution

‘Biblical, Brutalist, Bauhaus and Bakersfield…’

In these pieces, Owens’ particular vision of beauty and his idea of an anti-utopian environment become apparent. Owens’ anthropomorphic chairs are at once organic and architectural, forming the basis of his design credo. These pieces combine basic geometric forms – rectangles, squares, and triangles – deconstructed into the abstract essence of form. Like in the work of Le Corbusier, function or at least the appearance of function takes precedence over ornament. These sharp modernist lines and mathematical shapes are juxtaposed with the biomorphic – antlers flow from plywood. This evolution from man-made to organic is a recurring theme in the furniture of Rick Owens and this contrast is echoed by his choice of material. The economy of plywood meets the luxury of fur, marble, and bronze. The work is alive with a conflict that in a single piece of furniture appears to resolve itself. With the work in this exhibition, Owens has given us a glimpse of a world that is somehow part of the past and of the distant future. – Sebastian+Barquet

Born in 1961 Rick Owens founded his own fashion label in 1994 and in 2002 presented his first runway collection at New York Fashion week winning the Council of Fashion Designers of America Perry Ellis Emerging Talent Award. In 2007 he was awarded the prestigious Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award. Rick Owens has emerged as a seminal figure in fashion and has stores in London, Paris, New York, and Tokyo. His furniture was first exhibited in Paris at Jousse Entreprise in the fall of 2007 and has subsequently been shown at art and design fairs including Design Art London, FIAC, Design Miami/Basel, and Design Miami.

If you’re going to be in London or NYC, you can check out Owens’ collection at Sebastian+Barquet

With NYC’s Fashion Week now upon us, it felt oh so appropriate to cover James Magni’s latest creation: The Carlyle “Sting Ray” armchair.

The MAGNI Home Collection unveils the “Sting Ray” armchair in select designer showrooms this Fall. As you may know, James Magni’s home pieces are inspired by fashion, and he often uses details such as “cufflinks” on armchairs or “stilettos” on legs to communicate this. The “Sting-Ray” armchair is keeping with the metallic trend we saw at NY’s fashion week for fall/winter 09/10. From classic Carolina Herrera to Phillip Lim, Michael Kors, and Erin Fetherston, fashion’s finest paraded metallic’s down the runway, lending a shiny luster to the year ahead. I thought you might enjoy seeing a comparison between the “Sting-Ray” armchair and the show stopping Carolina Herrera metallic gown (fall/winter 09/10 ready-to wear.)

-S

I want her life! Seriously, limousines and photo shoots go hand-in-hand if you ask me. This short video is absolutely absurd, and absolutely genius at getting my attention. Directed by Marcelo Krasilcic, Rita Ackermann, dances, wiggles, and sings, showcasing the best of Kai Kuhne’s SS09 collection.

KaiKuhne.com

-S

SeanYashar.com endorses the Dandy Revolution.

For a complete study in classic formalwear, consider: BlackTieGuide.com
For a complete study in the qualities that make a Dandy, consider: www.Dandyism.net

-S

SYI: “The interesting irony of formal attire is that almost without exception, every aspect of the masculine evening costume derives from the sport of horseback riding.” – Elegance: A Quality Guide to Menswear

www.cynthialawrencejohn.com

Tell me Lais from Purple Magazine on Vimeo.

Video directed by Alex Freund. Music – M.I.A. – Birdflu Guns Up Buraka

Olivier Zahm – A Founder & Editor for Purple Magazine discusses fashion, style, and inspiration. He also has a photo DIARY that I enjoy very much.

WHAT I’M WEARING NOW An Yves Saint Laurent leather jacket and ostrich boots, American Apparel jeans and a vintage Christian Dior shirt. I buy a lot of these T-shirts from Eleven on Elizabeth Street. They feel sweet against the skin. My watch is a Seiko from the ’80s. It looks like a gold Rolex, which I can’t afford yet. The glasses are Ray-Ban. I have five pairs, all in different shades of amber. I love amber. It’s a beautiful color for men. The only perfume I wear is because of its amber color — Azzaro, which is an old cheap cologne for workers.

STYLE CREDO To me, the best time for men was in the ’70s. I would love to look like Polanski or Jack Nicholson back then, the way they wore their jeans with just a shirt, a good watch, glasses and a nice white jacket. It was simple, but really sexy. At the beginning of this decade all the men got very glamorous. They started buying a lot of clothes. Me, I don’t like it. When you notice clothing on a man, I find it suspicious.

ON INSPIRATION Nothing is more inspiring than love and true sexuality. People say my magazine is very provocative or transgressive. Not at all. If there is nudity and sex, it is not to provoke, it is to show the beauty and love. In the next issue, I have the artist Dash Snow wearing women’s clothes from the fall collections. To see a beautiful man like Dash, who for me is American aristocracy— this is inspiring. – via thefashionspot.com