We featured artist Alex Prager’s work in Issue 8 of Corduroy and we’ve been excited to see what she’s been up to ever since. So imagine our (delightful) surprise when we saw this new short film that she shot for Mercedes-Benz.

Prager is no stranger to collaborations, having shot Bottega Veneta’s spring 2011 campaign. But this time, she takes the filmic and narrative qualities of her photographs and applies them to an actual film. Though reports have quoted Prager as saying that the film was inspired by childhood favorites, like “James Bond,” “Mary Poppins,” and “The Wizard of Oz,” the artist says it was more about capturing a moment and feeling, both with Mercedes’ brand new SL Roadster car and supermodel Lara Stone.

Prager and Stone (dressed in Calvin Klein Collection of course) shot the clip in the California Big Sky desert over the summer. At less than two minutes long, it’s more like an extended fashion photoshoot than a Hollywood movie, but the final 30 seconds deliver like a blockbuster all the same. At once poetic, slightly eerie and irrepressibly alive, the short film is at once a statement on the sophistication of the Mercedes brand as it is a representation of its power. Prager says she was struck by the styling of the SL Roadster and knew she had to produce a piece that reflected its beauty and romanticism, while also staying true to her own aesthetic tastes, which often have dark undertones.

As for Lara Stone the heroine? Besides complimenting Stone for her “classic women’s body” and femininity, Prager says she was struck by Stone’s acting skills and ability to emote. Her delicate features were the perfect contrast to the strong and bold vehicle being showcased in the project…though dare we say, Stone almost steals the show herself!

Check out the commercial (and a special behind-the-scenes look at the filming of the commercial) below and let us know what you think…

Baltimore-based artist Beth Hoeckel has our minds stuck in the 60s with her dreamy, found paper collages. Hoeckel studied painting, photography and printmaking at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and has since transitioned to also work in collage and mixed media. The result is a collection of work that is at once retro and futuristic, while helping viewers re-imagine images in a new and novel way.

Take for example her latest series of collages. There is a very “analog” aesthetic to Hoeckel’s work, probably because each and every piece is created using scissors and archival paste rather than through digital manipulation. Hoeckel’s technique is certainly appropriate in terms of the artist’s chosen subject matter; many of the found paper images appear as if they were taken straight out of Don and Betty Draper’s family albums. But Hoeckel doesn’t seem to be trying to spark a full-blown 60s revival with her work. Rather, there is a very modern edge to the concepts behind her collages. Many of the artist’s figures are pasted to appear as if they are standing at the edge of a surreal apocalyptic abyss. We love the tension Hoeckel creates through her direct associations of the wholesomeness of the 60s with the end of the world… take a look at a few more of her images below because we’re sure you’ll love it too!

- James Lavapie

CALVIN KLEIN MAKES SPORT LUXURIOUS

Italo Zucchelli’s offering for Calvin Klein Collection epitomized the ultra-luxe sportswear aesthetic which permeated even the most characteristically dapper houses this season. Although the classic suit will never be overtly unstylish, we noticed that even the suited models were crowned with baseball caps. Zucchelli certainly led the pack with jersey/crocodile sweatshirts and easy suiting which seamlessly brought together notions of luxury and sport, while maintaining Calvin Klein’s commitment to fine details, clean lines and strong tailoring.

THE OPENING CEREMONY KIDS TAKE ON PARIS

This sportswear moment continued to enjoy prominence at Kenzo, with the models all clad in tweed suits paired with metallic sneakers. Humberto Leon and Carol Lim consistently capitalize on cool with their constantly-expanding Opening Ceremony empire, and all eyes were on the designing duo as they made their foray into designer fashion with their inaugural menswear collection for the brand. The silhouettes translated as very effortless, yet refined with the incorporation of bold paisley and graphic prints. It’s still clothing for the cool kids but with an upper-class, European twist – a solid and rightful progression for the (formerly?) downtown design duo.

PROGRESS AND PROGRESSION AT KRIS VAN ASSCHE

Kris Van Assche is the consummate innovator, and this season he chose to focus on the suit. Van Assche injected a utilitarian edge into his interpretation of the menswear staple, with the high, almost restrictive collars contrasting with an overall looser fit than we saw from the designer in seasons past. While we’re still unsure about the baggy pants comeback (also seen at Emporio Armani and Ferragamo), we loved the sturdy thick-soled boots which anchored the otherwise sharp silhouettes – they offered a great juxtaposition to the quilted outerwear and belted knits and gave us a more rugged, slightly more casual version of the Kris Van Assche man.

What looks or collections stood out most to you? And is refined, daring (and occasionally colorful) menswear finally making a comeback after years of heritage-inspired looks? Leave us your comments below and let’s discuss!

- James Lavapie

Toronto-based photographer Petra Collins has been attracting some much-deserved attention as of late for her voyeuristic and sexually-charged feminist imagery. Currently finishing her first year at the Ontario College of Art and Design, the 19-year-old’s work has been featured in numerous publications and several exhibitions, including blogger-Wunderkind Tavi Gevinson’s ROOKIE endeavor.

Although born and raised in Toronto, Collins draws a lot of inspiration from her Eastern European roots. “My family is from Budapest,” she told us recently, as we sat down for a quick chat in T.O. “I feel that is my real home.”

This interest in film is what initially turned Collins on to photography at the age of sixteen. “I was never good at making a solid story,” the photographer admits, noting Czech New Wave film Sedmikrasky, about the coming of age of two girls, as one of her enduring muses. “I could always think up a beginning but never an end.” Reinterpreting the notion of cinematic story-telling through a single evocative image appealed to her as an alternative.

Anyone who has seen Collins’ work will immediately attest to the dreamy, film-like quality to many of the images. The viewer feels almost as though they are witnessing a fleeting privileged moment in the subject’s life, many of whom are young girls.

It’s this intimacy-bordering-on-eroticism which has attracted criticism from those who consider Collins’ work more exploitative than feminist. She says it shouldn’t matter either way. “Sexuality is an important part of maturity and growth during your teen years,” says Collins in response to her critics. “Naturally I gravitated towards that,” as the still-in-her-teens photographer continues to encounter many of the same first-time adult experiences as her subjects.

The authentic and personal nature to the Collins’ work seems as through it will continue to serve as a source of inspiration for the artist’s future work. “I’m still finding myself as a feminist and feminism plays a big part in my work,” she concludes. “I think the female is a subject I’ll be studying for a long time.” And as avid fans of Collins’ work, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

- James Lavapie

Conceived by Luca Guadagnino with Waris Ahluwalia, Tilda Swinton and her artist companion, Sandro Kopp, “Here” is a beautifully shot film that follows Deyn as she embarks on a romantic treasure hunt of sorts through the chain’s many properties. The creative team says they wanted a “Hitchcock” feel to the film, evidenced not only by the moody lighting and voyeuristic camera angles, but also by the cryptic, handwritten, notes Deyn uncovers at each location.

Jason Schwartzman’s score adds a wonderfully poetic touch to the proceedings, but the star of the show is undoubtedly Deyn (wearing Dior, YSL and Versace no less), as she waltzes through our screens and steals every shot she’s in. For more of the alluring Agyness Deyn, visit the “Here” website at www.thefilmhere.com. And then take a few minutes to check out “Here” below: