As everyone finishes reading through lists of 2009 favorites, darling memories from the past year float through our heads. Thoughts of adventures, successes, and friendship replay in our mind, as we now look excitedly toward what 2010 will bring. The other day, I was reading through a list of the Top 50 Albums and Tracks of 2009 and, well, reflecting. How many of the artists on last year’s list would still be around this year? And how many of them were destined to be one-hit wonders, fading out slowly with each flip of the calendar page?
As I was trying to decide if Animal Collective’s “My Girls” was really the best song of 2009, I came across, Natasha Khan, also known as Bat for Lashes. I first heard Khan’s seductively melancholic voice, earlier in 2009 when she released the album, ”Two Suns,” but was delighted when I saw her song “Daniel” ranked number 4 (As well, “Two Suns” was listed as number 7 in the Top 50 Albums category).
A young singer/songwriter from Britian, Khan has the ability to capture her listeners’ attention through a haunted romance that is inherent in both her lyrics and voice. She sings with a sort of fantastical emotion that I can’t get enough of, with her voice reminiscent of a young Kate Bush or Sinead O’Connor. Her music videos, meantime, are as strong as her music, enhancing Khan’s image as an exceptionally creative and conceptual artist. The video for “Daniel,” features an aesthetic mood matched perfectly to her music, as if watching a little pixie sing and dance about happiness and heartbreak. Though it’s too early to start prepping the the “best of” list for 2010, it’s safe to say Bat for Lashes will occupy a permanent spot on my playlists this year, if not on my computer screen. And it’s likely you’ll be hearing a lot more from Khan for many years to come.
Check out Khan’s website for information about tour dates, discography and lots of pretty things. And click below to watch a behind-the-scenes peek at the making of Bat For Lashes’s video for “Daniel” directed by Johan Renck.
She is Vivienne Westwood. She is eccentric, iconic and imaginative. She is rock and roll. Westwood has been designing since 1971, when then husband Malcolm McLaren opened a shop on King’s Road in London, called Let it Rock. Over the years, Westwood has used her designs to express her idiosyncrasies, and used fabric and shapes to publicize her personal — and often controversial — political viewpoints, becoming a fashion industry legend in the process. And as a woman in her late 60s it is no wonder she has so many things to say!
Westwood’s latest endeavor in self-expression is through her new collaboration with Cole & Son, a English wallpaper company established in 1873. Westwood has translated her classic floral and squiggle motifs from her fashion designs into a wallpaper collection, demonstrating another instance in which the worlds of fashion, art and design collide. The designs are bold, but could one expect anything less from Westwood? And it’s fitting that she would collaborate with Cole & Son, because even though she is known for her avant garde ways, elements of Westwood’s designs are still nestled in timeless British mores, just like the century old company.
As the new year creeps closer, changes, of course, are inevitable. Maybe something on the agenda for 2010 is a home make-over. Westwood’s new wallpaper collection could be just the thing to help inject a little life back into your abode. Some of the prints may not be great on a full wall, but they would be beautiful as a feature wall, with layers upon them, something Westwood is known for. The graphics are bold, yet they don’t scream for attention as one might think, thus proving that Westwood has no trouble designing, whether the outcome is 2 or 3-D. Click HERE for details on the collection and all of the pretty details.
Rarely, do I come across a designer or collection that makes my jaw drop. Not because there is a lack of talent or beauty, but because these days, original ideas are few and far between. Then there is Sandra Backlund, the Stockholm-based womenswear designer who has literally, made me gasp for air. I was in a state of awe when I came across her pieces; sculpted yet delicate knitwear, that is both classic and contemporary in its design. Backlund’s designs are the perfect amalgamation between art and fashion. Whether creating garments from clothespins or wool, her craftwork is extraordinary and her eye for detail is amazing. She creates her garments by working with the shape of the body, designing as she knits, without any preconceived notion as to where her imagination will lead her.
Backlund won the 2008 Swedish Elle Award and she was the Hyères 2007 Grand Prize Winner. She has also worked with fashion icons like Louis Vuitton and Franca Sozzani. Backlund’s current collection has teamed her up with Maglificio Miles (an Italian knitwear manufacturing company) to explore wool/cashmere blends, giving the pieces a lighter feel than her previous collections.
Although Backlund is not new to the fashion industry, her approach to slow fashion is noteworthy, as her pieces will remain unaffected by trends and will forever remain classic in the design world. She is also a young Scandinavian artist and designer showing creators everywhere that there is still a way to create original and revolutionary pieces — pieces unlike anything I have seen before… Maybe it is because I come from Edmonton and this past Saturday it was -58 degrees Celsius and my instinctive need to wrap myself in something warm to survive was at an all-time high. Or maybe it is because the fantasy world in which Backlund creates these garments seems so mysterious and beautiful. Whatever the reason, I am totally mesmerized by Backlund’s designs. By melding traditional craft with contemporary aesthetic, Backlund is proving to be a true innovator in the fashion industry. Oh Sandra, take me away from this bitter cold.
(Check out Backlund’s website www.sandrabacklund.com for more photos of her current and past collections).
Want to read more about The Local Firm? Check out our recent web exclusive interview with TLF designer Axel Nyhage HERE and then head over to www.thelocalfirm.com to find out more about the label and to view photos from their latest collections for men and women.
We’re giving away everything else you see in our Holiday Gift Guide to a few lucky readers. All you have to do is click HERE to fill in our 2010 reader survey and you’ll be automatically entered into the giveaway! (Help us spread the word too!) And be sure to check back tomorrow as we unveil our eighth gift selection, as we count down the 12 Days of Christmas here on corduroymag.com
Rogues Gallery’s line of tees, shirts, outerwear, shoes and accessories are available in select stores and boutiques across North America. Find out more about the brand and shop online at www.roguesgallery.com. And if you want more reading, check out our recent web exclusive interview with Jay Carroll, former brand manager for Rogues.
Want a chance to take home some of the products you see featured in our Holiday Gift Guide? Click HERE to take our reader survey and be entered to win almost everything on the list. And be sure to check back tomorrow as we unveil our third gift selection, as we count down the 12 Days of Christmas here on corduroymag.com.
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