LEEROY NEW & KERMIT TESORO

Following on from my Marry The Night blog post, I decided to check out more of Leeroy New's work...and I've gotta say: I LOVE.

Out of all of his past works, It's his previous collaboration with fellow Filipino, Kermit Tesoro, that caught my attention in particular.

With Tesoro providing the shoe and undergarments, together they showed this collection during Philippine Fashion Week 2010 and without a doubt it was a show stopping collection.

The subdued colour palette along with the unusual silhouettes created by the avant garde ensemble, Is a delicious concoction of underwater and futuristic inspired forms. This contemporary mix is a sure fire winner and with their recent collaborative effort for Gaga, i hope to see more work from this pair very soon.

Here are my favourite pieces from the collection...If you'd like to see more of New's work (not limited to just fashion!) then hop over to his online portfolio: strycatcher.multiply.com

PIERS ATKINSON

There are few milliners out their that can create as much of a stir as the amazingly talented Piers Atkinson. I've got an awful lot of admiration for this man, and have yet to come across anyone else who pushes boundaries as far.

Atkinson has collaborated with some big names such as Noki, Ashish, Ashley Isham and even Topshop, as well as being commissioned by Paloma Faith, Cate Blanchett and Lady Gaga.

Atkinson's free-thinking attitude to headgear Is controversial, subversive and humorous. Each collection has its own personality and theme running throughout, with each piece being more awe-inspiring then the next!

My personal favourite is 'The Mouse that roars' collection, with each hat being a take on the infamous Mickey mouse ears, however Ive also got a lot of love for the deformed Barbie pieces!

Here are a few of my favourites, you can access the full archive of Atkinson's work over at his website. piersatkinson.com

ALEX NOBLE

British designer Alex noble Is rapidly becoming one of my favourite designers of the decade. His work is BEYOND anything else I've yet to fall in love with, and his scope of work is phenomenal.

Nobles work cannot be pigeon-holed to just one specific style, his work is eclectic and unpredictable, ever-changing and an absolute thrill to see!

With Gaga herself being a huge fan, and many of her most talked about outfits having been created by Noble, he is one of the most hyped about designers on the scene at the moment. With his AW 2011 collection  making its first appearance back in february, he instantly created a buzz with his unique approach. Instead of having models walk down a catwalk, he created somewhat of an installation in collaboration with other like-minded artists. 'Soft Death', displayed in the crypt of St Martin in the Fields saw uncomfortable models wearing selected pieces, whilst others where simply (yet effectively) displayed on mannequins. Alongside the anatomy inspired pieces, their was an art installation courtesy of artist Anna Bruder, consisting of trails of black rubber piping on the floor, resembling strewn intestines.

The collection itself is exquisite. Nobles ability to create stunning gowns, with grotesque undertones is brilliant...Loving the 'Gore-Couture'!

From what I've seen the whole show was spectacular, I love it when designers show their work in new and provocative ways...Especially when It's a collaborative project, with other artists who specialise in other disciplines of art!

Below are some shots from collection, as well as Gaga herself wearing some of his other pieces.

To keep up to date with and see more of Alex Nobles work, check out his personal blog! allisalexnoble.com

GARETH PUGH

Out of all the avant garde designers I've come across, my undoubted favourite has got to be British born Gareth Pugh.


Pugh's design aesthetic is unmistakable; from his signature monochromatic palette, use of volume and shape to distort the human form, and  his use of unusual materials such as perspex, synthetic hair, inflated PVC 'balloons' and parachute silk.

His previous collections have been truly avant garde, with his pieces resembling architectural sculpture more than clothing. Which may be the reason he has toned down his style as of late. Pugh said himself that despite the critical acclaim of his shows, he had yet to achieve commercial success...Which may have led him to produce more wearable and practical collections.

Here are some of his early 'contemporary' pieces.

With a league of celebrity fans including Gaga, Beyonce and Minogue, Pugh has obviously struck gold with his more recent collections!

His sleeker, ready-to-wear collections are still undoubtedly Pugh, although he is playing it a lot more safe. I'm glad to see a lot of his signature design aesthetics are still in place though, such as embossed leather, elaborate weaves, fish-scale like armour and a strict colour palette of black/white/grey/gold

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MUGLER/FORMICHETTI

If there is one designer who throughout the decades has re-defined the modern woman and moulded perceptions of the femme fatale more than any other, It is of course Mugler.

Over the last three decades, the Mugler house has constantly challenged feminine identity and its expression, through the use of bold silhouettes, ground breaking materials and fantasy inspired design. The masculine/feminine dichotomy is turned on its head frequently, mixing the two to create sexy womenswear with a distinctive masculine edge.I love Mugler's ability to fleet from the chic and sophisticated 'classic' style to the empowered and other-worldly.

Muglers collections are always fresh and inspired, leaving viewers on the seat edge, clueless as to what to expect next. Each collection have courted controversy in Its own unique way; from the dominatrix inspired pieces of the AW 90/91 collection to the articulated 'La Chimere' dress almost a decade later. Mugler never fails to create a sense of fantasy, he creates worlds where women are free to take on the shape of insects, aliens, ice queens and even Harley Davidsons!

With the Mugler helm recently moving to the hands of Nicola Formichetti, the label has a bright future ahead of it. Formichetti, the stylist responsible for  many of Lady Gaga's looks has impressed followers of fashion around the world with his recent collections for the French label. The brand has taken a step back to traditional tailoring and sleek, fitted cuts, albeit all with a classic Mugler twist.

Here a few of my favourite pieces from the FW 10/11 collection. Photo source http://www.labdailyblog.com/?p=20763

Formichetti released images of his upcoming SS 2012 collection on his own blog, and I have to say I LOVE the colour palette and the obvious early Mulger-inspired pieces.

The SS 2012 Menswear collection made Its first outing earlier this week, and I must say I love the direction Its taken. The use of armour, sequins, leather, denim and lycra is distinctly different to the FW 2011/2012 collection which saw an abundance of rubber, liquid latex and 'technical chiffon'.

Here are a few of the looks that stood out to me as the best of the collection, visit Formichetti's blog to view the rest of the collection nicolaformichetti.blogspot.com/