Trend Watch: Plaid

While I’ve been very bad at blogging for quite some time now I’ve been pretty productive elsewhere in my life. Here’s one of the moodboards I’ve been working from in the studio. Check, plaid, tartan. Whatever you wanna call it. It’s not newsworthy that grunge is back  - even Look magazine is all over that shit. It is also arguable that plaid is not, in fact, back because it never really went away…it’s just more that it has been promoted…While print is having a maximal moment, a plaid is a simpler more minimal way of doing it. Loud without being fussy. This season’s plaids are in fresh new colours, as well as referencing classic 90′s styles. What I like about plaid for Spring Summer 2013 is the combinations of print and textures, á la Dries with the florals and the mettalics. Or Richard Chai Love with the washed out, painterly thing. And if all else fails, just throw on a mini kilt and matching jacket and look like a total Betty, as per Cher in Clueless. Way cool.

Plaid Moodboard

You only turn 100 Once

So this is my 100th post. I’m not going to make a big deal of it, but I felt the need to acknowledge it.

So with that out of the way, let’s talk about Steven Meisel. He has a pretty impressive track record, if you’re impressed by things like shooting every cover of Vogue Italia since 1988. And doing what can only be described as SHIT loads of advertising campaigns and editorials out the wazoo. And given that such things impress me greatly, I want the world to know that I love Steven Meisel.

Every.Single.Cover.    Since 1988.

Every SINGLE cover, for twenty two years.

When you think about how many photographers would kill to get the cover of Vogue, to have more than 300 of the things is really a monumental achievement. And that’s just Vogue Italia. There’s actually a book of them, if you are so inclined…

Instead of getting jaded or repetitive, Meisel always finds fresh ways to see things and is constantly coming up with amazing images. His advertising work is as regular as his editorial stuff, and of the same amazing quality. His is the kind of campaign that makes you buy magazines FOR the ads.

So what else?

Oh yea, he’s responsible for THAT grunge shoot in Vogue the ’90′s that made the look huge back then, so in a way he’s kind of responsible for the revival we’re having now. And I know, I know that Kurt and underground, and music and blah blah blah, but Meisel’s shoot brought the aesthetic to the clothes buying mainstream, so he IS responsible (along with the stylist), alright?! Interestingly, his work is often a lot sexier and elegant than that shoot, which was quite naive and fresh, even with the massive boots and plum lipstick. But again with the versatility and general deadly.

His work also sometimes a little bit reminds me of Guy Bourdin’s colour. He has supreme control over it, making his images striking and captivating. But you can gush over him for yourselves, here comes the good stuff….