Creative Exchange Agency

Daphne Guinness to Play Mannequin for Printemps

MANNEQUIN TWO: Following her performance in the windows of Barneys New York last May, Daphne Guinness is getting ready to play mannequin for Paris department store Printemps — only this time, she won’t actually be there. Photographer Nick Knight’s SHOWstudio has joined forces with the artist and socialite to create window displays that will feature virtual statues of Guinness created from a photographic image, using cutting-edge three-dimensional scanning technology. She will model designs by Paco Rabanne, Gareth Pugh, Maison Martin Margiela, Rick Owens and Junya Watanabe as part of the “Visions Couture” display, due to be unveiled on Feb. 6. Alongside the virtual statue, each window will feature a fashion film of the outfit shot by Knight and an interactive display by multimedia artistDanny Brown, using images submitted by the public and direct input from passersby. In-store, SHOWstudio’s gallery space will offer a specially curated selection of items.

Source: WWD

Now Representing François Nars

“What interests me is character, I’ve always been attracted to faces with personality, strength and a unique quality. That is Beauty.” – Francois Nars 

“Find your own way, have an open spirit and believe in your own beauty.” – Francois Nars 

Francois Nars grew up in the South of France, where he spent his childhood exploring his fashion-plate mother Claudette’s Vogue magazines and watching classic Hollywood and European cinema. He was inspired by the exuberant sophistication of Yves Saint Laurent, the surrealist wit of Guy Bourdin, and the inimitable glamour of starlets like Catherine Deneuve. To this day, these first inspirations shape Francois’ approach to beauty, and often come to life as dramatic makeup looks or evocative, cinema-inspired product names like Dolce Vita, Strada, or Belle de Jour. 

Upon graduating from the famed Carita Makeup School in Paris, Francois Nars’ rapid ascent in the fashion world reflected talent, hard work, and uncommon vision. His approach to makeup was and still is revolutionary: to use makeup to explore the depths and nuances of individual character. Designers like Marc Jacobs, Karl Lagerfeld, and Versace admired his ability to create iconic looks, both highly theatrical and ultra-natural, that engaged in compelling dialogue with their designers. For photographers like Avedon and Meisel, Francois created a vast repertoire of looks that never failed to uniquely capture a woman’s individuality. He celebrates the indefinable mystique of women and the complexities of individual character with a spirited attitude that begs, “Why so serious? It’s only makeup.” 

Francois’ signature approach to image making is exemplified by his close collaboration with Madonna in the ‘90s. He helped forge the star’s perpetual reinvention, uncovering aspects of her personality that no one had ever seen, conveying an innate vulnerability, sensuality and timeless glamour. 

Francois Nars unwittingly revolutionized the makeup industry when he launched NARS, his cult beauty collection, debuting at Barney’s New York with 12 lipsticks in essential, highly pigmented colors. The collection immediately captured the imagination of women with its brilliantly designed packaging and rich color palette. 

Discovering a talent and passion for photography, Francois shoots all NARS’ ad campaigns with an approach that is as visionary as his makeup philosophy. While his photographs are elevated, modern, and classically beautiful, his embrace of strong, unique faces and ethnic diversity has helped transform industry standards, by challenging and expanding traditional definitions of beauty. To date, Francois has published four books of his photography. 

The creator of all NARS color and skincare products, Francois Nars continues to guide the evolution of NARS brand while dividing his time between New York City and his private island Motu Tane in Tahiti. And while Francois finds inspiration everywhere, his first and abiding inspiration is the endlessly captivating mystery of modern women.

Greg Lauren for Colette

Greg Lauren to unveil ‘Alteration at Colette’ during Men’s Paris Fashion Week

“Two and a half years ago, I learned to sew in order to create, ‘Alteration,’ an installation of paper sculptures of the most iconic, powerful menswear garments, hand sewn from paper I used in my paintings. Through paper sculptures I wanted to celebrate and question the clothing I had loved and examine the traditional archetypes. Image is powerful and potent, but ultimately, paper thin.”

For ‘Alteration at Colette,’ the acclaimed artist, Greg Lauren will continue his ongoing exploration of personal identity and its relationship to clothing at the renowned fashion boutique in Paris.  The installation serves to further define the evolution from paper sculptures based on iconic menswear garments, to wearable pieces, which make up the Greg Lauren Collection.

‘Alteration at Colette,’ will consist of 14 standing paper sculptures, including, “The Marine,” “Charcoal DB,” “White DB Dinner Jacket” and “The Boxer.”  Collectively these pieces represent the classic male archetypes, most recognized by society. “For the installation, I have created sculptures with a greater sense of irony, such as Peacock” explains Lauren, ”a three piece suit in white paper covered in multiple pocket squares and The Man of Steel, a classic peak lapel suit made entirely from vintage Superman comics.”

Each sculpture is painstakingly hand-sewn using Japanese paper in true-to-scale uniforms, suits, shirts and shoes among other carefully crafted accessories.  “Every piece is made with the same approach as if were done by a real tailor, seamstress and shoemaker..” Says Lauren. “I manipulate the paper medium to simulate various materials, such as wool, cotton and gabardine and create frayed edges, creases and folds to give visual authenticity to the garment.”  

The ‘Alteration at Colette’, sculptures will be displayed within the Gallery at Colette, and select pieces will be integrated throughout the shop floor. In addition, Lauren will showcase accessory sculptures on a designated gallery wall, which includes ties, hats, shoes and bags crafted from hand-worked paper.

The Installation will also feature a select group of one-of-a-kind wearable pieces that translate the classic silhouettes first explored in paper, and now created using repurposed fabrics which form part of the Greg Lauren Collection. “These specific pieces were created to reflect an ironic twist on the iconic classics.” Explains Lauren.  The “Destroyed Washed Tux Jacket,” “Duffle Bag Jacket” and “Destroyed Cary” pinstripe jacket are just a few pieces that will be on display, highlighting the seamless continuity from paper to fabric.   

“It is an honor to work with Colette and I am thankful for the opportunity to chart my artistic journey in such a unique way.” Explains Lauren.

‘Alteration at Colette’ will open officially to the public on January 9^th 2012.

Blind Cut by Jonah Freeman & Vera Neykov

On behalf of CXA+ART, please join us for the opening celebration for Blind Cut, a group exhibition curated by Jonah Freeman and Vera Neykov, taking place on Thursday, January 19^th, 2012 from 6-8 PM at 545 West 25^th Street.

 

The works in Blind Cut address notions of fiction or deception and present objects and gestures that range from: depictions of fictional places, imagined personas, inaccurate histories, invented language, urban utopias, and unrevealed material gestures. This diverse collection, spanning several generations from Dada to the present, poses questions regarding identity, authorship, originality, and reality. 

Artists include: Julieta Aranda, Fia Backström, Darren Bader, Sebastian Black, Marcel Broodthaers, Luis Buñuel, Guy de Cointet, Anne Collier, Der Dada, John Dogg, Mark Flood, Claire Fontaine, Phillip Gabriel, Ryan Gander, Mario Garcia Torres, Oto Gillen, George Grosz, Lothar Hempel, Pierre Huyghe, Alex Israel, Billy Jacobs, Matt Johnson, Asger Jorn, Craig Kalpakjian, Mike Kelley, Robert Lazzarini, Daniel Lefcourt, Gabriel Lester, Sherrie Levine, Andrea Longacre-White, Adam McEwen, Francis Picabia, Phillip Pierce, Adina Popescu, Eileen Quinlan, Ed Ruscha, Kurt Schwitters, Cindy Sherman, Gibb Slife, Christof Spengemann, Superstudio, J. St. Bernard, Jeffrey Vallance, Annabel Vale Archive, Antek Walczak, and Bruce + Norman Yonemoto.

Daphne Guinness for MAC Cosmetics

"This color collection is a window into my imagination". On December 26, MAC will release a colour collection designed by Daphne Guinness.  

 

Philip Treacy: Designer of the Year at ACE Awards

Congratulations to Philip Treacy for winning Designer of the Year at the ACE Awards!

British milliner Philip Treacy’s timely win for Designer of the Year showed how much the royal wedding put dramatic hats and fascinators on the current fashion map.

The ACE Awards were created in 1995 to celebrate individual designers and groups that impacted accessories by raising awareness of the industry as a whole. The awards always focus on those who made the strongest impact on accessory consumption during the prior year.

Designers, retailers, journalists, celebrities and emerging companies are selected by the industry and honorees are nominated and voted upon by the accessories industry, retailers and the Accessories Council Board of Directors.

The awards ceremony and reception was held on November 7th at Cipriani 42nd Street.

Source: Accessories Magazine

 

Greg Lauren for Barracks

CXA+ART presents Greg Lauren for Barracks. 

11/11/11 to 11/20/11 

125-127 Grand Street

New York, NY 10013

11am to 6pm

Freeman + Lowe for MOCA

CXA+ART is pleased to present a Freeman + Lowe Installation.

SHADOW POOL: A NATURAL HISTORY OF THE SAN SAN INTERNATIONAL

 

CXA+ART presents

A Freeman + Lowe Installation

"Shadow Pool: A Natural History of the San San International"

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

 7PM Cocktails

8PM Performance

Hollywood Forever Masonic Lodge

6000 Santa Monica Boulevard (@ Gower), Los Angeles, CA

David LaChapelle at National Portrait Gallery

National Portrait Gallery: London

Creative Exchange Agency is proud to announce that the National Portrait Gallery has acquired David LaChapelle’s iconic portrait Alexander McQueen & Isabella Blow: Burning Down the House for permanent collection.

Alexander McQueen & Isabella Blow: Burning Down the House, 1996

‘Burning Down the House’, a portrait by David LaChapelle of the late Alexander McQueen and his ‘muse’ Isabella Blow has been acquired by the National Portrait Gallery. This is the first portrait by David LaChapelle to enter the Gallery’s Collection and will be exhibited in the United Kingdom for the first time from Friday October 14^th, 2011.

The double portrait of McQueen and Blow was originally published in the March 1997’s ‘Swinging London’ edition of Vanity Fair. Shot at Hedingham Castle in Essex on 1 December 1996, the photograph shows McQueen in the foreground brandishing a flaming torch, accompanied by a playful Blow, with the castle dramatically burning in the background. Both were dressed McQueen was just 27 years old and had recently debuted his first courture collection for the House of Givenchy. Blow, 38 at the time of the shoot, was considered McQueen’s muse. Burning Down the House, 1996 by David LaChapelle © David LaChapelle Studio.

Fashion designer, Alexander McQueen (1969-2010), grew up in London’s East End and was apprenticed at tailors Anderson and Sheperd on Saville Row after leaving school at 16. He graduated from the MA Fashion Design course at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in 1994 and his entire postgraduate collection was purchased by Isabella Blow. Combining impeccable tailoring, rich historical and literary references and a provocative sensibility in his designs, McQueen was invited to take over from John Galliano as head of the Parisian fashion house Givenchy in October 1996. He left the fashion house in 2001 to form his own eponymous label. McQueen was named Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards four times between 1996 and 2001, and in 2003 was named international Designer of the by the Council of Fashion Designers.

Journalist, stylist and muse, Isabella Blow (1958-2007) was a leading figure in the development of British fashion in the 1990s and 2000s. She is credited with discovering and promoting the careers of important British designers including Alexander McQueen, Hussein Chalayan, the leading milliner Philip Treacy, and the photographer Juergen Teller. Her early career included such roles as assistant to the French designer Guy Laroche, assistant to US editor of Vogue Anna Wintour and assistant to the fashion director of The Sunday Times and Tatler, Michael Roberts. In 1989 she married the art dealer Detmar Blow and from 1993-1997 worked at British Vogue. She was fashion director of The Sunday Times Style magazine from 1997 and editor-at-large for Tatler from 2002. Blow’s innate and outrageous sense of fashion and flair as a stylist led to her discovery and patronage of young talent in the industry and made her a muse for several designers.

Born in Conneticut in 1963, photographer David LaChapelle studied at the North Carolina School of Arts before moving to New York where he enrolled at the Art Students League and the School of Visual Arts. His work was seen by Andy Warhol and the editors of Interview Magazine when it was exhibited at 303 Gallery and they offered him his first professional job. Since then his work has appeared in magazines such as Italian Vogue, French Vogue, Vanity Fair, GQ, Rolling Stone and i-D, on many occasions on the cover. Throughout his career he has photographed a diverse range of personalities including Hillary Clinton, Muhammad Ali, Elizabeth Taylor, Lance Armstrong, Madonna and Jeff Koons and has expanded his work to include direction of music videos, live theatrical events, and documentary film. His work has been the subject of numerous exhibitions including those at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Taipei, the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Barbican Gallery, London, Museo del Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso, Mexico City, Musee de La Monnaie, Paris and the Museo de Las Arts in Guadalajara.