Evolutionary fashion

This morning I read an article on 'The Daily Beast' titled: 'Fashion's Arab Spring' about my favorite designer of the moment, Haider Ackermann. I read more about him and his life. And then I understood why I feel such resonance with him. He was born in Colombia (where I grew up for several years of my childhood, in Bogota), and he was brought up by French parents, and then proceeded to live all over the place. My parents weren't French, my father Dutch and my mother English, but we did live all over the place, including Iran. (this is back in the fifties!) So I have things in common with his background. But apart from that, I am an advocate of being free to be who you are, 

and enjoying your beauty and sensuality.

His work is about freedom. Freedom to envelope your body in beautiful draping fabrics, freedom to be feminine without having to display your body packaged and bound up so tight, layers of stiffening and hype, your flesh sort of squeezes out of the gaps, and you can't breathe, you can't walk properly, because you should done have a course on stilt walking before wearing those shoes, which may make you feel tall and powerful, but compromise your back, and your natural rhythm, and actually disconnect you from your real power, that of being a woman standing on Earth now, in these times. How can this be 'cool' or 'hot'? You're not free to just enjoy and revel in the beauty of being in a feminine body, who's natural rhythm is like that of nature, sensual and gracefully shifting between spaces, the senses alive and open.

whatever happened to Rebecca Patterson?

I found this picture in a book I have from 1985, called: 'Australian Fashion Design' by Elina Mackay. Someone gave it to me a few years ago. I am amazed at how few of the designers seem to be around anymore..And yet there was/is great talent. The above picture comes under the title Di Marzio Line. Rebecca Patterson came from Perth to Sydney to create this label along with Nicolas Pando. I love this, because it stretches its big wings between art and fashion. She said: "My clothes are full of symbols, contrasting images and statements expressing a certain uninhibited style."

diamonds 'n rust series continues

Ok, I still haven't got this series out of my system. I just love the old brass chain, which is quite dull and grungy, with those glimmers of the vintage fire-polished coppery glass beads shining through. This piece is big big and wild. It is nearly jumping off my bench at the moment, it'll either wear somebody, or end up abseiling the Rialto. Anyway..its great to be making things on this level again. I will also make some smaller sort of ones, for those who love this, but say things like: "I love it, but don't have anywhere to wear it to...." (happens all the time! My answer is usually: "build it and they will come")

The pier

This sparkling criss-cross, in the late afternoon Autumnal light..my eyes close slightly as the inner light finds the resonant beat, the internal structures containing the pathways, or are they just an idea...