The Architect loves Fashion...

After a recent trip to New York City, and subsequently Barneys New York, I was inspired to put my affinity for fashion into words. As an architectural student i'm drawn to clothing that naturally, is architectural, highly detailed, graceful or truly progressive. I think my great love of the garment comes from a much more artistic side of myself since I often find myself enthralled by both the mens and womens shows and while I've often considered pursuing a career in fashion, I just don't see myself as the "type" of person who can be solely devoted to it, and I think a big part of it is this sense that at the end of the day...fashion is purely art, to be appreciated and admired. Architecture on the other hand is both art, but also function and has the potential to serve humanity's greater good...when you're not just designing East-Hampton summer houses.

These are just a few of the Brands I've found the most unique, progressive, and worthwile...

BALENCIAGA

Balenciaga, under the direction of Nicolas Ghesquiere, has been the perennial front runner in my opinion, of brands that truly push the envelope. While the collections seem to rotate between "artistic-genius-but-highly-unwearable" to "ultra-luxe-and-flying-off-the-racks-at-Goodman's" from season to season, Ghesquiere has single handedly saved the brand from an eternity spewing out cheap-leather goods and outdated perfumes as a licencing brand into the powerhouse it has been restored to today. This is THE brand I make it my first priority to see whenever there is a new collection out. Needless to say this is the most architectural of the brands with clothing thats inherently structural, deeply evocative, and truly progressive...

...here are some of the most memorable moments from Balenciaga thus far...

...the most recent Fall 2010 show...

I cant even begin with Balenciaga. Just utter brilliance. The video says it all, truly...

BALMAIN

Balmain is currently the hottest fashion house. Hands down. If you're a major upscale retailer, you book your orders before the show even begins with this one because you just know whatever Christophe Decarnin chucks down that runway will be flying off the racks at Barney's and Bergdorf's. Come shipment day, if you'd ever had doubts that the well heeled would ever wait in line for anything, then the line out the door will make you a believer. But thats just what Balmain under the direction of Christophe Decarnin does. To quote Carmen Cass "The way they're tailored and the way they [the clothes] sit on your body, you feel the movement, whereas normally you move your body somehow these clothes make your body move in a certain way." And thats so unique in a time when 90% of even the luxury brand clothing is made in 3rd world factories, that a pret-a-porter collection would be able to elevate you to the status of a truly well crafted, emotionally evocative work of art and influence the way we live our lives...

...as always with Balmain, serious Rocker-vibes...

...the always insightful, Carmen Cass...

...the ultimate rocker cocktail dress...

GIVENCHY

Givenchy under the direction of Riccardo Tisci has become a much more somber, and decidedly "Catholic" brand, which gives the brand a certain austerity yet doesn't detract from the Byzantine vibes we find so mysterious about Givenchy. Inspired more this season by the jet-set ski club rather than that moody otherworldly warrior from past collections, this one is a decidedly welcome departure from the usual. As always, its the construction of the clothes that set this brand apart from the usual high-end department store banal and create some truly new ways of constructing the "carbon copy basics".

...creative modern fusion of ski-suit and Nordic sweaters...

...multiple layers, lengths, materials and structure...

...very modern take on the little black dress. Modern. Moody.

and that wonderful unexpected lining adds to the entire "sinister-luxe" look...

...if this isn't an evocative / emotional garment...then I quit...

LANVIN

Lanvin, Lanvin, Lanvin. Where do I even start with Alber Elbaz? I cant really so you'll have to watch the video.

...Its his work with the materials from the outset that really impresses me. The fact that he takes such a banal material (jersey) and works with it over and over until he's created a flawless voluminous sculptural object that you can see would give a certain authoritative presense to those whom are lucky enough to be able to wear Lanvin.

...so you see its all about the emotion, the feeling, the mood, the cut, the structure

of a garment that takes it from being just another high-end high-gloss luxury garment

and turns it into a work of art...