Fashion Friday
April 22, 2014
Connecting forms of art
The creation of the first operas in the early 17th Century marked a groundbreaking artistic and conceptual phenomenon. The goal of writing an opera was to combine every form of art (music, painting, acting, design, sculpture, etc.) into one fantastic spectacle that was to be the most superior form of art possible for man to create. So it is nothing new to say that music and fashion go hand in hand.
A piece of music and a collection both tell a story. They both are a succession of dialogues that provoke feelings and attitudes towards a particular theme or series of events. The rather obvious difference is the providing of those dialogues through auditory sensation versus ocular discovery. In the same way, music can speak what a collection cannot and a collection can bring to life what a piece of music cannot.
alt For my fashion art class at FIT, our first project was to design a swimwear collection based off of a culture of our choice. I chose the viking culture, which I admit was a very odd decision because they definitely were not known for their fashion choices, but for some reason it peaked my interest. In researching the culture, I found a mythological story that basically is the scandinavian version of Mulan. There was a princes names Alfhild who was set to betroth prince Alf, but she wanted to make her own decisions about love. In short, she dressed up as a man and escaped on a boat to fight in a war and was never seen again.
Alfhild Riot
In designing my swimwear collection, I had a “eureka” moment and realized that princess Alfhild’s story and my collection fit perfectly with my song “Ready for War” which has not been released yet. The tag line is, “fighting for love/all for love in the name of love,” which is exactly what Alfhild escaped on a viking ship to go do: fight for her own love. I deemed it fitting to title my collection “Alfhild Riot” and I believe that my swimwear reflects her bold and defiant choice to take her life in her own hands and also marries the delicate aspects of her life as a princess.
The stimulation of multiple senses at once creates a more rounded and complete artistic experience. My combination of music with fashion to create my “Alfhild Riot” collection, Miuccia Prada’s fabulous combination of fashion and art for her SS14 collection, and even Karl Lagerfeld’s vibrant SS14 collection with various art installations framing the runway are a few examples of how combinations of art forms coexist in perfect harmony and belong together in holy matrimony.
Brielle
November 11, 2013
Life as a freshman in NYC
New York City: Center of the Universe. Land of the fashionably brilliant and land of the fashionably challenged. Here I am, in the middle of all its beautiful chaos, trying to create my own niche in this thing we call life. Let me tell you, it is not easy, being a full-time musician and a soon-to-be full-time fashion student at the Fashion Institute of Technology.
“Me” my dream!
There is an undeniable beauty in being surrounded with an unending amount of stimulation coming from so many different directions. It is an inspiring energy that opens up possibilities previously unimagined and possibilities I have been dreaming about for my whole life.
Moving into the city has proven to be equal parts invigorating and stressful, as any move would be, but it is an incredible feeling to start a new chapter in my life; a chapter I have been calling “Me”. My dream!
It is the beginning, where the reality of the hard work I have chosen to dedicate myself to hits me like a ton of bricks. Repeat: a TON of bricks. But it is awesome, and I can already see myself maturing by gaining wisdom of the fashion and music businesses and starting to grow into my own.
New challenges present themselves every day which test my knowledge and adaptability. I know that at some point I will be pushed to my limits and I am excited, believe it or not, for everything: the good as well as the bad.
Inspiration: nothing is ever as it seems to be
Inspiration is a funny thing. It comes from everything and nothing at the same time, depending upon one’s perspective. I love shoes, I seriously am in love with Jeffery Campbell shoes and have a personal relationship with them; maybe I need professional help, and I often find myself lusting over a pair of shoes that I cannot afford and probably will not be able to afford for a few years.
Frankly, I find it pitiful. But a few months ago jokingly speaking with a friend, I caught myself saying, “I’m so tired of wanting these shoes. It drives me insane,” and that was it: inspiration.
An idea for a song popped into my head and I had it completely written in less than an hour. It seems to be about a relationship turning sour, but it really is about me trying to get over the fact that I could not purchase a pair of Kanye West’s DW shoes that I have unmistakably seen in Kim Kardashian’s closet on her infamous show, “Keeping Up With the Kardashians”! I named it “It Was All Good” and the hook goes something like:
“I’m so tired of this game, it drives me insane. I can’t stop it no-oh-oh ooh ooh oh-oh. Now you’re done with me, it’s funny to see, ‘cuz I was over you oou oo yesterday.”
That is another thing I have learned, nothing is ever as it seems to be. Inspiration itself, if it should be actual matter, is the most malleable substance in existence. It is meant to be molded into every possible dimension the human brain can imagine. No perspective should be left unexplored or undiscovered. Not even writing a song about a pair of shoes failing to hold its prospective weight in a human relationship.
Love, Brielle