japanese gothic lolita

(Click here for the source of this image)

(Click here for the source of this image)

(Click here for the source of this image)

(Click here for the source of this image)

(Click here for the source of this image)

these boots were made for walking

Opening Ceremony

(Click here for the source of this image)

Ann Demeulemeester

Ann Demeulemeester

(Click here for the source of these images)

Alexander Wang

(Click here for the source of this image)

romance me

Upon taking a break from work today, I found myself lost within the many wonderful collections of the late Alexander McQueen, a true genius and master of all things he touched. The following images from his Fall 2006 Ready-to-Wear collection, is a look I always think of when i hear the name Alexander McQueen and would have to be my favourite look he created. Its fragile beauty is overwhelming. It is romantic, poetic and whimsical, through the combination of the antlers, veiling, layering of lace and luscious fabrics, all together combined to create a magical optical effect . . .

(Click here for source of images)

lullaby

I love these still shots from The Cure's music video to lullaby.

There is something so creepy, yet so enticing about them . . .

(Click here for source of image)

(Click here for source of image)

(Click here for source of image)

Gothic Cathedrals

I have always been fascinated by Gothic architecture. Its overwhelming presence, grandeur, horror, terror, sublimity, grotesque aspects, romanticism, desire, and intricacy, create such an awe inspiring landscape. I am particularly drawn towards the ceilings within Gothic Cathedrals, as i find i loose myself within them as their magnificence consumes me. I hope you find them as wonderful as I do . . .

Wells Cathedral Chapter House, looking south, 1290s

Exeter Cathedral Nave, looking east, 1310

Paris, Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Nave vault

Gdansk, St. Mary's, cell vault, constructed 1343-1502

Annaberg, St. Anne Vault, completed 1525

(Images from - Schmidlin C., Gerner C.A., Gothic: Art Pocket, H.F. Ullmann

&

Toman R. (Ed.) & Bednorz A. (Photographer), 2004, Gothic: Architecture, Sculpture and Painting, Ullmann & Konemann, Paris)

darkness . . .

"It is always dark. Light only hides the darkness."

- Daniel Kian McKiernan, 'Darkness'

nightmare

STUNG BY THE WHIPLASH OF A

MONSTROUS

CATASTROPHE, I AWAKE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, SHOCKED TO

BE PRESENT AT THE MOMENT OF COMPLETE TERMINATION. JUST A

BAD

DREAM

THE PERSISTENT NIGHTMARE OF OUR TIMES

- Helen Chadwick, Allegory of Misrule, 1989

'Law & Order'

'Law & Order'

W Magazine March 2009

Photographer - Steven Meisel

Stylist - Alex White

W Magazines March 2009 issue includes the fashion editorial ‘Law & Order’ depicting the wild antics and unabashed behaviour of juvenile delinquents. The shoot features British girls Daisy Lowe, Peaches Geldof, Eliza Cummings, Portia Freeman, Eden Clark and Amy Greenhouse. The deliberate choice of using Brit-It girls and models all around the age of twenty, rather than a collection of just any models adds another dimension and subsequently infuses deeper connotations. The name of the editorial itself appropriates that of the Television series ‘Law & Order’, telling the fictional stories of crimes within the New York precinct. The juvenile delinquents seem to have run wild causing havoc on the infamous crime filled streets of New York City. Their inability to abide by the laws seems to faze them little, if anything adding to their rebellious reputation, which they view as a device of power.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do . . .

(All images from http://www.wmagazine.com/fashion/2009/03/meisel#slide=1)

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

For as long as I can remember I have always loved the film Beetlejuice (1988). It was the second feature film to be directed by Tim Burton (which is probably why I like it so much). It is the story about a couple Barbara and Adam, who owned a beautiful country house in New England but were killed in a car crash and became trapped in their house as ghosts. Their house is then put up for sale and purchased by the Deetz, a quirky metropolitan family: the artist wife, real-estate agent husband, and Gothic daughter. Barbara and Adam attempt to scare the family out of the house by enlisting help from none other than Betelgeuse, a conniving character from the underworld but he has more than that in mind. If you have not seen this film it is definitely one to watch . . .

Michael Keaton as Betelgeuse

(Image from Movie Mobsters http://www.moviemobsters.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/beetlejuice.png)

Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz, the Gothic daughter that moves into Barbara and Adam's house

(Image from Discosalt – Artist Collective http://discosalt.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/BEETLEJUICE.jpg)

Rebecca Wetzler Illustrator Extraordinaire

Rebecca Wetzler is one of my favourite Illustrators and I love these drawings she did for Marnie Skillings. I find them to be a cute and quirky take on an often dark Gothic object, the skull...

(All images from http://www.rebeccawetzler.com/work/marnie-skillings.html#image3)

never ending love affair with Dr. Martens

Dr. Martens I have recently added to my wish-list...

worn 1460 8 eye boot

purple worn smooth

pascal 8 eye boot

blossom pink buttero

triumph 1914 14 eye boot

black mirage

(All images from http://www.drmartens.com/ProductList.asp?Story=womensoriginal&type=OriginalAll)

the Gothic imagination

“The tendency to delight in fantastic & ludicrous as well as in sublime images is a universal instinct of the Gothic imagination.”

-John Ruskin, The Stones of Venice, 1853

"Taste of Arsenic"

"Taste of Arsenic"

The Face, 1996

Styling by Isabella Blow

Photography by Sean Ellis

Amazing...

the importance of hair and make-up

No matter what garment it is that is going down the catwalk, styling is crucial; it makes the look. I think the hair and make up of Rodarte’s Fall 2010 Ready-to-Wear collection demonstrates this perfectly. The styling for this collection embodies the brands otherworldly charm. The pale skin, dark sunken eyes, purple highlighting on the cheekbones, and slicked down hair, make the models look like the living-dead. Their faces are mysterious and mesmerising. I love the overall look to this collection, as the models look phantom-like floating down the catwalk...

(All images from http://www.style.com/fashionshows/beauty/F2010RTW-RODARTE)