FASHION iDEAL

NANO Future - Fashion TRENDSETTED

2011-04-06T10:25:00.001+03:00

As most of the designers stay in the safety of the good old tradition, some do dear to experiment with new materials and techniques. And that's what I like to call a real designer a real avant garde and a real trendsetter.
At the time of nanotechnology materials and many new possibilities just a few dare to explore, or more or less, the ones that do have the possibility to play with these future materials. But soon to be the design will be all and only about these new materials.
But I do have to admit, I didn't expect Marks & Spencer to go out on the market with tech clothes before the most of the designers did! But no worries, fashion designers do follow, or at least try to. Far from the eyes of the mainstream and far the high street market. One of the first to get involved is certainly Angel Chang that made a kick-start collaborating with hi-tech gurus, back in the 2007, continuing with collections for 2008 but it seems that the designer is to busy partying lately the scene of NY to continue the work. The preview for the SS2011 is on but no collection on the site.
My question is, when will the designers, follow the conceptual ideas of Philips design and other companies already patented the technology for fashion. Not to mention a simple usage of smart fabrics that cant get dirty or don't need ironing, that appeared on the market from 2007. Imagine no dry cleaning and ironing, and no risk for our favorite couture to get ruined!
Guys, wake up its 2011, time to rethink design and catch the step with future and technology.

Just as an example of tech design and smart clothing are the designs of the amazing Husseyn Chalayan.
www.husseinchalayan.com

Sotiris Georgiou - Multidimensional

2011-04-04T11:26:00.001+03:00

During the 13th Athens Fashion Week this video has been presented. All compliments to the team! Effex! Finally the Greek scene presents a hi quality work that goes out of the concept of what we are used to seeing around here. Congratulations and I hope the rest of the creative people in Greece will follow soon. Finally crisis is just the state of mind, and if we treat it like that, we can go further and beyond. My compliments to the designer too!

DaRousso Futumn/Winter 2010-11 Collection FUTURE ETHNO

2010-09-24T11:25:00.000+03:00

Finally the collection is out for the public. Full article and more photos on DaRousso Blog and DaRousso Official Web Page.

Milan Fashion Week s/s 2011

2010-09-23T12:37:00.010+03:00

Milan loves Fashion, it's a protect symbol that has opened this fashion week in Milan. This year, the capital of Prèt à porter has a new costume. The city of Milan became the protagonist of fashion shows and really love its.

As for a new collection for the next spring /summer, could say that after many seasons of basic black even for warm weather styles, the current fashion week is alive with bright shades and bold prints. Many of the collections have a cheery floral inspiration.

SEDUZIONI

VICTORIA BECKHAM

SCERVINO

ROCCOBAROCCO

PRADA

KRIZIA

FENDI

D&G

Sight for the sore eyes: Mykita

2010-09-03T10:00:00.000+03:00

It seems that all the most amazing sunglasses that appear recently on the runway have one thing in common: collaboration with the designer Mykita.

Mykita colaborates with names like Bernhard Willhelm, Marios Schwab and Herr Von Eden. And it is more than obvious that the colaborated designs are rather unconventional.

The most recent one that has been a beautiful surprise, featured above, the Anai, a series designed in collaboration for Alexandre Herchcovitch for his SS 2011 show.

The series was initially inspired by couple of classic frame shapes Herchcovitch always loved, as worn by the iconic architect Le Corbusier himself.

Other interesting designs by Mykita:

Who wears Mykita:

And for the blog addicted, Mykita is blogging too, so if You like to find out more about the brand check it out.

New Jackets!

2010-07-14T12:04:00.000+03:00

Ever since I started doing custom made men jackets for The Fade I'm in search for interesting and kind a different point of view on this very common and old garment. And until recently it was quite hard to find something to spark some interest. Mostly quite boring stuff. But recently the men jacket started changing and from quite boring, for some designers, it became really cool and fun: communicating color, patchwork, graphic, paint, stripes, unconventional cut but totaly wearable. I love each one of them!!!!

Music & Fashion joined forces

2010-07-12T12:20:00.002+03:00

DaRousso - a fashion brand & The Fade - young talented group had joined forces! Read about this fantastic colaboration on the DaRousso official blog.

DaRousso Official Blog

Fashion Camp in Milan

2010-06-15T21:21:00.008+03:00

Last weekend Milan hosted the first Fashion Camp. What was the Fashion camp? It was two days non-conference which compared the mainstream of fashion, the independents, new technologies and ethical fashion through workshops, presentations and collaborations.

The most important event for experts took stock of where we are, how we are evolving and what will be the future models. Two days of professional fashion designers, innovators, bloggers, big brands, fashion lovers who could meet, share, teach and discuss the future of fashion in a horizontal way.

The FashionCamp was planned as a BarCamp or non-conference and is therefore an open meeting in which the actions arose from the desire to share and learn in an open environment.

But talking was not the only thing in the camp: Participants were involved in a series of workshops and events organized for the occasion.It was very fun and excited.

Ethical fashion, aesthetics of reuse, E-commerce, new community for new consumers, Style Surfing, artistic influences and land use, stylish & Social networks are just some of the themes that animate the non-conference of FashionCamp.

And not only, the FashionCamp also hosted the four winners of the Italian Next Fashion Talents, organized to find new talents in Italian fashion of category Evening, Pret-à-porter, StreetWear and Eco-glam.

VIA PARIS!

2010-05-16T19:43:00.000+03:00

If You happen to be as lucky as I was, to find Yourself in Paris these days, make sure You don't miss the Fashion history exhibition at the Museum of Decorative Arts named:" Histoire ideal de la mode contemporairie - les plus beaux defiles de 1971 a nos jours". It is located at the same venue with the famous Louvre Museum: Palais du Louvre, 107, rue de Rivoli , 75001 Paris and for a modest price of 9 euro You are invited to a magic journey into the fashion world. This journey is accompanied not only by the famous designs that I was able to see live and close ( but behind the glass), but also with the videos of the long forgotten fashion shows of the great names from the 70's, 80's and 90's.

With 150 rooms and 40 iconic movies, there are 20 years of collections that are screened at the Museum of Decorative Arts.
This is the parade of Yves Saint Laurent in 1971, which opens the door and that of Jean Paul Gaultier in 1990 that the fence with his collection "the report pious.
The history of the ideal mode reveals its contemporary collections made by the most influential couturiers and designers less known to the public.
Thus, throughout the exhibition , visitors relive the major stylistic changes that have taken 70-90 years: Between the widespread phenomenon of "Ready-to-use" of the 70s to the desire for independence and extravagance 1980s, the whole history of how contemporary these years is presented here.
The designers chosen to represent the 70s and 80s Yves Saint Laurent, Jean Muir, Stoneware, Issey Miyake, Sonia Rykiel, Chloe by Karl Lagerfeld, Dorothee Bis, Cacharel, Kenzo, and Ter BANTINE by Chantal Thomass, Claude Montana, Thierry Mugler Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, Popy Moreni, Yohji Yamamoto, Comme des Garcons, Marc Audibet, Anne-Marie Beretta, Romeo Gigli, Sybilla, Azzedine Alaia, Karl Lagerfeld Chanel, Christian Lacroix and Jean Paul Gaultier.

It was such an excitement to see all these famous master-peaces gathered all in one place. It was quite a discovery to see the secret stitching and finishes on the garments as well as educative. The videos of the fashion defiles just open an another perspective much different that we nowadays have about the catwalk. Finally it is definitely a must see.

Information Expo "History of the ideal mode today, the 70s and 80s "

Venue: Museum of Decorative Arts, 75001 Paris
Date: April 1 to October 10, 2010
Hours: Open Tuesday to Sunday from 11h to 18h and Thursday from 11h to 21h
Entry Price: 9 €

Dirty Housewives

2010-05-11T16:50:00.007+03:00

Dirty Housewives project embodies a sadistic and unchained transformation of housewives daily slavery tools, revisited as wearable trophies.

Pictures refer to the four different materials used (Brooms, mops, steel scourers and sponges). The collection includes twelve items: one t-shirt, one dress and one accessory for each material.

The Dirtyhouse ideals grow from the will to smash the social axioms about the connection between humans and domestic walls promoting new beliefs where caos means order, impulses mean spontaneity and rebellion stands for fervor.

This project just one of the of expressions of the concept that manifests itself thug the gerneral dirsuption fo the role of daily life objects. (under construction)

Vote! Vote! Vote!

2010-05-06T02:05:00.000+03:00

Vote for Θεόδωρος Λεβεντάκης - Moving Fibers on Triumph Contest. Thodoris is a friend of mine, collegue and a fellow student and most important of all extremely talented!!! And whoever knows me, knows I'm not easy on giving such statements. Besides all this, I took part in the creation of his amazing design. So don't be lazy and vote for Thodori!!!

http://www.tiagreece2010.com/gr/inspirationaward.html

We love Hair!!!

2010-04-27T22:08:00.006+03:00

” I dont want to Separate Hair in Fashion, I want the two to come together ” ” I want the Hair, Make up and Fashion to Fuse Together! “ Peter Gray Hair Stylist

Here are some amazing hairstyles I stumbled upon on the course of my research for unusual and breathtaking role-models in fashion and image making industry. Because the styling is so important in the presentation, it completes the whole picture, it can create a strong image, enhance the design or destroy it. It is a powerful weapon that can sell almost anything.

I loved Peter Gray, a well known hairstylist that styled the modern model divas for Vogue, i-D, Numero and V magazine, also worked on the Catwalk hairstyle for Vivienne Westwood and Badgley Mischka for S/S2010.

Another impressing hairstylist I stumbled upon is definitely Robert Maschive.

I loved also the portfolio of the Gregory Dean duo. Gregory Dean stands for Ben Gregory and Dean Beavis and represents ultimate duo with a impressive CV in fashion and image making.

I have to mention Oliver Chomienne also among the top hairstylists I liked.  He has a unique  style which ranges from natural beauty to one-of-a-kind pieces for high  end concepts.   After years of working in some of the top salons, he is  now expanding into the world of editorial hairstyling , runway work,  and art exhibitions. He is known for his conceptual abilities and  positive energy. 

Julie Johnson, illustrating fashion

2010-04-20T18:59:00.007+03:00

After graduating from art school, which included graduate study at Parsons School of Design in New York City, Julie Johnson’s fashion illustration career began in the early 1980’s by doing ads for Bloomingdale’s department store.

Over twenty years later, she was hired to do ads for the store again under completely different creative directors, who still recognized the beauty and skill of her individual, fresh fashion illustration style.

Awards for her work have spanned the decades including those from Communication Arts Illustration Annual in 1984, Society of Illustrators “Best of Fashion Illustration” for three awards in 1993, and again in 2006 for Best of Illustration. She considers her full roster of clients award enough and enjoys drawing fashion more than anything.

“It’s the combination of colors, line and shape with the human form and the personality. Nowhere but in fashion, do you get that explosive combination,” Julie says. “Not only do I love drawing fashion, but I love the people that stand out as personalities in fashion, who exude their own creative, and oftentimes, outrageous style. Dancers, performers and anyone who is comfortable in their own skin are also favorites of mine to draw.”

Her skill at drawing the figure has pulled her into other areas for clients such as book covers for romance novels by Jackie Collins. Her portrait of Anna Wintour for the cover of a book on the fashion editors life was captured in a few quick strokes of brush and ink. Her work has been seen in the Wall Street Journal, Fortune Magazine, the New York Times, Womens Wear Daily, and on posters, beauty products, and inside books by Oprah Winfrey.

Julie Johnson has lived in both New York City and San Francisco for over twenty years. She is now settled in the Midwest of the United States, enjoying how the internet makes it easy to find clients internationally and working out of an art studio that is converted from an old brick school house in the middle of beautiful farmland.

During the month of April 2010, look for her work to be on billboards and walls throughout New York City’s Union Square subway station. Eighty-eight separate ads will showcase her fashion drawings for Filene’s Basement, a discount retailer in the United States.

For more of Julie Johnson’s work, click on the links below.

www.juliejohnsonart.com
www.lebook.com
http://juliejohnsonart.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/pages/Julie-Johnson-Art

Disney illustrates the famous designers!

2010-04-18T17:22:00.003+03:00

Unbelievably so, the Spanish Elle April 2010 features a animated story by Disney with the famous designers like Karl Lagerfield, John Galliano, Alber Elbaz, Marc Jacobs and others. The designers are represented in a comic story editorial by Ulrich Schröder. It is amazing how cute they look in the imaginary world. Instead of creating one for us, in this imaginary story they are the main protagonists.

Handbag Paradise in Amsterdam!

2010-04-17T15:22:00.002+03:00

If You are visiting Amsterdam, make sure You go to the Museum of handbags and purses. Believe me its worth visiting. The Museum of Bags and Purses contains more than 3,500 bags and accessories that illustrate the history of women's purses in Western culture. The museum, including a cafe, is in a 17th century building at 573 Herengracht, behind Rembrandtplein. It is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, except Christmas and New Year's. For all the bag lovers it is indeed a paradise. The Museum of Bags and Purses displays the history of the western handbag from the late Middle Ages right up to the present. The collection provides a fascinating picture of how the bag has changed over the centuries in terms of function, form, material and decoration.

The modern part of the collection features, among others, the splendid examples of the Jugenstil and Art Deco period, evening bags and vanity-cases and of course the bags of famous designers (such as Schiaparelli, Pierre Cardin, Paco Rabanne, Yves Saint Laurent, Gianni Versace, Judith Leiber, Paul Smith, Alexander McQueen, Lulu Guinness, Tom Ford) and the bags of famous labels (including Gucci, Hermès, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Donna Karan, MiuMiu, Chloé and Fendi).

The most interesting part of the collection for me personally were the bags that are totaly unconventional bags in terms of shape. As well as some legendary bags featured in movies like Sex and the City like the legendary cupcake bag.

These are just a few examples of what You can see in the museum. For additional information visit The official web site of the Museum. Besides all the beautiful bags You can see, the Museum has a shop where You may shop for bags and also some replica bags of the exponents are available too.

Kikka&Kitten, get dressed for success by Shu Uemura

2010-04-08T18:16:00.009+03:00

Milan design week 2010 is showing up this year full of surprises and unmissable events such as the design combined with the make-up signed Kikka & Kitten by Shu Uemura.

The Colombian designer Ericka Olaya Andrade - Kikka pays homage to nature, proposing on her creations the spectrum of rainbow colours.

As always Kikka’s kittens dressed with fabrics and natural materials, innovative and eco-friendly, from cashmere to organic cotton, felt to the renewable tissues Ingeo ®, some of which are selected in the international platform ecosustainable CLASS (Creativity Lifestyle and Sustainable Synergy).

Following the motto of the legendary Japanese make-up artist Shu Uemura art of beautiness, Kikka&Kitten exceeds the boundaries of imagination by giving her kittens to the make up artist beloved by Hollywood stars, creating exceptional artworks under which combine art, nature and Design.

Addicted!

2010-04-08T09:53:00.000+03:00

I can not really hide my enthusiasm with footwear, to be more precise, with totaly unconventional high heel footwear. Yes! Shoes may be my fetish, but what about these crazy designs? Don't You all just love them?!

Creative crisis - recycling!

2010-04-05T01:10:00.002+03:00

I can't really hide my slight disappointment with the creative crisis hitting the catwalks. I know that the economical factors had to influence the fashion but did it really have to be so much? Buying arty, crazy and out of ordinary designs sure is. Where the designer decides to break the rules and do something different, its where its righteous to be awarded. Mostly designers in the crisis decide to offer more conventional solutions that are 100% commercial and wearable, because the art is luxury and in such times its hard to sell.

But on the other hand don't we all have thousands of conventional designs in our closet? And for some people, like me, it is unfair that we need to face creative crisis besides the economical.

Recycling in fashion can be quite interesting in fact. Using different solutions and ideas, being surrealistic can indeed be the answer and it doesn't have to be expensive. Just a bit of glue, pins, needle, and whatever sparks the interest, can be the perfect improvisation and totally liberating! Not to mention unique! As a new designer, without the possibility of the industry and technology supporting big names, it was just a thought from the consumer point of view, how to put a bit of uniqueness in the slightly boring trends for the fall winter 2010-11. Besides that, some quite out of ordinary recycled fashion will perfectly fit the conventional 100% wearable clothes because it will give it a perfect twist and a totally personalized look. Just to break the monotony of the uniform look that generally dominated the recent catwalks.
While I was simply admiring some unique designs, creations above fashion and ultimate (un)wearable art, I came across the idea that just anyone can create something different with a bit of imagination.

These might spark some interest and just put You on the right thinking: that just anything can do the trick. Some designers in the past really made a statement with recycled style accessories, and we all remember the jeans skirt made out of old pair of jeans as well as how easy is to make a personalized T-shirt.

Also by reusing old stuff and recycling You are looking after the nature and besides being experimental and creative, it is ecological.

Are we ethical???

2010-03-10T13:10:00.002+02:00

Officially the new season has started. As the weather is getting warmer, we all are forced to reorganize our closet and renew our wardrobe. The right thing to do is to invest into creations that are designer signed and will last all season and certainly seasons to come.

With all this talk about the economical crisis and a bit less money in our pockets, we all feel a bit down when it comes to shopping. Its a bit hard to make a decision sometimes when it comes to choosing between the cheap clothes and designer label.
What should we buy? As a professional in fashion business I may suggest we should be more ethical! That means that it is better to choose a designer label and better yet one signed by the local designer and produced locally instead of cheap label clothes produced in third world countries.

Why? Becouse besides the risk that the other girl on the party may wear the same dress You are wearing, the cheap clothes are not good quality, do not last long - sometimes not even a whole season, are made by poor people working even up to 18 hours a day in poor conditions where mostly their basic human rights are not respected and kids that are poorly payed and should be playing and enjoying their childhood instead sewing your jeans. Not to mention that these clothes are made from fabric that causes danger to the surrounding because they are produced in countries that do not apply the ecological regulations for environmental protection and million other reasons.

In the end we have to ask ourselves if this is ethical? No! By buying this kind of clothes we support such industry based on exploiting people and endangering the planet.

The local designer clothes may be pricey but that is for the very reason that the law obliges the designers to pay their employees right and they respect the nature since all the active ecological regulations within EU are obliging for all. In the light of the economical crisis and more significant the local economical crisis we should consider being more ethical and support local industry by purchasing products made locally and maybe even more important support politics that respect human rights and the workers and do not present a treat to our beautiful nature.

In economy it actually acts as a chain reaction: the designer has a team behind him of people that produce clothes, deliver them, shops etc, it is the whole fashion industry. The fashion industry works closely with the sectors like media, advertising, publishing, production sector of fashion industry inputs, also fashion sectors and designers support a lot of charity organizations that help millions of people in need and many many other. So the well-being of the fashion industry means also good news for the rest of the people connected to it. If these people have steady work, earn money they are able to spend it also in different sectors for food, entertainment, health, etc which ends up with regular money flow and quicker way to our recovery from the crisis. This means that we are all able to work, be payed and minimize the bad impact of the economical crisis.

So be ethical and shop locally! We have so many excellent designers locally and many people working in fashion industry that should keep their job. If its little as that we all can help and make our contribution for our country, support local industry and help the word crisis find its way out of our everyday talk.
So be ethical and enjoy shopping!

DaRousso in Italy

2010-02-25T17:52:00.002+02:00

After so much interest for DaRousso in Italy, DaRousso Fashion is taking a step forward. The Italian fashion/lifestyle Guide has published an Interview with the chief Designer.
More news coming up soon!

http://milanice.com/darousso-by-dusanka-duric/1733/

DaRousso sales.....F/W 2009-10 collection

2010-02-11T02:22:00.002+02:00

The Winter Collection PAPER MOON 2009-10 is on sales.

DREAM FASHION CLUB - 58, KIPROU AVENUE - ARGIROUPOULI - ATHENS - 210 9915168

DaRousso blog

2010-02-09T01:39:00.000+02:00

I just couldn't figure out how to put the DaRousso blog separately, but to create its own. The DaRousso blog is born!!!!

http://darousso.blogspot.com/

The Fashion Ideal stays my blog. It is going to be a blog where I can write about other things, research, funny unimportant stuff or whatever on a more casual basis. Since DaRousso is growing I had to get serious... Thanks God!! We are getting buyers, orders and things are moving, video clips, theater and many of my personal projects. Too much work lately, so I had to put order to it: DaRousso is for the fashion brand, Fashion Ideal is for everything else. Enjoy!

Ethno trends in modern fashion history

2010-02-09T01:28:00.001+02:00

Ethnic fashion has been and still is an ultimate source of inspiration, coming in and out of fashion countless times. Starting from the 19th century and later Jaques Ducett and Paul Poiret, the oriental Japanese style came into the fashion. Names like Jeanne Paquin, Callot Soeurs, Charles Frederik Worth, Mariano Fortuny, Madeleine Vionnet, Jeanne Lanvin, Madame Gres and others followed the early 20th centry ethnic frenzy. Even before, trough the conquests of India and Africa and the American Natives, the European culture had been influenced by the flamboyant style, new fabrics, colors, shapes, forms and motifs that opened a new chapter in prestige and luxury. Trough trade and exchange the influences mixed to create an amazing and magical fusion.

Ethnic fashion has Indeed always been extremely rich source of inspiration to the creative minds in fashion. The second half of the 20th century brought Japanese ethnic fashion to Europe trough designs of Kenzo, Myake, Kawakubo and Yamamoto translating the ethnic into modern trend.They had stirred the Paris fashion scene with their fusion collections incorporating futuristic modern vision and ethnic.
The famous Yves Saint Laurent with his exotic and wild ethnic style revolutionized the modern couture by braking out of the 60's modernist style and was the first to create the ethnic "back to nature" 70' style. In the 70's every type of ethnic image set a trend. The ethnic influence was so strong that it revived craft skills from past times and distant places. Ethnic fashion and style trends became popular due to the broader travel experience. 80's ethnic style was represented mainly in jewelery, accessories and fabric design. We all remember New Romantics and icons like Boy George and Cindy Lauper. 90's bring Chinese collars and prints, motifs for inside of garments and affordable embroidery and beedwork.

The last 10 years, fashion witnessed many ethnic inspired collections. The ethnic revives itself in fusion with other influences as fusion itself and it ranges from very light application of ethnic details to the total look as the culmination of the ethnic frenzy. After the gourmet fusion of tastes, the trend definitely passes over to fashion and the fusion of ethnic as its basic ingredient.

Author of the text: Dusanka Duric
Text is just a chapter from the DaRousso research project called Balkan Kingdom, All Rights Reserved

2.2

2010-02-01T20:22:00.001+02:00

A new fashion photo shoot took place recently. An excellent team got together and did the magic:
photo: Harris Farsarakis Studio 2.2
hair styling: George Marascas
make up artist: Ilia
clothes: DaRousso s/s 2010 by Dusanka Duric
assistance: Roxani @ Apostolis
Thanks to all of them!
Enjoy!

DaRousso in CHEW Magazine

2010-01-01T15:39:00.001+02:00

One big apology for being late to let You know whats going on. I've been in a terrible mess with my dissertation.... But that doesn't stop things from rolling. And I'm proud to announce that our work has been published in CHEW Magazine, The red issue under the title THE PRINCESS OF THE RED KINGDOM on pages 86-91. Check it on http://www.chewthemagazine.com/. Its easy and free, just register and sign in, and believe me its spam free. It is a serious on-line magazine for fashion and art.
The Shooting took place in Greece actually tree months ago, but we couldn't announce it before the magazine was out. Even the clothes are DaRousso, not all the designs are a part of collections but were specially made for the shoot and are available upon request. The rest are mainly from the fall-winter 2009-10 collection Papermoon.

Congratulations to the whole team for creating THE PRINCESS OF THE RED KINGDOM. Thanks to Marina for wonderful Make - Up, thanks to Fenia for being patient and bringing her soul in everything she does, thanks to Liss for being so inspirational and wonderful. It was such a pleasure working with You guyz!

Fashion Confessions Interview on Fashion-Icon.gr

2009-11-14T03:07:00.003+02:00

Dusanka Duric’s Confessions

November 13th / Aπό: Danai / Στη κατηγορία : Fashion Confessions

Γνώρισα τη Dusanka κατά την παρουσίαση της δεύτερης collection της στα πλαίσια της Athens Xclusive Designers Week (θεσμό που κινείται παράλληλα με το Athens Fashion Week) και εντυπωσιάστηκα από τη δουλειά της. Της ζήτησα να μας μιλήσει για αυτή και αμέσως δέχτηκε. Βρεθήκαμε, λοιπόν, ένα πρωινό για καφέ και ακολούθησε μια «εξομολόγηση» σχετικά με την ίδια, τη φίρμα της DaRousso και το πώς έφτασε να παρουσιάζει για το AXDW.
Fashion-icon: Διαβάζοντας το βιογραφικό σου βλέπουμε ότι έχεις κάνει σπουδές οικονομικών και μια πετυχημένη καριέρα ως οικονομολόγος. Πώς προέκυψαν οι σπουδές και η ενασχόλησή σου με τη μόδα?
Dusanka Duric: Ανέκαθεν το όνειρο μου ήταν να ασχοληθώ με τη μόδα. Ξεκίνησα να φτιάχνω ρούχα για τις κούκλες μου και κατέληξα να φτιάχνω μέχρι και για τη μαμά μου.
Ωστόσο, στη Σερβία ήταν αδύνατον να ασχοληθώ με αυτό, λόγω των δύσκολων πολιτικών και οικονομικών συνθηκών που επικρατούσαν. Όλα αυτά με οδήγησαν στις οικονομικές σπουδές. Αργότερα ήρθα στην Ελλάδα για δουλειές και μια μέρα, περνώντας τυχαία από μία σχολή μόδας αποφάσισα να ασχοληθώ με αυτό που πάντα ήθελα. Αν και αντιμετώπισα πολλές δυσκολίες κατάφερα να αποφοιτήσω από τη σχολή αριστούχος.
F-I: Μίλησε μας για τη δεύτερη collection σου που παρουσίασες στα πλαίσια της 6^ης Athens Xclusive Designers Week, η οποία μάλιστα βραβεύθηκε με το βραβείο Best Catwalk.
D.D: Ναι, ήταν κάτι που δεν περίμενα καθόλου και πραγματικά με χαροποίησε.
Δουλεύοντας την collection μου για την άνοιξη και το καλοκαίρι του 2010 ήρθα αντιμέτωπη με αξίες και αρχές που βρίσκονται σε «κρίση» στην εποχή μας. Με την εισβολή της τεχνολογίας σχεδόν σε κάθε τομέα της ζωής μας καταλήξαμε να έχουμε απομακρυνθεί από τους εαυτούς μας. Η αναζήτηση για κάτι νέο και ανώτερο, μας έχει οδηγήσει στη μοναξιά και την απόκλιση από τον ίδιο μας τον εαυτό. Αγγίξαμε την κορυφή της εκμετάλλευσης του γύρω κόσμου μας με άλλοθι την επιβίωση, όπου ο σκοπός αγιάζει τα μέσα και σταματήσαμε να ενδιαφερόμαστε για οτιδήποτε συμβαίνει γύρω μας.
Σε όλα αυτά να προσθέσουμε και την επίδραση που έχει η τεχνολογική αυτή «πρόοδος» του ανθρώπου στο φυσικό περιβάλλον, το οποίο καθημερινά απειλείται.
Επιβάλλεται, λοιπόν, η επιστροφή σε συγκεκριμένες αξίες, που προβάλλουν την αληθινή, γήινη ομορφιά και έναν άνθρωπο που ζει σε αρμονία με το περιβάλλον.
Η collection μου περιλαμβάνει στοιχεία από την πολιτιστική κληρονομιά της ανατολικής Ευρώπης με όλη την ποικιλομορφία που αυτή παρουσιάζει. Υπάρχουν αναφορές στην αρχαία Ελλάδα και στοιχεία από το ethno της Σερβίας (βλ. πλεξούδες), σε αρμονία με σύγχρονες γραμμές και πιο ασυνήθιστα υλικά (π.χ. σχοινιά).
Ρόλο έπαιξαν και οι παρούσες οικονομικές συνθήκες, που μου επέβαλλαν απλές φόρμες και γραμμές, υφάσματα ελαφριά, καλοκαιρινά, τα οποία μπορούν να φορεθούν όλες τις ώρες και μπορεί να στηρίξει σχεδόν κάθε σωματότυπος.
Τα κοσμήματα που «έντυσαν» τη συλλογή είναι χειροποίητα, εμπνευσμένα από την αφρικανική τέχνη, με γυάλινες χάντρες φτιαγμένα από τη θεία μου (Dusanka Duric και αυτή) και μοναδικά κομμάτια από τη συλλογή Bres by Teti.
F-I: Η φωτογράφηση έγινε στο Μαραθώνα, στην περιοχή που κάηκε το καλοκαίρι από καταστροφικές πυρκαγιές. Γιατί διάλεξες το συγκεκριμένο τοπίο?
D.D: Το σκεπτικό πίσω από τη φωτογράφηση είναι να καταδείξουμε όλα τα άσχημα πράγματα που κάνουμε στη φύση και καταστρέφουμε ό,τι έχει απομείνει από αυτή. Θέλαμε να κάνουμε μια δραματική φωτογράφηση, να δώσουμε την εικόνα μιας γυναίκας που ήρθε από το παρελθόν και υποφέρει με όσα συμβαίνουν σήμερα. Στόχος ήταν να περάσουμε ένα μήνυμα της αφύπνισης.
Οι καμένες εκτάσεις στο Μαραθώνα δείχνουν ακριβώς το μέγεθος της καταστροφής που γίνεται από τον άνθρωπο. Ελπίζω να αφυπνιστούμε για τα προβλήματα που υπάρχουν γύρω μας και να συμβάλουμε στην επίλυση τους. Ταυτόχρονα να ενθαρρύνουμε τη μοναδικότητα και την προσωπικότητα του καθενός, την προσωπική έκφραση, κόντρα στις δυνάμεις μαζοποίησης.
Φωτογράφος ήταν η Φένια Λαμπροπούλου, Make Up Artist η Μαρίνα Κουτσουμπά, μοντέλο η Liss Bowens, ενώ το styling και τα μαλλιά τα επιμελήθηκα η ίδια.
F-I: Μίλησε μας λίγο για το ThetaMAG, στην ομάδα του οποίου ανήκεις.
D.D: Το ThetaMAG είναι ένα καινούριο free press περιοδικό, η ομάδα του οποίου αποτελείται από φωτογράφους, στυλίστες και ενδυματολόγους, με περιεχόμενο κατά βάση τη μόδα. Είναι μια διαδικασία μέσα από την οποία όλοι, σαν επαγγελματίες μαθαίνουμε και ερχόμαστε σε επαφή με καινούργια πράγματα. Τώρα ετοιμάζεται το 4^ο τεύχος του. Εγώ είμαι υπεύθυνη για την ύλη που αφορά shopping tips και τάσεις της μόδας και κάνω και μια μελέτη για διαφημίσεις.
Photos from DaRousso Catwalk Spring/Summer 2010:
…παρατηρείστε τα γήινα χρώματα και τις απλές, λιτές γραμμές, με έμφαση ορισμένες λεπτομέριες…
Credit from the shooting “Burnt Dreams”
photo: Fenia Lampropoulou
make-up: Marina Koutsoumpa
model: Liss Bouwens
styling and hair: Dusanka Duric
clothes: DaRousso
jewellery: Dusanka Duric, Bres by Teti
Επόμενο βήμα για την Dusanka και το DaRousso είναι η προετοιμασία ανδρικής collection για την επόμενη σεζόν και κάποιες φωτογραφήσεις της υπάρχουσας. Να της ευχηθούμε καλή επιτυχία σε ό,τι κι αν κάνει και σίγουρα έχουμε πολλά να περιμένουμε από αυτήν στο μέλλον.
Danai**

DaRousso Spring - Summer Collection 2010 on AXDW

2009-11-12T03:33:00.004+02:00

Fashion Invasion

2009-11-08T21:45:00.018+02:00

Just before the DaRousso show on AXDW, we did a wonderful photo-shoot. When I say we, I mean Fenia Lampropoulou, photographer and a dear friend, and also Marina Koutsoumpa, make up artist and a friend. We were shooting with an excellent model Tyrin Achiele from Fashion Cult.

It really was hard to shoot in the rain in the cold that day. And we just couldn't call it off because it was 2 days before the Show and we needed the material for the show.

The styling of the shoot was the alien woman look: hair was shaped into the elongated profile of the extraterrestrial head shape. The face was matte and pale with flesh color rouge lips and dramatic, super eyes. Eyes had a deep distant look, somehow calm and indifferent - clean! The characteristics of the face are in the second plan, the make - up brings out the superior, strong and indifferent physics of a creature from another planet. The move and the feeling of the whole shoot was different.

I didn't wanted to follow a fashion shoot cliche. That was easy. We tried to move the philosophy behind the collection trough the actual mood of the shoot. This is why the general expression of the model is observatory, relaxed and powerless, and finally upset and angry. Just like I really picture a felling of facing the human degradation, natural destruction and economical crisis that we all witness today, and which inspired me to design this collection.

The shoot took place in nature, no industrial surrounding (been there- done that), because the nature gave the perfect frame for the whole story.
If anyone would notice that each landscape has something....... that just spoils the picture of a perfect nature balance: the cloudy sky, land erosion, metal sticks in the beach, the dry broken bamboo like plants, the tree that has dramatically shaped roots and it is growing from the side of the hill, dry, naked roots......

It is all a message to be passed, the message that fashion is not just being pretty, its not just about beauty, it is about passion and awareness, it is about passing a message. This is my fashion, right now that is how I feel. This time I designed not consulting the trends or fashion forecasts. I let myself free and I designed consulting life and world around me.
Hope You take the message.

The BEST CATWALK AWARD goes to DaRousso!!!

2009-11-06T18:42:00.002+02:00

After the show, it was obvious that the show got very good critics. Everyone was saying praise for the new collection. The styling was an alien woman look, with high rise hair shaping the head into the alien life form head. The make up was fleshy lips, natural, with dramatic shade over the eye, distinguishing the superiority of the idol woman that wears the designs. The designs, as I already wrote, have simple line, but they are not simple. The designs involve structural construction on ropes and decorative details. The collection surely inspired by the local ethnic details, return the time to the past trying to bring us closer to the nature we are so much neglecting nowadays. The colors used are earth colors with deep symbolism: beige, green, brown, white, orange, blue, red. On the other hand the collection is following the demand of the modern economical situation to be easy fitting to different body types, so they are slightly universal to a modern woman and her everyday rhythm. The collection consists of handmade jewlery inspired by the African art that is so needed detail to complete the whole collection. The peaces are big, bright and strong colors, and they perfectly combine with the clothes.
And finally, after the show, and after every ones great response, the prize came. DaRousso was awarded with THE BEST CATWALK AWARD. It really came as a surprise as I personally didn't expect anything. But the judges responded well to the presentation of the show, and took their decision.
I'm grateful for all the help and support from the people involved on creating of the winner show.

DaRousso on 6th AXDW

2009-10-20T08:54:00.001+03:00

Finally, we are proud to present the Spring Summer 2010 fashion show within the 6th Athens Xclusive Designers Week. The show will take place on Sunday 1st of November at 19:00 for all interested. The invitations will be sent from our facebook group page. So become a member!
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=74803991243&ref=ts

The story

2009-10-03T16:16:00.001+03:00

Finally the material from the "Burnt dreams" is in! The first story of our Spring Summer 2010 collection is completed. Congratulations to the whole team : Fenia Lampropoulou photographer, Marina Koutsoumpa Make Up, Liss Bouwens model and me, Dusanka Duric designer, hair and styling.

We already talked about the inspiration on the theme and its complete philosophy in the post "Somewhere on the edge" that gave us a starting point of our story telling in hope that we'll awake awareness on certain issues around us, awareness that shall contribute to the salving the problems leading to the ecological catastrophe and to the destruction of life.

The story again promotes the individuality and personality, its totally against uni-formation of style and the tendency of identifying ourselves as a part of a group. Yes we all belong to a certain group, but is it really necessary to give up our personal expression because of that? In the age of variety and no utilities why do we tend to create them? Is it a safe ground to walk on, or would we feel much more comfortable to walk proudly expressing our own individual sense of style, our personal interpretation of beauty and fashion?

Just looking into the past, when a man lived more closer to his nature to himself, can't we find many answers to our modern problems? As we reached the peak in development as a civilization, we reached the bottom of the moral existence and respect towards one another. We reached a peak in exploitation in terms of survival, where the target justifies the mean and where we stopped caring at all about anything around us.

Its like putting up a show each time we walk out on the street with the style that is not an expression of a personality but a manipulated choice by the desperate battle to make an impression and a statement. Just a step back away from the ordinary and a step further into ourselves would make more than an impression and would certainly make a hell of a statement.....

Burnt dreams

2009-09-28T04:05:00.003+03:00

The first photo shoot took place with the new collection of the aspiring brand DaRousso for spring- summer 2010. It was an amazing experience for us all. The philosophy described in the previous post "Somewhere on the edge" made its path through the entire mood of the story captured by the photographer Fenia Lampropoulou. The creative pulse of all the members of the team: me, Fenia Lampropoulou, MUA Marina Koutsoumpa and the model Liss Bouwens, brought to the amazing atmosphere on the photos. This is just a small preview of the material that shall be published in complete very soon.

The shoot took place on the ashes of the burned woods of the Marathonos and it points out the drama of the catastrophe that was created by the human hand. The destruction of the nature and its beauty, the dark force and its unstoppable beat had taken over a magic place and transformed it into nothing more than ashes. The sad story of human ignorance should teach us how not to repeat the same mistakes.
This is a tribute to the life and beauty, in hope it will be reborn from its ashes.

Somewhere on the edge

2009-09-20T21:09:00.011+03:00

In the process of creating my new collection for DaRousso and trying to make a more free approach to the wearable fashion, I came across a lot of inspiration in our civilization and the world we live in. Our geo-historical heritage, the speed of the ecological destruction, our distancing from ourselves in search for new and superior and the general abandoning of our tradition led us to the edge of loneliness and personality deviation. As I tried to reach back for these long lost times of natures innocence and human pureness I came across a great deal of inspiration for my new collection. Rich in detail but still very structural and modern, the designs are inspired by the east European heritage in all its mixed variety.

The idea of looking back into the soul and personal value of a man that lives from and in harmony with its surrounding led me to the beauty of the fact that we can forget about making a statement and fitting into a role and just be different, pure and celebrating our nature and heritage in a modern way. And finally there is still a lot to learn from our past that we can use to live better in our present and future.

Introducing the Fashion Ideal

2009-07-10T15:22:00.005+03:00

The Fashion Ideal, was just a thought - a thought to connect with all the mind-like people in the business that share the same passion for art and its creation. And suddenly there was an idea to try to reach for them. So many scattered, lonely souls around this planet that somehow do not fit into the industry just because they don't believe in the creative exploitation of others, and never the less the being creatively exploited by others. Our society is based on certain rules, even more the fashion world is based on "certain rules". These rules clearly point to the integration and belonging to a group, or otherwise there is no survival. Finally, the theory says that in the age of communication, we are able to create our own group, our own little fighting brigade and break the rules of exploitation, creativity destruction and only self-preservation. Is it really possible?