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  • Fuuma
    Senior Member
    • Sep 2006
    • 4050

    Originally posted by Geoffrey B. Small View Post
    In fact Fuuma, while I was up last weekend at Pollyanna, I actually received a special request by one of their clients to make an all white version of the low model, just as you mentioned, which we will be making for him. He is a collector, and we will be researching very seriously for the right leather to execute the piece and ensure that it is very rare and very special. If the client allows, will try to post a photo when done. Nice to hear from you by the way and hope you are well...Best wishes, Geoffrey

    ps. interesting tip on the book, the author is one of the co-founders of the Palais de Tokyo, right?
    Yes, he's the relational aesthetics guy. I wanted to provide a counterpoint so we can explore "the creator as a DJ" as a valid artistic approach. This is of course very different from merely "stealing" ideas you think will sell to deliver a mishmash of incoherent garbage but let's not throw away the baby with the bathwater...

    Looking forward to pictures of the white shoes. Finding the right white leather must have been quite arduous, vintage pieces in that colour are few and far between.
    Selling CCP, Harnden, Raf, Rick etc.
    http://www.stylezeitgeist.com/forums...me-other-stuff

    Comment

    • hobo
      Senior Member
      • Jul 2009
      • 301

      On the subject of plagiarism, Mr Fuuma, I can't believe that you're still using my speed dating joke and not giving me props!!!

      Geoffrey will stop talking to you!
      "I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying." — Oscar Wilde

      Comment

      • Geoffrey B. Small
        Senior Member
        • Nov 2007
        • 618

        On DJ's and Art

        Yes, Fuuma, you are absolutely right. I totally agree with you.

        In fact, I am as guilty as anyone at playing the fashion DJ--the main body of our recycling work during the 90's involved a pioneering and intense exploration into finding, selecting, cutting and metamorphisizing existing garments into entirely new forms, combinations and uses; and forming entire collections based upon thematic concepts and messages about greed, violence, speed, the hypocrisy of the fashion industry we were working in, and many other contemporary subjects (ref. "Typical American", "Neo-Lux","Take your glamour and shove it", "Racer Futur", "Homme Bleu'',"American Casual Style","College", "Skag Boys", "Neo-Country", "Revolution", and "Invisible")...all using pieces of clothing that originally had been made by somebody else before us and were no longer needed. Without knowing it, we were actually paralleling Robert Rauschenberg's final main body of work that was being developed during the very same period, eventually called "Gluts" which was just shown for the first time this year at Peggy Guggenheim in Venice during the Biennale, with new forms created from recycled detritus along a similar message. No doubt, this kind of thing was in the air at that time among alert minds and circles. It was new. And it was very exciting.

        But I must caution that later it became much more mainstream and more and more people starting trying to to do the same thing, but for different reasons and very much on a different level. Perhaps there can be a saturation point or maturity level that is reached, that then requires new technique or ideas.

        I think that is what Take Hirakawa was getting at with his point about designers which he made to me in 2005 on a visit to his house in Japan. And Take knew our work very well. Over a decade earlier, he was the first journalist in Japan to discover our new recycled collection in Paris in 1993 and wrote the very first Japanese article about it in the Senken Shimbun. He is also the only journalist in the world to have done a face to face extensive interview with both Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yammamoto for print publication. So his comments contained a point of view that spanned several decades of serious design observation. As an analogy, maybe we can look at Philip Glass, Brian Eno and the early pioneer DJ's in the 80's who were creating a genre, then perhaps Underworld, Orb, Prodigy and others in the 90's who took it further. But today I think we can all agree that there are many who wear a label that says DJ, yet very few who are actually rearranging and reforming existing sound(s) in a new, intriguing and beautiful way that otherwise would never have been realized without his or her unique contribution (this is your baby in the bathwater). A "DJ", and what it stands for, by definition, has changed over time.

        In our case, we also had over fifteen years of hands-on bespoke tailoring experience before we ever cut into our first recycle piece, and Rauschenberg had a lifetime of achievement in contemporary art under his belt before starting on Gluts. A question of technical and thorough grounding in classical foundations as a necessary prerequisite, may need to be asked as being a critical factor for the remixing artistic approach. I don't know...and I certainly would not want to limit the playing field and lose the baby, if you will. But in our case, the previous 15 years of classical tailoring experience was fundamental in our being able to continuously push the horizons of recycle design further and further ahead.... while many others viewed it as an easy way to enter the designer and fashion game, but eventually found out that over the long term, it wasn't so easy after all, and much more in the end was needed.

        On that note, we have in fact, not yet found the exact white leather we want to work with on the special sneaker, and indeed, it is a true challenge that will test all or our resources, skills and experience. But that is the kind of thing that makes it fun and exciting to be still going at it, and going for it, after so many years...

        These are some quick thoughts that your post has raised, Fuuma. Thanks.

        Best wishes, Geoffrey

        Comment

        • clay
          Senior Member
          • Sep 2006
          • 284

          Yo "the motivation " film was eye opening to say the least. We are in trouble , period.......I loved the sneakers the minute I saw them, wish I could afford a pair.

          Geoffrey, it is a real joy and inspiration to have you here sharing your creations, insights and motivations with us. I don't know many designers that are as passionate and eloquent about what they do and why.

          I just wanted to say THANK YOU!

          Clay
          Last edited by clay; 11-18-2009, 08:52 PM. Reason: sp

          Comment

          • Geoffrey B. Small
            Senior Member
            • Nov 2007
            • 618

            Thank you Clay

            Dear Clay,

            No, it is I who must thank you.

            Thank you very much for
            viewing "Home" (above post #207),
            and your kind and inspiring comments,
            things like that
            are what keep me going
            even on the darkest days.

            Yes, we are in trouble. Indeed.
            But in the words of the late Mother Theresa:


            "I cannot do what you do."

            "You cannot do what I do."

            "But together, we can do something beautiful."


            And if we want to,
            a new generation in fashion
            can begin to change the world now,
            this time for the better.


            Thank you again Clay,
            and best wishes,
            Geoffrey

            Comment

            • clay
              Senior Member
              • Sep 2006
              • 284

              Originally posted by Geoffrey B. Small View Post
              Dear Clay,

              No, it is I who must thank you.

              Thank you very much for
              viewing "Home" (above post #207),
              and your kind and inspiring comments,
              things like that
              are what keep me going
              even on the darkest days.

              Yes, we are in trouble. Indeed.
              But in the words of the late Mother Theresa:


              "I cannot do what you do."

              "You cannot do what I do."

              "But together, we can do something beautiful."


              And if we want to,
              a new generation in fashion
              can begin to change the world now,
              this time for the better.


              Thank you again Clay,
              and best wishes,
              Geoffrey

              Much respect! I look forward to more of your posts.

              Comment

              • delirium
                Senior Member
                • Sep 2008
                • 164

                Originally posted by Geoffrey B. Small View Post
                These are some quick thoughts that your post has raised, Fuuma. Thanks.

                Best wishes, Geoffrey
                Very interesting.

                I definitely like the analogy you bring, and through this analogy, it becomes apparent that there's a need for both innovation in the sounds (concept) and the mixing (technique).

                Also, I don't like this idea that a designer needs to have a single vision or aesthetic within his work. Why can't people just play with concepts within their own cohesive vision?

                I don't wear sneakers often, but I definitely see the appeal of the sneaker. It's what everyone buying into Common Projects and Spring Courts are trying to get at but on an even further level.

                Comment

                • Geoffrey B. Small
                  Senior Member
                  • Nov 2007
                  • 618

                  sneaker soles update and Japan tour visits

                  Dear SZ'ers,

                  1. Hope everyone in the US and Japan has had a very nice Thanksgiving.

                  2. A quick note to update you that Giuseppe has gotten back to me after rechecking with suppliers to confirm that the sneaker soles are all rubber and biodegradable.

                  3. I will be making some short personal visits to stores in Japan in the next week and cordially invite SZ'ers to contact the stores and see if we can hook up, even for a quick chat and a chance to see and talk about clothes in person. If you live in Japan and own any of our pieces, I would be even more interested in meeting you and hearing from you while I am there. Schedule is tight and heavy, please note this is a provisional calendar and subject to change, please contact the stores directly or try to PM me for more up to date info. Will try to post any new changes as well depending on jetlag and online access:

                  28 November: John Bull private labo Harajuku
                  29 November: Minority Rev in Fukuoka
                  1 December: Plagueseach in Hiroshima
                  2 December: John Bull private labo Okayama
                  3 December: Ageha Kobe, John Bull private labo Osaka Shinsaibashi or Umeda, Journal Standard Osaka Umeda, John Bull private labo Kyoto, Journal Standard Kyoto (pending),
                  4 December: Okura in Daikanyama Tokyo, Al Kichijoji Tokyo
                  5-6 December: Journal Standard stores in Tokyo (Shibuya/Shinjuku/Omotesando)

                  Again, all tentative please contact the stores first.
                  Hope to see some of you in Japan.

                  Best wishes,
                  Geoffrey B. Small

                  Comment

                  • Geoffrey B. Small
                    Senior Member
                    • Nov 2007
                    • 618

                    Thanks to all our friends in Japan

                    Hello SZ'ers,

                    Am now back from my Japan tour. It was great to see some of you and thanks so much to all the staff people, managers and customers at Okura, AL, Minority-Rev, Plaguesearch, Ageha, John Bull private labo/musee, and Journal Standard Lady's stores all over Japan for your kindness and hospitality during my visits. It was great to see you all and talk about design, clothes and lots of other things too.

                    I am now working on a special series on fabric and design, and will post up soon here on SZ.

                    Happy Holidays to everyone.

                    Best wishes, Geoffrey

                    Comment

                    • delirium
                      Senior Member
                      • Sep 2008
                      • 164

                      looking forward to seeing the series.

                      Comment

                      • Geoffrey B. Small
                        Senior Member
                        • Nov 2007
                        • 618

                        Comment

                        • Faust
                          kitsch killer
                          • Sep 2006
                          • 37852

                          fantastic, looking forward to this!
                          Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months - Oscar Wilde

                          StyleZeitgeist Magazine

                          Comment

                          • jcotteri
                            Senior Member
                            • Jun 2008
                            • 1328

                            Excellent GBS.. Excellent
                            WTB: This

                            Comment

                            • SuperTurboTaco
                              Member
                              • Oct 2009
                              • 89

                              Geoffrey

                              Really wish I was paying attention to this thread, would have loved to come see you at Minority Rev. Was just in there about an hour ago and looks like my girlfriend will be buying a pair of your pants they will be getting for s/s10. No time for me to look but I hope to find something of yours as well!
                              Last edited by SuperTurboTaco; 12-29-2009, 06:57 AM. Reason: felt like it

                              Comment

                              • underdog
                                Senior Member
                                • Aug 2009
                                • 174

                                Can someone with experience with this brand shed some light on his sizing for those of us considering online purchases? True to size, bit smaller, bit larger? Thanks in advance!

                                Comment

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