The Issue of Authorship

[genevieveryoko]

what's the difference, in your opinion stealth, between a designer and creator? since you implied that there is a difference

[Faust]

I would imagine he thinks "designer" as in "sartorial engineer." I could see how that applies to Junya. But I'll let the vegan answer for himself. I am more curious about stealth's opinion on leather v. fur. We have that discussion buried somewhere.

[genevieveryoko]

and I wonder what he thinks a creator is, does he mean with a capital C? Creator. (<------ I'm being sarcastic/sassy at this point, still i am curious...)

[Faust]

and I wonder what he thinks a creator is, does he mean with a capital C? Creator. (<------ I'm being sarcastic/sassy at this point, still i am curious...)

sassy is not far from saucy!

[Castor]

I believe that Junya Watanabe is incredibly influential and creative. I love Junya.

[zamb]

I am putting this here because I like it and think its relevant to this discussion

So, it looks like the whole thing comes down to definition of art. I happen to be on the side of craft = art, utility be damned. This is an Eastern definition of art, as opposed to the Western one we are more used to. I would like to (again) offer a few quotes by Robert Pirsig which I agree with.

"Technology [and by extension anything that has to do with craft] is simply the making of things and the making of things can't by its own nature be ugly or there would be no possibility for beauty in the arts, which also include the making of things. Actually a root word of technology, techne, originally meant "art." The ancient Greeks never separated art from manufacture in their minds, and so never developed separate words for them."

"To say that they [the craftsmen] are not artists is to misunderstand the nature of art. They have patience, care and attentiveness to what they are doing, but more than this - there's a kind of inner piece of mind that isn't contrived but results from a kind of harmony with the work in which there is no leader and no follower. the material and the craftsman's thoughts change together in a progression of smooth, even changes until his mind is at rest at the exact instant the material is right."

I am not asking others to agree with this definition, I just think it's a valid one and then one I see, or rather experience.

[Fade to Black]

I believe that Junya Watanabe is incredibly influential and creative. I love Junya.

how so? I see him as someone who is creative through the many inspirations he's influenced by, but I'm having trouble grasping it from your point of view. Care to elaborate? Or perhaps I just don't follow the fashion world closely enough (not a sarcastic remark - I really don't for the most part.)

[Castor]

Junya Watanabe uses a certain English sartorial vocabulary, but is innovative in his patterns and fabric choices. He combines technical fabrics with leather and traditional herringbones and glen plaids in fresh new ways. While his fabrics can appear traditional, his work is totally modern. His pants are engineered with a very specific fit, which I find flattering. I think he has a fresh point of view that is unique and difficult to categorize. He is also the rare designer whose collaborations are among his best work, for example with Levi's, Lewis Leathers, and Vanson. He builds a mean jacket and when I wear his clothes I always receive compliments or interest.

[Venus in Furs]

If anyone's interested, I just received back a philosophy essay I wrote on the role of background information in aesthetic judgements with specific reference to the work of Carol Christian Poell. While my knowledge of Poell is nothing compared to others on this board, and hence the essay provides nothing really new in terms of an apprehension of Poell's work, it is relevant to this discussion in that it explicitly explains the role of knowledge, experience and artistic intent in forming aesthetic judgements. It draws from the philosophy of Kant, Hume and Hegel.

I got 93% for this essay. If anyone would like to read it let me know. It's too long to post on here (3000 words) but I can email it to anyone who might be interested.

[Servo2000]

alright but i'm not going to trust 7% of it

[Venus in Furs]

haha If you like send me a pm and I'll email it to you.

[nqth]

I think I first got interested in Comme bc of the name. It sounds nice. As far as I remember I read John Richmond said Comme is never wrong or sth like that in Vogue. (Such a shame - I never like JR:) I used to read old newspapers and magazines in British Council in Warsaw - that was my only source of fashion at that time.

Anyway I started looking for Comme pictures and some day I saw a collection when Linda Evangelista (my fav model:) wore a pinstripe suit and gown underneath. Adrian said that was their first collection with androgyny. It striked me as the idea (of combining feminity and masculinity) was so clear and straighforward. I think this is what I still like - not sophisticate silhouettes, materials, cut, colours - anything that makes you think of "high" fashion, but the "straightforwardness", some how raw and unsophisticated, DIY, anti fashion if you like, amateriush looking, execution of ideas, and of course the striking visual effects.

Speaking of visual effects, ppl say that it is very Japanese, to focus on the visual aspects of stuffs, and not much about the content.

Of course it all looks different when it comes down to the quality of the clothes, i mean holes must be done with care.

I think most of the comme stuffs are "natural" in term that i really see them as sth-that-should-be-made-that-way, maybe bc RK made the techniques so characteristic but she manages to put (a litle) newness (almost) everytimes.

I don't really believe designers limit themself to clothes as a medium to express "their inner side", like this tshirt is all about me. Perhaps about the way they think a tshirt should look like, yes.

Back to the question, no I wouldn't wan't to seperate the designer and his works (clothes we buy). Of course it's the best when clothes show specific working methods. If speaking about buying, I have limit budget on clothes, I'd better stick to the ones I like the most.

[Faust]

I found out an interesting tidbit of info yesterday that made me want to resurrect this thread. I was told that Chatav Ectabit is designed by Sandy Dalal. My whole world turned upside down, lol. Now I have to think about this!

For those of you who don't know the kind of stuff Sandy Dalal used to do - it was basically a contemporary brand that did stuff that Tim Hamilton began doing a few years ago.

[zamb]

I found out an interesting tidbit of info yesterday that made me want to resurrect this thread. I was told that Chatav Ectabit is designed by Sandy Dalal. My whole world turned upside down, lol. Now I have to think about this!

For those of you who don't know the kind of stuff Sandy Dalal used to do - it was basically a contemporary brand that did stuff that Tim Hamilton began doing a few years ago.

man, I thought you knew this all along.................
the other designer, Cliff Fong, or something like that, used to(?) live in Brooklyn,
I will say more later, but would like to hear why it turned your world upside down......................

[zamb]

I believe he's in LA now, or at least always seem to run into him out here..

Well, he used to be (is?) a buyer at Maxfields, so its logical for him to be in LA all the time,

I am still waiting on Faust to comment though.....................