M.I.A.

New single Boyz is HOT HOT HOT. Ace Ace Ace video too . She got every dancer in Jamaica with a name to dance in it. She studied Fine Art at Central Saint Martins (same course as yours truely) prior to becoming a recording artist. She creates stencil art graffitiesque collages so the graphics are standout (I assume she did them). Check Check Check itout!

Thes shots are from the making of the video

Hot swimsuit

MIA's website Her new Album 'Kala' is out in August can't wait can't wait

More Boom Box

More Dirty Dirty Dancing shots from Boom Box. These guys are working their headwear.

My kind of turban

more turban action

Nice nod to Leigh Bowery

Visionary

One of the most exciting people in fashion right now is Gareth Pugh. He graduated recently from Central Saint Martins (2003) and has quickly risen to become London Fashion Week's draw card show. It seems in recent times that the fashion industry has been struggling to produce a new direction. Retro looks have been re-jigged and re-hashed till the cows come home. Pugh is like a breath of fresh air producing a truly unique vision that could push fashion forward. Pugh's singular vision reminds me of other fashion trailblazers, Paco Rabanne, Vivianne Westwood, Jean Paul Gaultier, risk-taking designers ahead of their time, whose ideas get copied and watered-down, hitting the high street years later.

The selected catwalk shots (A/W 2007) show his more conceptual pieces that are heavy on the styling. They set a mood for his other more wearable pieces. Futuristic and challenging shapes mixed with luxury fabrics, furs, leather etc.

Pugh was recently invited to do a catwalk show at the V&A Museum in London as part of their Fashion. Here is some spectacular footage from the show courtesy of The Times Online (put 'Pugh' into the search to locate the video). The finale features the electrical coat below (apparently the model wearing it has to sign a disclaimer in case of electrocution!).

Boyz

Spyd these guys looking super fresh on the Dirty Dirty Dancing website. All the shots were from Boombox June 17th.

liking the oversided shade

fierce!

KCTV

If you are looking for some inspiration direct from the cutting edge, head to the KCTV website. The people who are invited to put work on this site are London's coolest. The most exciting aspect of KCTV is the unique 'stories'. To me they are visionary in that they have re-invented the tired magazine fashion editorial. Fashion is taken a step further by animating poses, often in time to music. Its exciting to witness a new artform emerging.

In this story designer Rui Leonardes 'Death By Crucifixion' (animated by Kenny Campbell, one of the founders of KCTV) laser beams shoot out of the model's mask which to me further describes a mood that a 2D editorial would lack. Coooooool!!!

Next BIG thing

Speaking of Pharrell, this is his protegee Teyana Taylor (signed to NERD). I came across her on MTV's Sweet Sixteen show (MTV series documenting spoiled teenagers planning OTT parties). She is sure to be a big star as she presents an amazing package that Pharrell obviously couldn't resist. She has superstar hip hop style and can seriously dance - see crump'n clip below (she comes on third)

Icecream tee

Kanye, Nigo, Pharrell, and Teyana

Incidentally, check out the myspace style in the screengrab above. Its a typical comment on Teyana's myspace page . For those unfamiliar with myspace, the pink writing on the left is the girl pictured's 'name'. I LOVE the creative use of typography. With all the texting and myspace commenting that a girl does these days its becoming an artform of its own. Bi Bi queen's engli$h!!!

Billionair Boys Club

Had been seeing this graphic around and recently discovered it is the trademark of Billionaire Boys Club. On further inspection I discovered it is a clothing brand established by Pharrell Williams collaboration with Nigo, who is best known for his brand A Bathing Ape. What an immaculate pedigree!

Here is Pharell modelling Icecream, another line of clothing under the Billionaire umbrella.

The guy has style