CORPUS
As may or may not have become apparent, I'm a menswear-as-womenswear addict. I love a good dress and a well cut skirt but my own style, without even realising it, seems to have become increasingly Andro. These days I head up to Topman before I head down to Topshop. I can't say I've completely given into either side, it's become more of a balancing act between Masculine and Feminine but the two questions I ask myself most seem to be 'Is this too girly?' and 'Too much Arthur rather than Martha?'. Then it's just a case of finding a good place in the middle.
All this considered, for me, L.A brand Corpus, (Keith Richardson and Jarrod Cornish), have it right on all levels. Their AW07 Lookbook made me want to run to the nearest forest, skulk about in a hat then row off into the sunset with my check shirt. Why, they even managed to stop me disliking Trilbies for 10minutes, that's no mean feat. The photography is beautiful, not particularly avant-garde or groundbreaking, but simple and atmospheric-The attempt to tell a story and that filmic quality that immediately reminded me of Michael Pitt wandering around the woods in Last Days. Beautiful. No surprise to hear then that the boys came from a movie background, their costume and visual effects skills used to full effect here.
So Aesthetics-check. Now the clothes? Simple cuts in both women's and menswear. A touch of femininity in places but the overriding 'new American classics' theme leaves everything feeling boyish and stark, which works perfectly for me. Even the way the lone female model is styled and shot; one of the boys as opposed to eye-candy of the piece (still thoroughly gorgeous of course), reflects the kind of interchangeable boy/girl thing that they do so well.
SS07 was just as impressive. A seersucker suit, the pairing of a salmon shirt with red trousers, Margaret Howell style tailoring, 'denim' leggings, a unisex short black mac etc etc. All gorgeous, all with that andro sensibility. Yes, on first look it may remind you of the ubiquitous 'boy in the band' look, but these are the heights that Pete and Mr Winehouse are reaching for but never quite make. The inclusion off old school workwear/prep/tailoring/grunge, even modernist references and their ability to mix and match them all is what sets them apart in a saturated market.
Now, enough fawning, time to look and see....some clips from AW07 and FW07, as well as a peek at SS08 and their beautiful Flaunt story (in all its subtle gender-ambiguous glory on their myspace page)
A CLICK FOR BIG situation...
All this considered, for me, L.A brand Corpus, (Keith Richardson and Jarrod Cornish), have it right on all levels. Their AW07 Lookbook made me want to run to the nearest forest, skulk about in a hat then row off into the sunset with my check shirt. Why, they even managed to stop me disliking Trilbies for 10minutes, that's no mean feat. The photography is beautiful, not particularly avant-garde or groundbreaking, but simple and atmospheric-The attempt to tell a story and that filmic quality that immediately reminded me of Michael Pitt wandering around the woods in Last Days. Beautiful. No surprise to hear then that the boys came from a movie background, their costume and visual effects skills used to full effect here.
So Aesthetics-check. Now the clothes? Simple cuts in both women's and menswear. A touch of femininity in places but the overriding 'new American classics' theme leaves everything feeling boyish and stark, which works perfectly for me. Even the way the lone female model is styled and shot; one of the boys as opposed to eye-candy of the piece (still thoroughly gorgeous of course), reflects the kind of interchangeable boy/girl thing that they do so well.
SS07 was just as impressive. A seersucker suit, the pairing of a salmon shirt with red trousers, Margaret Howell style tailoring, 'denim' leggings, a unisex short black mac etc etc. All gorgeous, all with that andro sensibility. Yes, on first look it may remind you of the ubiquitous 'boy in the band' look, but these are the heights that Pete and Mr Winehouse are reaching for but never quite make. The inclusion off old school workwear/prep/tailoring/grunge, even modernist references and their ability to mix and match them all is what sets them apart in a saturated market.
Now, enough fawning, time to look and see....some clips from AW07 and FW07, as well as a peek at SS08 and their beautiful Flaunt story (in all its subtle gender-ambiguous glory on their myspace page)
A CLICK FOR BIG situation...
Flaunt
SS07
SS07
AW07
SS08
