MASTER AT WORK

Photo by Tommy Ton

"Fashion today is all about the product. With all the pre-collections and the shows that are just marketing exercises, it has turned into a system. For an old romantic like me, this is hurting a little bit. That’s why I try to do things my way. I like to have happy people around me, and it’s for these people that I create my collections. Fashion should never be too dark or too gloomy: it should evoke feelings of joy. I believe in clothes as tools for self-expression. The biggest compliment is if I see someone on the street wearing something I have created in a way I would never have imagined. Clothes should always tell something of the person that wears them – and very little of the designer who made them." - Dries Van Noten

PART ONE: DIGITAL

Spent three days in Palm Springs for an intended relaxing post-finals vacation. Unfortunately, neither my boyfriend nor myself are very good at "relaxing". Sitting by the pool and lounging in the sun isn't really what we excel at. I think we spent about an hour in the pool total, and instead kept ourselves busy exploring Joshua Tree. The most surreal landscape I've ever seen. Like something belonging to a whole other planet.

GIFT-GIVING

( Acne and Isabel Marant knit sweaters, Doug Johnston microbasket, Clyde hat and mittens, Kaikado tea container, Prismatic Print Shop astrology calendar, Voluspa candle in Baltic Amber and Illume Boulangerie candle in Vanilla and Fig, Isaac Reina wallet, Strathcona stockings, Kaico kettle, Moderato cup and saucer, Moleskine weekly planner )



Things to give and receive this time of year. Emphasis on cozy sweaters, tea, and candles.

IN PROGRESS

Even though I'm taking a relatively manageable course load this term and finals week is turning out to be completely harmless, it's still difficult to remain actively creative when most of your time is tied up in reading articles, doing fieldwork and learning a new language. As much as I love school, I miss making things, so recently I picked up an old knitting project just to keep from feeling creatively stagnant. I think I started this scarf back in March, but had only made a couple inches worth of progress. The best thing about knitting is that I can put a project down and pick it up again whenever my hands get antsy.

ATSUSHI WADA

Interesting and quite frankly, somewhat unsettling short films by Atsushi Wada.