Maharishi Spring/Summer 2011 ‘Theatre of War’

This season Maharishi presents a 1940’s North African Desert military inspired collection entitled ‘Theatre of War’.

With references to the forerunners of the SAS, the Long Range Desert Group (L.R.D.G.), the range features military inspired staples in distressed cottons and natural fibers including washed Irish linen and hemp, alongside more elaborate pieces in super lightweight voluminous voiles and recycled vintage parachute cord. A muted palette of washed vintage olive, sand and white makes up the main color theme of the collection.

Pink Panther jeeps transport the LRDG troops deep into the war torn Sahara. Fatigued by sand storms and lack of water, the soldiers go AWOL into deeper Africa, taking on elements of safari and indigenous clothing before disappearing even deeper into the desert, finally arriving at a heavenly watery oasis, where traditional camouflage and mud print colors turn into vivid blues on white.

Maharishi aims to convey a strong anti-war sentiment through its use of camouflage - reclaiming its symbolic value away from war, back to its roots in nature and development by artists and to highlight objections to continued 21st century desert warfare.

Maharishi literally translated means great seer, started in 1994 with the vision to create environmentally sound, fair-trade produced, long-lasting, high-quality, utilitarian clothing. The collection has always included hemp and natural fibers, organic cottons and recycled military clothing.

In 2004, Hardy Blechman, founder and creative director of Maharishi published DPM Disruptive Pattern Material, a 944-page encyclopedia of camouflage, which documents his theory to detach camouflage from its military associations and promote its natural roots and artistic influences. All production facilities are SA8000 and ISO9001 compliant.

Have a look at the collection here.

Photo & slideshow Copyright Maharishi.

Ziad Ghanem: Outsiders, Immigants & the Right Fit

Human nature. Not always easy to predict. Yet, oftentimes, very predictable. We reject the unique and embrace the mundane. As soon as we detect something or someone that deviates from the norm—off to the gallows—no outsiders permitted here!

In response to some negative criticism of this summer’s fashion weeks and designs, I recently wrote an editorial entitled Fashion in a Box? Time to Open the Lid, in which I discuss how a limited worldview—past and present—can cause us to reject the creativity of designers, preventing men to be innovative in their dress, and just “fit in.”

Maiden Britain was “made in Britain” for this very purpose—to combat the debilitating influences that stifle creativity and innovation within the arts, fashion, publications, film, and music. Together with graphic artist Robert Boon, Maiden Britain was spearheaded by designer Ziad Ghanem.

Born and raised in Lebanon, Ziad grew up with the influence of his grandfather who owned a shoe factory and his uncle who was a designer of shoes. He also absorbed the fashion sense of his mother, an impeccable dresser, who, from the age of six, ignited within him the urge to design.

Now sourcing recycled materials from charity shops, Ziad has emerged a jaw-dropping designer as he adheres to strict principles of ethical working conditions and environmentally friendly printing.

Based in London, Ziad defines himself as what he has coined a “cult couturier,” and his 2009 a/w collection, “the Immigrant,” is a summation of what Ziad represents to the menswear industry—a personification of himself, as well as of you and me!

Men everywhere have a yearning to belong and, consequently, soak up their social surroundings and environment in an attempt to conform.

The result? A masquerade of cultures as we attempt to change our outer appearance and fit in.

So just who is this immigrant of the 2009 a/w collection? In essence, we all are!



Slideshow 2009 a/w collection Copyright Ziad Ghanem.
Photo top right Copyright Ziad Ghanem.

Shudy is a "Shoe Ready" New Beat at Pitti Uomo

New Beats is the area that Pitti Uomo dedicates to fresh designer talent and spanking new debuts.

Now in its 12th season, New Beats showcased 14 emerging brands and rising designers at the 76th Edition of Pitti Uomo. Among them was Shudy, an innovative line of men's shoe wear from Italy.

Shudy is a collection of recycled plastic and rubber-soled shoes, finely perforated for comfort, which comes in a kaleidoscope of multiple colors, ranging from dainty pastel tones to scrumptious sorbets.

The style—a reinterpretation of the classic moccasin. As for inspiration, Shudy looks to the Dadaist and Surrealist champion of art, Marcel Duchamp, and to the movement known as Cracking Art.

The Cracking Art movement was born in 1983 with a strong social and environmental commitment to revolutionize contemporary art through the creative use of plastic materials. Borrowing its name from the process of converting petroleum into plastic—a conversion of the natural into the artificial—Cracking Art seeks to fill the gap between man's organic past and synthetic future by means of recycling plastics to produce provocative art installations.

As for Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968), he was a French artist who found mundane objects to present as artwork, such as a bottle rack or bicycle wheel, coining the objects “readymades.” The most influential yet controversial readymades include a urinal that he renamed a “fountain” and a portrait of Mona Lisa with a mustache, to which he ascribed Elle a chaud au cul, implying "the girl was horny!

The connection to Shudy? Shu stands for ‘shoe’, whereas dy is an abbreviated form of ‘ready’. Hence, Shudy is shoe ready!

Recycled, the shoe line is a resurgence of readymades—ready to make a radical social and environmental difference!



Photo top left by Carl Stas, Public Domain at Wikipedia.
Photo middle right from Cracking Art dowloads.
Slideshow Copyright Shudy.

John Patrick's Organic Hat

John Patrick is actually a man of many hats!

His first was a beanie of macrobiotic foods when he grew up in the counter-culture revolution of the 60's. But he soon exchanged that one for the cap of communal living in the 1970’s.

With no formal training or experience, John Patrick launched his career in 1982, literally from the top down, by making head wear out of vintage finds. He sported the chapeau of women's fashion designer for the next 20 years.

In 2002, John reached for a new headpiece, first, by moving from 7th Street of New York City to an abandoned warehouse upstate where he began researching organic materials and production processes of low environmental impact.

In 2003, John put on a sombrero and set out to explore organic farming in Peru where he later launched Organic—a complete line of high quality and first-rate fits for eco-conscious men and women!

Working with organic farming collectives in the Peruvian Amazon, John innovated the applications of botanical dyes, organic wool yarns, and jungle grown cottons, all the while intertwining the practices of hand weaving, recycled fabrics, and whole-animal leather production.

Not only has John demonstrated concern for green garments like “jungle tees” but he has also instituted ethical working environments for workers to enjoy fair wages. To John, the definition of green goes far beyond fabrics as it embraces honesty, truthfulness, and ethics, which in turn spells c-o-m-m-i-t-m-e-n-t to each individual in the process.

Outfitting men and women from head to toe with eco-wear has been no easy course to chart. Thus, John's journey towards sustainable apparel continues to evolve and change. But sometimes life is just like choosing a hat: you have to try on a few until the right one fits!

So, John Patrick, I take off my hat to you for being the pioneer that you are in the green movement!