We last featured Zara's fall lookbook which had leather moments incorporated into some of the pieces, and with one of this summer's hottest trend being leather shorts (yes)... it only seems natural that leather will carry over into the fall season in a major way.
Some of the highlights will be the leather peplum, leather leaggings and pants, pleated skirt, and button-up shirt. There are a few unusual or playful ways to incorporate leather for fall with leather bow-ties, skinny ties, shades, and yes, leather socks which were made popular by Rachel Comey, who brought these to market in 2009. They didn't really fly, but with this major leather season, we think its time for a come back.
The most important thing about rocking leather is that it only looks good when you keep it COOL.
See more COOL features on our blog THAT'S COOL. Just click and scroll down.
KENZO fashion videos feature bold patterns & colors and trippy design photography. The videos are like a motion graphics version of their amazing fashion line. Its like the clothes have come to life. The latest addition to the Kenzo fashion video library Kenzo Pre-Fall 2012 by Quentin Jones. In it you'll get a dose of the coolest Fall/Winter trend for 2012-13, BOLD & COLORFUL PRINTS. Below is last year's trailer, just because it's COOL.
See more COOL features on our blog THAT'S COOL. Just click and scroll down.
Criminal Chalklist - London Olympics Rioter Tee - 2012
We've already identified one of the coolest must-have pieces of the London Olympic Games 2012. The shirt marked as the London Olympics Rioter Tee is being sold all over London street markets. Inspired by
the recent London riots and created by street artist Criminal Chalklist, this is sure to be a classic.
Honorable mention: A t-shirt featuring the cover photograph from the album "Abbey
Road" printed on it, shows The Beatles holding Olympic rings as they
walk across the zebra crossing.
See more COOL features on our blog THAT'S COOL. Just click and scroll down.
Continuing our Countdown to the 2012 Olympic Games features, we bring you some of the COOLest uniforms of the games.
The UK team uniforms are designed by Adidas and Stella McCartney and will be worn across 46 sports. Stella recalls her experience, “I’ve been talking to athletes for two years,” she said. “I wanted to ask what matters to them—whether it might psychologically improve their performance to look good, what I needed to do to work around the rules and regulations of each discipline, and all their technical requirements. Some told me, yeah, if I look better it helps. Others said, I don’t care how I look as long as I can shave off a second." Keeping with the 2012 London Games theme of sustainability, the designer used recycled synthetics to create all of the apparel.
Team USA's Olympics kit is designed by Ralph Lauren and Nike. Track and field athletes will wear uniforms that Nike says could shave up to 0.023 seconds off 100-meter sprint times — a difference that could have elevated Walter Dix from bronze to the silver medal at the Beijing Olympics.
The Associated Press reported controversy about the team's opening ceremony uniforms by Ralph Lauren. "Republicans and Democrats railed about the U.S. Olympic Committee's decision to dress the U.S. team in Chinese manufactured berets, blazers and pants while the American textile industry struggles economically with many U.S. workers desperate for jobs" (Source: AP via ESPN online). The Olympics Committee disagreed with the criticism stating, "We're proud of our partnership with Ralph Lauren, an iconic American company, and excited to watch America's finest athletes compete at the upcoming Games in London." Any way you look at it, the designs are COOL.
The Olympics kit for the Italian athletes is designed by Emporio Armani. The brand released several beautiful videos showcasing the designs with striking imagery. Among our favorite details of the uniforms is the inclusion of the words to the Italian national anthem featured on the inside of the jackets.
And finally, always a personal Olympics fashion fave of ours are the Netherlands opening ceremony attire. Expertly styled, the uniforms are probably the most wearable ensembles of the games. The Dutch are generally known for their COOL and modern design aesthetic so it's no surprise that their uniforms reflect that.
See more COOL features on our blog THAT'S COOL. Just click and scroll down.
Last night, we watched a great documentary called "London Games: Building the Park" which covered all of the genius work that has gone into creating the place that will forever be known as Olympic Park in London.
Among the many architects, designers and planning managers that were featured was the legendary Baghdad native, Zaha Hadid. She is the first woman to win The Pritzker
Architecture Prize which honors a living architect whose built work
consistently demonstrates exceptional talent and vision, produced
significant contributions to humanity and the environment through the
art of architecture.
The award-winning architect was chosen to create the Aquatic Centre which will be one of the permanent buildings constructed for the Olympics. When she revealed her design, it was so COOL that the Olympics committee
decided to make it the official gateway to Olympic Park. The
spectacular roof features a curved design inspired by the movement of
water and it has become one of the most challenging engineering projects
ever. It is supported by two concrete supports and a supporting wall.
The 3000 ton piece was lifted in a single movement. The two outer structures that are on both sides of the curved center building are temporary and will be removed after the games.
Throughout her career, Zaha Hadid has won many competitions and she is now one of the most sought-after designers in the world. Needless to say, she has her place in architecture and product design. Last year, she was included in the Forbes list under "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women", justifying all the fame that her name began to be producing for major companies in the world.
I have to say that the red carpet fashion at the 2012 Grammy Awards was quite the snooze fest. There were just a handful of looks that did peak my interest including Rihanna's Giorgio Armani sleek & sexy gown, Kathy Griffin's surprisingly flattering look, Tyga's red velvet blazer, and I gasped when Gwyneth Paltrow sachayed down the stage in her glam Stella McCartney dress with cut-outs and gold belt... yes please! Chris Brown showed up and showed out in his performance where he danced up and down a multi-level cubic structure complete with colorful projections. As I watched the performance in awe, I was pleasantly distracted by his super reflective silver Maison Margiela kicks from the Summer 2012 collection... yours for “only” $680 at Saks (side note: I believe they're women's shoes). Anyways, I wasn't digging the rest of his ensemble, but who cares when you're wearing shoes that cool!
