BLUE STEEL

THIS IS A HEAD-SHOT I WHIPPED UP INSPIRED BY THOSE VERSACE-MUGLER-CLAUDE MONTANA-BRUCE WEBBER MALE MODEL HUNKS I LOVED SO MUCH IN THE 90's. I'M GONNA WORK ON DRAWING MORE MEN TO EQUAL OUT THE ESTROGEN LEVELS OF MY PORTFOLIO.

SOMETHING'S FISHY . . .

I'M NOT ALWAYS A FAN OF THE COLLECTIONS THAT DONATELLA VERSACE HAS PUT ON THE CATWALK AFTER THE DEATH OF HER BROTHER, VERSACE FOUNDER AND STYLE ICON GIANNI VERSACE, BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT HER S/S 2012 PRESENTATION WAS FLAWLESS, FUN, AND . . .FISHY. NOW, YA'LL NOW I LOVES ME SOME TRANNY REALNESS, SO A OUT-RIGHT MERMAID INSPIRED THEME FOR THE SHOW WAS A WHALE OF A GOOD TIME FOR ME! THE STYLING WAS CLASSIC VERSACE, THE GOWNS WERE ALL STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL AND THE MOOD WAS BRIGHT AND LIGHT. A MUCH NEEDED RETURN TO SOME WHIMSICAL FUN IN FASHION!
LET'S JUST HOPE THAT THE LADY WHO BUYS THIS GOWN GETS HOOKED BY THE (fisher)MAN OF HER DREAMS! (ok, that's my last fish reference, i swear!)

ITALIANS DO IT BETTER

OK, I MAY BE A MONTH LATE ON THIS, BUT HERE IS MY MINI REVIEW OF MILAN FASHION WEEK A/W 2011. I'VE PICKED SOME OF MY FAVORITE LOOKS FROM THE ITALIAN DESIGNERS TO SKETCH AND SHOWCASE HERE. I NOTICED A BIG TREND TOWARDS FUR AND FEATHERS AS AN ADORNMENT ON CLOTHING FROM THE ITALIANS THIS SEASON. FUR IS ALWAYS FUN TO DRAW!

THE CLOTHING ALSO SEEMED A LOT LESS SEXY THEN NORMAL, AND A BIT MORE FUNCTIONAL. THERE WERE DEFINITELY SOME NODS TO ERAS GONE BY, LIKE THE 60'S MOD-DOLLY-BIRDS AND 70'S DISCO-COKE-DIVA. PLUS THAT CHICKEN HAT AT MOSCHINO STOLE THE DAMN SHOW, HELLO!!!

AND DIDN'T KRIZIA COME OUTTA LEFT FIELD!!? I LOVED IT! I HAVEN'T TAKEN NOTICE OF THAT LABEL IN YEARS. TO BE HONEST I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT WAS AN ITALIAN BRAND! I THOUGHT IT WAS JAPANESE! OOPS! THE SHOW WAS SO FRESH AND MODERN AND AWESOME! THE HAIR AND THE COLORS AND THE TECHIE FABRICS. J'ADORE! IT WAS BY FAR MY FAVORITE SHOW THUS FAR (granted, i haven't looked at paris fashion week yet. i DO have a job you know!!!)

NOW BE PATIENT WITH ME KIDDIES AND I WILL TAKE SOME TIME TO LOOK AT THE FRESH LOOKS FROM FRANCE AND GIVE ANOTHER ILLUSTRATED REVIEW . . .

HAIR APPARENT

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY: "HAIR TODAY, GONE TOMORROW"! HMMMMM . . . I THINK I GOT THAT OLD SAYING WRONG, BUT IT KIND'A WORKS FOR THIS DRAWING OF A S/S '11 VERSACE HAIR ADORNED GOWN, SO WE'LL JUST GO WITH IT!!!
THIS IS THE PERFECT GOWN FOR ANY BORING COCKTAIL PARTY. IGNORE THE GUESTS AND JUST SIT BACK AND BRAID YOUR DRESS! IF YOU SPILL A MARTINI ON YOUR ENSEMBLE, SIMPLY DO A COMB-OVER AND COVER THAT STAIN RIGHT UP! AND IF YOU HAPPEN TO GET SPLASHED BY A PASSING CAB ON YOUR WAY OUT, JUST LATHER, RINSE AND REPEAT. VOILA! GOOD AS NEW!!! QUITE PRACTICAL, REALLY.

COVERGIRL, PUT SOME BASE IN YO' WALK!!!

RECENTLY I WAS ASKED TO DRAW A FEW RUNWAY READY LADIES FOR A FASHION ILLUSTRATION PROJECT. THESE FOUR CATWALK STALKERS WERE THE RESULT. THE CLOTHING IS FROM (L to R): VERSACE, ARMANI, LANVIN, AND COSTUME NATIONAL. I THINK THEY ALL TURNED OUT CUTE, BUT I REALLY LIKED MY VERSACE GIRL, SO I MAY USE HER (AND HER BIG BOUNCY HAIR!) FOR ANOTHER PIECE LATER.

*GASP* I JUST REALIZED I DIDN'T USE ANY EXCLAMATION MARKS IN THAT POST, SO HERE YAH GO !!!!!!!

ET TU, BRUTE?

OK, LET'S BE REAL, HOW MANY MEMORABLE COLLECTIONS HAVE COME OUT OF THE VERSACE LINE SINCE GIANNI VERSACE WAS KILLED (B.T.W.-TALK ABOUT BEING STABBED IN THE BACK!!! YIKES)?? MISS (AND I USE THAT TERM VERY LOOSELY) DONATELLA VERSACE JUST MAKES CLOTHES. HER BROTHER GIANNI MADE ART!!! NOT ONLY DID HE PULL INSPIRATION FROM CLASSICAL ART AND DESIGN ELEMENTS BUT HE KNEW HOW TO PRESENT THEM IN A FRESH WAY. HIS COLORS WERE VIBRANT AND HIS FABRICS SENSUAL. DONATELLA'S WORK LOOKS LIKE SOME UPSTART'S BAD COPY OF GIANNI'S WORK. IN THE INTEREST OF 'MOVING FORWARD' SHE HAS RETAINED ALMOST NONE OF GIANNI'S ORIGINAL DESIGN AESTHETIC.

ONE THING THAT GIANNI ALWAYS WENT BACK TO WAS CLASSIC GREEK ART; STATUES OF THE GODS AND GODDESSES, GRECIAN URNS AND POTTERY, WOVEN TAPESTRIES. HE WOULD MIX THESE WITH MODERN TWISTS LIKE PLAYS ON PUNK CLOTHING AND BONDAGE GEAR. SHOWN HERE IS A DRESS HE DID IN 1996, A YEAR BEFORE HIS TRAGIC DEATH. IT COMBINES THE IDEA OF A GRECIAN DRAPED TUNIC W/ THE SLASHES, CUTS AND SAFETY PINS OF A HANDMADE PUNK ROCK OUTFIT. THE CLASSIC AND THE MODERN COMBINED.

HMMMMM, I WONDER IF YOU CAN DRY-CLEAN YOUR MURDERED RIVAL'S BLOOD OFF A SILK COUTURE GOWN?

PILLOW TALK

NOTHING SAYS 'SUPER FUN SLUMBER PARTY' LIKE MEDUSA IN A VERSACE NIGHTY, RIGHT? I'VE SEEN THIS PARTICULAR BABY DOLL DRESS TWICE, ONCE IN BLACK AND ANOTHER TIME IN BABY BLUE. I MEAN, YOU GOTTA LOVE ANY DRESS THAT HAS AN ATTACHED BODY SUIT!

I REALLY WANTED HER POSE AND LAYOUT TO BE REMINISCENT OF THOSE OLD CHEESECAKE WWII PIN-UP PAINTINGS. I HAVE ALWAYS LIKED HOW THE OLD PIN-UP GIRLS WERE ALWAYS ON THE PHONE. WHO WERE THEY ALWAYS TALKING TO? I GUESS WHEN YOU'RE A SEXY TEEN IN THE 1940'S HANGING AROUND IN YOUR UNDIES YOU HAVE A LOT TO SAY ON THE PHONE.

YABBA DABBA DO!!!

I USED TO HAVE A WEIRD, UN-DYING LOVE FOR THE FLINTSTONES, ALL THINGS HANNA-BARBERA PRODUCED ACTUALLY. WHEN I SAW THIS OFF-WHITE VERSACE CLASSIC IT REMINDED ME OF WILMA FLINSTONE RIGHT AWAY. ALL THE JAGGED EDGES AND THAT TINY TAILORED WAISTLINE. SO I DREW IT UP WITH A CAVE-LADY-MEETS-DINO-THEME.
DON'T WE WISH ALL GIRLS WORE A BONE IN THEIR HAIR?