Rippchen & Kraut III

1. Cristóbal Balenciaga circa 1967
2. Marios Schwab Fall/Winter 2012
3. Valentino Fall/Winter 2012
4. Givenchy Fall/Winter 2012

My German heart feels pleased when memories of the dirndl appear. As abstract garment sculptures, laced leather versions, sexualized negligée dresses, hyper-embellished folklore costumes.
/HORST

Resubmission

Jean Paul Gaultier Spring/Summer 1991

It's not over yet.
/HORST

Substance

Balenciaga Fall/Winter 2008

Most probably the best use of latex in fashion. A sexually connotated material that recently found its renaissance in the Spring/Summer 2011 collection of Raf Simons or the designs of Atsuko Kudo.
/HORST

Editor's note For a short history of latex in pop culture, please see Zoo Magazine #32, pages 58-59.

Forbidden Love VIII

Top Woolworth
Waistcoat Helmut Lang
Boots Ann Demeulemeester

From this day on, I will solely dress like a German suburb gay. An homage to mediocrity. A guilty pleasure for 4,99 €. Radical fashion that documents our current-cy crisis.
/HORST

Post Paris XII

A false encyclopaedic guide to the prêt-à-porter collections for Spring/Summer 2012.
Last chapter: Hussein Chalayan

1. Hussein Chalayan Spring/Summer 2012
2. Ann Demeulemeester Store Seoul
3. Cabinet 1700-1720

It almost felt like a 'best of' collection. The greatest hits of a designer who removed himself from the label he built. The garments reflected this last consequence and gave insight to the laws of fashion. The end.
/HORST

Post Paris II

A false encyclopaedic guide to the prêt-à-porter collections for Spring/Summer 2012.
Second chapter: Céline

1. Céline Spring/Summer 2012
2. Sand Paper
3. Versailles inspired carpet

Plywood seating and the smell of freshly manipulated wood. While the rough surface of sand paper softens its edges, the crispy structure reappears as 3D carpet ornaments on hourglass-shaped coats. Click on the runway image for closer inspection.
/HORST

Balenciaga Questions II

1. Balenciaga Spring/Summer 2006
2. Christopher Kane Fall/Winter 2010

Strictly speaking, we do not see a mere copy here. Instead, ornamental flower arrangements in white, blue and yellow are substitues for graphic compositions in white, blue and yellow.
/HORST

Rippchen & Kraut II

Marios Schwab Fall/Winter 2011

A man in lederhosen is ideally accompanied by a woman in Marios Schwab. His Austrain heart establishing the post-modernist dirndl. The geared-up maid satisfying our SM fantasies.
/HORST

See also Part I.

Suggestion #6

Tribal tattoos

Yes, it's quite obvious but I wish for more tribal tattoos in our society. Especially amongst the intellectual elite. I do admit to enjoy looking at a phenomenon called 'slag tag'. So please, do me the favour.
/HORST

Bittersweet Contradictions

Martine Rose Spring/Summer 2011

It's a small step from tribal to ornamental. And that's why I love Martine Rose. Accomplishing the task of melding the kinky and the romantic. And yes, I want those chaps my dear!
/HORST

New Decadence

Photos Stefan Heinrichs
Styling Ingo Nahrwold
Model Keno Weidner
Magazine Hero

For the third and yet most striking issue of Hero Magazine, ornamental Versace silk shirts clash with sports equipment and softdrink refreshment accessories. There is something very stimulative about this head to toe look.
/HORST

Fancywork

Photo Paul Mpagi Sepuya
Shirt Alexandre Herchcovitch

My warmest recommendation for immortal style and sovereignty: Clothes with references to traditional costumes. Personally I prefer a mixture of Bavarian, Swedish and Arabic.
/HORST