Sunburn, Sundown

April 7, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Exploring The Cultural Vestiges Of Nehera

≪ Previous: The Mirror Cube: Must-See Events The Week Of 4/7

It’s easy to lose track of time when you’re living among the hustle of Los Angeles, where movement is a constant and committing to anything more than 24 hours in advance is nearly impossible. Yet somehow, every year, music lovers from the greater LA area (and around the world) are able to set aside time for their festival of choice more than a year in advance. Fast forward to your weekend one (or weekend two) tickets and you are now exploring the magic and euphoria of undiscovered territory.

Listen, we get it… There’s tons of hype around Coachella and we too are traumatized by the fringe and floral headband benders–one crochet dress short of becoming a Party City costume. But the truth is, it’s a magical weekend full of hazy desert dancing with friends, pool parties, and for those who don’t tend to dress in theme—a complete opportunity to do so. You can imagine what type of extracurriculars are attached to the words “magical” and “euphoric,” but these are only a small part of what makes the festival so exuberant. The raw, carefree, grimy vibes that are exuded upon arrival give an overwhelming sense of excitement and, not to mention, future nostalgia.

With the sounds of your favorite musicians being thrown across an almost unrealistic, painted sky, your senses are taken through the back-roads of your imagination. It’s a land where discrimination and judgement hold no power and everyone is here to enjoy the beauty of something we never knew existed, until now.

By the end of your experience, you’ll probably be walking around barefoot, forgetting that there is in fact civilization outside of festival boundaries and you have another life that involves working and paying bills. You may still be meandering around in Daisy cowhide cut-offs or a patent lace-up bustier, but it doesn’t feel so foreign from your standard T-shirt and jeans uniform. Your typical tank top is suddenly swapped out for a ruffle-cut Lisa Marie Fernandez denim bathing suit, and a cargo Plemuns jumpsuit has never been more practical.

Gender-fluid brands like Moses Gauntlett Cheng and Wales Bonner make it easy for you and your beau to pack in the same gunny sack for the weekend. An Adam Selman baby tee is ideal for the sun, and probably the wet T-shirt contest, plus you might even walk away with a heart-shaped tan on your chest after running from stage to stage in a tartan Vivienne Westwood blouse.

Yet, your newfound “heartburn” might be the most telling souvenir from a weekend escape spent sun-kissed in the most literal sense of the word.

Photographer Jaye Johnson and OCLA staffers went on their own euphoric trip through the desert. Click through the slideshow above to see photos.

Lisa Marie Fernandez

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Exploring The Cultural Vestiges Of Nehera

April 7, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: A Night at the Greenbrier

≪ Previous: Sunburn, Sundown

Tucked deep between the Bratislavan bottomland forests and mountainsides laced with vineyards, lies the heart and soul of Nehera. Founded in the 1930s, the design house has counted as one of Czechoslovakia's leading fashion houses with over 130 stores throughout Europe, Russia, the United States, and parts of Africa. For years, Nehera’s subtly detailed, streamlined silhouettes graced the covers of popular fashion magazines until World War II. Fast forward to 1998, when marketing specialist Ladislav Zult acquired the brand and reopened its doors with Samuel Drira as creative director in 2014.

From Adolf Loos’ furniture designs to the visceral qualities of Eva Hesse’s post-minimalist sculptures, Nehera’s inspiration spans a century. Or, as the team at Nehera puts it: “Thus the inspiration is like a wind, it comes and goes, and you never know what inspires you next.” In tandem with this, innovative design is elemental to the brand’s ethos.

While their Autumn/Winter 2015 collection focused on the shape of a comma as a base silhouette, their following presentation reconceptualized everyday basics. Nehera’s Resort 2016 collection was about creating deliberate mistakes in design thereby challenging classic silhouettes. Take for example a shirtdress cut in the shape of an oversized tube which exposes a slit of skin at the back, or a knitted shift with a tightly wrapped waist.

Much of the sculptural severity evoked throughout Pre-Fall 2016 lie in its cultural vestiges—the strict lines mirror the monumental ambitions of the Slovak Radio building. Muted tones and serene neutrals are intensified by a textural interplay of glossy satins, heavy wool, and chunky rib knits. Unlike their contemporaries, Nehera has professed a particular kind of relaxed austerity. One that is studied and innate to their pattern making, construction, and draping. Born from a country revered for its Functionalist architecture and cultural heritage landmarks like Mies van der Rohe’s Tugendhat House, Nehera’s statuesque silhouettes aren’t just another permutation of a clean-lined conventionalism.

Shop all Nehera here

Images courtesy of Nehera

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A Night at the Greenbrier

April 10, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Vejas Kruszewski Wants To Be The Final Guy

≪ Previous: Exploring The Cultural Vestiges Of Nehera

It was another late night in the office… Realizing it was nearing 10 PM and tomorrow’s call time was 6 AM, I accepted the fact I wouldn’t be sleeping much. Fast forward to 5:45 AM the next morning, I’ve had a mere four hours of sleep and questioned ever signing up for this. We loaded the 15- passenger van and embarked on a seven hour journey to West Virginia. Yes, that’s right: West Virginia.

Little did I know I was about to fall down a technicolor rabbit hole of Americana grandeur. Located in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, The Greenbrier hotel is a testament to our country’s history. Founded in 1778, guests would come to the resort for the sulfur water—which was used for medicinal purposes and thought to provide therapeutic healing, thus why the resort was built around it’s iconic Springhouse. In 1910, the famed hotel underwent a major expansion after The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway purchased the property. Like most things in life… Convenience is key. With a nearby railroad station where residents from New York and Washington, D.C. could easily travel to, The Greenbrier became the summer resort of the South. As I learned from The Greenbrier’s resident historian Dr. Robert S. Conte, the hotel was coined “The Saratoga of the South.” But trust, as a former student of the Capitol Region District, Saratoga has nothing on this place.

It’s dreamy to think about the days when people would leave New York for the whole damn summer. While I wish I had the answer to why that still doesn’t happen, I can only romanticize what it was like to load trunks of your best clothes, get off the train, and enjoy a summer of golfing, bathing in the luxurious mineral bath (aka indoor pool), and attend the Morning German, essentially a fashion show that took place everyday at 11AM. The craziest part though… this experience still exists. Has the resort struggled with maintaining its formal dress code? Of course, but these nuances are bound to occur.

The major transformation (and most legendary) The Greenbrier experienced was when The Railroad sold the residence to the U.S. Army in 1942, turning it into a hospital, only to be purchased back four years later. This is when Dorothy Draper, the reigning icon of NYC interior decorators, got her hands on the place. Taking advantage of the fact that there were no guests, Draper filled the resort with unusual color combinations and like, A LOT of flowers. Usually, Draper’s staple flower was the cabbage rose, but for the Greenbrier she chose rhododendrons. Exploding the halls with her signature flower, she complemented the space with black and white tiles, and walls that appear to be draped in fabric, but are actually made from Baroque plasterwork. (Fun Fact: Draper’s last major decorating project was the West Virginia wing, actually built as a decoy for an underground bunker or bomb shelter, an emergency relocation center for U.S. Congress during the Cold War.) Draper worked with the hotel until the early ’60s, passing along her design firm and her most famous work of art, The Greenbrier, to her protégé Carlton Varney, who still maintains the residence’s decor to this day.

As you can guess, I never imagined my 36-hour sleep-deprived excursion would not only turn into a whirlwind of floor-to-ceiling florals, decadent food, and stories I couldn’t get enough of… but a chance to experience history in a place that the likes of Woodrow Wilson, the Kennedys, Condé Nast, and Pierre Balmain (to name a few) frequented. Not to mention, I’m a complete sucker for draped headboards.

And if her maximalist decorating approach isn’t your taste, Dorothy Draper could really care less. In her eyes, “If everybody likes it, something is wrong w

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Vejas Kruszewski Wants To Be The Final Guy

April 11, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: BYOB by KARA: The Heavy Metal Bag, Inspired by Nancy Whang

≪ Previous: A Night at the Greenbrier

We know. Our unabashed proud parent symptom knows no bounds. If we had a bumper sticker for five of the eight OC fam members that made the LVMH Finalist cut, wheatpasting would take on a whole new look. With a chance to win a $300,000-euro grant and mentoring from OC’s own Carol and Humberto, the stakes are unequivocally high, and OC’s candidates—including AALTO, Alyx, VEJAS, Wales Bonner, and Y/Project—are equally as captivating.

In honor of the Finalists, we’ll be spotlighting each nominee with a one-on-one interview with OC’s fashion director, Carol Song (our in-house tastemaker who culled and curated these emerging brands) each week. This time around, Toronto-based designer Vejas Kruszewski takes horror movie tropes and turns them into a running for the competition.

With the upswing of talented creatives resurfacing from Toronto, young designer Vejas Kruszewski should be top on that list. For the VEJAS Spring/Summer 2016 collection, design details like ruffles, toggles, gathering, and burnished leather pay tribute to the the Final Girl horror movie trope, a last girl standing notion that exists throughout each of his collections.

Just like in his design plotlines, Vejas also aims to be the last guy for this year’s LVMH Prize competition. Below, the designer chats with Opening Ceremony buying director Carol Song about perverting stalwarts of the American wardrobe and why you shouldn’t start your own label.

Shop all VEJAS here

CAROL SONG: How did VEJAS come to life?
VEJAS KRUSZEWSKI: The brand came together a little over a year ago. It seemed to me a great idea at the time, so I pretty much threw myself into it wholeheartedly.

As a designer, what skill or trait do you feel sets you apart?
Perhaps through being mostly self taught, I approach creating clothing from a different perspective: without a clear conception of the rules or traditional methods, which results in a product with a different mood.

Your skills are self taught?
Yes, I learned how to make patterns and sew through reading Japanese sewing lifestyle magazines and seeing clothes by Céline and Balenciaga in stores. I also learned a lot from closely examining the insides of the garments, the construction and the finishing.

What does the LVMH Finalist nomination mean to you?
It's a bit of a surprise to us, but we're incredibly happy to be included in the finals. Meeting with some of the most accomplished and important people currently working in the industry has been an amazing opportunity. We are anxiously awaiting our next trip to Paris!

When we first met in New York at Opening Ceremony's offices, what was your main focus then? Has that changed at all? Were there any unexpected challenges?
My main focus hasn't changed much since then. I just want to continue building up the brand and create garments and imagery that is both beautiful and challenging for the customer and broader audience.

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BYOB by KARA: The Heavy Metal Bag, Inspired by Nancy Whang

April 12, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: The Mirror Cube: Must-See Events The Week Of 4/14

≪ Previous: Vejas Kruszewski Wants To Be The Final Guy

BYOB by KARA is a (build your own bag) pattern series designed by the NYC-based handbag label. In each feature, designer Sarah Law sits down with creatives both Opening Ceremony and KARA are obsessed with to design a unique bag based on necessity, inspiration, and, of course, personality. The pattern and instructions are then shared via WeTransfer to provide others the opportunity to create the bag at home. All materials should be something you can buy yourself, and if not we’ll provide alternative recommendations. Oh yeah, we strongly encourage adding your own personal touch.

With Coachella days away, it only made sense for our fifth installment to feature LCD Soundsystem’s founding female, Nancy Whang. Ahead of the band's reunion tour, we caught up with the keyboard artist to design a bag inspired by their signature dance-punk sound.

Shop all KARA bags here

LCD Soundsystem’s highly-anticipated reunion is almost here. Which is crazy, because the band’s sold-out show at Madison Square Garden (remember that scalper media frenzy?) seems like yesterday. The group's keyboard artist, Nancy Whang, feels the same sentiment… sort of.

"Five years is a long time, but it’s also not that long,” Whang says. “It feels very natural and I feel much more at ease, or peaceful about it.” When talking about how nervous she used to get before performances, she compared to the warm up shows they’ve been performing around the city. Since the band’s memorable breakup, Nancy has been keeping busy touring with The Juan MacLean, making records, and DJing, a profession she claimed she’d never do. But shit, we all have rent to pay.

The truth is, as revealed by LCD Soundsystem’s lead singer James Murphy in his letter to fans explaining the group's reunion, Nancy missed it. They all did… we all did. For starters, the band began as friends and ended as friends—there was never an infamous betrayal causing them to disband, they just merely agreed the time had come. The break makes sense considering Whang has never even considered herself a musician. "LCD Soundsystem is my first band—I joined when I was 24 or 25,” says Whang. “Even during the first two years of playing shows, I had no ambition of being someone in a band or being a musician as a profession. I really feel like I’m living somebody else’s fantasy.”

To circle back, the BYOB by KARA project started as a collaboration with designer Sarah Law because she wanted to give people the chance to do what she feels so privileged doing everyday: creating. Whang might not view herself as a musician, but music is an important part of her life, which is why her DIY attitude towards art and innovation are so integral. For instance, LCD Soundsystem doesn’t use any computers and often jerry-rigs their equipment to make different noises. “We look at a piece of equipment and we’re, like yeah that’s pretty cool, but if only it could do th

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The Mirror Cube: Must-See Events The Week Of 4/14

April 13, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: OC’s Guide To Conquering The Polls

≪ Previous: BYOB by KARA: The Heavy Metal Bag, Inspired by Nancy Whang

We all have that moment where Friday night rolls around and a Netflix binge is the primary “event” option. In order to cure your major case of FOMO, we’ve teamed up with The Mirror Cube, a happenings site that features events recommended by artists. With their expert panel of visual artists, actors, writers, and directors, The Mirror Cube brings you the lowdown on what shows, screenings, and exhibits you should check out each week in New York and Los Angeles.

NY: Porches, Alex G at Bowery Ballroom
April 15 at 8 PM
Picked by: Kilo Kish
What: Electronic act Porches and garage rocker Alex G co-headline at Bowery Ballroom in Manhattan.

Why Go: It's still early days in 2016, but musician Aaron Maine released his latest album as Porches—Pool—in February, and by all accounts, its his most accessible (and arguably, best) record to date. Alex G, meanwhile, is a prolific songwriter who had released a slew of cherished DIY records via Bandcamp by his twenties. Both artists are examples of prodigious, homespun talent at its finest.

NY: Green Room w/ Jeremy Saulnier Q&As at AMC Loews Lincoln Square
April 15 & 16 at 7:30 PM
Picked by: Lyz Olko
What: Blue Ruin writer-director Jeremy Saulnier will be in person for select screenings of his follow-up, Green Room, a horror-thriller that pits a young punk band against a vicious gang of neo-Nazi skinheads.

Why Go: Green Room is both more elemental than Saulnier's previous effort and more technically accomplished in how it ratchets up the tension to an almost unbearable degree. Along with Karyn Kusama's The Invitation, Green Room is the biggest nail-biter you'll see all year.

NY: Magnum Photos: New Blood at Milk Gallery
April 13-May 8
Picked by: Aaron Stern
What: Photography agency Magnum Photos presents work of their six new nominees.

Why Go: Photos by rising talents Matt Black, Carolyn Drake, Sohrab Hura, Lorenzo Meloni, Max Pinckers, and Newsha Tavakolian will be on display. In 68 years of the Magnum Photos agency, they've never had as many nominees in one year, and it's easy to see why: all six photographers' work is striking, vivid, and imaginative. This is an opportunity to see a diverse crop of leading young artists at the advent of their sure to be brilliant careers.

LA: Kevin Morby, Best Coast (DJ Set) at Space 15 Twenty
April 16 at 5 PM
Picked by: Gillian Zinser
What: Singer-songwriter Kevin Morby gives a free live performance and Best Coast and MNDSGN will participate in DJ sets to celebrate Record Store Day.

Why Go: There will be complimentary beers, prizes to win, and a dance party. Earlier in the day, there will be guest DJ sets by Toby Dammit, Lance Rock, and Fred Armisen a half block away at Amoeba.

LA:

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OC’s Guide To Conquering The Polls

April 13, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: We’re In Love With The ’90s Manic Pixie Dream Guy

≪ Previous: The Mirror Cube: Must-See Events The Week Of 4/14

Whether you’re voting on the 19th in NY or live in CA, PA, DC, KY (to name a few), the process isn’t always easy. And based on the consensus in the OC office, this is coming from personal experience. For instance, where the hell are the nearest New York City polling stations located? As crazy as this sounds, choosing a candidate might just be the easiest part in the voting process. Seriously, navigating through gov.org has felt more confusing than deciphering Trump’s foreign policies. Which is why we decided to make things easier for you with a concise guide that outlines what you really need to know: your state’s voting date, registration deadlines, polling stations, and most importantly, finding out if you’re even registered.

Because with an election that very well may be one of the most important ones in our lifetime, every vote counts. Which is why we really want you to have your shit together.

From polling station locations, to registration deadlines, we’ve broken it down by state to give you what you need to know for making the most of your vote.

State: New York
Voting Date: April 19
Registration deadline: Closed
Find out if you’re registered here.
Find your polling station on the Board of Elections website.
Poll site hours: Open 6:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M.

State: Connecticut
Voting Date: April 26
Voter registration status: Closed
Find out if you’re registered here.
Find your polling station here.

State: Delaware
Voting Date: April 26
Registration deadline: Closed
Find out if you’re registered here.
Find your polling station here.

State: Maryland
Voting Date: April 19
Registration deadline: Closed
Find out if you’re registered here.
Find your polling station here.

State: Pennsylvania
Voting Date: April 26
Registration deadline: Closed
Find out if you’re registered here.
Find your polling station here.

State: Rhode Island
Voting Date: April 26
Registration deadline: Closed
Find out if you’re registered here.
Find your polling station here.
Poll site hours: 7:00 AM-8:00 PM

State: Indiana
Voting Date: May 3
Registration deadline: Closed
Find out if you’re registered here.
Find

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We’re In Love With The ’90s Manic Pixie Dream Guy

March 31, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Coachella-Meets-Vegas For Jeremy Scott’s Annual Party

≪ Previous: OC’s Guide To Conquering The Polls

Long before guys were crushing on Natalie Portman with her oversized headphones in Garden State or Clementine introduced the orange puffer coat/blue hair combo in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind there existed a manic pixie dream guy. Quirkily romantic (and not to mention, hella fashionable), this film character was a ’90s movie staple who could serve the crazy and romantic in both personality and wardrobe. Okay, so we totally made this dude up, but think about the ’90s film fashion moments reblogged endless times on all the girls’ Tumblr pages.

While there are tons of ’90s Leonardo DiCaprio looks to envy, perhaps none are as impressive as his eclectic wardrobe in 1996’s Romeo + Juliet. With this cult classic, director Baz Luhrmann invited us into a world that was a stylistic view of the MTV generation’s version of Shakespeare—albeit with a bit more Hawaiian tees, gun holsters, and Manic Panic. But it’s not just Leo’s outfits that make the movie— it’s his entire Montague crew in general. From Jamie Kennedy’s hot pink hair to Mercutio’s sheer shirts, everything was off-kilter and daring. And don’t forget Leo’s Romeo single-handedly made the Hawaiian shirt acceptable again.

Rewatching Lurmann’s classic made us realize there were even more off-kilter ’90s male characters responsible for closet goals. From Nicolas Cage’s leopard jacket in Wild at Heart to virtually every male character in Hackers, the more clashing prints, the better. Even the questionably sane Ace Ventura made a striped trouser and Hawaiian tee combo look fresh (minus the tutu).

So where does this leave us in 2016? Today, men’s trends are more daring than ever. Dries Van Noten and Coach dabble in leopard touches, contrasting prints, and loud colors for Spring/Summer 2016. And the Hawaiian shirt is back (but let’s be real: did it ever leave?) in sleek silhouettes and unexpected prints. Not to mention Proper Gang’s light Pepto Bismol pink two-piece suit, which would have made Leo swoon like the first time he laid eyes on Juliet.

Can’t decide on who’s your favorite ’90s film man crush? Well, if you’re aiming for some serious #SquadGoals … might as well have it all.

Dries Van Noten Leopard Coat, Dries Van Noten Leopard Print Shirt, J.W. Anderson Double Waistband Trousers in black, and Acne Studios

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Coachella-Meets-Vegas For Jeremy Scott’s Annual Party

April 17, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Shanghai Fashion Week Is Worth The Scalped Tickets

≪ Previous: We’re In Love With The ’90s Manic Pixie Dream Guy

We can always count on Jeremy Scott to throw a devilishly good party. This year's Coachella Vegas-themed festivities were held in the outskirts of the desert, away from most of of the action. Matt and I arrived to the party fairly early on Saturday night, and were welcomed by a saucy neon sign—which quickly became the most grammed picture of the night. The drinks flowed strong all night and we caught glimpses of everyone from Sam Smith toA$AP and Katy Perry all dancing to soundtracks from The Misshapes, Mazurbate, Diplo, Skrillex, and A-Trak. If there's one Coachella after party you don't miss, it's Jeremy's.

Click through the slideshow above to see the snapshots that prove it.

Shop all Jeremy Scott women’s and men’s

Leigh Lezark, Jeremy Scott, and A$AP Rocky. Photos by Miguel Jimenez and Matt Brooks

Jeremy Scott, Rosson Crow, and Pablo Olea

OCLA’s Mark Saldana, Matthew Hensley, and Matt Brooks

Miguel Jimenez and Lulo

Myles Hendrik

Matt Brooks

Duke Nicholson, Alana Champion, and Hunter Crowder

Trainer Seth G

Guest with Rony Alwin

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Shanghai Fashion Week Is Worth The Scalped Tickets

April 17, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Patrik Ervell Makes Corporate Dressing Awkwardly Cool

≪ Previous: Coachella-Meets-Vegas For Jeremy Scott’s Annual Party

As part of our 2016: Year of China focus, we headed to Shanghai Fashion Week to discover the best fashion happening both on and off the streets. While the runways of Poesia, Hiuman, and Angel Chen were teeming with innovation, the team behind chinafashionbloggers.com helped us discover that fashion moments were just as head-turning off of the runway.

Timothy Parent of chinafashionbloggers.com has been covering Shanghai Fashion Week for 14 seasons now. In 2009, Shanghai Fashion Week was low-key and “uneventful,” but in 2016, it's one of the most high-profile, happening events on the Mainland.

Now a full 8-days long with almost 50 shows, Shanghai Fashion Week is bursting at the seams with photographers, bloggers, microbloggers, posers, product-pushers, media, randos, and even scalpers. Yes, Shanghai Fashion Week tickets are now available on the grey market and will generally cost you about $15 a pop, but can go for more than $100. Because, fashion.

So there's a lot of hullabaloo with the shows now pouring out onto the streets—and there's no shortage of "photographers" to snap up all the runoff. No one really knows where these photos actually go, but there are some pictures that should definitely stick around as a way to capture a crucial moment in the development of style in China.

So in true China Fashion Bloggers style, we've curated a selection of the very best and delivered it straight to your digital door. In honor of chinafashionbloggers.com’s five-year anniversary, we've chosen the best photos from our five favorite photographers from Shanghai Fashion Week and Fashion Now in Beijing.

Click through the slideshow above to see the best front row and street style moments from both Shanghai Fashion Week and Fashion Now in Beijing.

Photos by Cosmo Chen, Tom Selmon, Pin Zhang, Shadow Lin, and chinesepeopledoyoustyle.com

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Patrik Ervell Makes Corporate Dressing Awkwardly Cool

April 18, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Alyx: For The Bi-Coastal (or Bi-Continental) Girl

≪ Previous: Shanghai Fashion Week Is Worth The Scalped Tickets

For Spring/Summer 2016, Patrik Ervell takes his man out of those Brutalist buildings from his Fall/Winter 2015 collection and puts him in an institutional corporate setting. But just because he’s working for the man doesn’t mean that he’s sacrificing style. This season, the New York-based designer partners with Maharam, a high-end industrial textiles designer for commercial interiors. Extra baggy pants are accompanied with jackets that feature hidden contraptions while T-shirts feature printed satellites on the front and the back.

Below, read our interview with Ervell where he talks nostalgia, vintage gear from the future, and the possibility of officially calling himself a photographer.

Shop all Patrik Ervell here

OPENING CEREMONY: What was the inspiration behind this shoot to accompany the Spring/Summer 2016 collection?
PATRIK ERVELL: Well, photography has always been a part of my process. This was one of the first collections where I shot the lookbook, and I think going forward I'm going to be doing more of the image making. I may even start calling myself a photographer.

In your own words, what is the Spring/Summer 2016 inspiration?
I was thinking about an institutional or corporate setting and how the look of something like that can be twisted a little bit. Here I have these graphics of Satellite schematics... almost like a souvenir or a t-shirt from a satellite repair company. It feels like vintage gear from the future. That idea of something that’s both nostalgic and futuristic was the starting point of the collection.

You always have very distinct male models in your shoots. How do you go about selecting them?
I usually like to shoot people who are a bit post-human and a bit alien. That’s my biggest casting criteria.

Patrik Ervell Roll Collar Shirt Jacket in navy and Selvedge Denim in black/Stonewash. Photos courtesy of Patrik Ervell

Patrik Ervell Mock Turtleneck Tee in navy, Mid-Century Button-Down Shirt in white, and Selvedge Denim in black/Stonewash

Drop Shoulder Jacket in black and Zip-Up Mock Turtleneck Shirt

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Alyx: For The Bi-Coastal (or Bi-Continental) Girl

April 18, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Jamie Hawkesworth Provides Unadulterated Tranquility

≪ Previous: Patrik Ervell Makes Corporate Dressing Awkwardly Cool

We know. Our unabashed proud parent symptom knows no bounds. If we had a bumper sticker for five of the eight OC fam members that made the LVMH Finalist cut, wheatpasting would take on a whole new look. With a chance to win a $300,000-euro grant and mentoring from OC’s own Carol and Humberto, the stakes are unequivocally high, and OC’s candidates—including AALTO, Alyx, VEJAS, Wales Bonner, and Y/Project—are equally as captivating.

In honor of the Finalists, we’ll be spotlighting each nominee with a one-on-one interview with OC’s fashion director, Carol Song (our in-house tastemaker who culled and curated these emerging brands) each week. This time around, Alyx designer Matthew Williams takes his California mentality into New York’s streetwear scene.

Featuring hints of then and now: A California upbringing and current NYC abode, designer Matthew Williams’ brand Alyx (named after his daughter) blends together both coasts by mixing hardware with luxe materials. “It’s important that girls on both coasts—and all continents for that matter— like the vibe of the brand,” says Williams. We’d say he’s accomplished his goal so far, as the Alyx brand has caught the eye of OC’s fashion director and the LVMH Prize panel. Below, Williams talks LVMH Finalist wisdom, where the Alyx girl is going, and why the California coastline is “permanently burned” into the back of his brain.

Shop all Alyx here

CAROL SONG: How did Alyx come to life?
MATTHEW WILLIAMS: Starting my own collection had always been in the back of my mind. Over the past few years, I started to feel like I had something new to say, so I started Alyx.

As a designer, what skill or trait do you feel sets you apart?
I am not technically trained, so I think I have a completely different process than a lot of designers. I really think about an entire wardrobe for the Alyx girl. I try not to focus on one aspect, but instead encompass complete looks, from leather pieces to denim and jersey to super unique knits... and even lingerie.

So your skills were self taught?
Yes, I learned a lot throughout the past ten years from costume design and production management for other brands.

What does the LVMH Finalist nomination mean to you?
Being an LVMH Finalist has been life changing already. Just getting the chance to show my work to people like Karl Lagerfeld, Jonathan Anderson, Delphine Arnault and Ricardo Tisci has already been incredible. Hearing their words of wisdom has really had an impact on me and I am already using their advice now as I work on my Spring/Summer 2017 collection.

Since culture is such a big part of Opening Ceremony’s DNA, I want to hear about some of the things that you love. Tell us your favorite:
Snack? Cake Ball truffles from Milk Bar

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Jamie Hawkesworth Provides Unadulterated Tranquility

April 18, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Puff, Puff, Pass Through History With Paul W. Downs And Lucia Aniello

≪ Previous: Alyx: For The Bi-Coastal (or Bi-Continental) Girl

Exploring all facets of Jamie Hawkesworth’s documentary, portrait, and fashion photography, Red Hook Labs was packed to the brim during Friday’s A Short Pleasurable Journey: 51 Photographs by Jamie Hawkesworth opening— even within their sprawling gallery space. A Short Pleasurable Journey: 51 Photographs by Jamie Hawkesworth was an odyssey into every iota of the budding photographer’s aesthetic capacities. Juxtaposition in both the curation as well as the artist’s many methodologies stole the show. A dramatic landscape of craggy boulders laced in snow and buds of gingery moss neighbours a portrait of a self-assured adolescent donning a marigold fringe coat about to traverse through a skate park.

Working with design luminaries such as J.W. Anderson and OC, it comes as no surprise that Hawkesworth has a seasoned eye when it comes to depicting cloth and texture. The hazy appeal of a brushed wool coat transforms into a dramatic sequence of Baroque dips and folds. The filmy white tulle covering of a baby carriage underlines the glossy plastic cotton candy bags.

Color is yet another stronghold of Hawkesworth’s brilliance. An amber halo of sunlight illuminates the fro of a young adolescent. The radiance of a cobalt blue suit is furthered by the Swedish blonde mane of the young model.

Regardless of his medium, method, or aesthetic mode, it is Hawkesworth’s keen eye and a particular quality of softness throughout his work that draws the viewer. From the unseen film strips from his trip to The Shetland Islands expressing a particular grit and approachability to a photo of three T-shirts drying on a clothesline, there is something inviting and calming that lies within his work. Get lost in the endless serenity and light hearted allure of Jamie Hawkesworth.

A Short Pleasurable Journey: 51 Photographs by Jamie Hawkesworth runs through April 24, 2016

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Photos courtesy of Red Hook Labs

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Puff, Puff, Pass Through History With Paul W. Downs And Lucia Aniello

April 19, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: The Mirror Cube: Must-See Events The Week Of 4/21

≪ Previous: Jamie Hawkesworth Provides Unadulterated Tranquility

Think about it, man. When Marty McFly traveled back to the future in Doc’s Delorean, do you think he foresaw that one day, there might be a TV miniseries that focused on time travel through paraphernalia? In the same vein as when ’80s stoners Bill and Ted ventured through the fourth dimension with the help of a phone booth, Time Traveling Bong is a new approach to mind-altering time travel, this time in more ways than one. Premiering on Comedy Central tonight (4/20, of course) as part of a three-part miniseries, Time Traveling Bong, starring Broad City’s Ilana Glazer and Paul W. Downs and directed by Lucia Aniello, follows two stoners lost in time and space.

The three-part miniseries follows two potheads, Jeff and Sharee who discover their bong has time traveling capabilities. After an initial rip transports the two back to the 17th century, Sharee is condemned as a witch and their magical time traveling bong is mistaken for a cauldron and smashed. What follows is what some might consider a bad high, the botched bong sends the two bouncing around the space-time continuum at random—which makes for some pretty spectacular sights when under the influence. “I wanted ancient Greece to feel gorgeous and lush, the future to feel metallic and desolate, and the ’60s to feel idyllic, yet a bit off,” says director Aniello. “I tried to make each era have it's own vibe.”

While Harold and Kumar were simply trying to find their way to White Castle, Time Traveling Bong has its stars searching for the present, man. With the help of some dank ass weed, unexpected historical figures (Michael Jackson anyone?), and revelations (“Apparently George Washington grew weed” notes Downs) viewers can spark up at home and find out if the duo make it back to 2016.

Below, we talk with Paul and Lucia on how Time Traveling Bong came to be, why the past “stinks,” and who the biggest stoner in history is.

CHLOE DEWBERRY: Can you guys give some background on where the concept for Time Traveling Bong came from? Were you guys high contemplating time travel?
PAUL W. DOWNS: Ilana [Glazer] was staying with us in LA back in 2012, and one night over dinner we were talking about how much the past would stink, which is something one of Ilana's teachers had always said. Then we joked about how terrible that would be to experience if you were high. And then I forget what happened for awhile, but now we have a mini-series on Comedy Central, so that's cool.

How did you guys decide what historical eras and figures make appearances in the show?
PWD: We just looked for whatever periods/historical figures gave us the most comedy. A lot of history was pretty fucked up—especially for women and minorities—so there was a lot of material to explore. But much like time itself, the situations our protagonists can find themselves in is infinite.

Lucia, did you approach directing Time Traveling Bong any differently than you approach directing an episode of Broad City?
LA: Yeah, I wanted to make this as epic and cinematic as possible. With Broad City, I think it's important to make people feel like they're really in NYC: it's gritty; it's kinda dirty; it's cramped. But with Time Traveling Bong, I wanted ancient Greece to feel gorgeous and lush, the future to feel metallic and desolate, and the ’60s to feel idyllic, yet a bit off. I tried to make each era have it's own vibe.

Paul, what was it like filming the special with Ilana? You guys already star on Broad City together; did this feel any different?
PWD: We had a blast. Time Traveling Bong was the hardest thing we've

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The Mirror Cube: Must-See Events The Week Of 4/21

April 20, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Let’s Take It Slow

≪ Previous: Puff, Puff, Pass Through History With Paul W. Downs And Lucia Aniello

NY: New Voices in Black Cinema at BAM Rose Cinemas
April 21-24
What: Narrative features, documentaries, and shorts that depict the black experience in the U.S. and internationally.

Why Go: A series like this is unfortunately rare, and it offers audiences the opportunity to see early screenings of films that may end up getting only limited runs in theaters. Among the titles in the program are the naturalistic refugee drama Mediterranea and the Sundance Audience Award-winning L.A. drama Imperial Dreams, starring John Boyega (Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Attack the Block).

NY: The Effect at Barrow Street Theatre
April 21-June 19
Picked by: Raviv Ullman
What: An Off-Broadway production of the critically acclaimed new play by Lucy Prebble.

Why Go: The Effect is about two young people—Connie and Tristan—whose immediate and all-consuming chemistry might be the result of a drug they're both taking as volunteers in a clinical trial. The Effect won raves when it debuted in London, where it won "Best New Play" from the UK Critics’ Circle. The New York Times critic Ben Brantley called the American production "a knockout" and "a ravishment of the senses."

NY: Freddie Gibbs at Highline Ballroom
April 26 at 8 PM
Picked by: Keith Kandell
What: Gary, Indiana-based rapper Freddie Gibbs makes a NYC stop on his Shadow of a Doubt tour with special guest Young M.A.

Why Go: Gibbs is one of the most respected rappers recording and performing live today. In reviewing Shadow of a Doubt, The Guardian called his mix of old and new school "part macho throwback, part hip-hop modernist" and praised his "dextrous delivery."

LA: Eric Rohmer's La Collectionneuse at The Cinefamily
April 24 at 7:30 PM
What: La Collectionneuse, the French film series at Cinefamily, hosts a screening of its namesake, the 1967 Eric Rohmer film, La Collectionneuse in 16mm.

Why Go: Kalyane Lévy—a.k.a. La Collectionneuse—programs one of the best film series in Los Angeles, and you can celebrate its one-year anniversary with this special screening and an after part

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Let’s Take It Slow

April 21, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: The Sill: Plants With Benefits

≪ Previous: The Mirror Cube: Must-See Events The Week Of 4/21

Since it’s Earth Day we thought it would be an opportune time to address what’s been on everyone’s mind: fast fashion. Considered the second dirtiest industry next to oil, the fashion industry and it’s ever increasing demand for cheap, mass-produced clothing has been vilified for its cataclysmically harmful environmental effects. Aside from the obvious reasons of creating waste, producing pollution, and threatening the global water supply, fast fashion has incited a de-evolution of design. Collections are either artificially conceptualized with not much attention to craftsmanship and are rather playfully ‘deconstructed’ or manically colorful and thoughtless. In an era where practically everyone is a fashion designer/DJ/ ‘curator’ of (fill niche hobby in here), it’s no wonder that the demand for cloth is at a back-breaking pace.

But luckily the pendulum must—and always will—swing back. Enter slow fashion. Modeled after slow food, the concept is simple: higher quality goods, using local resources, and a smaller bridge between the designer and the consumer. Because in the end, the point is to buy one quality piece at a higher price point instead of five poorly-made items… We all know who those brands are, we’re all guilty of shopping there, but on a day like today we need to ask ourselves … Is it really worth it?

And designers are modeling their business around this concept, like Faustine Steinmetz who ethically sources and hand weaves her ornately worked clothes, literally taking one month to complete certain pieces. Eckhaus Latta exclusively uses deadstock material to construct their collections. On the other end of the slow fashion spectrum, designers like TRUSS employ local artisans to perfect their meticulously crafted designs.

But how did this all come about, and what does the future hold? To answer these questions, we reeled in the expertise of Colleen Hill, Assistant Curator of Accessories at the museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology and co-author of Sustainable Past: Past, Present, and Future—an expansion of the Museum of FIT’s 2010 Eco-Fashion: Going Green exhibit. Similar to the exhibit, her book traced the history of the relationship between fashion and the environment from the 18th century to the present. Below, we talk with Hill about fashion—from the super fast to the ultra slow.

CHRISTIANE NICKEL: How do you feel fast fashion has affected designers, the industry, and textile production?
COLLEEN HILL: The most obvious negative effect of fast fashion is that it is quite literally designed to be disposable. Many garments end up in landfills after they are worn just a few times— if at all—and many of those garments will take hundreds of years to biodegrade. That is not even taking into account the many resources that were necessary to produce the garments in the first place.

Less commonly discussed is the impact that fast fashion has had on creativity. That might seem fun and democratic to many consumers, but it’s actually severely weakening the role of fashion as a creative field. The less that our garments seem “special,” the less attachment we have to them. The monetary and emotional value that clothing once had is entirely lost in the fast fashion system, and the pace of production and disposal is not something that is sustainable in the long term.

What are the long-term effects of fast fashion?
The

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The Sill: Plants With Benefits

April 21, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Daisy Brings Back The Simple Life Style

≪ Previous: Let’s Take It Slow

Because everyday should be Earth Day, let's talk about plants, baby. They brighten up spaces, filter out toxins, and provide a myriad of other benefits to your general well being. In honor of them we sat down with New York-based plant enthusiasts The Sill— a collective of various entities including an e-shop, design consultation services, as well as a nursery in New Jersey, and LES-based store. We sat down with founder Eliza Blank to learn more about their multi-faceted plant-erprises.

CHRISTIANE NICKEL: What was the initial concept behind The Sill?
ELIZA BLANK: When I moved from rural Massachusetts to Manhattan to attend NYU, the lack of greenery quickly created nostalgia for my parents’ plant-filled home. That’s when the idea for The Sill was born. While working as a brand strategist after college, I was focusing on identifying opportunities for clients in spaces where macro trends and micro problems overlapped. At the time, "green" was gaining a ton of momentum, and I realized that my craving for adding plants back into my life was part of a larger shared experience. "I want more green in my life" was macro; "I don't have a trusted resource for houseplants in the city" was micro. The Sill seemed like a brand that could solve for both with one simple truth: Plants make people happy.

What are the general and therapeutic benefits of indoor plants?
We spend an estimated 90% of our time living and breathing in indoor air, which contains more pollution than the air outdoors! The consequences of toxic emissions from synthetic building materials can include airborne mold, reduced air circulation, and more. Plants filter out harmful toxins, convert carbon dioxide to oxygen, and increase humidity. So not only do they look nice, but they've been shown to naturally clean indoor air toxins while dramatically improving ventilation quality as well as our overall health and well-being. In addition to their impact on air quality, the presence of plants has been shown to boost moods, increase relaxation, reduce stress and anxiety, and provide us with a sense of responsibility and connection with living things. Plants with benefits, am I right?

Tell us more about some of your "green walls" projects.
If New York City is lacking in anything, it’s living space. So when clients came to us with a tight square footage, but a craving for indoor plants, we knew it was time to get creative and use vertical space. Our plant design team has installed its fair share of different types of green walls, but we’re currently coveting the moss wall we installed at the MNDFL Meditation Studio and the air plant wall we created at The Oasis, our collaborative space with Breather. Air Plants are a great way to “green wall” sans power tools because they can weigh almost nothing. For the Breather space, we simply attached our air plant holders (designed in-house and made in NJ) to the wall with command strips, inserted air plants, and voila! It’s great for renters.

What are some common misconceptions about urban gardening?
That you need a green thumb! It’s a myth. You just need a little help picking the perfect plant.

What advice do you have for taking care of plants in both office and city homes?
The golden rule is to determine the amount of sunlight your space receives, and to choose your plant accordingly, especially in urban spaces. If you’re not sure just by looking, start by figuring out which direction your windows face. If there’s something outside your window (a large tree or building, for examp

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Daisy Brings Back The Simple Life Style

April 21, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Forget 1-800-Flowers This Mother’s Day

≪ Previous: The Sill: Plants With Benefits

As evidenced by Paris and Nicole’s time on the farm in The Simple Life, when it comes to innovative fashion in the farmhouse, the most stylish pairings come in two. Which is why we’re über excited to introduce Daisy, an Australian brand founded by husband and wife creative duo Renee and Gibson Fox. As evidenced by the cowhide vests and serious plethora of gingham print, Daisy’s Spring/Summer 2016 Pure Country collection is “about the simple life that no one really gets to live anymore.”

Below, we talk with the duo about their design muses and how they both carry out their creative spirits through Daisy.

Shop all Daisy here

Name: Renee Fox
Hometown: Sydney, Australia
Astrological Sign: Taurus
What was your style like in high school? Psycho: the boys uniform with a tie and red eyeliner so it always looked like I'd been crying.
What’s your current Spring/Summer 2016 collection inspiration? Pure Country is about the simple life that no one really gets to live anymore.
Coolest place to visit where you currently reside: MASTER restaurant in Surry Hills. Our friend, head chef John Javier, always makes something special for us. Our favorites are the pandan cocktails and puffed beef tendons with haidai salt.
If you were to do another job besides designing what would it be: I was Fashion Editor at Oyster magazine before Daisy, so probably still there!
What's your go-to karaoke song? “Love Hurts” by Nazareth

Name: Gibson Fox
Hometown: Sydney, Australia
Astrological Signs: Capricorn
What was your style like in high school? Size 40 Polo Ralph Lauren Jeans and XXXL Karl Kani tees
Do you have a design muse? Our friends are always on our minds when we're designing or shooting. Charmaine, Colette, and Mateja have such a cool approach to fashion. They reinterpret clothing through their individuality. It's a very genuine perspective with a cool mix of fantasy and reality. We also love Jack Donoghue and Jim Greco.
If you were to do another job besides designing what would it be? Photography, but luckily through Daisy I get to still do both.
What's your go-to karaoke song? “South Of Heaven” by Slayer

Click through the slideshow to see all products from Daisy

O-Ring Dress in red

Cowhide Vest and Cowhide Shorts

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Forget 1-800-Flowers This Mother’s Day

April 24, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Genders Of Adornment

≪ Previous: Daisy Brings Back The Simple Life Style

We’ve all been there— but it doesn’t have to make us horrible children. Each year, Mother’s Day rolls around with an undeniable quickness and subtlety. But just because you kinda forgot about mom’s big day doesn’t mean you have to resort to handmade cards or pick up the phone to have Edible Arrangements delivered.

Instead of depending on some random florist with a knack for wrapping flowers, why not trust a more dependable source when it comes to Mother’s Day gifts… aka us here at OC. Since we’re already hitting our registers to get some Justine Clenquet jewelry gift wrapped for our own mamas, we figured we could spread the love with our own Mother’s Day gift guide. Featuring everything from Coach 1941 x Opening Ceremony handbags to Maison Michel wide-brimmed hats, there’s something for every type of mom.

Trust us, hold the flowers. Your mom will be all the more thankful for those nine months spent with you if you do.

Shop our Mother’s Day gift guide here

Opening Ceremony x Gentle Monster Olga 03 Sunglasses in chestnut, Maison Michel Virginie Hat in shadow pink, Dorateymur Munis Nappa Leather High Heeled Mules in baby blue, and Comme des Garçons Crazy Stripes Long Wallet in multi. Shop our Mother’s Day gift guide here

Comme des Garçons Medium Zip-Around Wallet in red, Opening Ceremony x Fossil Three-Hand Bangle Watch in multi, Coach 1941 x Opening Ceremony OC Exclusive Cashin Carry Leather Haircalf Handbag in black/pink floral, Linda Farrow x Dries Van Noten Cat-Eye Sunglasses in brown, Opening Ceremony Iggie Vachetta Sneakers in natural tan

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Genders Of Adornment

April 24, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: HELENAMANZANO Brings An Unsettling Mood To Fashion

≪ Previous: Forget 1-800-Flowers This Mother’s Day

Like scaffolds of personal expression, piercings are elemental to our culture. They reveal different sides to us while revoking notions of conventional aesthetics. Dating back to the 6th century, body modification is one of the earliest forms of adornment: spanning continents, cultures, and centuries. For years, mainstream heteronormative Western culture has discounted this as a reactionary aspect of counter and sub-cultural movements even though the practice and art of piercing is just as expansive as the history of fashion.

In another light, queerness, and gender nonconformity is systemic to human civilization and evolution, but has been relentlessly discounted, reviled, and subject to oppression. While recent years of substantial societal changes may have helped shine a more positive and honest light onto queer folk, this is regretfully still a paltry in terms of actual progression.

To celebrate the beauty and transformative powers of queerness and the art of piercing, we’ve teamed up with You Do You, a web portal that provokes and procures notions of gender nonconformity through fashion, accessories, and lifestyle stories. For this photo journal, photographer Thomas McCarty and stylist Gia Seo worked with models Kay Hsu, María José, and Tyler Rose to further work with ideas of body modification and queerness.

Kay Hsu, Instagram Creative Strategist

CHRISTIANE NICKEL: How do you think Instagram has helped enrich the visibility of queer, gender nonconforming people on a global scale?
KAY HSU: It’s given queer, gender nonconforming people a voice and a platform to speak. It opens up the world to the community and gives the community a chance to express themselves in a real way, which is very multidimensional, diverse, and authentic as the community.

How do you feel Instagram has helped enrich and educate the media on gender nonconformity?
It’s really helped to make people who are struggling with self identity realize that they’re not alone and at the same time provide a real time, visual perspective into the culture and politics of gender nonconformity.

María José, Photographer/Artist

CHRISTIANE NICKEL: How are piercings and body modifications a form of queer expression?
MARÍA JOSÉ: By definition, queerness is a deviation from the norm. If I were to interpret this question literally, piercings and body modifications are all queer, because we are not born with them. Our bodies would not grow piercings or plastic naturally. Now, if we were to measure the queerness of piercings and body modifications by what is socially acceptable and what is not, what is normative and what isn't, we would have to specify which piercings and which body modifications. For example: a cis woman having her earlobes pierced is not queer. On the other hand, the trans woman who recently got her ears removed in order to appear more like a dragon... that is queer, because she is queer. I believe it comes down to who is getting the piercing and body modifications. The person makes the accessories queer, not the other way around.

Given the increasing acceptance of gender nonconforming people, has this changed the nature of your work? What's your vision for the future?
My thoughts on how queer / gender nonconforming people are portrayed in art and fashion, is that we should be given the chance to portray ourselves, instead of constantly being portrayed by people who do not share a similar life experienc

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