Portugal Fashion - Felipe Oliveira Baptista

Felipe Oliveira Baptista is a Portuguese designer fast gaining recognition on the Paris fashion scene For those who believe that fashion and creation, in general terms, is a reinterpretation of trends and styles from the past, the work of Felipe Oliveira Baptista proves a real challenge.

But is there anyone immune to the style of this young Portuguese fashion designer? In Paris and the realm of haute couture, Felipe Oliveira Baptista, 32, is seen as one of the most promising designers of his generation. In 2002 Karl Lagerfeld presented him with the best designer award at the Hyères International Festival in France. But 2003 would prove to be the year of his real breakthrough. Last year saw him found his own haute couture label, and the Louis Vuitton Hennesy group (LVHM) and the French National Association of Arts and Fashion (ANDAM) awarded him one of the most prestigious and coveted grants attributed to the designer who "expresses the best definition of exceptionality in creation".

Soon afterwards he was invited by Jean Paul Gaultier and Hermés to take part in the haute couture official calendar. From that moment on Baptista has kept the public enthralled with his minimalist yet highly creative style, cut from the finest of fabrics using traditional Japanese techniques and a restricted palette of colours. "The Japanese have a very different notion of the body and how to be," he explains.

In 2005 he was one of five young designers awarded by ANDAM. When asked how he has managed to make his mark in the almost inaccessible world of international design, his reply is modest and simple, just like the man and his collections. "A lot of work, a little bit of talent and luck... a whole lot of luck." But he immediately corrects himself: "Obviously nothing is just down to chance. Love and dedication are also very important and I love my work." Felipe Oliveira Baptista was born in the Azores and grew up in Lisbon. His pure determination led him, at the age of 18, to risk everything and head off to study design and fashion design at Kingston University in London. Soon afterwards he worked for MaxMara, Cristophe Lemaire and Cerruti in Italy and Paris, where he ended up staying and marrying Séverine, a young Parisian whom he had met at work.

His influences, he says, are drawn from sculpture, architecture, design and origami and even the terrorist attacks in London which were the theme of his autumn/winter 2006 collection and where he happened to be when they took place. He prefers to work with people who are not involved with the fashion industry - "they (impart) a wealth of information and suggestions, which is vital for my work," - and develops additional projects that he describes as "equally inspiring", such as wardrobe design for films, or designing CD covers.

He sells clothes in some of the world's largest shopping centres in places like Paris, Tokyo, Milan and New York and is now thinking of designing a men's collection and a range of accessories. Nevertheless, Felipe Oliveira Baptista still considers himself a "debutante, with everything to learn." But critics within the industry, whose opinions can be beneficial as well as detrimental, appear to have fallen for the charms of this garcon, and he is developing a reputation as the man who designs clothing for the future.

His elegant and sophisticated designs present clean lines, without unnecessary or excessive ornamentation, where every gather and every fold highlights the forms and volumes of the body, rather than what he describes as "clothes for 43-kilogram beanpoles!"

Fonte

Portugal Fashion muda-se para Gaia

A 21ª edição – entre 19 e 21 de Outubro – terá já lugar em Gaia, no Pavilhão Municipal, onde serão apresentadas as propostas para a Primavera/Verão 2008, dos mais importantes criadores e marcas portuguesas.

O protocolo agora assinado tem duração até 2010. De acordo com a ANJE, esta mudança deve-se à «necessidade do Portugal Fashion definir um período mínimo de estabilidade e de confiança na sua localização».

A organização acrescenta, no entanto, que esta mudança «não tem a ver com a falta de apoio da autarquia do Porto», mas apenas com esta necessidade de estabilidade.

O concelho de Vila Nova de Gaia foi considerado por este protocolo como um dos «exemplos de maior dinamismo e de modernização infra-estrutural em termos nacionais», sendo «uma marca líder de toda a região Norte com capacidade de atracção de investimento público e privado».

Ainda segundo o mesmo documento, «a realização do Portugal Fashion no concelho proporcionará uma oportunidade de promoção nacional e internacional de grande valia».

Com esta mudança, torna-se oficial a descentralização da moda portuguesa, já que a ModaLisboa também já havia assinado um protocolo com a Câmara Municipal de Cascais e a Junta de Turismo da Costa do Estoril para a saída de Lisboa e instalação na vila piscatória durante os próximos dois anos.

raquel.carrilho@sol.pt

Fonte

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Corpetes - Part I

Etymology

The word corset is derived from the Old French word cors, the diminutive of body, which itself derives from corpus - the Latin for body.

Fashion

The most common and well-known use of corsets is to slim the body and make it conform to a fashionable silhouette. For women this most frequently emphasizes a curvy figure, by reducing the waist, and thereby exaggerating the bust and hips (see photo). However, in some periods, corsets have been worn to achieve a tubular straight-up-and-down shape, which involves minimizing the bust and hips.

For men, corsets are more customarily used to slim the figure. However, there was a period from around 1820 to 1835 when an hourglass figure (a small, nipped-in look to the waist) was also desirable for men; this was sometimes achieved by wearing a corset.

An overbust corset encloses the torso, extending from just under the arms to the hips. An underbust corset begins just under the breasts and extends down to the hips. Some corsets extend over the hips and, in very rare instances, reach the knees (example). A shorter kind of corset, which covers the waist area (from low on the ribs to just above the hips), is called a 'waist cincher'. A corset may also include garters to hold up stockings (alternatively a separate garter belt may be worn for that).

Normally a corset supports the visible dress, and spreads the pressure from large dresses, such as the crinoline and bustle. Sometimes a corset cover is used to protect outer clothes from the corset and to smooth the lines of the corset.

Fetish

Aside from fashion and medical uses, corsets are also used in sexual fetishism, most notably in BDSM activities. In BDSM, a submissive can be forced to wear a corset which would be laced very tight and give some degree of restriction to the wearer. A dominant can also wear a corset, but for entirely different reasons such as aesthetics.


Aconselha-se a leitura de: History of Corsets
Mini History of The Corset
The Corset: A Cultural History

Fonte: Wikipedia
Photo