british designer be@rbrick

"F___ everybody except us," says the t-shirt on the Be@rbrick you see above.

Such audacity and irreverence can only come from British designer Vivienne Westwood (left), the fashion iconoclast responsible for bringing punk style (bondage gear, razor blades, safety pins, bicycle/lavatory chains, spiked dog collars, wild hair and make-up) into the mainstream. She started to gain fame when the punk band, The Sex Pistols, began to wear her outrageous fashion.

In September 2006, in collaboration with the British civil rights group called "Liberty", she created 'I am not a terrorist, please don't arrest me' t-shirts in support of the writ of habeas corpus.

Notorious for going knickerless, she twirled around to reveal her derriere (and more!) when she collected her OBE (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in 1992. In 2006, she was made a dame by the Prince of Wales.

A three-time awardee for British Designer of the Year, Westwood has been influential in launching the careers of other British designers like Patrick Cox. Remember when supermodel Naomi Campbell fell on the runway in 1994? She was wearing Patrick Cox's 9-inch heels for Westwood's 'Clint Eastwood' collection.

Westwood's reputation and successful career in fashion was a result of an unabashed and undying self expression. Clearly, it wasn't about making fashion statements, but rather, about her own life statement coming into fashion.

(Top) This Westwood Be@rbrick is one of a set of three.

Pic of Westwood's London shop on Conduit Street by me / Pics of her 2008 spring-summer men's collection are from the catalogue which I got from her shop / Info from Wikipedia

op art be@rbrick

Have you ever felt nauseous just by looking at art?

Like a sudden attack of vertigo, a long hard look at op art can certainly make your head spin.

Op art, also known as optical art, is a form of abstract art that produces optical illusions of movement and perspective by the use of cleverly arranged patterns.

British artist Bridget Riley was one of the foremost exponents of op art, which emerged in the mid-60's (around the same time the closely-related 'psychedelic look' also began to gain popularity in fashion and design).

The black and white insets that you see here are some of her paintings. If you stare at them for a minute, you will see the sense of movement – vibrating, flashing, throbbing – and perceive illusions of perspective or 3-dimensional space. The effect is mesmerizing, illuminating... but dizzying!

The spell may cause you to throw up. Go ahead. But after you've wiped your mouth with a towel, you may realize that your stomach is empty and that you're hungry for more – more fascinating and thought-provoking op art that explores and celebrates not just the beauty of subjects or scenes, but also the wonders of sight, the delight of seeing.

(Top left: This BWWT 3 Be@rbrick was designed by Boris Tellegen a.k.a. Delta, a Netherlands native who started out as a graffiti artist in the 80s. He is now an established sculptor, painter, illustrator, toy and graphic designer.)

(Info from Wikipedia, nadav.harel.org, wind.com.my. Pics of Riley's work from www.mishabittleston.com)

stick your tongue out, be@rbrick!

The cheeky logo of the rock band Rolling Stones (left) became very famous, although the artist – not Andy Warhol, mind you – received a measly £50 for it.

His name is John Pasche, a British graphic designer and D&AD Awardee whose other works include: the poster for Roger Vadim's 'And God Created Woman'; cd designs for The Art of Noise and Sinead O'Connor; tour ads for David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, and The Who.

The logo first appeared in 1971, on the inner sleeve of the Rolling Stones album, Sticky Fingers.
Two years later, Pasche supposedly received £200 more, in recognition of the logo's great success. Of course, the band earned millions from it.

Well, they got the money but the honor belonged to Pasche. For him, I photographed my 2nd Rolling Stone Be@rbrick against the pages of Rolling Stone Magazine (above, right).

I love this logo, and how it has come a long way from 'racy t-shirt graphic' to 'classic pop icon'. It's solid proof that irreverence can earn you respect.

(Related Blog Entry: Be@rbrick was a Rolling Stone!)

(Info/logo: www.johnpasche.com, IP Review, Wikipedia)

sargeant pepper's lonely hearts club bears

Every year, our company would go on a trip – a perk for employees who have done well. Last year, I was among the many who lobbied for (a second visit to) Hong Kong. Most of the guys at the office pointed out the relatively new Disneyland HK as the main attraction while I, on the other hand, had a hidden agenda – to buy Be@rbricks at the little toy shops in the busy Mongkok district! :-)

So Hong Kong it was. And Mongkok it was! I jostled through the thick crowds just to bring home the Beatles Be@rbricks you see above. It's a vibrantly designed set, with colors and details based on one of the most popular Beatles albums, Sargeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Notice how the military style outfits match the original Manuel Cuevas designs (below).

The said album is probably the most celebrated among the Beatles' incredible musical legacy. Aside from the title song, I also love the other hit songs from the album: the heady music trip, Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds; the ode to friendship, With A Little Help From My Friends; and that amusing love song that I will continue to sing, with a smile and a passion, now and... When I'm Sixty-Four.

(Beatles pic from http: www.terra.com.br)

be@rbrick was a rolling stone!

The slick Rolling Stone Be@rbrick (above left) is named after Brian Jones (right), the founder and lead/rhythm guitarist of the English rock band. It's inspired by the 60s mod look which Brian, including his other bandmembers – Mick Jagger (above right), Keith Richards – sported in their early years.

Even today, designers such as Versace, Gucci, & Dior would include updated versions of this look in their menswear collections. To wear it well, however, it seems the cocaine-thin body is a must. :-p

(Jagger/Jones photos courtesy of Wikipedia)

bear in designer jeans

A few years back, I fell in love with a Paul Smith vest that I came across in the pages of GQ magazine. It had cutouts of wings hand-sewn rather crudely (in true Paul Smith fashion) on the back. It was a witty juxtaposition of the playful and the classic. Up to today, I have never seen a vest as hip and stylish.

Paul Smith's bear (an item that was sold with a tee at his boutiques) also has the signature hand-sewn look, that deliberate naivete that I find quite charming. But Paul, can you make another one with the signature stripes, please? I want one that matches my shirt.