Celebrity Skin @ 9th AXDW - show leaks

Celebrity Skin's a/w 11 collection, DRAmaTIC-DISclipiNE, will be unveiled on the catwalk today, at 19:30. I am being informed that it's all ready and set. Here's some exclusive extra bits of info on what will take place:

- Apart from Eleonora Zouganeli, Ada Livitsanou, Isaia Matiaba, Penelope Anastasopoulou and Alexis Foukos who all star on the fashion film scheduled to open the show, Antigoni Psichrami and Alexandra Palaiologou complete the team of 7 celebrities to model on the catwalk.

- The soundtrack will be Daft Punk in remix.

- The models will march in especially created helmets, made by interior designer Andrea Manta.

- Models' feet will be walking on Dexim whereas the 7 celebrities will be wearing shoes by Room 69.

- The show consists of 32 outfits and will kick off with a men's.

Only a few hours left...

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*all winners of this competition have already been notified by email. Athena, Anna, Alexandra, Eleni and Christo check your inbox for instructions.

Croisette 74 filming set - backstage teaser

Last night's launch was a success with a mixed crowd of vintage knitting lovers and fashion professionals sharing the enthousiasm for this fresh new project, Croisette 74. The concept video was unveiled, projected on the actual settings it was filmed at. Until its online release I can only show you a brief teaser of what it involved: an old porter's booth and nail varnish in the shades of the collection.
For more making of, watch this space.

Croisette 74 today + preview

Croisette 74 is launching in Athens tonight the first exclusive handmade vintage knitted collection for women, men and children. This project is the brainchild of Eleftheria Lagoudaki and Vassilis Barbarigos and is based on vintage patterns, all hand-knitted by traditional knitters all around Athens. The news were so exciting, I had to see for myself. The designs were hand-picked and knitted to perfection with complicated knitting untouched by machine. You'd think they'd have to cost a fortune but I was pleased to hear that childrenswear are priced around 40 euros and everything else is in the range of 100 euros (plus-minus). Orders are flexible and offer you the option of sur mesure, which means that it can all be made to fit your exact size and body type.
The launch of the collection will take place tonight in Athens, at Romvis 26 face gate (right next to Bliss cafe). I attended the filming of a special video created to showcase the collection in motion, which will be unveiled on the spot and is expected to lift off the vintage atmospere. It will all take place between 20.00 and 00.00 so leave home early this Saturday night. (flyer here)

*backstage material from the fashion clip coming soon.

Gaetano Pesce for Melissa

Let me be the first to share that Gaetano Pesce's limited edition shoe for Melissa is coming to town. As a matter of fact, it will be available in very few and selected concept stores around the world, one of which is SHOP at Ermou, Athens.

The reknown Italian architect, artist and designer who lists Osaca's famous Organic Building among his achievements, worked closely with Melissa in creating this bootie that will unleash the diy ma(on)ster in you. The discs it consists of are connected in a way that can be easily cut with a pair of scissors in order to create your very own pump, sandal or any other design your creative mind can think of.

Pesce said he wanted to explore the potential of a shoe that offers the option of "post-customization". Indeed he's given us a playground.

Metalla - the battle, the poster

Saturday, December 11th 2010 at Swing Bar, Athens, free entrance.
That's where the battle between blow-your-mind Greek anthems and rock-you-hard heavy metal is going to take place. Guilty as charged, Elias Fragoulis and Ino Mei.
Ok, me too for shamelessly sponsoring this.
Invite yourselves HERE.

There was hair-pulling at the poster's shoot and I can prove it:

Costarellos' fashion clip - preview

Designer Christos Costarellos is next up to embrace the fashion video concept. The clip featuring his s/s 11 collection in motion is currently in wrap-up and will be screened during 4FashionShake this coming Tuesday, November 9th. Yet another project by director Tina Sardelas.

Here's an exclusive preview in screenshots:
Extract from press release:
"In Christos Costarellos SS11 collection the power of ethereal, alluring women comes to the fore. His woman resembles the heroines in Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s poems and painting, who are sensual and beautiful in their secretly provocative way.

However, this collection is also imbued with calm and classical elegance, like Irving Penn’s masterpiece – portraits of women, which manage to combine decorum and sensuality, to be austere and playful at the same time".

Clip credits:
Hair- makeup: George Maraskas
Direction of Photography: Nadia Papanikolaou
Directed by: Tina Sardelas
Models: Tamarah & Sarah Elisabeth (Ace)

Gaspard Yurkievich for Eastpak

The special collaboration between Eastpak and French designer Gaspard Yurkievich is finally out.

Yurkievich, who's previously worked closely with Jean-Paul Gaultier and Thierry Mugler, feels Eastpak is an iconic brand for the generation of today's 30-something. He's created a stylish line dedicated to them and all those with Eastpak's casual spirit.

Check out the result below.
If you like what you see, you're gonna love the end of this post.
Celebrating the launch of this line, www.lycshop.gr – EASTPAK’S official webstore in Greece - offers Rox Readers an oh.my.god. 40% off all items in it's eshop for a week, starting today!

Visit Lycshop, browse, add to cart and use the code:
ALECCAROX40
at checkout to get your discount.

Offer ends on Friday, November 12 at midnight.
Enjoy.

Celebrity Skin - backstage clip

Happening backstage whilst you were taking your seats:

[all photos in this clip are mine besides:
Celebrity Skin bow - ilovestardust
Elena Psoma & kiddo - Patricia Munster
Ada & Alexis - Strepkos on FB]

Picks:
- Strepkos being the designer, stylist, floor manager & host (impossible multitasking)
- Mparla works well under pressure;)
- Star kid Zoe posing for the photographers. Oh my the attitude.
- The amount of feet walking on such limited space and nobody stepped on anybody (impossible success)
- Ada Livitsanou's secret (not anymore) catch!
- Backstage buzz yet catwalk order.

Celebrity Skin - dressing room clip

Dressing and stage direction touch-ups before entering the backstage area.

[next up: backstage clip]

Celebrity Skin VS Dexim

Hot bun: Celebrity Skin and Dexim, Greece-based and certainly affordable shoe brand, announced their collaboration on a limited edition line yesterday, at a presentation hosted at the latter's hq. "We are excited to be offered the chance to design an exclusive shoe line. This is something new to us and we feel it compliments and at the same time completes what we do" said Celebrity Skin. Bring it on.

Photos courtesy of Fenia Lambropoulou.
Dexim will be sponsoring each step at CS catwalk this coming Monday.

Your Celebrity Skin Dress - competition

Wondering what it feels like being in a Celebrity Skin Dress?
Wondering what the two designers are like in real life?

I've booked you in for a private session.

The duo is offering one lucky luuucky Rox reader the chance to meet them, get the celebrity styling treatment and leave their atelier with a Celebrity Skin unique dress, especially made to fit and flatter her body type.

Are you already making space in your wardrobe for a true gem? Let me know by e-mailing me at aleccarox [at] windowslive [dot] com, subject 'The Dress' and your full name as a message.

Competition ends on October 25th, the day Celebrity Skin unveil their s/s 11 collection at AXDW.

The Island - Costumes II

The costumes of the series 'The Island' are as emotionally charged as the story itself. That's because most of them are real vintage items, existing way before the story was told. Part of what makes this new series a masterpiece, is the effort put to gather these precious bits of history that should later on be placed at a costume museum, no doubt.

All credit for the very special work goes to:
Costumes Supervisor Maria Kontodima
Costumes Designer Xanthi Kontou
Assistant Costumes Designer Marli Aleiferi
Dressers Foteini Papastefanou & Christina Tsoutsouligka Here's the huge storage space the costumes were kept at, at Elounda's school yard. An impossible giant closet, square metres of fashion history. Costume design team's work doesn't stop at getting the goods in one space. Past time series require special handling, like adding the marks of time, getting those gems realistically dirty to match the scenes' conditions yet keeping them in perfect shape for the actors. A movie is not just what you see, but also what you see if you look closer.
Costumes Designer Xanthi Kontou and Assistant Costumes Designer Marli Aleiferi were kind enough to talk about this truly unique and of international standards project:

How many costumes travelled to Crete, how much preparation was needed and how many people participated in the process?

Xanthi Kondou: We shipped 2.000 outfits which took eight months of extensive research to put together. Overall, the various stages from Costume Design to Dressing, was carried out by a team of five. All costumes were created based on tradition archives and some were selected from private collectors’ original garments.
What is special about these costumes and where should the audience focus throughout the series?

Xanthi Kondou: We aimed to achieve balance and harmony between the colours of the environment, Spinalonga and those of the clothes. We paid special attention to the conservatism of the era, something obvious in the clothes of women. We also worked our best to recreate regional style with elements of the traditional Cretan men’s attire (boots, pants, etc.)

There are many semiological details helping the viewers follow the plot, for example, the crosses around the little girls’ necks (Anna & Maria) is what links them later on to their adult years.
To what extent is costume important in such a big production and why?

Marli Aleiferi: It is vital to project the mood and overall atmosphere. You only have seconds to make the audience familiarize with the main characters and the image must communicate the role clearly and accurately in order to achieve a quick engagement.

Semiology is also crucial in order to have the viewer hooked, subconsciously getting the clues we aim to get across. The costume design department reads every line of the script just like the actors and works closely with the director for perfect close ups and powerful frames.
What is a good and what a tough moment for the costumes team during filming?

Marli Aleiferi: A tough moment is when you have to shoot a scene involving numerous extras, that have to fit the theme perfectly and at the same time have a visually balanced and realistic result. None is meant to stand out, other than the protagonists. Getting an immaculate result in limited time is challenging. So is making sure there are no goofs, i.e. if the actor wears a ring on the left finger in a scene, it has to be on the same spot during the next ones too.

A good moment is each and every time a scene is successfully complete. Thankfully we’ve had plenty and you’ll get to watch them all.
Congrats to everyone for the wonderful job, for bringing all these items to light and all 150-something characters to life through clothes. A strong reminder that attire is a big part of our herritage and should not be neglected. Next Monday, watch 'The Island', see the pictures, but read the costumes.