Creating cutting-edge fashion in Germany isn’t really a dog’s life. I mean, look at the competition – what does Germany fashion industry really has to offer besides Birkenstock? That’s why Berlin has turned to a Mecca for aspiring talents and young designers. Trying to pull off the same number in Italy, however, is a pretty tough job. Besides all odds and relying on their talent and hard work, those two boys have made it in the cut-throat market of Italian fashion. I’d like to introduce you to Antonio Romano and Francesco Alagna from COMEFORBREAKFSAT. The label was created back in 2009 and has been endorsed by Vogue Italia. And that’s just for starters.

For this spring-summer season COMEFORBREAKFAST draws inspiration from the natural shock of a forest in flames, in a fairly alienated and alienating dimension of a suffocating, dissolved and sun-burnt August. Such a destabilizing vision, aimed at exploring the phobias and fears of the new millennium –already triggered off in the previous collections- can be immediately perceived in the colour palette, showing a scale of cold and still greys mixed together with silver and burnt yellow.  The graphics, which have always represented the characterizing element in C4B’s stylistic research, are highly imaginative projections of the tree barks damaged by flames; all-over motifs, going from light grey to anthracite, de-compose and re-compose burnt textures in digital and three-dimensional prints.

The dynamic textures like jersey and fleece are worked with the burette technique to produce a combed, irregular and super-soft effect. Natural and extremely light materials, like bio-linen and silk, are introduced to comply with the new models and fits of the male total look. In a definitive and coherent selection of materials, the steel fibre stands out, with its stretch touch and semi-transparent look, as an exclusive metal accent repeated in buttons and industrial macro-zips.
Silhouettes show an apparent formal cleanness and essence. The matching of tracksuits, bomber jackets and linen blazers with oversize sweaters and T-shirts breaks the balance of volumes, while the continuous superimpositions of different cuts and lengths suggest a styling code poised between classic and cutting-edge.

Iconic is the double-breasted trench coat in silk, structured with high lapels and de-structured with the typical seams of T-shirts in a wise game of loosened stitches, thus conveying an easy-to-wear look to the shoulderpiece par excellence of British tradition.

The trench coat is worn over soft and loose convex-shaped trousers, alternated with models re-interpreting the classic fit with pleats, made less formal through the use of fleece and shortened like jogging shorts; otherwise it is worn on high-waist leggings extended over the ankles, matched with long and slim-fitting tank-tops and three-button-collar knit sweaters.
Blazers, waistcoats and shirts are trimmed with contrast stitches; bomber jackets are detailed with elastic bands on cuffs and bottoms; knit sweaters, in very fine cotton yarn, are animated by large weaves with a net effect, which, next to the grey dominating the collection, show pink-brown and intense yellow tones.

If Antonio and Francesco are reading this, and I’m sure they are, they better ship me at least one of those amazing tops or shorts or combos. I promise to walk them on the red carpet at summer Fashion Week Berlin. Just sayin.

Being a Madonna fan is my guilty pleasure. Judge me if you want, I get inspired by the force that this 53-year old powerhouse of reinvention (not just Photoshop nip/tucks), business and marketing. Now admit that you love her too and let me feed you what expects us in 2012 from the material girl.

Madonna will be releasing her new single “Give Me All Your Luvin’” featuring Nicki Minaj & M.I.A. on February 3rd, three days before her highly anticipated Bridgestone Super Bowl halftime performance, it was officially confirmed by Interscope Records.

“Give Me All Your Luvin’” is the first single from Madonna’s upcoming album MDNA, her 12th studio album and follow up to 2008′s Hard Candy which debuted at No. 1 in 37 countries.

 In an Anerican Idol exclusive, Madonna will world preview the video for her new single “Give Me All Your Luvin’,” featuring Nicki Minaj and M.I.A., during IDOL Thursday, Feb. 2 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. The full video for “Give Me All Your Luvin’” will premiere on Madonna’s YouTube channel on February 3rd at 9am EST/6am PST.

MDNA, recorded in New York and LA, reunites Madonna with former collaborator William Orbit (“Ray of Light”) who co-wrote and co-produced several cuts on the new album. Other co producers include Martin Solveig, The Demolition Crew, Marco “Benny” Benassi and Alessandro “Alle” Benassi, Hardy “Indiigo” Muanza, Michael Malih and Madonna.

iTunes will offer an exclusive global pre-order of an 18 track Deluxe Edition of MDNA including one exclusive remix from Madonna’s new album. The bonus remix will be available from Friday February 3rd through Monday February 6th only. During this time period the album will be available for $9.99 and fans will also receive the digital single “Give Me All Your Luvin’” immediately. This single is also exclusive to iTunes during this limited time. At launch, the offer can be found at www.itunes.com/madonna

And of course, this Sunday, Madonna will rock the stage at the half-time show at the Superbowl in Indianapolis. Boy will I be up to watch.

UPDATE: Madonna will be touring in 2012 (duh!) and we can all get our hands on some tickets right after the SuperBowl!

images: madonna.com

Bulgaria is not just a third world-country defined by its notorious corruption and high-level crime rate. It is also a source of raw talent and true inspiration. And this project is here to prove that.

Let me introduce you to under-the-line.tv – an independent platform for video and short films. It’s a project of a friend of mine, Vasil Germanov (Think Tank Lab), which involves Georga Yanakiev and many other creatives from my home town Sofia.

We use it as an instrument for communication between designers, photographers, models, editors, audience and clients. Usually, we find additional interesting information under the line. Under The Line is just like that. The creative powerhouse behind the project publishes interviews, portraits, music promos, fashion and videos in general, with a certain personal attitude and strong point of view.

Moreover they look out for, produce and develop progressive ideas together with talented people from art, culture, fashion and the creative industry in general. Under the line are well-disposed towards any proposals for big or small projects, but reserve the right for final edit.

Under The Line is designed to offer more inspiration and satisfy the need for a new way of talking about the people and topics that excite us. This platform is a different approach to customer service and visual projects.

Here’s one of their latest project, video featuring Berlin-based designer Vladimir Karaleev.

You can like their page on Facebook or follow @UnderTheLineTV on Twitter for more exclusive content.

Woodkid is Yoann Lemoine, an acclaimed French director and photographer. He started learning illustration and animation at Emile Cohl School, Lyon, France and screen-printing techniques at Swindon College, London. After college in 2004, Lemoine started illustrating in several magazines and children’s books, in France and the USA. At the same time, he joined a French production team and started to direct his first 3D-animated TV ads and music videos, before putting his eye to the camera for his first live shoots. Lately, he directed Lana Del Rey’s Born To Die video.

Until recently, Yoann Lemoine was living between Paris and New York, mainly working as a film director in media such as video, 8 to 35mm film, 2D and 3D animation, Stop Motion, photography, illustration, painting, screen printing, sculpture, collage, knitting, holograms, and more…

That’s until 2011 when he evolved in WOODKID – a musical and visual project born of nostalgia and soul-searching.It started a few years ago at Ludlow Guitars on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. He was shooting Richie Havens, and Yoann started talking about how he wanted to learn the ukulele. After the shoot, Havens gave him a ukulele signed “Yoann, a friend forever,” and Woodkid was born.

He brought some French pop luminaries into the project, namely Julian Delfaud (Phoenix, Herman Dune), Revolver (the band), and label mates the Shoes, for whom he’s already directed videos. Each new member brings his own diverse background to the final project.

This is a video of his first live gig in his hometown, Paris. And what better place for him to do it but the Eiffel tower? The event was organized by noisy, Vice’s musical cousin.

Berlin is a city full of aspiring designers and innovators. Some of them find a stage to express themselves during Berlin Fashion Week – right under the spotlight, in the tent at Brandenburger Gate. Others end up at a studio in a warehouse in Kreuzberg.

These photos are the full series of shots of the type of behavior that has come to define Berlin Fashion Week, and ArtStars* & Grateful Grapefruit were there to capture it.

You know those moments when you feel so proud of your country that you’re about to cry? Well, I almost never have those moments because there are more than enough reasons to be ashamed of my homeland. Thus, Vladimir Karaleev gave me one of those truly patriotic moments during Berlin Fashion week.

Vladimir Karaleev’s presentation of his vision for women’s fashion for Fall/Winter 2012/2013 was also the show with the best energy at Berlin Fashion Week. Karaleev delivered an intense show filled with confident designs and a feeling like he just finished them before the show without letting the clothes look poorly tailored or unfinished. Highlights were outer seams, trademark asymmetric silhouettes;  colors included navies, mustard and greys. Karaleev designed also shoes for the show – however unfortunately they couldn’t arrive on time from Italy.

Is Thom Browne for real? The New York-based designer took famous for his prankster fashion collections took his irony and sarcasm to a completely new level. The Herman Munster inspired show separated the fashionistas in two poles – those who hate the  new collection and those who love it but wouldn’t really wear it.

Women’s Wear Daily said Browne’s “silly show” featured “two breeds of tough guy: the S&M punk and the bulked-up American sportsman” Everything came studded and safety-pinned for the punks, from slim checked suits with studs forming an argyle pattern to preppy, doggy print blazers. Low-slung kilts had tufts of merkin (that’s a pubic wig) peeking out. Colors are from classic dark and grey to sweet mint and strawberry ice cream.

This is maybe one of the most captivating collections of Fashion Week season 2012/2013. The Belgian designer and agent provocateur Walter Van Beirendonck used exclusively faceless models to present his new collection. Usually when you watch a runway show your perception of the models is not really one of human beings. However, Walter took this concept to a new level by covering the faces of all his models with leather masks. The designer clashed his trademark playful colors (some of them blocking, some of them embodied in plaid) with the aesthetics of fetish culture, piercings, leather, S&M as well as some torture porn symbols. It’s not your everyday attire – leather shirts, leather butcher’s overalls, safely lock necklaces,  over-knee boots. Sometimes very elegant, sometimes very conservative in the silhouettes, the new collections brings up mixed feelings of fear, respect and sexual arousal. Take a look and tell me what you felt:

images: fashionising

Dries Van Noten manages to put a multi-media installation down on a pair of trousers or a coat. During the presentation of his latest collection I couldn’t help but think if the colors and prints are too much, and if they don’t start to remind me too much of the crazy patchwork clothes by Desigual. However, unlike the commercial company Van Noten knows how to balance out fun patterns with strong and confident silhouettes and forms. While he’s not getting lost at layering images and letters, he remains playful with asymmetric cuts, presenting a special slave for your tie incorporated in the shirt. Have a look:

Have you visited the transmediale website recently? It looks horrible! It’s so 1999. It’s just wrong. It’s simply incompatible.

At transmediale 2012 everything will revolve around the theme in/compatible. Incompatibility refers to the condition that arises when things don’t work together – a pervasive phenomenon in the field of technology. Both developers and hackers are always working to improve systems; however, hackers do not always act on the basis of functional motives, but sometimes disrupt systems in order to criticise them. Especially in times of crisis, this force of in/compatible tension possesses potential for renewal. At transmediale, this tactic will be transferred from the technological to political, aesthetic and other social systems in order to examine productive and destructive aspects of the in/compatible. In the spirit of ruptures, gaps and creative hacks, the festival for digital art and culture will celebrate its 25th anniversary with an international program featuring discussion panels, artworks, video screenings, workshops, performances and art interventions. As always, transmediale runs parallel to and in cooperation with Berlin’s CTM – Festival for Adventurous Music and Related Arts. Get all the dates and deets here.

The festival will take place from 31 January to 5 February 2012 at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt with the new Artistic Director Kristoffer Gansing. Below you can see an image of the amazing in/compatible poster campaign.

Before and during the 25th festival edition transmediale and its partners invite everyone for a series of lectures, exhibition openings, performances, artist talks and special events in Berlin.