coraxmanagement - Tumblr blog

[coraxmanagement]

Sorry 'bout it

We're on Fall Out Boy level hiatus right now. Yeah.

Deus

[coraxmanagement]

We need models..

If you guys remember the photoshoot I previously mentioned, hosted by Kaos, to officially begin Corax, we need models.

Anyone is considered, but the final decision is Kaos' since it's ultimately his shoot.

It will primarily be a makeup shoot, so we have no restrictions for this.

All sexes, all ages, all races.

If you're interested inbox either me or Kaos for details and to schedule a meeting so we can see if you're a good fit for the theme of the shoot.

xx

Déus @ Corax Management

Links:

ohsosvelte

soundslikeprada

[coraxmanagement]

"Isn’t it more interesting to have new houses, rather than dead designers?"

Original post can be found on my personal blog:[x]

Whenever I think about the late Isabella Blow à propos de son style, as well as her impact on the fashion industry, as a whole, I commonly think of the same achieved by Couturière Elsa Schiaparelli.

I doubt I’m the only one, but I haven’t seen much in the way of comparing their lives (or at least, I haven’t looked hard enough).

The collaborations of Schiap and surrealist artists and Issie’s individual style, makes me feel like, although Isabella Blow is renowned for discovering and heavily supporting the work of the late Lee Alexander McQueen, Isabella seemed to be the epitome of Schiaparellian style.

On another note, I don’t know how I feel about la maison de Schiaparelli de la Haute Couture being revived. Daphne Guinness mentioned, in her interview with Alex Fury for SHOWstudio, expressed the same idea regarding la renaissance des vieilles maisons de la haute couture.

We all are aware of this very thing happening with the houses founded by Mlle Coco Chanel, Hubert de Givenchy, Christian Dior, Madeleine Vionnet, and the like; but, when should we, as consumers and supporters, allow a house to die at the peak of its legacy. For example, with Alexander McQueen, I, personally, feel like the house should have closed after the presentation of Prêt-à-Porter Automne-Hiver 2010 following his death. As much as I can adore the work of Sarah Burton, I feel like she would be just as successful, if not more so, should she had decided to start her own label without the expectations of “keeping McQueen McQueen”, or for financial expectations from the Gucci Group and Kering. I greatly admire the degree of femininity in Burton’s collections, and I’ll be honest, I’ve loved everything she put out so far, especially her PAP A/W 2011 collection (still getting used to PAP S/S 2014 though).

Back to my point: I feel like the supporting of fresh talent should be emphasized and the resurrection of labels either minimized or stopped. La Fédération Française de la Couture du Prêt à Porter des Couturiers et des Créateurs de Mode actively supports the growth of new designers by allowing them spots on fashion week calendars to allow them exposure on a regular basis, providing financial support, and the like. This fact alone makes me question the reason behind the positive uproar of exhuming dead houses instead of the presence and recognition of new talent. Then again, I can understand that the brand itself already has a legacy, and this legacy is one of quality and of prestige, so many people are more willing to turn up their noses at houses relatively new to the scene.

We must keep in mind that Chanel, Dior, Schiaparelli, Poiret, Vionnet, what have you, have followed their own l’air du temps during a time period where the avant garde was still held in low esteem (the Poiret Kimono Coat was considered “vulgar” in comparison to the more elegantly conservative, albeit dated, couture produced by the house of Worth at the time (this was in reference to his original work, not the revival work created by Giovanni Bedin, which is fucking gorgeous, by the way).

Alexander McQueen did shock and awe the audiences of the 90’s with his work, noted by some of his collections being labeled misogynistic, sadomasochistic, racist (PAP S/S 1997 “La Poupée”), etc.. However, the time spent by McQueen working for Givenchy brought a je ne sais quoi to the label, which I feel died with him. I couldn’t begin to explain the emotions I experience when reviewing some of his collections, like PAP A/W 2006 “Widows of Culloden” (which to this day remains one of my favorite, if not my favorite collection by him), PAP S/S 2007 “Sarabande”, PAP A/W 1996 “Dante”, PAP A/W 1998 “Joan”, and countless others (je pourrais éxpliquer les défilés à l’avenir).

This “shock and awe” tactic is presumed to be necessary for young designers when entering the industry these days. However, I cannot attest as to whether or not it is the intent of the designer when making garments stir the pot upon presentation, or if it is something that is inherent and will persevere, to a certain degree, when given attention by clients and the press.

For example, American designer Hogan McLaughlin is a relatively new designer discovered by Daphne Guinness (much like how Alexander McQueen was discovered by Isabella Blow) who, at least I feel, didn’t need the “shock and awe” technique to be recognized. Then again, like I mentioned, he had the help of Daphne Guinness, one of the most influential people in the fashion industry, more specifically the haute couture industry, who put his name out there as well as donning some of his pieces during her Barney’s window “performance”. I can honestly say that I am not currently following his work as closely anymore, not out of disinterest, mainly due to the fact that he doesn’t hold a place during fashion week due to the size of his collections; thus, his exposure isn’t as large. His work is avant garde, but sophisticated. This goes back to my saying that I feel like McLaughlin didn’t need, nor did he utilize, any sort of shock factor to be noticed enough to further his fashion line. As of right now, I don’t think McLaughlin produces a Prêt-à-Porter line; however, it’s understandable considering the amount of manpower required to push out a large amount of clothing.

Would I consider McLaughlin “Haute Couture”? No. I follow the Chambre Syndicale’s definition of Haute Couture and am not so willing to throw that term around lightly. He is, after all, located in New York, but I’m not sure if he has an atelier elsewhere (more specifically Paris, a requirement to be permitted by la Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture to represent themselves as “Haute Couture”). I would, however, consider him to be “la moyenne couture”, seeing as his work is (I think) all hand sewn as well as his having a private client list. I thought about considering his work “bespoke” but I have a feeling that the term “bespoke” is similar to the term “haute couture” in that it’s not simply descriptive, but has a list of requirements, set forth by the Savile Row Bespoke Association, to be met before a garment can be considered “bespoke”; not to mention, I feel like “bespoke” primarily refers to menswear, more specifically the suit, just like how “haute couture” primarily refers to womenswear, more specifically the dress. 

Regardless, I can agree with Daphne Guinness in that Hogan McLaughlin is extremely talented and not likely to verge off his creative path to appease the industry. It’s extremely admirable.There is a difference between maturing in style, and succumbing to the demands of the industry’s financial heads to create wearable clothing for the sake of profit alone. As Daphne Guinness once said, “I think the suits don’t get it, I just think they don’t understand a thing about fashion.”

I refuse to put any young designers on blast on the internet, so I will refrain from doing so with regard to individuals who will attempt an uproar with their first collection, then abandon the concept when they continue forward assuming that the initial shock will keep them in view of the fashion community.

However, Gareth Pugh did use this “shock and awe” tactic when he entered the industry, whether or not it was intentional. But through following his work presented in Paris every fashion week, he is, just as McQueen was, an example of an aesthetic that was preserved and refined. 

Another young designer worth mentioning is Dutch couturière Iris van Herpen, who is regarded as a “membre labélisé” by la Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture since 2011, and since then, has presented a collection during every couture week. Iris van Herpen has been presenting her collections in Amsterdam and London since 2010 (having started her label in 2007 prior to which she interned at Alexander McQueen). Iris van Herpen first utilizes 3-D printing in her PAP A/W 2010 collection (I’m considering that collection Prêt-à-Porter since her becoming an official member of la Chambre Syndicale did not yet occur) collaborating with Daniel Widrig to create a 3-D top created in one piece through the use of lasers to melt fine powders into a solid shape (I don’t know science, but I do know how to read articles on Selective Laser Sintering).

As a couturière, the time and money invested into the creation of Haute Couture/Bespoke/One-Off collection is extremely beneficial for either creative establishment of une maison de la mode, but can seem fiscally not worth it since a commission from a client is never certain to happen, and if it does, would it be enough for the house to make a profit?

La maison de Lacroix is a recent example of this dilemma, but occurred multiple times since Haute Couture began in the 19th century with Charles Frederick Worth. Unlike Lacroix, most houses who cannot maintain profit while producing Haute Couture simply abandon the concept altogether, resulting in withdrawing membership to la Chambre Syndicale and losing the ability to consider themselves Haute Couture or market their clothing as such, which can be devastating to fashion houses were renowned for their extensive involvement in the world of Haute Couture. After which, the house can focus on the other branches of the label, such as Prêt-à-Porter, including handbags, jewelry, sunglasses, etc. which is markedly more profitable in comparison to Haute Couture. Brands can also gain profit from a makeup line and corporate dealings. Lacroix filed for bankruptcy in 2009 due to the brand’s inability to break even, much less, make a profit from all diffusion lines created in an effort to balance the cost of the Haute Couture line. It was reported that the house was so in debt that such a recovery couldn’t have been achieved even through the termination of the Haute Couture line. The pressure from the business sector and Lacroix’s refusal to terminate the Haute Couture line resulted in the house being closed. However, one cannot say that the Lacroix line didn’t end on a good note. His Automne-Hiver Prêt-à-Porter and Haute Couture presentation serves as a testament to his great legacy.

Lacroix returned to the industry for the A/W Haute Couture season to create a One-Off, “capsule collection”, as a tribute to Elsa Schiaparelli. Afterwards, however, Lacroix stated that he has no current desires to return to fashion and is more content in not doing so.

Hopefully, the revival of la maison de Schiaparelli de la Haute Couture is executed professionally and successfully. From what I’ve gathered, the revival is just of the Haute Couture division of the house, much like the revival of la maison de Worth.

~

If you read all this, I hope you learned something today, and if you have any sort of discrepancies, feel free to message me so that I may correct myself. I don’t pretend to be a fashion expert, so I’m willing to acknowledge if I’ve made a mistake along the way. On a more personal note, I was supposed to be studying the psychological and legal attributes of victims, but decided to take some time to do this. Eh, I feel like it was worth it. It was meant to start out as stating similarities I noticed between Isabella Blow and Elsa Schiaparelli, but then something happened and I practically just wrote an essay on fashion: it’s history, it’s downfall, and the change to come. A tout à l’heure..

[coraxmanagement]

Hello..

Just a little update with regard to why NOTHING HAS BEEN HAPPENING for Corax Management.

One of our board members, in particular Kaos, has been ill for the past couple months due to a gall bladder infection. He has successfully come out of surgery and is doing fine.

This required us to go on hiatus until just recently. Prior to his falling ill, he planned a shoot to take place, involving the board members, prior to the official launch of CM. As well as all of us going through Hell Week, and dealing with irrelevant issues, I hope you understand our situation.

Following this post, I will re-post an article I wrote on my personal tumblr with regard to the fashion industry. I guess you could call this our re-introduction to the art community of UNCG.

Recruitment will start before Winter Break at the latest.

- Deus

[coraxmanagement]

Betwixt the air of Midnight Poison, and Savage Water, we have flourished anew. Let it be known that the night has not left us wanton. We are exquisitely rare. We are irreverent.

Deus @ Corax Management

[coraxmanagement]

Hello, again.

In lieu of recent personal events, including a housemate and myself being robbed at gunpoint, we have decided to continue this project. I understand that a month of classes starting is quickly approaching, but our staff photographer (Kaos) have seen quite the number of prospective models for our company.

In a personal vein, I have been approached by a photographer and plan to work with her as a model within the coming weeks. This spurned a sort of initiative plan for us and we will expedite the process of setting up a meeting time and place. I know, I know, we have promised this same thing in the past; however, we are quite serious this time. We have begun conceptualizing business cards and I have consulted with a graphic designer to commission a raven-esque logo for our recognition.

Most likely, starting at the beginning of the week, Corax Management will begin our scouting process. I do hope you all are as excited as I am. This will be quite the journey.

Deus @ Corax Management

[coraxmanagement]

Sooooo...

This is taking longer than anticipated. I have been quite caught up in my classes, as well as personal life. I am also the Event Director for Rendez-vous, UNCG's official French Club, so that will also take up a chunk of my time.

However, do not fret! I will be taking the spare time I have this week to create some fliers and have the board members post them. They will include a small amount of information (mainly the meeting time and place). We are not an official UNCG club, so reserving rooms and spaces is not really in our game plan. However, we will set something up in an area near or around campus with which most, if not all, students will be familiar.

Business cards will come later, as will any sort of event planning with regard to Corax Management.

Do forgive us, we are all quite bust with this year's curriculum, so updates won't be as frequent, at least for now.

If anyone is interested and would like to know more about what we plan to do, feel free to ask questions and check out our earlier posts.

Deus @ Corax Management

[coraxmanagement]

UPDATE

Impromptu meeting for those interested in Corax Management will be held at Coffeeology on Tate Street starting around 8:00pm and ending whenever appropriate or necessary.

Deus @ Corax Management

[coraxmanagement]

To UNCG artists!

Welcome! We are a little behind on scheduling any sort of meeting, seeing as I have to sit down with the board and deal with class schedules. So, within a week, you'll probably start seeing fliers around campus. We will be quite frugal with the posting, since we don't want to flood our schedules with managing artists who won't commit to their scheduled bookings. But, we will address that at a future time.

I would like to welcome the freshmen to UNCG and hope that your time here has been enjoyable. I'm sure you have seen me around campus by know, and yes, I have serious bitch-face, but don't hesitate to approach me and say hi. I know UNCG is known for talent in many fields and I would like to have some idea of what to expect from future clients.

I will be around campus, usually between Starbucks and Coffeeology for some time tonight, and would like to invite anyone interested in Corax to say hi.

We are in the process of finalizing the application and I may have a few with me tonight just in case some show up with interest in this. I would also like to take this time tonight to answer any questions that you may have about the process and any intricacies that go along with working under our wing.

I have a huge passion for fashion photography and editorial modeling, so I would be willing to work with some you to help with your portfolios earlier than the start of Corax Management.

Reminder, we accept all levels of talent from models, makeup artists, photographers, designers, etc..

I may be with a few friends, but feel free to interrupt, I'm really inclined to meet you. I really hope to see some of you there!

P.S. To freshmen, you may ask me and the rest of my board about the campus, or about ourselves. We are happy to help in any way possible!

Deus @ Corax Management

[coraxmanagement]

Video Lookbook: UNCG

Hello, fellow students!

Planning is underway for the date, time, and place for Corax Management's first meeting with prospective members. Fliers will be designed and will start being posted in most buildings of UNCG during the first week of classes, so keep an eye out!

However, starting from the beginning of the semester, members of the board will be approaching well-dressed individuals to conduct a small video lookbook to be posted on our (yet to be made) YouTube and our tumblr. It will provide for us a chance to "scout" examples of personal style and possibly candidates for a small spread in our bi-annual magazine. These will be random, so, please do not approach board members with the intention of being interviewed. We will look for a variety of styles during this project, so don't hesitate to express yourself!

Deus @ Corax Management

[coraxmanagement]

Just a reminder!

For any announcements on our meetings and updates, follow this blog!

We will do all we can to set something up for the beginning of the year. If things get serious enough, we may even coordinate ourselves toward being an official club at UNCG. Until then, we would like you to help to spread interest amongst your fellow Spartan artists about us and what we aim to do throughout the year.

During the first week of school, the board will be posting up fliers around campus about Corax Management with a meeting date, time, and place. So, keep a lookout!

Also, we will eventually include links to the tumblrs/links of the rest of the board once we can establish everything; until then, questions can be directed here regarding our mission.

Deus @ Corax Management

[coraxmanagement]

Corax Management

Hi, students of UNCG. Along with colleagues of mine, I would like to start up a sort of talent management service for UNCG students. We have decided upon the name of Corax Management, for the latin term for raven, which, like crows, are pretty ubiquitous on and around campus, just as ubiquitous as the talent I’ve seen on campus. We invite models, photographers, fashion designers, makeup artists, and anyone else who have the need to compile a portfolio for their future endeavors.

We intend to create a roster from which we will connect photographers with models, and the like, to alleviate any sort of anxiety that many artists face when trying to attain people for help.

Since meetings aren’t entirely necessary (save for a couple to begin), we don’t intend to be an entirely official UNCG club; therefore, we will not have a public booth present for the beginning of the year. I have been told of the reluctance of some fashion majors to recruit people for their runway shows, and we feel like we would be able to help with that as well.

If enough interest is generated and we can have a roster that we can call “substantial", we intend to establish a business phone to help with bookings and keep up-to-date with our clients. We also intend to create business cards to help spread the word throughout campus, as well as scouting of talent by the Corax team. This will also be accompanied by a facebook group, a Corax tumblr for work done by our clients, as well as an email address for initial correspondence.

We have discussed a small fee for members; however, this would only be necessary for a large roster so that we may be able to possibly create a small-scale print magazine of our clients’ work at the end of each semester.

We understand the great talent on tumblr in terms of artistic direction and expression, so we would like to begin here to see if this idea would be supported by our fellow students. We accept all levels of talent, from starting artists and models, to those more skilled, yet looking for more models to shoot and to continue building their portfolio.

Any questions are welcome in my personal ask box.

Sincerely,

Deus @ Corax Management