This blog will self destruct in 10 hours. Await notification as to the new Trendenz venture.

Paul Smith launches official Bowie t-shirts

 

British designer Paul Smith was invited by David Bowie to make the official T-shirt to “The Next Day”, the album to be released next week worldwide and which marks the return of the Thin White Duke after ten years of absence. According to Paul Smith himself, this will be the first of “some other great things coming up later in the year”, referring to other items related to David Bowie, a man who has “worn a lot of Paul Smith during his career”, the designer said.

In October 2012, Paul Smith had already held an exhibition of photographs of David Bowie taken by Masayoshi Sukita, shown at the Paul Smith’s store in Kyoto.

The official “The Next Day” t-shirt is available at www.paulsmith.co.uk/uk-en/shop/paul-smith-for-david-bowie-the-next-day-print-t-shirt.html

New Order's Blue Monday celebrates 30 years today

 

"Blue Monday" the powerful track by New Order celebrates 30 years today. This would be one of the best-selling 12" of all times and with this single New Order invaded the dancefloors around the globe with an extremely danceable track that pleased both rock and disco fans.

This somehow robotic track which was meant to be played on stage without instruments, if needed, marked the rise of New Order to stardom, after the end of Joy Division and a new beginning as New Order after the death of Ian Curtis. "Movement", the first album by the band was there to mark a turning point for the former Joy Division members and singles like "Ceremony" "Everything's Gone Green" and "Temptation" rejoiced the indie and alternative dance crowds.

But "Blue Monday" and later "Confusion" would reach a new and bigger audience. Both 12" inches were influenced by the sounds coming from the streets of America, when Chicago and New York met Düsseldof and the kling klangs of Kraftwerk.

30 years after the beats and melody of Blue Monday sound perfectly updated and to mark the occasion, John Digweed and Nick Muir have just released a new remix of this track.

Lineas Albies and Prin' Lá La storm Madrid

Busy day today in Madrid. Sensation band Lineas Albies return to their hometown and will be playing at Sala Scirocco at 8.P.M. A promising gig an a good opportunity to see them before they head back to Los Angeles where they currently live and where they recorded their Pink Album which they will be presenting in the Spanish capital.
After this at 10.30 P.M. another sensation band from Spain, Prin' Lá La will playing live their own particular soundtrack to Nosferatu at Cined Callao.
This band from Cordoba has recently launched the acclaimed album "Un Nuevo Orden" and has been touring Spain.

Lisbon Fashion Week Pop Up Concept Store

The 40th edition of Lisbon Fashion Week is there around the corner and promises three days of surprises both as far as the collections on the catwalk are concerned but also in the adjoining areas. One of the novelties in this edition is the hosting of a Pop Up Concept Store in the western tower of the square facing the river where Moda Lisboa is held.

Wonder Room is a pop-up store showing and selling items by brands, designers and projects such as Cardume, Rualidade, Rasto, Roda Gira, ELLG, Viiivelavie, Light Box Leal, Urso Tigre, Senhor Prudêncio, Common Cut, Catarina Ferreira, Ideal & Co and Dez/Dez. Streetwear, bikewear, shoes, gourmet products and designer clothing are some of the products on offer here.

Dez/Dez is a particularly interesting project which you can find in this Pop Up Concept Store. A group of fashion designers forming 31 d’Atalaia Association has set about to create garments which can be reproduced 10 times over in different sizes and colours. Each item is identified with a label stating who work on it, how many hours, materials and even a serial number.

The aim of this group is to constantly rethink the creative process and the way they work. All members of this group work on all the stages of creation of a garment from modeling to finishing, through to modeling, cut and sewing. The third edition of 10/10 focuses on geometry in general after having focused on squares, rectangles and curves in the previous editions.

The items by this group of designers and from the aforementioned brands will be available from Friday to Sunday in this area which will be open to the public during the three days of Lisbon Fashion Week.

Groove Armada's Andy Cato relases solo album

Andy Cato, the other half of Groove Armanda has just announced the release of his solo album "Times and Places, to be released on April 29. According to information provided by Groove Armanda's site, Andy has been writing this album "over the last 15 years...  on the road on tour with GA, from Airport Lounges / Hotel Rooms / Planes / Trains and an array of tour buses."

David Bowie joined by Tilda Swindon in new video

"The Stars (Are Around Tonight)" is Bowie's second single from the upcoming album "The Next Day", due to arrive in stores on the second week of March. The movie features the acclaimed british actress Tilda Swindon and in some parts it does bring us somehow to the imagery of "The Hunger", a movie directed by Tony Scott and starring also Catherine Deneuve. Some might say that Bowie too got entangled in the new vampiresque trend, but the man did venture in the world of vampires in 1983 with that French actress in what some claimed was the ideal vampire pair, perfectly fit for the role of a life hungry couple.
In this movie Swindon and Bowie play an older couple whose quiet life is disturbed by a young band formed by kids in typicall Bowie-fashionable attire. The video is a beautiful display of pop and fashion and aesthetic imagery. As for the music and despite the high expectactions, it does not bring us to closer to the universe of "Heroes" or "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars" but rather to the sound of "Black Tie White Noise" or "Never Let Me Down", considered by many the least inspired of all Bowie albums.
While the first single was indeed a great song, the second single "The Stars (Are Around Tonight)" did not meet the expectations. We will have to wait for the whole album to confirm whether "The Next Day" marks indeed a great comeback.

Countdown for Lisbon Fashion Week

Lisbon Fashion Week is scheduled for March 8, 9 and 10. The shows will take place at Pátio da Galé right by the magnificient 36 000 sq m Praça do Comércio, one of the biggest in Europe .

The 40th edition of Moda Lisboa, as it is commonly known, will feature shows by 18 Portuguese fashion designers and a guest designer from Poland.

The shows start with the collections by Valentim Quaresma (see pictures), one of the most talented jewellers in the country and whose iconic creations can be found in Paris in Lisbon, Paris, Germany, England, Holland, New Zealand or Australia and online at http://www.valentimquaresma.com/store/index.php/.

He was for 20 years the man in charge of the jewellery adorning the designs for Ana Salazar, the pioneer of Portuguese modern fashion design, working in parallel in his own collections and using all kinds of materials, "turning simple objects into refined and luxurious items".

 

Ricardo Dourado, Alexandra Moura, Nuno Gama, Ricardo Andrez, Luis Buchinho,  Aleksandar Protic, Pedro Pedro, White Tent and V!tor are some of the names Trendenz will be closely watching in this edition. These fashion designers have been developing and highly consistent body of work, hence expectations are high.

 

The motto for this edition is Trust: "Trust because we cannot stop. We believe in the work of Fashion in Portugal. And we are good. Trust, because with the right people, on the right path, under the right light, we will provide visibility to new netowrks, new content, new ideas, new businesses", reads Moda Lisboa manifesto.

Karl Lagerfeld designs for Melissa

Karl Lagerfeld has signed with Melissa and will be providing designs for this Brazilian brand for four seasons. The Winter collection will comprise four models and the German-born designer has drawn its inspiration in the colours of the Brazilian flag.

In recent declarations unveiled by the brand Lagerfeld said. “The best way to get to know the country is to work with the people living in it". He further added that he does not know much about the country and that this is an excellent opportunity to work with a very interesting co-branding.

The collection signed by the man, who has been at the creative helm of Chanel and who has also his own personal brand Karl Lagerfeld, will be available in Brazilian stores as of March and in Europe as of June.

This is a further addition to the portfolio of Melissa which has worked together in recent years with Vivienne Westwood, Pedro Lourenço, John Wu and architect Gaetano Pesce, just to name a few.

The Selby digs in the archives of Coach

Fashion blog The Selvy leads us in a journey through the archives of American brand Coach led by the Archivist, Jed. Should you visit the Coach building in Lower Manhattan do not miss the opportunity to seethis true museum. Put on your white gloves in order not to damage the items on display, start the visit led by Jed and check the numerous iconic bags.
The brand regularly digs in this huge archive to look for inspiration or to relaunch iconic models which have made this brand a must-have, not only in the USA but in the whole world as this brand has pursued a relentless expansion plan and its items can now be found in major cities throughout the world. Should you be or visit Lisbon, check the nicely decorated brand's corner at the department store El Corte Inglés.

Fly London awarded best Fashion Footwear Brand

Fly London was awarded Fashion Footwear Brand of the Year last week in Birmingham. This prize is an acknowledgement for the remarkable commercial performance of this brand with shops in London Convent Garden and in St. Christopher's Place right by Oxford Street and Selfridges.



The award is here to reinforce the brand's positioning in the British market, a country where you can find it in 400 retailers. Fly London thus pursue its relentless path after having managed to become an household names and established a foothold in the word of shoes and fashion. 

You see the brand's shoes in the streets of Lisbon and London, on stage worn by Björk and in some of the best adverstising campaigns ever. Yet you probably didn't know that this is Portuguese brand, with headquarters in the north of Portugal and a flagship store in the iconic and affluent Avenida da Liberdade, in Lisbon.





 

Fly London is in the forefront of Portuguese exports with stands in the major trade fairs in the world. Aside from shoes, the brand began two years ago designing an apparel collectiom which you can find in selected shops. Fly London is also a tender tale of preserverance, hard work and vision by its founder, Mr. Fortunato Frederico, a man who began as a simple worker in a shoe factory and has made it and turned Fly London in a true global player in the international shoe market. 

Antonio Navas wins Best Model Award at the Madrid Fashion Week

Antonio Navas, a model from Barcelona, has just one the award for best model at the L'Oreal Awards here at the Mercedes-Benz Madrid Fashion Week. Despite his good looks and cool presence on the catwalk this award comes somehow as a surprise, considering it goes usually to female models. Antonio thanked for the award, referred to the current difficult economic situation of the country and said the money received as part of the L'Oreal award would go to a Barcelona based charity.
The ceremony was presented by former Spanish model Laura Sanchez, by Cuca Solana, director of the Mercedes-Benz Madrid Fashion Week and by the Portuguese Inês Caldeira, director of L'Oreal Spain.
This ceremony was there also to award the prize for best collection won by Juan Duyos, a designer from Madrid and one of the regulars at this fashion week who presented yesterday his collectin "Reserva".

The look and feel of fashion brand Delikatessen

Delikatessen story is tale of modern geography, of a world with no boundaries and the tale of two creative minds: Stephen Hartog and Andrzej Lisowski. The first comes from Holland and was the mentor or of this project. The second comes from Poland and is the designer of these true delicacies.

Both met by accident in Barcelona and 5 years after they would embark in a project they called Delikatessen, a brand betting on fine fabrics, like a chef who favours the most refined ingredientes.

 

Delikatessen garments can be found in brick-and-mortar shops in Holland, Germany and Japan and in online shopping platforms. For the Autumn Winter 2013/14 they bet on exquisite fabrics from around the world like "silky Giza cottons, brushed Oxfords, precious boiled wools, Suvim cotton or Japanese chambres".

What is striking in Delikatessen is the elegant casual look and feel of their collections, the right choice for urban men who privilege comfort without giving up on style and quality, a brand with a true international touch.

Beck covers Bowie song with 160 musicians

Beck has recently brought a David Bowie song to a new height by playing a version of "Sound of Vision" surrounded by 160 musicians and shooting it with 360-degree cameras.

This astonishing version was film for a campaign for the Lincoln car company and is here to prove the genius of Beck who was able to unveiled a new potential to one of Bowie's most iconic songs. "Sound and Vision" was recorded for the album Low when David Bowie moved from the States to Berlin.

Lust for Life - A movie on Berlin, Bowie, Iggy and creativity

The lives of David Bowie and Iggy Bowie are to be at the center of a movie which will be there to portray creativity in the divided city of Berlin. The movie will be directed by Gabriel Range and the rebel rebel pair is to feature profusely in it as they became one of the most iconic rock stars in the history of Berlin subculture, benefiting from the dense atmosphere of walled West Berlin.

David Bowie, who met Iggy Pop in this city, and who produced some of the best records by this wild iguana, has to thank this city for having provided the inspiration for three of his best albums: Low, Heroes and Lodger. These two works of art are filled with references to the city both in the cold sound landscapes created in close collaboration with Brian Eno and in the title tracks that bring us to the Berlin imagery: “Art Decade”, “Neuköln, “Secret Life of Arabia”, “Warzawa”.

Berlin and the decadence of the city features also in Bowie’s movie career, e.g. in “Just a Gigolo” a relatively unknown movie set in Post World War I and featuring also the German icon Marlene Dietrich. The movie was actually the actress last appearance on screen.

Much can be said of Bowie, and Iggy’s, Berlin period in Schöneberg, the part of the city they used to live in. The capital of German is set to make a new comeback in the chameleon’s life and seems to have left a mark in his life, considering the somehow longing feeling expressed in “Where are we now” the single which marks the return of David Bowie after ten years.

Guy Ritchie films David Beckham for H&M

At the age of 37, David Beckham continues to be in the spotlight both for his good looks and technical skills. One week ago the world media covered his transfer from the Los Angeles football club Galaxy to the French club Paris Saint Germain. And here's now his new ad for H&M filmed by Guy Ritchie, the movie director of the fabulous movies "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" and "Snatch".
It is not the first time Beckham features in underwear campaigns for this swedish brand of cheap clothing which loves to flirt with rich stars and famous designers.

Mixmag Greatest Dance Track of All Times Contest

British dance magazine Mixmag is currently hosting a context in order to select the best dance track ever. The list is huge and among the favourites are eternal classics like New Order's "Blue Monday", 808 State "Pacific State" Way Out West "The Gift" or Leftfield's "Open Up" with Johnny Lydon.
To vote on the names on the list or to state you favourite dance track log on to the page http://www.greatestdancetrack.com/.
As for Trendenz, we do have our favourites and number 1 goes undoubtedly to Underworld's "Cowgirl". But we could name others such as Pop Dell'Arte's "Querelle", "Renegade Soundwaves's "Renegade Soundwave" remixed by Leftfield or Slam's "Positive Education" just to name a few.

Rodrigo Leão, Neil Hannon and Beth Gibbons in concert

Rodrigo Leão, one of the most prominent Portuguese musicians with a sound international career, has just launched "Songs", a record featuring all his songs in English and recorded with the collaboration on vocals of interatinal stars such as Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon, Portishead's Beth Gibbons and Scott Mathew. To mark the occasion, Rodrigo Leão invited these three musicians and other guests to take to the stage with him and his band in Lisbon and Oporto of which we give you one video with the king of coll Neil Hannon.
This founding member of the iconic Portuguese band Sétima Legião would later be also one of the founding members of Madredeus, having embarked on a solo careers and released a dozen of remarkable records mixing electronica with classical music influences and tones and tunes from different parts of the world, e.g. Brazil or Argentina.
Aside from the collaboration with the three aforementioned artists, Rodrigo Leão worked together with Ryuchi Sakamoto, in "Cinema", an album considered by the magazine Billboards as one of the best of 2004.
Listen to "Songs" to listen to "Cathy" with Neil Hannon and other songs in this album and check his bio and work at www.rodrigoleao.pt to have a clearer picture of the work by this composer.  

The Knife tour Europe as of April

The Knife will be touring Europe to promote their new album. "Shaking the Habitual". Dates confirmed as of April 27 for Hamburg, Milan, Zurich, Munich, Cologne, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Lodon, Berlin, Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm. This swedish band, which hasn't  played live for six years is to play in  coming big festivals. They are confirmed for now gigs at Primavera Sound in Barcelona and at Flow, Way Out West and Øya Festivals in Scandinavia.

Benetton launches new campaign focused on color

 United Colors of Benetton launched today a new advertising campaign focusing on color using models from different places and geographies from Tunisia to France, through to California, England, Sudan, Germany, Uruguay and Brazil. The brand focused again on the potential of color, the very same feature that helped this brand gain notoriety in the early days.

 

The use of color is there, according to Alessandro Benetton, to reinforce the identity and excellence of a brand which considers diversity a true value. This campaign was developed under creative direction of Fabrica, in collaboration with Macs Iotti and these colorful images can soon be seen on the press, on billboards, in the stores and on Benetton Internet sites.

This return to color comes after the strategy of digging deep in the company’s heritage to re-launch some iconic patterns and items of Benetton, something some consumers had been asking for and which fits perfectly the new vintage trend witnessed in recent years all over the world.

Benetton seems indeed to be on right path as far as creativity is concerned, something which became clearer when You Nguyen took the creative helm of the company and focused on producing and selling more fashionable items along with the basic line. The results are there and Benetton shop windows never looked so fashionable as in recent years.

 

 

Madrid Fashion Week kicks off on February 18

Mercedes-Benz Madrid Fashion Week is around the corner. The shows start on February 18 at the usual Place in the Madrid International Trade Fair grounds and rely on the presence of nearly 40 designers from all parts of Spain. Contrary to previous years, the first day is a mix of names, whereas in past seasons the first day featured fashion shows by the veteran names in Spanish fashion. We will give further details on this Fashion Week. But for now we would just like to give you a hint of what is there to come by showing some examples of winter collections currently in the shops and shown last year in Madrid.

Sita Murt 

Carlos Diez Diez 

Carlos Diez Diez 

Carlos Diez Diez

Francis Montesinos

Francis Montesinos

Francis Montesinos

Francis Montesinos

Agatha Ruiz de la Prada 

Victorio & Lucchino  

Agatha Ruiz de la Prada 

Agatha Ruiz de la Prada 

Elisa Palomino 

 

Elisa Palomino 

Elisa Palomino

Andres Sarda 

Andres Sarda

Amaya Arzuaga 

Juanjo Oliva 

Davidelfin

Juanjo Oliva 

Teresa Helbig 

Ana Locking 

Ion Fiz 

Martin Lamothe 

Sita Murt 

Sita Murt 

Sara Coleman