Eugene Rabkin is the founder of stylezeitgeist.com. He has contributed articles on fashion and culture to The Business of Fashion, Vogue Russia, Buro247, the Haaretz Daily Newspaper, and other publications. He has taught critical writing and fashion writing courses at Parsons the New School for Design.

AR5 EbonySable

Abasi Rosborough

FashionLeave a comment

One afternoon a few months ago I visited my good friend Costas at his fabric and garment dyeing studio in Manhattan. There I met two young gentlemen who were browsing a copy of StyleZeitgeist magazine.

They introduced themselves as Abdul Abasi and Greg Rosborough. They were in the process of developing their second collection under the name Abasi Rosborough, and Colibri was dyeing some Irish linen for them. Abdul and Greg had one blazer with them from their first, Fall/Winter 2013, collection with them (the collection was exclusively picked up by Isetan in Tokyo).

BBS BOOK COVER

Boris Bidjan Saberi Book – II

Culture, FashionLeave a comment

When Saberi approached me to write an essay for his monograph last year, I felt not only honored but also enthusiastic.

There is nothing like writing that gives me an opportunity to systematize and define what I think about someone’s work. This is no mean task since often what we like about creative work is ineffable.

The book is now out on the roster of the Italian publisher Atlante and is edited by Fabriano Fabbri, professor of art history at University of Bologna who has lately been delving into fashion design.

BBSxMunoz3

Boris Bidjan Saberi x Munoz Vrandecic

FashionLeave a comment

When Boris Bidjan Saberi was starting out as a designer, having settled in Barcelona, he came across the work of the Chilean artisan Miguel Munoz Wilson, the designer behind the Barcelona-based label Munoz Vrandecic. Saberi was smitten. He approached MV about collaborating, but it did not work out.

Ever persevering, Saberi came back years later with another offer that Vrandecic could not resist – just one pair of boots, no more, no less, designed and made together. I asked Saberi and Munoz about how this collaboration came about.

IMG_5547

Ann Demeulemeester S/S 2014 Men’s

FashionLeave a comment

The Ann Demeulemeester men’s S/S 2014 show in Paris today was a lighthearted affair set to the music of Devendra Banhart. The mood was light and so were the clothes. As Demeulemeester explained backstage, her inspiration came from an idea of taking a leisurely Sunday afternoon stroll. “I wanted something really light, with a bit of humor and good feeling,” she sad. The design of the wisteria vines that were the leitmotif for the collection came from Demeulemeester’s own garden, of course.

IMG_5388

Haider Ackermann S/S 14 Menswear – Paris

FashionLeave a comment

Dear readers,

Tonight I attended the Haider Ackermann men’s presentation. It was his first men’s collection since the Pitti Uomo presentation in Florence. This showing was intimate in scope, held in a former archives space in the Marais district. The stripped down decor this time was a nice juxtaposition to Ackermann’s luxurious style. This collection seemed like a perfect complement to the women’s shows and Ackermann told me that he used some of the same fabrics he has used for his womenswear. The clothes were rich in detail as well, with some pieces featuring intricate hand embroidery. As to why he chose a presentation and not the runway show, Ackermann said, “I wanted to do create an intimate moment with the men’s.” Indeed, this was a welcome change from the usual madness of fashion shows.

SZ4_Cover_Front

Volume 4 Announcement

EventsLeave a comment

Dear readers,

I am happy to announce the fourth volume of StyleZeitgeist magazine. Putting it together has been another arduous but ultimately immensely gratifying experience. Looking back on it, it turned out to be quite a Belgian issue, with half of our contributors and subjects having something to do with Belgian fashion design. This is no accident, considering this country’s immense contribution to the world of fashion during the last few decades.

IMG_0236

OtherFashion: Taiana Design

FashionLeave a comment

First time I came across Taiana Giefer’s work, I spent a while examining one of her scarves. It was majestic, in a fairy tale way, something from another era. I wondered about how it was constructed, the crisscrossing wool felt surfaces that formed a kind of a grid, leaving openings like fortress embrasures. The fringes looked liked dreadlocks; the whole things was tactile, alive. A year later I met the California-born designer when we used her scarves for one of the StyleZeitgeist magazine editorials.