We had the honour of shooting with Style Group for The City of Hamilton in a feature focusing on Hamilton’s burgeoning fashion scene.
Hamilton has always been known as a city of grit and steel, which is often why it ends up the backdrop for so many Hollywood flicks ( ie. Guillermo Del Toro’s Oscar winning picture The Shape of Water is literally littered in Hamilton, and there are so many more!), so its not exactly the first city you think of in Canada when it comes to fashion.
But, according to Statistics Canada, Hamilton is in fact in the top 5 hubs of fashion in Canada – so that’s pretty “eye” opening! We are lucky enough to be one of the city’s featured designers in a short video featuring some of Hamilton’s top designers including yours truly, The Eye of Faith!
Here’s a clip they made of especially for our designs! We were really inspired by a 90s Romeo & Juliet essence with this one and wanted to showcase two head turning looks that were from different worlds, but intrinsically connected. Our models Geoffrey William and Danielle Brandino capture the mood gloriously!
On top of this wicked video, photographer Derrick Van Der Kolk took so many awesome shots that capture the vibrancy of downtown Hamilton, and the unique energy we hope to exude with our designs!
I would die for you
I would die for you
I’ve been dying just to feel you by my side
To know that you’re mine
– Garbage, “#1 Crush”
Here’s a taste . . .
“My bounty is as boundless as the sea,
My love as deep; the more I give to thee,
The more I have, for both are infinite.”
-William Shakespeare, “Romeo & Juliet”
Thanks for watching!
Until next time,
{theEye}
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NOTE: We will be getting up some of our original, one of a kind, handmade pieces from vintage textiles online for sale soon, so stay tuned!
Remember, to check out our selection of time traveled vintage styles in our {SHOP}. Use XIXIXI to get 25% OFF.
The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams.
-Oprah Winfrey
Since the Golden Globes, Oprah is on everyone’s mind after a poignant acceptance speech for the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s ceremony which has gone as far as having people saying “OPRAH FOR PRESIDENT!”
The model for elegant maturity and refinement for most, it has come to our attention that this Queen of the Screen really fought hard against something we totally take for granted – GRUNGE STYLE!!!
That’s right people. I think Oprah hates GRUNGE; that iconic style that emerged from the late 80s which rejected the gloss and polish of mainstream fashion for a more relaxed, tattered and easy vibe and was popularized by designers Marc Jacobs and bands like Nirvana, R.E.M, and Pearl Jam to name a few. . .
from ‘Grunge & Glory’ shot by Steven Meisel {US Vogue / c. December 1992}
Flannel plaid, cardigans, army boots, ripped jeans – you’d have to be living under a rock to not be able to characterize this style, especially considering every mainstream fashion brand from Los Angeles to Seoul are touting the trend . . .
We say it time and time again, but style is absolutely cyclical. That’s why we always promote our mantra of seeking the {past} to influence the {present} and shape the {future}. I really wonder what Oprah would be crusading against these days . . . there would definitely be plenty of material for her to draw from.
Enough said, however, let’s take a look at just how much Oprah hates GRUNGE!
Makes me wonder what she would say about Grunge now? She really seemed to be not into that. Like, when she questions those cool black leather witch boots the teenage daughter gave her Mother in her own 90s Grunge Makeover.
The worst part is – they never look better!!! I totally prefer their personal sense of style over the manufactured cookie cutter that Oprah seems to be tied to, sadly.
Fun, nonetheless! Tell us what you think in the comments below!
Who doesn’t remember those wild 90s makeover episodes of trashy talk shows ?? Well apparently, this is the first thanks to the one and only Jenny Jones!!!
We get so many nostalgic feels watching these bad ass teens rep their individual style to the conservative masses who just cannot fathom a lady wearing a leather jacket to a daycare, or cut-off jean shorts, and don’t get us started on baggy clothes!!!
The best part is – all these styles have become a normal part of most people’s daily style repertoire.
Punk, grunge, gang styles, urban vibes, valley girls, hippie vibes . . . its everything that we yearn for NOW!
It’s absolutely ridiculous how people try to control you through fashion (especially when they obviously lack the knack for it). It’s insane to think how people could get so offended by what you wear!
People like that need to take a hard look at themselves and realize what they lack is their own individuality. Choosing not to travel with the pack does not make you evil, no matter how many times society is trying to tell you otherwise.
I do have to say, there is one thing these ladies need to pipe up about:
Those bitches just don’t get fashion!!!
The best part is the ladies who are so pissed AFTER their makeover into what I guess was acceptable trendy teen clothing at the time (on loan from Urban Outfitters nonetheless) – these looks are just as much in style now, also – but definitely lack the originality and zest their true selves were invoking on the day to day.
This is the cyclical nature of our realm of course – {PAST} / {PRESENT} / {FUTURE} – all the same, really. The biggest challenge really is being true.
Don’t be afraid to be yourself. Be it to the max!!! You’ll be better off that way.
I promise!
In the meantime, enjoy this crazy video and feel the outrageousness of 90s teen fashion!
Based on the French comic series first published in 1967 and reappearing again in 2010, Valérian and Laureline; the trailer is full of astounding moments that dazzle the eyes (that PALETTE, though?!) and are all the more amplified by the surge of emotions provided by the addition of the very first original recording by the Beatles to ever appear in a movie trailer!
Sounds like a big feat, but apparently all it took was for Luc Besson to ask Paul McCartney himself.
“I just asked! We reached out to Paul McCartney, and he asked, ‘What is the film?’ and then he said yes! I never met him – I wish I could, to thank him. From what I heard, he’s seen a couple of my films…There is a vibe that I think, from what I heard, made him say, ‘For this one, because it’s at least new and fresh.’ So I think that he likes that. He likes to be part of something new.” {source}
While the French director certainly isn’t a stranger to the genre of science fiction, count on today’s advances in technology breaking the walls down for true aesthetic mastery, much the same way he did years ago with the stellar 90s masterpiece “THE FIFTH ELEMENT“!
According to most conspiracy websites, the Queen of Witches herself: RI RI , GOOD GIRL GONE BAD , MISS SUNSHINE . . . RIHANNA where you at?
Well, if you’re asking yourself that question, here’s the second teaser to drop this week to get another look!
Alright, if you haven’t spotted it yet, lets post our own little teaser below, just because . . .
+SORRY NOT SORRY+
Only Luc Besson could pull of making this film, and we can’t wait for it to land in theatres July 21!
We were super inspired, as always, by the style and look of this film – most particularly that super rad vintage Hawaiian graphic shirt that Dean DaHaan sports in the film! Are we not always saying that a wicked wild graphic shirt is absolutely timelessly cool?!
Despite its crisp resolution, the composition and palette have given the photograph a painterly quality. Captured by a painter, that is not very surprising.
The photograph features Kirsten Owen, Canadian model, and after nearly 20 years a burgeoning icon in the modelling industry. Her unique look catapulted her to the pages and covers of every major editorial magazine in the 90s, and now nearly 20 years later her career is seeing an influx of work in the high fashion industry; much like Kristen McMenamy (another 90s Model Queen) who graces runways and editorials with a fierce mature edge.
Just a little summertime sadness to kick off the day….
Prepping for Supercrawl 2016, we have a lot of exciting things coming up the woodwork!
Just want to give a huge thank you to our friends and fans for all the support and love over the years, and especially the dedicated readers who have been there since day one! Its hard to believe we are creeping on five years….
From the modest blog we began to explore the past, and the things we love, to where we are now, is just mind blowing.
So, THANK YOU.
This year has been especially busy, so its been really hard to keep up with writing articles for the website, as well as do all the amazing creative things we have been afforded the opportunity to do in our community, but hopefully we will get a breather soon, as there is a shit load of inspiration we are dying to share with the WWW.
We are especially amused by this classic music video for Nirvana and their iconic song “In Bloom” circa 1992!!!
A perfect example of the {past} influencing the {present} and shaping the {future}. In this case, its a double whammy of {past} influence with 90s style icons Nirvana taking on that classic 50s Buddy Holly vibe.
Also, a pretty sweet chill-out summer jam.
Can you believe, the summer might almost be over?!
There probably isn’t an aesthetic that struck a chord so controversial in fashion as the notorious 90s inclination towards the new look: Heroine Chic. We are starting to see a bit of a return to this vibe in some of the world’s most prestigious runways, not surprising as the 90s is taking the 21st century by storm these days.
According to Wikipedia, heroine chic is defined as:
We found this throwback video of a 1997 episode of Fashion Television (I miss you!) on the death of fashion wunderkind Davide Sorrenti who had been one of the industry’s top photographers for this new look.
Taking photos of his friends in New york City inspired by the images of Larry Clarke and Nan Goldin, and coming from a lineage of art/fashion, he quickly became the go-to for this latest look until his untimely death at only 20 years old from . . . you guessed it!
HEROINE! (Not doing very well for the cause . . . )
“We were poking fun at fashion” – Corinne Day, 1997
Out of the 80s which was all about glam and excess, Corrine Day in particular, stripped down her editorials to the basics, and instead of big butts, red lips, exaggerated bosoms, and endless hair; she chose young nymph-like beauties with a more natural essence and a bit of grit for a more realistic aesthetic that was really a rejection of the then standard of beauty.
It’s hard to get the joke when you use the words ‘Heroine’ and ‘Chic’ together, and then you think of the deaths of so many talented young people (first supermodel Gia Carangi, actor and E.O.F. Style Idol, River Phoenix, rock star Kurt Cobain, and of course, ‘heroine chic’ proprietor Davide Sorrenti) during this time, making it impossible to reject the realities that this truly was a problem in the industry. However, I think it is a shame to bash the entire industry and pigeon hole this aesthetic and its creators and muses as – EVIL.
After all, in the end – they are images. You take them as you do, and thats that.
“Is Heroine Chic even real?”
That’s a brilliant question Jeanne Beker asks in this clip, and its what I kept asking myself as I watched it. After all, even Bill Clinton had something to say about this trend and its abuse on younger generations who could be susceptible to the cool factor of the fashion industry essentially embracing drugs.
However, it wasn’t the photographers or models or industry people coining the phrase, it was simply a term coined by the media which quickly turned into a frenzy – on the verge of a witch hunt.
There will always be that push against changing times, and interestingly enough today we are seeing the shift realized towards more “full” sized women in the mainstream of the industry. But, in the end, what does that prove?
It is always important to push healthy body image, but honestly, some of these girls (and boys, too) cannot help being that thin, so I always find it unfair this constant scrutiny on body types. Perhaps, the less we made an issue of either end of the scale, there wouldn’t have to be a problem at all.
The truth is we don’t want to accept each other for what we are, which is absolute crime.
In the end, I guess this clip posted initially by Dazed & Confused Magazine really just got me thinking, and would definitely have me thinking for a while. There’s no denying this controversial era absolutely broke down walls in the realm of fashion imagery, and brought a rebellion to the forefront that continues to this day.
Nobody is perfect, and that’s what I think this era really tried to capitalize on in the simplest way.
Milla Jovovich interviews at Fashion Out Loud circa. 1996 ft. Davide Sorrenti
The elusive world of fashion will probably always have some sort of bad rep, and that’s fine.
But don’t be silly enough to only look at the surface.
In the spirit of the dunes we thought this timeless classic could definitely coincide. . .
This is an ode to Black Sabbath, the mystical heavy blues rockers from Birmingham who knew just the way to make their music crawl.
With the use of the occult and horror-inspired lyrics, and one-of-a-kind 1970s rock ‘n’ roll bohemian swag, we are definitely feeling a brotherhood with this unique quartet!
So let your spirit float to this one, kids. It is sure to take you somewhere…
Sincerely,
{theEye}
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Pictures loaded by Graham Young, Birmingham Mail. The first ever picture taken of Black Sabbath taken in 1968 of Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward, on a bank of grass close to Portland Road, Edgbaston. One hundred prints have been made at £495 each. Jim Simpson says: “If any one band can claim to be the originators of Heavy Metal, then that band is Black Sabbath. Strangely, Heavy Metal was not a term used in those days, though Sabbath certainly prided themselves on being heavier than any of their so-called rivals. In fact, their early publicity claimed, Black Sabbath, the Heaviest Band Around. Makes Led Zeppelin sound like a kindergarten house band. Quite how the Sabs changed from being a perfectly good blues band into the musical phenomenon that we all know and love is shrouded in mystery. It all started with Geezer Butler who contributed the bands name as well as many of the songs. Their music developed naturally from then and its hard to indentify exactly what directly preceded it. Hendrix, yes, to a limited extent, but that only partly explains it. Whatever, Black Sabbath are THE Birmingham Rock Band. Ask yourself this. Who is the worlds most famous Brummie? Without doubt, its Ozzy. Also loaded: Jim Simpson at the private launch of Jim Simpson – A Photography Retrospective, an exhibition at Havill & Travis showcasing Jim’s extraordinary collection of photographs from of pop, rock and blues stars from the 1960s. Jim was the first manager of Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath. He has run Big Bear Records in Edgbaston for 46 years (to 2014) and founded the 30-year-old Birmingham International Jazz Festival in 1984. Havill & Travis at 14 Lonsdale Road, Harborne, Birmingham B17 9RA. Tel 0121 427 5763. http://www.havillandtravis.com The gallery is a partnership between fiends Dave Travis (left), ex rock photographer turned concert promoter and Mission Print founder Gerv Harvill. Pictures loaded by Graham Young, Birmingham Mail.
Angela Xie photographed by Aaron Duarte, styled by Paul Heaton & Aaron Duarte /The Eye of Faith {Vintage} in collaboration with Style at MAC.
We are pleased to announce some new additions to the {SHOP}. Had a lovely lady already inquiring about the YSL Rive Gauche Paris 90s black velvet pleated trousers, so get these finds while they are hot!
We were feeling moody opulent vibes. It’s always a secret society gathering one way or another here at The Eye of Faith {Vintage}. You got to know when to hold or fold, and we all need a place where we belong. . .
Braeden Militante (@bmilitante) + Angela Xie (@_thelorelei_) photographed by Aaron Duarte. Styling by Paul Heaton and Aaron Duarte/ The Eye of Faith {Vintage} in collaboration with Style at Mac. Read our interview with this stylishly discerning society!
Just be yourself! The thing we love most about these finds is the unending options. We are also excited that many of our new additions are for our stylishly discerning lady friends. . .
