See you in 2012

Dear friends, readers, followers and contributors:
THANK you very much for taking time for my blog.

In 2011 I have met some wonderful and talented people and seen so many amazing work from established artists but most of all form young and emerging talents. Keep up the good work!

To all of you I wish the very best for 2012!

Love, peace, inspiration and health

x
Branko

...and I hope to meet you again...

Visit Hasselt

5 reasons why you should visit Hasselt (Belguim) during holidays or still in 2011!
It's really worth it!

1 Prints! exhibition in MMH Fashion Museum Hasselt. You can visit Prints! until 08.01.2012.
http://brankopopovic.blogspot.com/2011/06/prints-in-fashion-and-costume-history.html

This was 2011: Most popular posts

1 http://brankopopovic.blogspot.com/2011/03/lady-gaga-catwalk-debut-at-thierry.html

Encounter with Nick Steur

Photography: Rene den Engelsman, theaterinbeeld.nl

2011 has almost come to an end and most blogs have allready posted their '2011 charts' and 'best of lists'. I still had one special story to share. Two weeks ago I went to Huis van Bourgondie to see the performance 'Titled' by Nick Steur. I never saw his work before but I have heard about it so it made me curious to see 'the performer who balances rocks'. Maybe you've allready familiar with it, but I find it so fascinating, google it!
From childhood on Nick is busy with balancing of stones. No glue, cement or trick is coming to pass, purely an intense concentration and "a balance between his own will and that of the stone". In September 2011 he drew to Scotland with a mission to meet his idol, Andy Goldsworthy, an English land art artist. Andy Goldsworthy lives in Scotland and creates local-based sculptures and land art-objects, that are embedded in a scenic environment. He makes his art out of natural materials available on the spot. Nick went to Scotland with a mission to perhaps find a companion. Did Nick found what he sought? Well you have to see the performance yourself, but he for sure returned with a fully loaded bus. A load of stones, a journal, texts, photographs, videos and memories of encounters with strangers. All this material formed the basis for this performance 'Titled'.
From beginning to end I was enthralled watching Nick's sincere performance. As a viewer you become more and more patient and drown into it. You loose the sense of time and isn't that one of the things art should evoke. This experience inspired me to look back and think once again about my own fascinations.

For more information about Nick Steur and his work: http://nicksteur.com

Read the Q & A with Nick Steur below!

Merry Christmas!!

Picture by Lonneke van der Palen!

Giuseppe Virgone

Meet Giuseppe Virgone,  upcoming and Belgium based designer. He also studied in Belguin at La Cambre in Brussels. On his website I found out that he gained experience at Gaspard Yurkievich in Paris.

His latest collection 'Accords Brisés' (FW 2012-13) is inspired by inspired by 15th century monk, Girolamo Savonarola.
 G.V. about the collection: 
‘For this new collection, I was inspired by a character from the 15th century, Girolamo Savonarola. I wanted to have a work made of cuts and materials, mixing wool, leather and embroidery so as to obtain both structured and unstructured silhouettes. Indeed, the collection begins with very monastic silhouettes and goes on to finish with contemporary accents’.

Apocalypse SS 2012 by SADAK

SADAK is for years one of my favorite labels and somehow I forgot to blog about it. So here it is.

I would love to post all his work, but for that I advise you to have look at the website: http://www.sadak.de 
He works most of the time with amazing photographer Daniel Bolliger-Samo.
SADAK is a label by a Berlin based designer Saša Kovacevic. He is originally from Serbia. He graduated from Kunsthochschule-Berlin in 2010.
The whole concept of SADAK is based on tradition, ethnography, anthropology, history, and clothing. Saša incorporates a variety of elements from proceeding periods, together with the clothing features of the period when they were made and worn, often using the mystical and poetic stories. SADAK is the ancient name for a traditional sleeveless jacket worn in some regions of the Balkans. The preserved magical meaning of sadak in its original oral and visual context is transformed and adapted to contemporary reality, becoming independent through the development or construction of forms, figures, motifs, magical objects, statements, temporal codes of society, space, objects and functions of protagonists.


'APOCALYPSE' SS 2012 collection is a dream in silks, cottons and leather 'Apocalypse´: Robes of Salvation, Garments of Joy,
With roots in Kovacevic’s Serbian heritage, Apokalypsis represents the thematic intersection of apocalypse and rapture. A dream in silks, cottons and leather, the collection imparts tranquility and spiritual joy. At the same time, designs are a surreal evokation of salvation and transcendence, a bold juxtaposition of age-old belief systems and post-modern science fiction. 


Photography: Daniel Bolliger-Samo 
Fashion: SADAK 
Styling:Laura Lazzura 
Make up:Anette Kamontt 
Models: Max@IZAIO.DE and Dario

ComeForBreakfast SS 12

ComeForBreakfast is an independent brand based in Milan. The brand is founded by designers Antonio Romano and Francesco Alagna in September 2009.
This is their new collection for spring/summer 2012.
Take a look at their website because their previous collections are also very nice.
http://www.comeforbreakfast.it

© by ComeForBreakfast / Photography Giorgio Codazzi / Styling Emil Rebek

Scope 13: temporary shop and exhibition

For those who still have to do Christmas shopping in Maastricht, here's a must-see weekend Tip!
A group of friends, designers and artists who live and work in Maastricht are exhibiting and selling their work at studio "SCOPE 13". You can find this temporary shop  space in Heggenstraat 13 in Maastricht (Opposite Trader's Pop).
You can find some unique jewellery, bags, drawings, clothing and objects of these designers/artists: Lena Berens, Ingo Binder, Theda Schoppe, Matylda Krzykowski, Kaspar Hamacher and John Franzen.

La Fille d'O by Lonneke van der Palen for Blend

My friend Lonneke van der Palen is a very promising photographer. Few weeks ago she did a shoot for La Fille d’O lingerie label for Blend Magazine and the pictures are just stunning. She's the one to watch.

Read more about La Fille d'O and interview with its founder Murielle Scherre here: http://www.blend.nl/la-fille-do/

Credits:
Model: JeanPaul Paula 
MUA: Calos Saidel 
Fashion: Murielle Scherre, La Fille d’O 
Photography: Lonneke van der Palen 
Many thanks to: Studio Blommers & Schumm 
Art direction & production: Narayana Sewnandan ="font-size: x-small;">


My interview with Lonneke van der Palen!

Andrej Pejic for Dutch Hema Lingerie Campaign

This is Andrej Pejic modeling a push-up bra for Dutch retail chain HEMA. Read more here!

©Wendelien Daan for HEMA
   Styling: Thomas Vermeer (Unit CMA)
   Hair&amp / Makeup: Ingrid van Hemert (House of Orange)
   Art dir: John de Vries /Doomanddickso

Open call for participation at FASHIONCLASH Maastricht 2012

Designers and artists wanted for the 4th edition of FASHIONCLASH Maastricht 2012 / 8, 9 & 10 June 2012 in SAMdecorfabriek Maastricht

FASHIONCLASH Maastricht is an international and interdisciplinary fashion event where upcoming designers and artists from various disciplines get the opportunity to present their work to a diverse audience.
FASHIONCLASH shows the art of fashion in the broadest perspective; fashion, textile, photography, design, jewellery, art, video, performance, illustration, etc.
FASHIONCLASH gives platform to upcoming talents by organising projects such as the successful event ‘FASHIONCLASH Maastricht’.
More than three hundred talents from all over Europe have already participated in the past editions.

The application forms for the fashion show program and the exhibition are available for download here: www.fashionclash.nl 

You can sign up until 20 January 2012.

Take a look at www.fashionclash.nl  for previous editions of FASHIONCLASH Maastricht.

IXXcreates PRINTS

IXXcreates is a design studio where creative professionals collaborate on the development of inspiring concepts and sustainable products. One of the projects is 'IXX-creates-PRINTS' and you can see some designs in this shoot.
This collection consists of 100% silk clothing for ladies with special prints. The prints are developed exclusively for IXX, by professional textile designers. Several textile designers have designed for this collection.
Not for nothing the logo symbolizes the synergy between ' I ' (I) and ' the other ' (X and X)-the whole is more than the sum of its parts.
For more information: http://www.ixxcreates.nl

Production: FASHIONCLASH
                   SO Management
Photography: Kris Micallef
Styling and Clothing: IXX
Models: Kat
Hair and Make-up Femke Colaris

Storysewing by Merel Boers (Miss Blackbirdy)

During the festive month of December the PRINT Gallery has been transformed into the fantasy world of Merel Boers (Miss Blackbirdy).
She graduated from Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam in 2006. During her course of study she developed a love for fashion and illustration. We had the pleasure to showcase her work during FASHIONCLASH Maastricht 2010.
Merel Boers has already won several prices and in 2010 "Storysewing" was awarded with the Fiep Westendorp illustration prize. This prize gave her the possibility to realise this project.
 Merel Boers brings her sketchbook to life through Storysewing, pen and paper are replaced by needle and thread. The result is stunning. I could not stay long but it was worth it.

You can visit 'Storyseweing' from 9th till 11th of  December from 11.00 to 17.00  in PRINT Gallery, Prinsengracht 628 in Amsterdam.
 http://missblackbirdy.com

 All pictures © by Branko Popovic

Bregje Cox

Here it is!
In October FASHIONCLASH teamed up with SO Management and shot the beautiful collection of fashion designer Bregje Cox in Maastricht.
Well done everyone!








Take a look at the making of: http://brankopopovic.blogspot.com/2011/11/bregje-cox-by-kris-micallef.html

Photography: Kris Micallef
Production: FASHIONCLASH
Models: Stephanie S @ SO Management, and Tijana / http://www.somanagement.eu/
Hair and Make-up Femke Colaris

More about Bregje Cox: http://www.bregjecox.com/
http://noirnearfuture.tumblr.com/