WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE (here and there)

This week I saw Ellie Goulding's US version of her music video "Starry Eyed", which is quite an old song and I actually saw the original music video a couple of year ago. 

Now Ellie is trying to present herself to US public and watching this new version made me think about how image is digested in different countries. With this video is clear to me how Americans "digest" things, how they will preferably stop and look at videos, what kind of image is acceptable for them. 

I won't lie that it made me a little annoyed that Ellie, which I like because has a very cool English Pop look, had to alter it and basically lose the regional "flavor" to adapt her looks to US standards.  

  i.e.:

- the obvious teeth whitened

- the blonder and fluffed up hair

- covering the head shaved (behind her ear)

- the fake long nails 

- blue lenses!!!! (Oh God - her looks are interesting because of her big brown eyes)

Original Ellie

 Original Music Video

 

US Version of "Starry Eyed" & Ellie

Other than that, is the typical "putting a hot guys and making them a couple" kind of story - same old same old. The original one showcase more the artist, Ellie, and something that I think is very "London" which is the fashion presented subconsciously.

Clearly you see more quality and budget on the US version but it's not an original video at all.
However, I don't blame her, to be heard we first have to be part of the group and than differentiate ourselves, because than people will pay attention and listen. Is just interesting to see the image change for a different "market".

Here are a few more videos of lovely Ellie:

Also makes me understand why Robyn is not huge in Europe, her pop songs are amazing but her looks - maybe too edgy for them (I mean for population in general not the fashion driven ones).

Here is a little bit more about Robyn:

Cool MV

IDEAS I LIKE: GIF

Vogue Korea Covers

SURREAL WOMEN

I went to see this small exhibition in a very interesting lace, Cob Gallery, in Camden and got really bewitched by the location. The exhibition is actually called "The Pain of Desire" by the artist Wendy Bevan -  The exhibition explores the theatricality of female desire, and the inner pain suffered
through the pursuit of prescribed and aspirational notions of identity and success."

It's quite interesting to be able to approach this point of view is like our inner selves and how would it be, this anguish and uncertainty of the beautiful, and expectation for women to be pretty, good, smart, thin, etc....

WATCHING HIM WORK

It's all about mood board, looking at them 24/7. Now I feel glad that i attach photos to my wall.

Cheers!

POST-IT THIS

Mellisa brand decided to send people from São Paulo a love message of exciting creativity. 

350 thousand post-its use to make amazing illustration in Melissa's flagship store. Other than that people left love messages in the post -its that after being used were recycled(thumbs up)!

Here is the video:

THE ONES 2 WATCH PART 2

More editorials from "The Ones 2 Watch" website.

FASCINATION INK

Aubrey Beardsley is a English author but I must say I really knew him as being a fantastic illustrator, the most appreciated in the Aesthetic movement from the late 1800's, his style was influenced by Japanese aesthetic and is fantastic to see how a western man can perceive eastern cultural illustration and reproduce in his own way, and obviously with a few changes that made it his own.

I don't want to give you an essay about his life, what matters to me is to look an appreciate the strokes of his drawings, the grace an elegance behind them, coming from a period where men embraced a more poetic and "beautiful" way of life. 

Enough talking about the past. I believe that Laura Laine's work is the present version of Beardsley, very feminine, inspiring, soft strokes yet powerful imagery and yet it could be related to what Japanese like aesthetically, the skinny, super long hair that moves like fabric girls. Could it be how she ,as a western, perceives an Asian aesthetic (like Beardsley) ? 

Maybe subconsciously.

Anyhow, her work is amazing and I love how she portrays fashion, strong girls yet gentle and elegant.

  Is this Kate Moss?

Cheers