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task 3
Those who came before me
page design and text by uhu / harry
Whilst all of you designers are still here, these specific, inspiring designers of the past are no longer with us...
This week the designers were tasked to honour the 4 inspiring designers below. They were not told to necessarily replicate the visions of the deceased designers, but to show obvious reflections towards the designer of their choosing. So in a summary, we was looking for someone that showcases obvious inspiration towards their choice.
Harry
Filip
Congratulations on surviving to Task 3! - Huh? You're all still here?
Below are the 4 designers that were available for selection.
Ossie clark
Raymond "Ossie" Clark was a British fashion designer who was a major figure in the Swinging Sixties scene in London and the fashion industry in that era. Clark is now renowned for his vintage designs by present-day designers.
"He created an incredible magic with the body and achieved what fashion should do---produce desire."
Ossie Clark clothes are highly sought after, and are worn by well known models such as Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell.
(9th June 1942 - 6th August 1996)
Valentina Sanina Schlee
Valentina Nicholaevna Sanina Schlee was a Ukranian émigrée fashion designer and theatrical costume designer. Valentina "stood out" for her clothes and style at the time because she appeared in floor-lengths and cover-ups while other women wore short skirts and low-neck dresses.
"Simplicity survives the changes of fashion, women of chic are wearing now dresses they bought from me in 1936. Fit the century, forget the year."
(1st May 1899 - 14th September 1989)
Rudolph Moshammer
Rudolph Moshammer was a German fashion designer. He built a reputation for the extravagant clothes he designer and wore, and was well known in Germany's celebrity circuit.
He collaborated with the musical band "Münchner Zwietracht" ("Munich Discord"), with whom he was a contestant in the German Eurovision Song Contest preliminary round show in 2001. The song was entitled "Teilt Freud und Leid" ("Share Happiness and Sorrow").
In 2002, Moshammer sold a shirt thought to have been worn by Napoleon I at the Battle of Waterloo at auction for more than €62,000, donating the proceeds to a Munich homeless charity.
(27th September 1940 - 14th January 2005)
Varvara Stepanova
Varvara Fyodorovna Stepanova was a Russian artist. With her husband, she was associated with the Constructivist branch of the Russian avant-garde, which rejected aesthetic values in favour of revolutionary ones.
Stepanova identified clothing as occupying two groups: prodezodezhda and sportodezhda.
(Brave & Sportswear)
Stepanova sought to free the body in her designs, emphasizing clothing's functional rather than decorative qualities. In addition, she sought to develop expedient means of clothing production through simple designs and strategic, economic use of fabrics.
(October 9th 1894 - 20th May 1958)
time for some results!
BUYARTPOP X OSSIE CLARK
Filip
Here's the funny thing: the overall thing that this look desperately needs more off is innovation, and yet some innovation is hiding in the details: this puffy black & white sleeve is absolutely fabulous. As always you're an expert at styling and you just understand the finer details of presenting a design, something that can take YEARS for someone to develop a proper feeling for. It's a very nice dress Sonny and I see the correlation between Ossie's British high-end hippie fashion and your aesthetic which is the BUYARTPOP brand by now. You have one key by now, but you might perhaps not get anymore if you play it safe like this, I fear this was the time for you to step outside of your comfort zone and choose your least favorite of the 4; this is just Sonny on a regular Tuesday night I'm afraid. I know you have it in you to do crazier stuff than this.
harry
This is you. Down to a T you are showing us what you stand for, so well-done for that. BUT I have noticed you read the task, then swipe it away and do whatever you want, don't get me wrong you do what you do perfectly, I kinda just wanna see you hone down on the task just a little more. Lovely outfit this week though. There is a slight reference to Ossie.
herbymainsted X OSSIE CLARK
Filip
I believe Ossie Clark was the perfect choice for you. You’re both designers with a broad aesthetic and a love for flair and envoking joy. Theatrical is an adjective I’d use for the both of you. There’s two sides to the coin though: perhaps your least favorite of the 4 would’ve pushed you into creating something really divine. The graphical elements here are so strong, the way you used a lot of white as a canvas in order to portray your model being wrapped around by colorful elements. Your signature thing as a designer the last 3 years seem to be volume, which I think you ought to stick with as you do it beautifully. I especially love the portrayal of the white as a little dirty, it gives the look a greater textural depth.
harry
OK, I can't lie I did find it difficult to find an exact relation of Ossie Clark here, but there is most definitely references that tickle the world of Ossie. This outfit is out of this world!! Once again. I think you actually ironically.. pushed too far, and that's something I would kinda be proud of personally.. lol.
antheia-ceres X OSSIE CLARK
Filip
I love aspects of this; this slightly British steampunk x 70's glam rock look. I really appreciate that you had the balls to grunge it up just a bit and not go the glam route with heels and other glamorous accessories etc. Although I don't find the top to be that unique, I just can't take my eyes off it: I believe you chose a perfect color palette, or maybe I'm just craving red velvet cake. The way the brown leather straps on the pants align with the top, while they also clash in colors, is a detail that almost flies over your head. There's a clash happening here. It's a succesful look, however I believe what prevents you from earning a key this week is that your fellow competitors had stronger connections to their chosen designer: Ossie was glam rock in another direction than this and the almost gory top is clashing a bit with his flower power vintage hippie aesthetic. You've shown a wild amount of range in just 3 panels though so well done.
harry
I can't say I'm the biggest fan of this outfit this week. But, the amount of detail you shown this week is applaudable. I'm not 100% sure what is under that belt, but I think it would have been an overall better look without it, as it would let them straps & the top half shine.
peyton125 X OSSIE CLARK
Filip
ooooo! Who wore it best? Just kidding, it looks like you and Antheia did a collab this week and both of you came up with fabulous designs. I'll say this: the dress in itself is beautiful, there's something beautifully painful and heavy-hearted about it. I must also commend you on creating a design that comes across as a vintage find. The fact that you mix burgundy with a slightly brighter wine-red just makes the two color shades stand out more individually, smart move Peyton. I like that the heels are in a slightly darker shade than the base color of the dress, it gives the whole look a little more depth. Some other styling choices were not so smart: I just don't see the point of the belt and the headband just looks like a christmas decoration that your model wrapped around their head after one too many drinks. This immaculate taste level you have when you design the base of a look needs to somehow be incorporated in your styling choices. Coco Chanel once said blablabla take one thing off.
harry
This is a clear reference to the more quiet outfits that Ossie has made. It is honestly gorgeously done. There is a little something throwing it off for me, maybe its the head accessory, but I see where you were going with it! The neckpiece is exquisite. Not much to fault!
lc22 x valentina sanina sChlee
Filip
So here's the thing: minimalism is incredibly tricky. It's the art of presenting something very simple and yet having there be an impact, a sense of oomph present in a way you can't really explain. To me, styling aside, this is an attempt at a minimalistic gown. It's a nice gown with your creative fingerprint attached to it, but I'm afraid you stayed in your comfort zone for this one. I know your approach to this season is ''I'll just design whatever I'd wear and believe looks good'', which is a fantastic approach. Usually, most designers make it their mission to please the judges and will bend backwards to do it, when in reality, designing for your own eyes is the most succesful concept. In this case it didn't pay off: I absolutely LOVE the styling with the hair and the fabric around the head, it's so dramatic and it tells a story. The gown is just... nice. If your Snawlterm8 collection consisted of 20 looks, I could see this one in the middle. You connected quite nicely with Valentina's aesthetic here, but I think you're aware that you need to take it to another level if you're going to collect keys. Your competitors are bringing their A-game.
harry
A clear representation of Valentina here, a great outcome from what the task asked for. Sometimes head wraps are too much for an outfit, but it goes great with this dress. Yes it is just a blue dress... which did go close to edge of being able to buy this in a store. But some of the detailing here is quite inventive. I didn't even notice that this was made backwards.
nicrobbo95 x valentina sanina sChlee
Filip
A piece of art. Valentina is a Ukrainian designer and a certain Ukrainian romanticism is present in the details: the excessive yet almost carefully placed wraps as well as the puffy sleeves. I couldn't be happier that you gave the shoes a bit of color which also made me realize: what this look needs (or deserves, really) is a more nuanced color palette. The gray works nicely, it adds to that whole vintage feeling, but it's just a lot of gray, almost like a big wall. That's my only complaint. I've never seen the kimono belt used so creatively before: the nude illusion is not only perfect but it serves a purpose; it creates a new silhouette. I believe you've found that perfect balance now in which you realize your strengths as a designer and you don't overthink or overdo it: please realize that you're on the perfect path now.
harry
You did the task great this week!- What a wonderful, beautiful dress, as Valentina would do. Without these implements of the skin showing, the dress definitely wouldn't have had much an impact that it does, bravo. I might've liked to see a bolder colour used against the grey, it just reminds me of a non-hc look when so much of that specific grey is used. Nice work!
ellie x valentina sanina sChlee
Filip
It's a bit outdated, very Habbo PR 2010-2015, although I suppose this was the perfect task to look outdated in. There's one thing here that made me drop my jaw a little when I first saw it: you've created the illusion of a completely new and unique white dress. The white skirt and the white shawl match together perfectly and I'm a bit surprised I've never seen this before. As a host, this is the kind of stuff that makes me absolutely love hosting a longterm: seeing new, innovative designs. This look could've potentially earned you a key had you been a bit more bold in your other choices: the black bolero, although it's nice, is a bit of a safe choice, as is the yellow details on the arms. It's just all a little too matchy matchy, I want to see you get slightly more ugly-chic with things, it will take your designs to the next level.
harry
You have texturing down this week! I'd say you did a good job with the task this week, your outfit isn't the most stand-out-ish this week of course. But the smaller details are what brings this alive, especially that sleeve detail drawn out, I absolutely love that. The more I do look at this, the more I love it, in a neutral, pleasant, wearable way. Well-done!
sealchowderr x valentina sanina sChlee
Filip
I've seen many versions of this dress; it practically makes an appearance in all longterms between 2020-2021. As a designer, there's no shame in not reinventing the wheel and taking something that's been done before, presented through a new perspective: we love that. It might just be something worth thinking about moving forward. Having said that, despite it's lack of uniqueness, this is absolutely stunning. It's perfect in relation to Valentina: it has that rich eastern European character to it that I relate to a century ago. The layering and the amount of patterns on display is excessive, yet it works. It's not so much that the visual elements are fighting, more so that they flirt with the viewer. You're not quite sure where to rest your eyes, and yet each place you do is a pleasant one. One detail here is 10/10: you took two different items and found a way to replicate the print of the dress onto the scarf, the two integrate beautifully and it also gives the look more volume.
harry
Nice work on understanding the task this week! You did Valentina justice! This is a beautiful garment, I actually think you could have toned it down by removing that mermaid skirt and just having your shoes on show. ALSO! To try and help you!, I think some sort of head styling would have improved this alot, not necessarily hair, but just something to fill in the space, as it feels unfinished.
lobsterbiscc x rudolph moshammer
Filip
Seeing this the first time, I didn't have the usual ''oh cool! oh how nice!'' reaction, instead I silently just starred at it for a while. This is immaculate. Mr. Moshammer is the designer I have the most emotional connection with: his designs were queer and yet played with aspects of heteronormative masculine fashion, his designs had a message to conservatives, kind of ''this threatens you? Fun threatens you?''. This design has that unapologetic and slightly erotic quality to it that is related to Rudolph Moshammer. I especially LOVE that you incorporated some brown leather into the look. To me, what ties this look together is that the pants and the top perfectly relate to each other, and yet each piece has it's own distinct identity. The black shoes with the gray accents makes it all a little more interesting as well. Replicating some of the pants' design on the top is in this instance remarkable. This gave me an emotional reaction and in a longterm it doesn't get better than that.
harry
My, my, my.. someone came to show off this week! First and foremost, congratulations on picking Rudolph, and being the only one to do so. You absolutely smashed this task (right in the face) This outfit omg.. the bold red against the trousers, against the neckpiece you created to replicate the bottoms. Wow. Absolutely nothing bad to say, please keep doing this! You did Rudolph absolute justice this week without going overboard.
cassandra.goth x varvara stepanova
Filip
On one hand, I find that this clearly defined concept you went with is perfectly executed. It’s this exuberant minimalism with an Eastern European aesthetic on display. On the other hand, perfect it may be in relation to the original designer’s vision, it’s not as an exciting look as it could be, in relation to your enormous potential. I think you did play it a bit safe with this one and you have to leave this comfort zone of yours in order to truly progress as a creator. It’s just a lot of cape and skirt in a way we’ve seen before. On a positive note, the red accessories here have such oomph and they elevate the look tremendously.
harry
This is lush, the bold-ness of this is great, I love the bold print that you left untouched. Maybe it's even too lux for Varvara, it actually seems too fashionable. The shoes are also not practical at all! Therefore this kind of shows a lack of understanding of the task given. BUT this is a lovely outfit, I am a sucker for your wavey-lines.
cinthia x varvara stepanova
Filip
Such a euphoric design! I love that it plays on darkness vs. light, in my opinion the light seems to win the battle that is ingrained into your outfit. The challenge was to merge your own aesthetic with the chosen designer. I see several elements here that I believe clashes with Valentina's, then again, they're true to your aesthetic and there is an argument to be made here that your aesthetic as well as her's are just polar opposites, which explains the very eccentric and avant garde result that we're seeing. I think you had a good start to this season, but you've stumbled a bit and not shown your true potential. This right here is Cinthia at her best: if you design like this every week then there won't be any keys left over for your competitors. I love the energetic colors and best of all: the black fringe detail on the arm. Never have I witnessed it and I didn't think I'd see a sleeve with black fringe on it in a longterm or shortterm ever.
harry
Well isn't this a showcase! You have overwhelmed me in the best way possible. This arm piece... how & wow, it's absolutely splendid, wtf! The colours are scream Varvara. Yeh the shoes aren't practical, but any other shoe wouldn't have been as good. The jacket might be a touch oversized for Varvara, but once again, without it it wouldn't have been as good! This demonstrates that you are infact, a genius!
motormickeynew x varvara stepanova
Filip
Big fan of the minimalistic grpahical elements fighting with the more texturized, gray elements. The look wouldn't have been as interesting had you chosen a more muted color. I find this to be a pretty great way of portraying modern dystopian design with the fashion elements relating to Varvara's time a century ago. Varvara as a designer created a lot of graphical fashion, often incorporating prints in order to keep designs slightly basic while also mainting interesting elements to it. Oh how I wish you had chosen a print here, it would've done wonders for your design. Still, I appreciate that it's a look that features both flow and rigid structure. I've seen you create masterpieces: perhaps you need to let go a little and have a little more fun with the design process moving forward.
harry
Straight off the bat, this is extremely fashionable. I'm not quite sure if I like the colours, but that doesn't matter too much because of what you created, you created a piece of art, a piece of art that transcends through to sports. It's a great take on something Varvara would have created.
fierce.needles x varvara stepanova X NIBBLES943
Filip
Faaaaantastic. Once again you're presenting an aesthetic that relates both to British glam rock as well as Harry Styles and the way you do it is just magnificent and uniquely true to you. This gray piece that you've created, which looks like it would almost glimmer in real life, is so exciting and innovative. Everything you've done this season is with a sense of confidence and I'd like to see you continue that way: it does wonders for your designs. The graphical red sweater has a subtle, horizontally lined pattern to it and thus it connects with Varvara Stepanova in an almost sneaky yet brilliant way. You didn't just find a way to stay true to yourself while also designing from the lense of Mrs. Stepanova, you made music with it.
harry
I really cannot put into words.. of how much I am in love with this outfit. First off, you hit the task perfectly, this is practical, it doesn't read as male or female, which is a good thing for who you chose, it's unusual, it's experimental, most importantly.. it's fun! (I could go on all day) And with all of this you somehow continue to be true to yourself.
13 designers
3 will receive keys
Being a judge isn't easy. I want to remind you that a ranking is not a score: even the looks placing 13th and 12th make for strong cases as to why they deserve a top 3 placement. In other words, the lowest ranking look this week is quite close to the top ranking looks in terms of quality. As so many of you shined this week, I had to ask myself which 3 designers didn't just create something divine but were also able to present a marriage of their own aesthetic combined with the chosen designer.
In 3rd place
Cinthia - congratulations, you've received 1 key
In 2nd place
Fierce.Needles - congratulations, you've received 1 key
The winner of this task
lobsterbiscc
As I stated previously, your design made me react emotionally. Both in the PR-universe as well as the real fashion world, that is the best reaction you can get from a person in relation to a design being presented. Your design had a sense of heart-on-your-sleeve mixed with unapologetic strength, which is how I'd describe Rudolph Moshammer's designs. As the winner of this task you will receive 2 keys, you couldn't deserve it more. Congratulations.
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