Movement and Metamorphosis with Elizabeth Hooper Studio | Office Magazine

2022-08-26 20:29:20 By : Ms. Tinna Wang

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Elizabeth Hooper O’Mahony makes sculptural jewelry that comes to life the moment it adorns the body of the wearer. Her goal is to explore the unexplored — to reach new heights in the world of jewelry design by examining the intersection of chaos and culture.

This interplay is exemplified through sleek, lustrous armbands and dangling earrings elevated with a touch of the unknown. Intuitive jewelry silhouettes are superseded by fluid shapes which take after the avant-garde architectural designs of Frank Gehry. 

Rather than creating industrial anomalies that draw the mind away from the natural order of nature, Gehry set out to create buildings that are in tune with their surroundings.

Much like Hooper’s vision, Gehry’s works are perpetually informed by their environments, assimilating with ease, while still bringing a sense of newness and innovation. This tension between nature and the urban world — or rather avoiding contributing to that tension — is something that Hooper set out to explore in her own creations after she found inspiration in the aftermath of a tornado that struck her hometown of Dallas.

Her pieces may be conversation starters, as they are highly textural and play to the senses, but they do not take away from the wearer — instead, they refine the wearer’s look.

This duality is a main tenet of Hooper’s work. She has perfected the balance between raw and polished with her pieces that are both elegant and edgy, fine-tuned yet serendipitous. Although each design takes after the unexpected essence of nature, they still find their rightful place in one’s wardrobe after meshing with the body itself, which is then also incorporated as a part of the design and story.

From natural freshwater pearl accents to melting golden shapes, Hooper’s work mimics the uninhibited forms of Gehry’s. Both artists possess the keen ability to create movement from very structured elements — whether that be, in Gehry’s case, brick, or stunning metals for Hooper, resulting in a work of art that is highly dynamic and transformative.

Stüssy and Converse have come back together to create a shoe fit to close out summer '22. Born from the California surf scene, Stussy doesn’t shy away from channeling its roots, featuring a “Surfman” logo on this new chuck 70 Hi.

Done in a sunset pink and designed with an earth-friendly mentality, these converse beg to be covered in sand, making them the perfect shoe to put on after a sunny surf session. The kicks also come with white and black laces, offering up a small touch of personalization to compliment a classic silhouette.

The Stüssy & Converse collection is available worldwide at select chapter stores, select Dover Street Market locations and stussy.com on Friday, August 26th.

Setting out to expand beyond the boundaries of making clothing on a personal scale, New York City based eponymous brand by designer Kate Hundley debuts a Resort collection for 2023. It's a little of everything: classics with a touch of cowgirl; chic structured pieces are presented in a palate that swings from femme powder pinks to deep reds and all black looks. Needless to say, we're here for it.

The eponymous brand has prioritized intentionality with every aspect of its garments since 2018. Inspired by a range of eras, from Madonna’s original country class to intricate Victorian-era corseting, there is no doubt Kate Hundley’s pieces are made for absolutely anyone.

With aspects of glamorous and eclectically casual styles, this collection stands out from the crowd, and so will anyone wearing it. From the purpose of the piece to the construction, a story is told through detailed precision and the use of iconic silhouettes in the label's newest collection.

Pieces like the baby pink goat suede jacket, brocade suit, moiré beaded top, and corset-like laced leather jacket all come together to make an unexpected blend that tells a distinct story for the modern fashion lover.

Within Hundley’s brand, she emphasizes the expertise behind the clothing, highlighting the talented and hard-working force of New York City-based garment workers. Utilizing the high-end ateliers of the city, Hundley’s work melds tradition and modern life with her style to make way for a new era.

Check out the new Resort 2023 Collection here.

OGBFF already conquered the internet and the street-style scene with its wildly creative, tongue-in-cheek graphic designs.

Coming off of major success now one year into the brand’s inception, it’s safe to say that founders and designers Angela and Lauren are definitely not in their flop era.

But after successfully stealing the hearts of quirky customers far and wide, Angela and Lauren decided to curate a drop that signifies a new chapter for OGBFF. 

Introducing: OGBFF’s Rework Collection, an ongoing project which proves that upcycling and repurposing scrap materials is now the hottest thing. “It was very intuitive,” they shared, “We print everything ourselves, so mistakes are expected, as we are not machines. But even the first shirt that we messed up, we never considered throwing it away.”

Angela and Lauren seem to have perfected the balance between fashion and humor, as OGBFF is proof that even the most simplistic styles have the power to resonate with fashion lovers. But although their designs, in theory, are simple and super wearable — baby tees, slip-on micro mini skirts, ribbed tanks — it seems to be the clever slogans and prints on each that really catch the eyes of onlookers. With this new endeavor, the two OG “Hot People at Work” preserved that notion of uniqueness and silliness, and built upon it further by incorporating sustainable elements and teaming up with some of their favorite local independent brands as well.

“One of the most important things to us is community. Being young designers in LA, we love seeing our friends’ work, and being able to call on their talent and have them help us with this collection was everything,” Angela explained. To show this new side of OGBFF, Angela and Lauren worked with five different designers — Left Hand LA, Lifer shop, Ratstar, Mack (Plagueround), Billie Brooks, and the brand’s own Blondita (aka Angela) even stepped in as well. Each of these designers was given the full liberty to take old scraps from OGBFF’s past and turn them into masterpieces fit for every niche internet micro-celebrity.

It seemed like it would be hard to top some of the brand’s original ingenious creations, such as the “Tits for Brains” tee or the “Mini Skirt,” but, of course, the dynamic duo rose to the occasion with the help of some amazingly talented creators. “Each designer's voice is so distinct and unique; to have such a strong group of designers be so dedicated to this project feels so special,” said Angela. Lauren echoed this enthusiasm for the project and the resulting one-of-a-kind pieces, “My favorites are the reworked maxi skirt by our friend Mack. To see that many OGBFF designs in one garment created such a beautiful mess, and the construction of the skirt is really impressive. I also love the ‘Soulja Boy Ally’ reinterpretation of our ‘Gay Ally’ shirt. It has that perfect amount of absurdity.”

Looking back on the last whirlwind of a year, the two reflected, “The most important thing to us is still making sure we are both still having fun. We are totally aware of the ‘never go into business with your friends’ trope, but if the first year is a precursor for what is to come for our working relationship, I think we’ll be just fine!” We definitely think so too.

To bring the Rework Collection to life, they called upon creative director Clare Gillen’s magical touch to give the photos that quintessential OGBFF hot girl touch and Angela and Lauren additionally celebrated a year of success (and what is to come) with a pop-up, a DJ set, and more. 

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