Mittwoch, 25. Mai 2011

Life Ball 2011 - Spread The Wings of Tolerance!

(the above listed picture was retrieved from: ftape.com)
"This was by far the most amazing, impressive event I've seen in a very long time"
The first thought after waking up in my original beloved hometown,Vienna, when I realised that I was one of the many guests at Life Ball 2011.
For those of you, who are unfortunately (!) not common with that event yet: Life Ball is an Aids Charity Event founded by Gery Keszler in 1992, which has grown over the last decades and is now one of the most famous events drawing attention to one of our most destroyable and still incompatible sicknesses, the HI Virus.
Celebrities from all over the world are coming together (without getting paid!) to remember the danger of HIV and meanwhile celebrate life and the ability to announce the prevention of HIV to all the people out there. Who now thinks, that this is just another charity event, which is mainly about flitting through the red carpet, speaking out some lousy words in order to feel better and afterwards going home with the only problem of how one looked in this or that dress has completely no idea. Beside the intention to commemorate the billions of people who have fought against AIDS since it was discovered, Life Ball is additionally one of the biggest events for homo-as well as transexuals to dress up and celebrate who they are. This must be one of the greatest and meanwhile liberating moments when you get the chance to admit who you are without any other but positive reaction.
In this sense, this year's motto came to the penultimate element, air, of the cycle with a more than inspiring slogan: Spread The Wings Of Tolerance.  I interpreted this as tolarence towards homo-as well as transsexuals but obviously tolerance for those of us human beings not having the chance to live a healthy life because of AIDS.
Since this was my first time I fully attended Life Ball as a guest, I was extremely nervous not just because I didn't know what to wear until I had to decide 1 hour before everything started. My hair and make up were professionally done at headquarters (www.headquarters.at). This crew is absolutely amazing and I thank them so much for having done such a (in my view ;)) brilliant job!
So, after getting my hair, my make up and finally my outfit and after putting away some cocktails, I was absolutely ready to hit this ball. And how I did! Between excitement and unsureness whether my outfit was appropriate ("appropriate" in terms of: Am I underdressed?!) enough, I found myself in a crowd of so many crazy people again that all the worries I had, were just blown away the moment I entered the Life Ball territory.
Lady Gaga's credo was extended to new dimensions and according to the broad mass of this event, it should have been called "Don't be a Queen just be a Drag" (alternatively: Be a Queen AND a Drag). It was amazing to see how absolutely creative people can be when it comes to such events and I didn't know who and what to photograph at first.
The stage setting outreached all of my imagination. Purfled with huge wings and with the archangel Raphael (?) sang in an amazing counter-tenor, Life Ball 2011 began. (Music originally by Georg Friedrich Haendel). 
A spectacular beginning, followed by blasting acts (Natalia Kills and Natasha Bedingfield as well as the Austrian Eurovision Song Contest candidate) have brought us through the evening.
Speeches with the intention to draw attention to AIDS held by personalities like Ex-US-president Bill Clinton, Designer/Real Rock-Chic/Century Phenomenon/Dame Vivienne WestwoodCarmen Kass, Karl's muse Baptiste Giabiconi, surgery phenomenon Amanda Lepore, half of the Missoni clan and Brooke Shields were just a small part of the overall event. While Vivienne's speech was a little far away from the original charity intention (since when does climate change relate to AIDS?) and Janet Jackson appeared to be more absent than ever, Bill Clinton did a brilliant job (how could it be different).
 Seeing all those celebrities, models, designers and other personalities was nearly overshadowed by all the performances I got to see like the ballett act by Karina Sarkissova and Prof. Dkfm. Thomas Schaefer-Elmyer's dabutants being put into Flamingo-like dresses and matching hats.
As the huge cherry on top of this big, voluptuous charity-cake, Dsquared² has presented an amazing collection exclusively designed for this year's Life Ball and its motto. Wings, feathers but also leather, a lot of Swarovski and a mixture of British soldiers and fallen angels were bringing this event to its climax (bear in mind that this was all done without payment and completely voluntarily). Dsquared brothers Dean and Dan were already having a blasting entrance when driving over the red carpet in a Mini Cooper Dsquared edition. "Pass that Dutch" by Missy Elliott and "HeyHo" by the 7 dwarfs of Snowhhite (ironically Dean and Dan appeared so small next to their male models) was the remix that accompanied them with  huge applause.
Their show seemed to be a come-together of Rihanna's SM-dreams and Victoria's secret. You got to love it.
And after 2 hours of pure excitement, Life Ball was officially opened and the big party inside the magnificent town hall of Vienna began. There, I got to dance with Amanda Lepore, listen to the little stage gig of Natasha Bedingfield again and inspected some other outfits I haven't seen so far (and let me tell you that there were so many ideas being brought to every imaginable material that I even felt a bit boring with mine).
It took me until 4 o'clock in the morning and it was the perfect moment to leave this crazy place and be thankful that everything was still on me (hey, this was like a modern Lusthouse where some of us felt way too free to show what they got or/and want....). Nevertheless, Vienna's town hall in its beautiful, gothic style built by Friedrich von Schmidt was the most precious and noble place to celebrate that night.
I'm still full of excitement and highly impressed but above all thankful that I got the chance to be part of that spectecular event.
According to my Charity-experience, this is the most sumptuous and meaningful event to draw attention to something we can nowadays prevent so easily. AIDS should no longer be an issue in parts of this world where education but also tolerance and frankness are "normal" parts of culture and life.
Spread your wings of tolerance!
Info: A post about Dsquared²'s Fashionshow(including pictures & videos) & Videos of the whole event will be released soon. Too many photos, impressions captured in one camera, so I try to avoid overloading just one post with the whole event!
(German Comment)
(Da dieses Event mich so absolut mitgerissen hat, hielt ich es für notwendig meinen Mitteilungsdrang noch einmal in deutsch auszuleben.)
Der Life Ball 2011. Ein Event so reich an Fassetten, Auftritten und Warmherzigkeit, das ich heute noch Gänsehaut beim Anschauen meiner (sehr amateurhaften) Videos und Fotos bekomme.
Eröffnet mit dem Engel Raphael, der eine atemberaubende Counter-Tenorstimme besaß, glich das aufwendig drapierte Bühnenbild, das von zwei riesigen Flügeln eingerahmt wurde, dem auf die Erde geholten Barock-Himmel.
"Spread the Wings of Tolerance" hieß das diesjährige Motto und sollte das vorletzte Element, Luft, zum Ausdruck bringen. Und wie es das tat. Celebrities aber auch die zahlreichen Darsteller sorgten für so viel Bildmaterial, das ich kaum hinterherkam eine Vivienne Westwood vor einer Amanda Lepore abzulichten. Neben Karl's Muse Baptiste Giabiconi, konnte man überdies Bill Clinton, Janet Jackson, den halben Missoni Clan, Thomas Gottschalk, Tanja Bogner, Brooke Shields und die in letzter Sekunde für Kelly Rowland (sie hätte "when love takes over" singen sollen) eingesprungene Natalia Kills bestaunen. Außer Natalia sorgte Natasha Bedingfield mit "Unwritten" für ein klares Zeichen das Leben zu zelebrieren und zu genießen solange man kann.
Und auch sonst sollte das fast 20jährige Event auch dieses Jahr wieder die Intention klar kommunizieren: Der HI Virus, der leider aktueller denn je ist und dem präventiv entgegen gewirkt wird. Leider spricht man auch noch von einer starken Aktualität mangels Wahrnehmung, Ernstnehmung und vor allem in osteuropäischen/ostasiatischen Teilen der Erde mangels Bildung und durch Unterdrückung. Gleichzeitig wird mit Toleranz und größter Offenheit homo-sowie transsexuellen Menschen entegegengekommen, die (ganz offensichtlich) den Life Ball als Anlass der Schaustellung aber auch des offiziellen Outings und des Spaßes am Leben nehmen.
Eine für den Life Ball extra angefertigte Kollektion der Dsquared-Brüder Dean und Dan Caten bildete zum Abschluss den perfekten Klimax und lieferte zusätzliche Inspiration. Eine Mischung aus Rihannas SM-Traum und Victoria's Geheimnis, das nach wie vor ihres bleibt, setzten die beiden Kanadier wilde, wenn auch angepasste Akzente. Swarovskibesetzte Lederklüfte und mit Federn geschmückte Helme, die der britischer Soldaten ähnelten, getragen von durchtrainierten Muskelmodels, sorgten für die richtige Atmosphäre und luden herzlichst zum Mitfiebern des absoluten Höhepunktes hin. Schon davor hat das aufregende Duo für großen Applaus bei ihrem Red Carpet Auftritt gesorgt: In einem extra für Mini  designten Dsquared-Modell fuhren die beide in rotem Blazer gekleideten Modekönige vor das bunte Publikum. Begleitet wurde  dieser Auftritt von einem Remix der sieben Zwerge von Schneewittchen mit "Heyho" (wer kennt es nicht!?) und "Pass that Dutch" von Missy Elliott - eine ironische Mischung, da beide Brüder neben dem Abschluss-Supermuskelmodel wirklich ein wenig (wenn auch nicht böse gemeint) an zwei kleine Zwerge ;). 
Fremdscham-Momente? Durften natürlich auch bei dem spektakulärsten Ereignis nicht fehlen und so war es nur bedingt verwunderlich, dass viele der Ansprache haltenden Prominenten ihren eigenen (?) Text vom Monitor ablesen mussten und peinliche Pausen hielten. Während diese Tatsache jedoch noch mehr oder weniger menschlich und belustigend war, konnte ich der Nightlife-Ikone Susanne Bartsch (who the hell?) mit ihrem Auftritt nichts abgewinnen. Dass sie ihr halbes Telefonbuch aufgrund ihrer vielen an Aids erkrankten und verstorbenen Freunde in den 80ern löschen musste, löste bei mir nur bedingt Mitleid aus und wurde eher als bodenlos peinlich und geschmacklos empfunden. Auf den Grabsteinen seiner Freunde sollte man eben doch nicht für jeden Rampenlicht-Auftritt von 4 Minuten tanzen. Und vielleicht wäre es an dieser Stelle angebracht gewesen diesen schwarzhaarigen Lady Gaga-Verschnitt von der Bühne zu schleifen bevor sie merkt, dass sie sich nicht im alt bewährten Studio 54 befindet, sondern noch immer an einem Charity Event teilnimmt. Der Applaus blieb dementsprechend glücklicherweise aus. Doch trotz dieser etwas kleineren Lapalien, konnte mich nichts davon abhalten diesen Abend in vollen Zügen zu genießen. Zu späterer Stunde ging es anschließend in das von mir heiß geliebte Wiener Rathaus, das von Friedrich von Schmidt im Gotik-Stil erbaut wurde.
Ich war (und bin nach wie vor) überwältigt von der Aufwendigkeit und Hingebung, die diese Veranstaltung mit sich bringt und über alles dankbar Gast gewesen sein zu dürfen. 
Mit dem Einfluss und dem Bekanntheitsgrad der vielen Prominenten zusammen mit dem riesen Engagement der Sponsoren aber auch das des Publikums und die Begeistrungsfähigkeit der Menschen bilden einen unvergesslichen, karitativen Abend und eine absolut sensationelle Show, der mit keinem Zweifel vollste Aufmerksamkeit (nicht nur meinerseits) geschenkt wurde und auch in Zukunft werden sollte.
Spread your wings of tolerance!
Info:  Ein Post über Dsquared²'s Fashionshow (inkl. Bildern & Videos) und Videos des gesamten Events wird separat in Bälde veröffentlicht. Zu viele Bilder und Eindrücke, die in einem Post zu überladen wirken würden!
(the above listed picture was retrieved from: diepresse.at)
(the above listed picture was retrieved from: die presse.at)
AFTERSHOW-PARTY @ TOWN HALL of VIENNA

Montag, 23. Mai 2011

Asia's Hottest

picturecredit: fashiongonerouge.com
When it came to names like those of lovely Tanya Dziahileva (ok that's easy you might think but then again remember how many Tanyas, Sashas, Ruslanas, Olgas with all their awesome last names exist), I had to discover that I'm absolutely bad at remembering them. I always said to myself that it is not worth it remembering names of people I find uninteresting (so in this case we talk about "uninteresting" in terms of "not beautiful"/"she looks like a ghost/idiot/mouse/other associations not to be listed here"). So, no wonder that when the Russiamania started some years ago with a huge Sasha-boom, I found myself in a little aesthetic-as well as name-disaster. This was the point where I ended my longtime-thought of being "fashion-educated" enough and started learning some of those names and accepting the fact that we Western situated people just don't have the physical conditions to reach such heights, weights and bones beside from some looks that can't be understood as aesthetically beautiful (we here leave out the front of Russian supermodels Natalia or Karolina).
However, it seems like Ruslana, Sasha & Co. are about to be replaced by some other Eastern beauties. And by that I mean really far from the East we mainly talked about in model-terms before. It's the continent where people don't only live temporally in the future: Asia.
And with a huge beauty-wave, the 71st issue of beloved V Magazine hit me with an unexpected amazement. I just lately talked about how much we need new exotic mixtures in the modelworld and there they were: Liu Wen, Tao Okamoto, Shu Pei and Fei Fei Sun (last one might be a little better known by some of us) phtographed by Terry Tsiolis who did such a cool job that I can literally feel the sleek and sexy attitude those pictures transform. A pure beauty consisting of amazingly straight, healthy looking and wonderful black coloured hair, a mystic facial expression and that new wind they all four indicate. It doesn't surprise that V Magazine dedicated their Summer Issue to the Far East which reveals not only great artists but also those true beauties with all their coolness. Where faces from the more Asian parts were just rarely found on top of magazines before, I just can hope that V Magazine and I won't remain lonely with that feeling of the beginning of a new model-era (although Lady Gaga purfles the cover of V's issue...).
I guess it is time to learn some new, shorter names .. this time I will try my best and so should the Russian girls do. There are strong rivals coming.

Dienstag, 17. Mai 2011

Accessories F/W 11 ... THE SHOES!

picturecredit: style.com
Thank God, style.com has released another Accessories Index, which helps me getting through the shopping dilemmas I just recently came across. I amazingly start getting disgusted by those midi/maxi/whatever-looks-alternative skirts mostly bought at Topshop or American Apparel hanging on every second waist of the female blogger-community. Plus (and sadly) I have a little downhill-go with colourblocking. Just really outstanding stuff can still impress while the average turned things existing at Zara (beside one blasting, orange jacket and my newly purchased green dress) get me frustrated when flitting through this shop.
Nevertheless, there are those aforementioned accessories released via style.com, which appear to be in style  for the colder season and although temperatures just start to go up, I can barely wait it to be fall/winter/my birthday (third one = most decisive one) again.
Being one of the most important parts to me, shoes must come first on my personal list.
Surprisingly names like Burak Uyan (never got into touch with that label before) and Brian Atwood (!) show up and therefore replace lovely Loubou a little. I got to confess that Louboutin turns into a label that does not appeal to my interest any longer (at least at the moment). Too many models that don't represent the creative head we are used to - rather a fatal mixtureof former designs being punged together in one shoe.
Leaving this aside, I discovered that Scandinavian shoe-princess Camilla Skovgaard, who transformed her amsuing creativity into her shoes' soles. Not red painted but appearing like a bunch of sticked together rubbers, she shows a little difference from similar shoe-designer Jeffrey Campbell (just to mention here that I additionally can't see the Lita model any longer).
Another remarkable but rather simple and very elegant heel-version is the one by Gianvito Rossi. .The Italians once again - how could it be different! Simplicity and elegenace - two things, that never go out of fashion. Then, I've picked some flats either by Brian Atwood or some hot slippers by Aperlai.
And last but not least we have Diego Dolcini, whose creativity in relation to the result must have been inspired by something between a normal black heel and some beautiful dead bird. Lovely.

From Above to Below: Brian Atwood, Brian Atwood, Camilla Skovgaard, Aperlai, Burak Uyan, Brian Atwood (critical model, I admit), Christian Dior, Gianvito Rossi, Christian Dior, Raphael Young (how cool are those).



...and the Louboutin to tolerate.
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