Fashionable Architecture: When Architecture meets Fashion

He is the nephew of the famous Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas. Rem D. Koolhaas also an architect and shoe designer is the co-founder of United Nude. United Nude is a branding and design company that serves a creative hub between architects and fashion designers. Rem D. Koolhaas combines iconic architecture and modern footwear. 

Each single pair of shoe is inspired by a iconic architectural building and a reinterpretation thereof exploring diverse materials and colors. The first shoe design by United Nude was the “Möbius” inspired by the Barcelona chair designed by Mies van de Rohe for the international Exposition in 1929. 

Rem D. Koolhaas uses carbon fibre for the very first time for “Ultra Möbius” and the “Cosmo”. 

(What is carbon fibre: Carbon fiber is a composite material most often found in race cars and expensive supercars although like all advanced technology it is finding its way into more and more vehicles. Despite it's expense and high-tech uses carbon fibre is relatively easy to work with.

     Architect and Co-Founder of United Nude: Rem D. Koolhaas 

This United Nude Abstract Bliss shoe is truly the product of love. United Nude’s designer Daphne Bikker  created her own pair as her one-off wedding shoe. The result was an extravagant design, combining gloss lacquered wood, braided vegetan leather straps and a jute covered platform. 

The Iris van Herpen X United Nude Crystallization ankle bootie pushes the limits of shoe design. The all-round leather lace detailing creates the effect of visual estrangement while drawing the spectator toward it with admiration. To fit the couture environment it was created in, each pair is 100% hand-made. 

1. Collaborations United Nude x Mattijs van Bergen

Mattijs van Bergen (1980) launched his label MATTIJS in 2008. He studied for a Bachelor of Arts Degree at the Institute of Fine Arts in Arnhem, The Netherlands and followed with a Masters Degree at the Central Saint Martins College in London. His neoclassical designs are defined by a distinctive use of color, high quality fabrics and fine craftsmanship. The clothes are fashion forward, but are a constant source of elegance. Shapely tailoring and sculptural pleating define the label’s signature style, and Mattijs continues to develop his brand’s distinctive identity to the delight of his loyal following.

2. United Nude x Iris van Herpen

Iris van Herpen’s designs demonstrate fashion as art. Her creations are clear artistic statements through which women can express their unique character. It is no surprise that Bjork and Lady Gaga are part of her devoted clientele.

Her current collection has been inspired by microscopic organisms. The garments are made with her own signature materials, fused with highly detailed craftsmanship and innovative techniques, such as 3D printing. Her style’s avant-garde spirit combines raw and technologically-produced materials, displaying her attraction to radical fabrics, such as leather, synthetic boat rigging, Plexiglas and the whalebones from children’s umbrellas. Her exceptional blends create a sculptured effect and have an astonishing visual impact.

Celebrities x United Nude:

Nicki Minaj wearing United Nude Blade Aqua 

Lady Gaga United Nudes foorwear #Parfume Launch

Solange Knowles wearing Iris van Herpen #United Nudes

“The smallest architectural scale-level is that of the part of a human body. A shoe is the only architectural object at that level because it houses the foot and structurally carries a human being,” Rem D. Koolhaas

Harvey Nicholes Shop Display

Hi Everyone,

Just had a fun day in Leeds as I walked in the city centre I saw this funky bright pink window display of Harvey Nicholes. Thought to share this with ya'll. Let me know what you think of it.

Guarderia Muncipal Velez-Rubio (Daycare Center, Southern Spain)

ELAP Arquitectos Ingenieros designed a day-care facility in Vélez-Rubio town in Southern Spain. The daycare center has been designed by architects Eva Luque and Alejandro Pascual bearing their two children in mind whilst designing with playfulness using large circular customized aluminum framed windows.  The daycare center designed in a playful and colorful way. As color plays a very important role in the first few years of cognitive development as young children start learning how to solve puzzles, and form sentences. 

The babies nurseries therefore have blue interiors, which promotes relaxation, ages 1 and 2 benefit from the color orange, a  psycho-motor simulator [definition of psycho-motor: of or relating to motor action directly proceeding from mental activity] and the oldest youngsters have green interiors to evoke nature in common areas. Colorful vinyl flooring and colored ribbons in the hallways draw the children to gather in the multipurpose space used for having lunch-time and playtime. 

    Multipurpose room door's slide open into courtyard.

    Rubber matting are placed to soften the courtyard.

Besides working wonders for the children, the building has garnered­ good buzz in the largely residential surrounding neigh­borhood. Like most small Spanish towns, this one is mainly populated by retired seniors, and they're delighted by the lively day-care center, with its sounds of children playing and running. The new Guardería Municipal Vélez-Rubio animates an old village with colors, shapes, and ideas.

Color blocking Fashion, Color Blocking Cities

So, I was thinking of what my first blog would be, and decided on Color Blocking Fashion, Color Blocking Cities. Everywhere we go our eyes are capturing different colors, on different objects. From the clothes we wear to graffiti on the walls, even different cultures or the color of our skin. Trust me, the world would be boring if everybody had the same color. Why am I saying this: despite our ethnic background and culture we are all different and unique in our own way, so is color. [Feel like giving a freedoms speech].

I like colors  I like bold colors such as Royal Purple, Navy Blue, University Red, Bright Pink [List can go on and on] but I also like soft and neutral colors such as Brilliant Lavender, Beige, and Baby Blue. Colors brings life. Colors are swag, funky, retro, hip-hop  cool. Colors can be used as a therapeutic tool to stimulate the human brain, emotions/feelings and are used by for example children with severe disabilities, the elderly or even people without any special needs. [Another blog will follow up about this...Back to COLOR BLOCKING]!!

For those who haven't got a idea what color blocking is..Do not worry! 

Definition of color blocking: The techniques of using blocks of different colored paper, textiles or any other material to create layouts or backgrounds. The color blocking popularity first started in the 1960's and 1980's. Here are some images of color blocking fashions styles:

    Celebrities color blocking 

Color blocking is one of fashions hottest trends at the moment. Color blocking is the combination of two or more colors, this can be from top, trousers, tunic, handbag or even shoes. Simply said - its the combination of different colors to ensure they support and compliment each other. 

Color Wheel

The color wheel explains how colors evolve and naturally compliment each other. It's easy to identify which color combinations work well. First we have our primary colors: red, yellow and blue. Mixing these colors will create secondary colors such as: green, purple and orange. 

Piet Modrian/ Color Blocking Cities

     1965 color blocking dress by Yves-Saint Laurent. Inspired by the famous painter Piet Modrian.

This particular painting also known as 'De Stijl' was founded by Theo van Doesberg and Piet Modrian. 'De Stijl was described as: Forming elements of construction should be the harmony of the polar forces- the male and the female powers, as they were interpreted- and the use of a defined set of six colors: red, blue and yellow as basic and white, black and grey as additional colors.

Are these color schemes still used in contemporary architecture and interiors? Yes

     Schroder House by Gerrit Rietveld in Utrecht, the Netherlands. Influential house following rules of 'De Stijl' built in 1923. 

    Colorful cities:

     Curacao - Willemstad: The beautiful colorful city view. The  former colonist by the Dutch left allot of classy buildings in   

     its original state with bright colors from the rainbow spectrum. 

     Old Norwegian City, Bergen 

     Copenhagen, Denmark [Picture taken by  me during a university trip in January 2012]

     

A Little Introduction...

Hi Everybody, 

My name is Pamela Hammond a recent BA (Hons) Interior Design graduate from the University of Salford. Welcome to my personal blog where I would be sharing some of my university design projects, and inspirational images, and personal snapshots of interesting spaces I found. .
That's all for now, Let Start Bloggin {*.*}