I Am Camera: When Designers Create Literal `Mini Mes’

Photo: Artist/videographer Casey Neistat wears camera headband: A sign of the times?

(All photos and text by Susan M. Kirschbaum)

See artist/videographer Casey Neistat (pictured above?) He showed up to designer Tara Subkoff’s Imitation show at Milk gallery with this headband camera.

I’ve known Casey since he assisted artist Tom Sachs years ago,  and I remember one birthday party when he wrote in marker on tee shirts, “I was at Casey Neistat’s birthday.” I still have that shirt somewhere. This chronicle of the party predated Facebook and even Friendster (remember that network?), but the shirt certainly marked the occasion, evidence for all of us who were there. (I also think Casey used it as a charming way to meet girls.) I’ll venture this latest gag, where Casey’s camera actually shoots everyone he meets, counts as a metaphor for how everyone these days feels the need to document every detail of his or her life.

But, how about those designers who create collections that exactly match their own personal style?

Backstage at Imitation, when Tara Subkoff, whom I’ve always thought married Twiggy’s look with a bit of Faye Dunaway, asked photo agent Jen Brill what she thought of the collection. “They were a bunch of big Taras.” She said. True enough, the girls on the runway (see photo below and video after the jump) exactly matched Tara’s hair color and  styles I’ve seen her wear: the tilted seventies Fedoras, black mini dresses,  cool jackets, white breezes of frocks, and smokey eyes, although I’ve yet to see her in a black Saudi Arabian style niqab (face covering).

Models at Imitation

At Whit — the debut of Whitney Pozgay’s collection at Ross Bleckner’s studios– I was also hit with similar deja vu.’ Whitney, a darling of a girl with a bright smile (and Kate Spade’s niece), always seems to channel a bit of Audrey Hepburn with a touch of kitsch, perhaps Southern eccentricity. (Whitney attended University of Texas, in Austin.) She’s worn larger than life pearls, polka dots, bows, and pouf skirts with pumps. Ditto for her models, some of whom also donned the Whitney signature hair, up in a playful ponytail or knot. `Gamin maximum.’

Whit models at Ross Bleckner’s studio, NYC

Of course it can be said that female fashion designers often create for themselves. But, certain ones really line up with themselves in the mirror. Cynthia Rowley’s Fifties meets modern shift dresses; and Diane Von Furstenberg’s wraps, big sunglasses, and travel bag at the ready still exactly embody the women behind them.

Imitation and Whit are this season’s “mini mes.”  Perhaps they’re even a little more literal.

Again, a sign of the times…..

CLICK READ MORE  BELOW to go to the jump: photo of Whitney with her models as well as Imitation video, including the designer

Designer Whitney Pozgay and models for Whit

 

Run of show at Imitation. See Tara, with pixie cut come out in the end

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