“You have a starting point but you don’t know the outcome-at least I don’t.” Helmut Lang

A characteristic of Helmut Lang’s art work is the mixing of old with new materials and the creation of something innovative through the process of layering and being in the moment with the process. When it comes to my personal style, I apply this logic in several ways: starting with a new or old inspirational piece, pairing new purchases with consignment finds, using older items in my wardrobe in new ways (layering an old mini skirt over a pair of skinny jeans), and buying clothing that lends itself to “sculpting “with it.  Issey Miyake actually makes pieces of clothing to be used exactly for this purpose such as the Madame T.

For this look the starting point was what I call “the pants with a scarf”. The pants are from Okiraku, a Japanese clothing company that designs clothes to change according to the characteristics of the person who wears them. Because of the numerous ties the “scarves” can be draped in multiple ways, front or back. The pants are cotton with the overlay being wool over silk. I wanted to add some texture to the look and continue to play with the movement of the ties and the scarves so I chose a short Viktor & Rolf  silk and cotton blend jacket the exact color of the silk underlay of the scarves. The back is cut in such a way that it jumps away from the body like it has a life of it’s own. Because the ties and details on the jacket are black I chose a long sleeved black wool top from Elm Design. Black suede booties from Sigerson Morrison and black vintage earrings complete the look. You can also get a glimpse on my wrist of my constant companion, my Ballon Bleu de Cartier. The total look is a combination of new purchases and consignment finds. The outcome…? You tell me.