Close your eyes and think of Andy Warhol, Woody Allen and Johnny Depp. Can you see their glasses? They are from the traditional family-run business Moscot. All made by hand in 130 working steps (every acetate frame by Moscot is done that way).

Zack Moscot is the fifth generation. The 26-year-old studied industrial design at the University of Michigan before becoming the brand's design director. He loves to create. His most successful models so far are "Frankie" and "Arthur" (for example worn by Jack Savoretti). Zack Moscot is also responsible for cooperations with style-thinkalikes such as Mr Porter, Common Projects and Dover Street Market. Many more to come in 2018, he promised me on the phone. For spring he plans richer versions of best sellers. "It's going to be a gold campaign”, he added.

But most important: "We are very technical with the fits”, Zack Moscot points out. All Moscot frames are made out of the best acetate materials: long lasting, resists all kind of temperatures. They come in different sizes and are adjusted to each customer.

Now we asked the man who puts materials and classic style first about his 10 favorite basics – in terms of fashion and grooming.

 Zack Moscot's style basics

Zack Moscot (this is not the Lemtosh frame), fifth generation at Moscot

1. The frame

As a Moscot, I can’t live without our most classic frame, The Lemtosh. The best thing about my Lemtosh is that its suitable for all occasions, all outfits, and I can simply turn it into a sunglass with my Cliptosh!

2. The jacket

My commuter jacket (Levi's) is more of a rugged and flexible version of a classic denim jacket. I like its stretch ability which allows me to be active when I need to be. Also, I enjoy the fact that it is waterproof for those moments I get caught in the rain. It’s a great layering piece for all seasons and ideal for commuting to the office, and a must for traveling!

3. The sneakers

This is my go to sneaker (Common Project) for work, play, and hanging out. The simplicity is right up my alley and I wear them with both jeans and trousers. The clean lines, effortless look, and assorted colors offered make them perfect for wearing to any occasion year-round.

The classic: The Lemtosh frame is also worn by women like Renee Zellweger and Demi Moore

4. The instrument

Music is sometimes the ideal way for me to express myself and without my guitar I’d feel a bit lost. I love my acoustic Alvarez; the neck is easy to navigate and the playability ease that comes with this axe is perfect for the type of music I like to create. Singing and songwriting is something I enjoy, and I certainly tend to favor this brand of guitars.

5. The tee

Whether under a blazer or layered with the reversible bomber (by wings+horns|Moscot), a staple in my closet that I like to rock is my jersey tees. The Pocket Tee is most comfortable and fits in a refined yet relaxed way. The front pocket feature is key for holding my specs or my CLIPTOSH when I’m inside.

6. The tuxedo

As a designer, I enjoy the made to measure aspect of a tuxedo and the experience that comes along with making it. Tailored perfectly, and a go-to for special occasions, is my Todd Snyder tux. Their superior quality makes it easy when I need suiting options to get me to the more elegant events, specifically my wedding which is quickly approaching!

7. The beard trimmer

Facial hair is a large part of my look and I’m not quite sure how I could maintain it neatly without using my beard trimmer. I never actually use a razor or go for the clean-shaven look, so having the proper trimming tool is essential. I rely on the Philips Trimmer ("Norenco") for achieving just the right amount of facial hair, so that in summers I can go shorter and in winters I can keep the beard a bit thicker.

8. The rucksack

I use my rucksack (by Filson >>>) wherever I go. Just to throw in my computer, iPad, and other needed essentials. It’s ideal for everyday use, commuting, and traveling and always fits in with my overall style.

9. The underwear

I’m bold enough to admit that cotton underwear is not my thing! My Under Armour Boxerjocks allow me to move and grove just the way I like to. I’m not going to lie, I have some fun colors in my “drawers” …

10. The scent

I believe your scent is a part of how others perceive and remember you by. Since some colognes are too potent or tend wear off throughout the day, I like to wear oils that blend and develop on the skin. Frédéric Malle scents are sophisticated and evolve with your skin oils in a tasteful way. My favorite: Portrait of a lady.

Der Beitrag Zack Moscot: basics – if I had to start from scratch erschien zuerst auf Modepilot.

Can it be? I found my beloved Givenchy coat from 2011 on yoox.com (more here >>>), but with another label! Now it’s apparently on offer by Balenciaga. A ha.

I bought the 2011 Pre-Fall Collection Givenchy coat in its season at the luxury boutique Maendler in Munich. Now it is available for less than half the original price on Yoox.com, or rather, was available. Needless to say, I acted fast. There was only one available in my size (36, FR 38). Let's just say, I considered it a sign! I thought, when would this coat ever become available again. Anyway. The point is, this favourite Givenchy coat of mine now has a “Balenciaga Paris” label sewn on it, and I have no idea what to make of it.

Identical coat, two different labels: Givenchy and Balenciaga

Take a look at this! As I opened the package, I was in for a rather peculiar surprise: The Balenciaga Label was sewn on the item crooked (see sewn label below). Comparing the two coats, I didn't find any other apparent difference other than the label*. I thought that the manufacturer must be the same. When I tried it on, I didn't like the sleeves of the new coat so much: although they have the same cut with the old one, these are badly creased. I'm not sure whether this is the result of a production flaw or bad storing practices. More pictures at the bottom of this article.

You must be kidding me! The crooked and sideways sewn Balenciaga label

This is how the coat was until recently on offer (until July 26, 2017):

What a surprise: The coat, as I found it on Yoox.com.

Material check. The fabric composition is 100% identical, and so is the sewn on wash care label: 77% wool, 19% polyamide, 4% elasthane. And when it comes to its leather, it is lambskin leather.

I sent a couple of emails regarding the matter to the press ladies at Yoox and Kering (owner group of the Balenciaga fashion house) and have been waiting for an answer ever since (July 26th). What kind of possible answer can the fashion brand provide me with? In the meantime I called my Italian fashion expert friend and told her about my little discovery. Her response? "Have you read the book 'Gomorrah' by Roberto Saviano about the italian Mafia?"

It describes all kinds of details about the almost inflationary allocation of phoney branded fashion items, she says. As the fashion brands provide their patterns, fabrics and labels to different producers in Italy and then do not recover them, the result is a surplus of branded items that can hardly be controlled.

Peter von Becker writes about the book in the Tagesspiegel: "Saviano names names, such as Armani and Versace... By the way, none of the global fashion companies have denied the details of "Gomorrah" so far." He continues: "The cheapest offer is awarded the contract, and sometimes several tailors are competing for the same design. If you do not end up on the runway, the second market - that of the outlets - will be served with the silent consent of the fashion houses with genuine copies and 'authorized' counterfeits. Until today this has remained unknown."

A Munich-based importer of espresso coffee beans adds to the story: He has a friend in Prato, the collecting point for designerware. The friend explained to him the system he knew all too well, because he himself has been working in it. Such designerware, my coffee man tells me, is now produced mainly in Asia. Only the labels are still sewn in Prato - and apparently this is enough to claim that the items are "Made in Italy". He also explains how the production surplus ends up in the outlets - there, he will store the merchandise for one, two, or three years: "Actually it would have to be destroyed, but Italians don't find the heart to do so."

Pre-Fall Collection 2011 by Givenchy

The lookbook of the Pre-Fall Collection 2011 by Givenchy unfortunately does not display the coat, but the other looks included nonetheless show the mood of style, colour and materials. I also found another product photo of the Givenchy coat on Pinterest - which was apparently taken from the Barney's New York e-store with links to it. Of course, the coat on this platform is sold out. All photos in the gallery:

* Regarding the colour difference: The different colour shades of the coats at the top image are only due to different light exposure. The coat photo on the left is from the Maendler online shop and displays the Givenchy item (middle), which I have been wearing for years. The photo on the right shows the coat with the Balenciaga label from Yoox.com. The photo below shows that both coats have exactly the same color. In my pictures below you can see the coat with the Balenciaga label and its badly creased sleeves, probably due to bad storing conditions:

My conclusion: Perhaps after all these years of storing somewhere in a warehouse the original label fell off. Someone found a label on the floor only by Balenciaga and so they thought of sewing it back on ... What I don't get is how can this item with no Balenciaga history whatsoever and an obviously completely amateurish badly sewn Balenciaga label land on Yoox.com? I need to add here that the Yoox Group has several designer onlineshops, including that of Balenciaga. Under "product quality" Yoox.com boasts that "yoox.com enjoys a well-established, direct relationship with designers, manufacturers and official dealers. We are thus able to offer you a selection of authentic products of the highest quality." And this is where I don't understand what happened there. I'm glad, however, that the coat surplus with all its beautiful lambskin leather details was not destroyed. Burning a bunch of Givenchy coats just because might have shocked me even more.

translation by Maria Delta

Der Beitrag One coat, two labels: Givenchy & Balenciaga erschien zuerst auf Modepilot.

Should they be tight swim briefs or better a casual pair of swim shorts? Solid colours or turtle pattern? When it comes to choosing the right type of swimwear, men often get stuck. Perhaps reading our jury’s contributions might help you choose more wisely, and who knows, you might be pleasantly surprised and change your style …

The jury

The four women of our jury are smart, quick and eloquent, all in all ahead of the game. Our four swimwear commentators are: Laura Knoll, law student; Julia Werner, style columnist at Süddeutsche Zeitung and deputy editor in chief at Glamour Magazine; Princess Isabelle ("Minzi") zu Hohenlohe-Jagstberg, princess, swim shoes tester and columnist at TZ newspaper; Annika Blendl, actress (Tatort), director and award-sweeping violinist at the young musicians’ competition “Jugend musiziert”. Guys, these are the kind of women you want to impress!

Retro

Retro style dark blue swimsuit by Frescobal Carioca

Julia Werner, journalist: “This mix between cycling tights and briefs is the best recipe for making one’s butt look like a flat disaster (even if the wearer boasts quite a normal butt). It remains a mystery to me why some men choose this type of swimwear; I can only think that the man who makes this choice actually dreams of sporting a pair of briefs but is too nervous with the whole tight package situation at the front and a possible fall out at the first high wave. Which implies either an overconfident or prude man, mind you. You’ve got to love swimsuit psychology.”

Minzi, princess and swim shoes tester: “These look like a woman’s bikini shorts and their cut is wrong for any male body type. Even the fittest of men look kind of wide at the hips. They don’t suit anyone really.”

Laura Knoll, law student: “This swimsuit is not forgiving at all. It is quite high maintenance when it comes to the body figure one must have to sport these in style and requires a fair amount of body training. Not too much though, otherwise you will soon look like you belong to a body building contest. Very rarely, there is of course the absolutely perfect flawless body with natural muscle contours – overall not my thing.”

Annika Blend, actress & director: “I like this swimsuit type, but you have to be quite fit and muscular, so that it really flatters your body without making your butt look flat.”

Playful patterns

Swim shorts with synchronized swimming pattern by Vilebrequin

Laura Knoll, law student: “These are my favourite! The pattern is cool and thanks to my hours-long observation at the beach I can honestly say they suit everyone! Whereas they work really well in actually hot weather, they’re certainly not meant to be used with loafers and ‘casually’ unbuttoned polo shirts at a beach club in Ibiza. That’s a bit much…“

Minzi, princess and columnist: “When I see a man wearing this kind of shorts, I can’t help the thought that he probably wears Mickey Mouse socks too.”

Annika Blendl, actress & director: “I could easily imagine the man who wears these shorts to be a guy from Munich who tries to stand out.”

Julia Werner, journalist: “My favourite! Lobsters, mermaids, Woody Woodpecker, for me patterns on men’s swim shorts can’t be fun enough. Like most men, this is the type of guy who has a secret thing for funny tie prints. As someone who knows how to dress for every occasion, he is not afraid to take his humorous side to the beach and have some fun with it. This man has good taste and that’s exactly why he picks this style. Not too long, not too short, not too big. You know the type, basically this is the outerwear version of his gentleman boxer shorts. This is very likely a guy who nails the art of combining camouflage Bermuda shorts with Tod’s loafers; probably an Italian who invites you to spaghetti vongole for lunch.”

Swim slip

Classic swim briefs by Arena

Minzi, princess and columnist: “These have the same effect as sour jelly beans. First, you have a shock from the sense of taste, then you kind of chew on anyway.”

Annika Blendl, actress & director: “I like this swimsuit style, because it’s plain and simple, unless the wearer has to deal with too much body hair.”

Julia Werner, journalist: “I don’t like vain men and this is why this swimsuit doesn’t work for me. It works well only for the ultra-vain peacock types who have sculpted a body the way Michelangelo sculpted David. The only men wearing these briefs that I can take seriously are Olympic athletes. Of course you can get away with it if you’re Giorgio Armani (at the beach of Saint Tropez in his black version, I bumped into him and just starred in awe).“

Laura Knoll, law student: “There are two types of men sporting these: 1. Michael Phelps (he can, therefore he should) and 2. men with chest hair as thick as a winter fur coat who spend their summers strolling around the coast of Capri and probably think that this is what a man in a swimsuit should look like. An extreme version of these would be the same look in red, which on the beach could double as a SOS sign. Thanks, but no thanks.”

Discreet swim shorts

Swim shorts by Saturdays NYC

Julia Werner, journalist: “There’s really no for or against argument when it comes to these plain shorts; and probably the same goes for the wearer hiding in them. This is the type of shorts wives of a certain discreet taste buy for their all-too-busy spouses who probably make it to a sunny destination about once a year. Usually the man who wears these is someone who hops from under one sun umbrella to the next, otherwise his feet burn in the sand.”

Annika Blendl, actress & director: “This swimsuit is ok, perhaps a bit conservative and the grey/black colour blocking creates the impression of a shorter crotch.”

Laura Knoll, law student: “Minimal and colour-blocking, these always look nice somehow. And they are totally fail-proof.”

Minzi, princess and columnist: “This is a versatile staple piece and a safe choice for every man. You will never receive a negative comment for these and of course you don’t stand out either. These are the kind of shorts that make you blend in with the bathing crowd.”

Bright colours

Swim shorts by Sundek with the brand’s typical rainbow stripe on the back

Laura Knoll, law student: “Baywatch meets sea horse. These bright shorts are guaranteed to attract attention both for lifeguards as well as beginners who need saving. The crisp colour probably appeals to a younger crowd too.”

Julia Werner, journalist: “A bit too short for my taste, too tight on the body and too red. To me, these look like the classic ladies’ man style.”

Minzi, princess and columnist: “Super sexy shorts. The white line on the back accentuates the butt nicely and the colour says summer and sport. Women will look, I bet my boyfriend’s Speedos on it!”

Annika Blendl, actress & director: “It’s possible the man who wears these has a big butt and tries to visually break up the effect with the arched line on the back of this style. You’ve been warned!”

Jammer swimsuit

Black jammers by Arena

Annika Blendl, actress & director: “If you’re going to wear these, you might as well ride your recumbent bicycle and afterwards go all sweaty straight in the sea.”

Julia Werner, journalist: “Only for Olympic athletes. Or better yet: only for Iron Man champions.”

Laura Knoll, law student: “If you haven’t worked on your male equivalent of a bikini figure and you’re not participating in the upcoming triathlon, you might want to stay away from these. Whatever you decide, you are not to be seen wearing these after 10pm. There’s simply no excuse even if you do swim as a sport.”

Minzi, princess and columnist: “These are cycling shorts and as such, they are meant to be worn only when you go cycling. You can pull it off if you participate in the triathlon, other than that they make you look like a wannabe.”

Shopping! Find all the above swimwear styles on the Mr porter shop >>>

translation by Maria Delta

Der Beitrag This is what we think of your swimsuits, boys! erschien zuerst auf Modepilot.

German photographer Peter Lindbergh was recently invited to Munich as a guest of honour at the opening of his solo exhibition "Peter Lindbergh – from fashion to reality". Events like this normally don't really make headlines in the celebrity-spoiled Bavarian capital, but the announcement of his visit created a lot of buzz and excitement. One day before the opening of the exhibition, the photographer appeared for a signing of the book to the exhibition at the museum's reception. He was there for six hours(!). Lindbergh affirmed that "everyone visiting the exhibition should come by for a signing." The waiting line for the book signing extended from the museum to the next crossroad and continued all the way to Schumann’s bar. The demand for the book was so great Taschen Verlag has to reprint it already. More than 1.600 people attended the celebrity-adorned vernissage with the opening weekend attracting quite a crowd.

Peter Lindbergh turned models into stars. And became a star himself.

Peter Lindbergh was born Peter Brodbeck in 1944 in Leszno, Poland, and is one of the most successful German photographers and clearly, judging by the exhibition’s sensation, one of the most popular ones as well. Going through the exhibition, it really became clear to me for the first time why he is so popular: he defined the way I (and many other people) perceive beauty. I grew up with the ideal image of the supermodel, to me Cindy Crawford was the most beautiful woman in the world. As a teenager, I used to work out to her fitness workout video "Shape your body". From the end of the 80s, Lindbergh’s images became the epitome of the supermodel era and made supermodels not only well-known but almost larger than life and worldwide recognizable by first name: Cindy, Naomi, Linda.

Franca Sozzani, the legendary editor-in-chief of Italian Vogue (1988 – 2016) had said of him: "Peter is a photographer who will define the history of photography, and this is because he is not tied to any trends. He has his own identity; he is not a fashion photographer. He uses fashion to address women and to talk about women, which is entirely different."

His cinematic black and white images marked a new period in photography. Lindbergh went against the glossy magazine trend of his time of the perfectly styled, impeccably dressed diva in a strong pose. He brought about his zeitgeist of "naturalness", and this is what made the press characterize him as "the photographer of truth".

Today in Munich: Peter Lindbergh in front of the picture which almost ended in a drawer and was rejected by Vogue in the first place. It would end up as one of the most important pictures of the 80's and marked the beginning of his carrer and a new aesthetic: Estelle Lefébure, Karen Alexander, Rachel Williams, Linda Evangelista, Tatjana Patiz & Christy Turlington (Malibu, 1988) . . . #peterlindbergh #kunsthallemuc #lindberghmuc #facingrealbeauty

Ein Beitrag geteilt von Germany's First Fashion Blog (@modepilot) am 11. Apr 2017 um 13:01 Uhr

The touring exhibition "Peter Lindbergh: From Fashion to Reality" was developed by Kunsthal Rotterdam in collaboration with curator Thierry-Maxime Loriot and Peter Lindbergh himself under the title "Peter Lindbergh: A Different Vision on Fashion Photography". In three years Loriot collected more than 500.000 images from Lindbergh’s personal archive, many unpublished works and previously unseen material as well as personal notes, providing an incredible experience of looking through the keyhole into the photographer’s life. Handwritten thank-you notes by Claudia Schiffer, the first computer-typed letter by Linda Evangelista ("I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART AND MEAN IT EVEN IF YOU ARE A GERMAN PIG") and contact sheets with markings; and it’s always fascinating to see which pictures didn’t make it to print.

I hear a woman sitting behind me at the press conference whisper: "I’m really curious to see how he is in person, if he has that charisma like Jean Paul Gaultier". Obviously she must have attended the opening of Jean Paul Gaultier exhibition the previous year. And indeed he was charismatic. I summed up the most interesting excerpts of his press conference below.

Life lessons by Peter Lindbergh

On Munich
I am very happy to be in Munich today. The streets are so beautiful; they always make me wonder if there used to be anyone else apart from royalty living in this place.

On responsibility
Fashion photographers have responsibility too. Today with Photoshop we can retouch every trace of life from the face, every thought that had once manifested itself. In this way, we turn human uniqueness into nothing. I like to leave women as they are, without spoiling their features.

On beauty
When people ask me how my portrayal of women has changed over time, my answer is that it has been the same since 1980. It is about having the courage to be yourself. This is true beauty.

On smartphone photography
Professional photographers can distinguish themselves only through the personal perspective they develop after 20, 30, 40 years. I think many great photographers dismiss this development too early. You can never take better pictures than the millions of smartphone photos out there. There’s a lot to learn from smartphone photography before rejecting it as "garbage". The lightness, for example (he takes a picture of the gathered press in front of him with his cell phone). Look at this (laughter). I’m taking a picture, otherwise nobody believes it. And I’m not part of the whole discussion about different camera brands. All this is rather romantic for me and a waste of time. I don’t care much about the camera, I grab whichever I find in the cabinet.

On selfies
This is the worst there is. Then, why do people take them? Wow, I was in Helsinki. I had dinner with Madonna – what does that say? You take a selfie only so that you show who you had lunch with? Hoping that you too catch a little of the glamour. We make ourselves so small. We have to think about whether this is something we truly want.

On Instagram
I don’t see it as danger but rather as stimulation. It is great to scroll down your feed of 70 new posts in the morning. Among them there must be at least five that are bound to stimulate your thought or inspire you.

On the spotlight
When you speak in front of masses, you can talk about all kinds of silly things. But when you have five sharp journalists opposite you, then it can be hard. The same goes for photographs: when there are a lot of cameras, it’s no problem. When there’s only one, it is daunting. There’s no worse than when I’m being photographed by one person, even if it’s just for a passport picture. Then I find myself pressing my lips and making an effort somehow… I know how I would have to position myself to the camera in order to look better (he turns his head sideways, narrowing the eyes). But you dare not do it, because you feel caught in the act of being vain and trying to look better.

On storytelling
This started in 1990 with Helena Christensen. I wanted to create a story with an alien who lands on Earth and gets picked up by a not-so-bad-looking girl; this was Helena. For six months we kept it under wraps. It was her first story and we wanted a brand new face. In the photos Helena shows the alien the desert and they walk around trailers. You can photograph 100 pages like that without ever asking what should I do next, because you have this story.

At Comme des Garçons it was like this: Rei Kawakubo came to Europe in the 80s. Thank God she did, because Paris was ready to yawn and the Japanese brought it back to life. She asked me to work with her at the hotel she was staying. There were about 20 Japanese all dressed the same, in black and white with patent shoes. The interpreter said to me: Madame Kawakubo says that you are her favourite photographer and you should shoot her commercial campaign. I had never done that before. I was given “carte blanche” permission to do what I wanted, which was rather difficult as I didn’t know what I was supposed to do. Then she showed me the collection, which consisted mainly of uniform pieces, something between Nazis and Communists. So I thought about creating a scene with the models as guards of an industrial revolution, before machines. It wasn’t only an idea, it was simply natural.

I cannot imagine taking photos without telling a story. What do we do then? Then you’re left with a girl who stands there like this and like that in ten different poses and eventually you fall asleep. It’s boring and difficult to do. When you don’t need a story, you might as well go to the desert or the beach where there’s nothing in your way and you don’t have to go into anything, like in the studio.

On talent
Effort is of no use whatsoever. The only thing that’s useful is talent. Of course, you can get by without talent looking what happens left and right and hang in there and look good for a while. This is what 99% of photographers do. And then there are the “seers”. These are people who perceive things through their own eyes. They don’t need any special training or degree. Those are the geniuses, just doing their thing. They know exactly what’s right and what’s not and require nobody’s validation.

On digital photography
Today all photographers work with digital media, except Tim Walker perhaps. What I find really problematic with digitalized photography is that most photographers who work with digital media allow themselves to plug their camera onto a screen in the studio where everyone can see what the photographer does each second. And that’s when the end of photography begins.
Last week I had to work with a stylist from Interview Magazine. He became sick and sent his assistant. I almost threw her out of the studio. She would come every five minutes and say to me “lower the camera, this is much better”. They sit behind their screens and the only thing the poor guy is allowed to do is press the button.

On fashion photography
When a magazine asks me if I can do 20 pages for a specific collection, what usually follows is a fashion book from the editor with entire moodboards. For me this is another aspect spoiling photography, and of course the editor will say “it’s just for inspiration”. But in fact the models end up looking exactly like in the moodboards and she will ask me “which picture should we start with?” So much for inspiration. I was once harshly criticized because I compared fashion photography to a cow. The cow chews the grass, brings it back up and rechews it seven times again. Always the same grass. All the chewing turns grass into “fluff” and we put this green bio-omelet on the grass and call it photography.

On art
I’m often asked if my images constitute art and I always say, I don’t care. It doesn’t change the image, it just makes it more expensive. There’s a big ongoing discussion on photography as art and as I stated in an interview with the Artforum, the boring overchewed images end up in the trash bin. And the beautiful, fresh, innovative, engaging ones end up in the museum. Whether we call it art or not is of little importance.

On the exhibition
Thierry [referring to the exhibition’s curator] is responsible for the whole thing. He came up to me and said “I want to do an exhibition with fashion and fashion photos. And I said “what a waste”. I try to stay as far from fashion as possible. He explained to me that he wanted to categorize it by designers like in the stunning book by Tasche (Check our giveaway here). He said “regardless whether it’s Comme des Garçons or Yves Saint Laurent, it always looks the same”. I still don’t know whether he meant it as an insult or a compliment. (laughter)

After the press conference, the photographer encountered Inga Griese, Icon's editor-in-chief. He went over to her, embraced and kissed her. They obviously know each other, old members of the same tribe. Also when Annekatrin Meyers from young Munich magazine “rush4” approached him with a pounding heartbeat and reminded him of their work together on a photoshoot, he gave her a spontaneous embrace. A beautiful genuine scene, very much like his images.

Kate Moss, Paris, 2015
Vogue Italia

The exhibition will be open at Kunsthalle München from 13th April to 27th August 2017. Swarovski, Marc O’Polo and Ludwig Beck are the main sponsors of the exhibition. Taschen Verlag published a high quality 472 page book on the exhibition.

translation by Maria Delta

Der Beitrag Peter Lindbergh: "The beginning of the end of photography" erschien zuerst auf Modepilot.

How easy are statement sleeves to pull off? Literally, this is the ultimate question you need to ask yourself when it comes to deciding to sport a top with voluminous, artfully pleated sleeves. Eventually, you will need to wear something on top, e.g. a trench coat or a denim jacket, and that one will most likely have normal size sleeves. And here comes the problem.

We seem to have happily packed our wardrobes with the latest trend but with the current 20 C degree "summer" weather, we somehow have to make those lovely things fit underneath a jacket. You would think one blouse is enough for the day but those predictable summer days seem to be over. In Germany, at least. Of course we forgot all about that while possessed by the latest Zara shopping frenzy. The options are two and both frustrating: we either have to resign to freezing ourselves in the morning or whatever hour of the day when in the shade, or otherwise put a jacket on and have the sleeves creased and miserable-looking!

The second reason why I'm convinced statement sleeves will go out of style next year is that they are not only a problem outdoors but at home too. Have you are tried to press these darn things? Not fun. Unless retailers figure out a way of sending you the sleeve-matching jacket that goes with your top, I bet they will become passé before you know it.

translation by Maria Delta

Der Beitrag My statement on statement sleeves erschien zuerst auf Modepilot.

Whom do I know, who wears what trend and what designer look? Truth be told, my favourite guessing game is "who has been offered what designer piece?"

When it comes to social networking, we always seem to care more about our own tribe. Who has what relationship status? Who's friends with who? Today "online stalking", or the trend of gathering too much information about people via Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, has become an indispensable part of our reality.
After a couple of wine glasses, scrolling and giggling, we're not even sure how we have ended up there.
"Are you doing instagram forensics again?" my friend always jokes while I go on about theories of association between the state of mind of an online profile, the person's relationship status and their choice of hashtag or image.
There is something very human about looking into someone's life through the digital (or print) keyhole and though it's rather simple to do these days, it's not a new phenomenon really. The "events and celebrity" pages of newspapers and magazines have always been among the most popular. We seem to be perpetually curious about who makes it on the page among those celebrities. Is there anyone I know? Am I in there?
I am always happy to discover German colleagues in the photos, regardless whether I know them personally or not. Here's a selection of my latest findings:

The Germans: the street style looks of Germany's fashion people

Roberta Benteler (Avenue32.com founder) as Online Boutique owner sits at the source of merchandize. She carries a bag by Simon Miller, trousers by Beaufille and a blazer by Balenciaga.

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Julia's outfit one more time in detail. Pullover: Gucci, bag: Balenciaga. Note the masterfully exposed leg!

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Lena Lademann, member of the Blogger Bazaar trio until recently, is currently running her one-woman-show at lenalademann.com.

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translation by: Maria Delta

Der Beitrag Street style: the Germans erschien zuerst auf Modepilot.

She revolutionized the way we look for a partner. In 2012 Whitney Wolfe founded the dating app Tinder and in 2014 she launched the dating app Bumble. The concept of her newest baby is similar: you drag if you want to reject a suggested profile of a potential partner, you swipe to the left or you swipe to the right to like the profile. Just like in Tinder. The difference in Bumble is that it's the woman who has to initiate a chat (unlike Tinder, for which men have complained that there's too little interaction from women), and they even have a 24 hour timespan to act after the so called "match" is established, otherwise the match disappears. So, this app puts us women in a position of power, the text editor explained to me during our meeting in Munich. She believes that "it's no longer appropriate for our time for a woman to wait on a man to make the first move."

27 years young and wildly successful. According to Business Insider upon stepping down from Tinder, Wolfe received a settlement of over $1 million. Time.com has placed the value of Bumble at $500 million>>>. So, the next question is if you are an app founder from Texas who can afford haute couture, what is the style of your choice? When I met her at the hotel, she wore an Alhambra necklace by Van Cleef & Arpels over a cashmere pullover and flat Chanel boots. At dinner she wore her Alhambra dangly earrings without a necklace. Wolfe chooses to wear high quality, highly selective classic pieces that are not loud. Would she buy these pieces of jewellery again if they were to suddenly disappear? "Oh God, I don't even want to think about the possibility of that happening!"

What pieces would Wolfe buy again, if she suddenly had none of them? (needless to say, I also had to ask for the best tips for a smart dating profile of course, see bottom of the post)

Whitney Wolfe's fashion and beauty basics

1. The makeup

I usually don't wear makeup, I don't have time for that. But I do use a tinted moisturiser every day with SPF 40 (Perfect BB Cream by 3Lab). If I want to have a little hint of makeup, I use a brown mascara by Chanel. It brightens up my eyes without creating too strong an effect.

mascara by Chanel, color: "brun"

2. The pullover

I wear tight, thin cashmere pullovers most of the time, because they go with everything and can be dressed up or down. I would reorder three pieces from Crimson (Paris store): one in cream, one in black and one in dark green or marine blue.

founder and CEO at Bumble: Whitney Wolfe

3. The skincare

Cleansing gel and facial cream by Dr. Lancer and I also visit him for treatments (referring to celebrity dermatologist and Hollywood's secret skincare weapon – Kim Kardashian swears by him).

4. The shoes

A pair of flat leather boots in black by Chanel for cold nights in Texas or when on the go. Also a pair of black BB pumps by Manolo Blahnik, probably suede. These are a classic, last forever and bring me to the right height (as I'm quite small).

classic: „BB Pump" by Manolo Blahnik in black

5. The bag

I would buy another Kelly by Hermès, but in another colour this time. The one I have is too much of an American cliché (her current grey bag lies on the couch). Recently my fiancé didn't like it when he saw me with this bag "are you picking up the kids from football practice?" If I treat myself to another one, it will be black with silver hardware.

6. The sportswear

Light Up Nikes and leggings by Nike or Lululemon (I also wear these on the plane or at home), and a Bumble T-shirt – I can just take this from the office.

7. The jeans

I would rebuy a pair of jeans by Frame, because they fit me the best. To be honest, I live in these. When I work, I always wear jeans, and T-shirts or sweatshirts.

8. The dress

There are very few dresses that work well in front of the camera. But I would say I can rely on the cut of Victoria Beckham's dresses. I always take a black one with me when I travel for evening events or spontaneous business meetings.

9. The underwear

Briefs by Hanky Panky in different colours. These are great and super comfortable. Can you get them in Germany? (indeed, we can order online via Net-a-porter.com or Yoox.com – see gallery:)

10. The jacket

My reversible jacket by Loro Piana, which I use on cold days and business trips to NYC. This jacket is a saviour and makes a decent outfit in case of a wardrobe emergency.

reversible shearling-jacket by Loro Piana, via loropiana.com

Whitney's tips for the perfect dating profile

Question to Whitney Wolfe: Can you help me set up my Bumble profile?

The right images

Whitney: "What's important is that the photos correspond to your lifestyle and show a broad range of it. So, in your case, a photo with red lipstick, one where you look natural, one with a sincere smile, a sporty one, another where your figure is visible, one with your family or friends etc."

The appropriate text

Whitney dictates and I write: "The Bumble girls made this bio for me. If you are lucky, I’ll give you a chance to tell me what you think of it ;-)"

With the profile that the "Bumble girls" created for me I instantly got a match – with a male model. "Oh, he is handsome," she yelled across the restaurant and swiped the match to the next step. She shared with me what she would write in the message: "I'm here together with the Bumble ladies and they are so happy that such a handsome guy like you is on Bumble." Christoph: "Thank you Bumble ladies… do you get together for tea and decide who makes it to the next round??? Glad to be added…" Me: "Thank you darling, you're welcome – from the Bumble girls!" At this point we had had a couple of glasses of wine already. Christoph: "Are you the only one of them who speaks German? Ok… when would you like to meet?"

Motto: „Keepin' it real!"

translation: Maria Delta

Der Beitrag Whitney Wolfe: basics – if I had to start from scratch erschien zuerst auf Modepilot.

Justin Leone is the incredibly well-dressed Canadian that has the wine world talking. He is a dandy, a rock musician and chief sommelier in Germany's most popular Michelin star restaurant, the Tantris in Munich (Tantris got another 2 Michelin stars in 2017). The trained musician and "wine outsider" is responsible for the Tantris wine cellar since 2011. In 2013 he received the title Sommelier of the Year at the "Leader of the Year" awards. Today, the 35-year-old is also a member of the jury at the German television show "Masterchef" on Channel Sky 1 (Mondays, at 20:15) and co-owner of the Hamburg-based accessories label "Gentleman’s Agreement". As if all this activity was not enough, in less than a year he will be opening his own restaurant in Munich, which he will run in parallel to his activity for Tantris. The concept will be around barbecue, rock 'n' roll and good wine. When I met up with Leone, he had just returned from his BBQ research trip to the States, so I cut to the bone: If all your carefully chosen, favourite clothing items and accessories were to suddenly disappear, what would be the things you would get for yourself?

Justin Leone on his favourite staple items

1. The blazer

For a good business suit the first stop is always Savile Row. But no one, really no one rocks the casual/cool/classy look better than the Italians. My current favourite is a new discovery, which will definitely make it big, so keep an eye for Mulish (at a Wormland near you, for instance)! The brand avoids either extremes of the stark eccentricity of Etro or the Spartan conservatism of Zegna. The cut is flattering to one's figure whereas the colours and design are simply sexy!

Blazers by Mulish

2. The suit

In the right suit, a man can feel like a million bucks, invincible and giant tall. Of course, a custom-made suit costs more in price (and time!) in comparison to the throw-away piece hanging at the H&M rack, but there's simply nothing that cheats the feeling of wearing a perfectly made, impeccably fitted suit. In such a suit one carries himself differently; you speak and decide with more authority. You radiate confidence which is perceived by others like a magnet. People feel the need to get to know you better because you are obviously someone well-versed, you make educated decisions and you only choose to go for the best. In Munich I rely on Stefan Sicking (above image) in the Schwabing area, whose style I would describe as Savile-Row-meets-Neoclassicism. For a more relaxed, Italian mismatch look, Dieter Betz (image below) is one of the best. When I'm travelling, I turn to Herr Von Eden.

Chief sommelier and musician Justin Leone in Michelin Star restaurant Tantris (mismatch look by Dieter Betz)

3. The jeans

There's no better way to feel like yourself than putting on your old reliable pair of blue jeans that fits exactly right. These jeans have been with you through the good and the bad; wearing them you've been lovesick, on cloud nine, you've experienced the highs and the lows, the successes and the defeats. They were always there for you. For me, these are a lovely soft caressing pair of Drykorn Jeans, that I've had for quite a while. Ludwig Beck offers them in many cool colours, shades, cuts and styles, there's a pair for everyone! And it's totally alright to wear them until they fall apart.

4. The traditional costume

There are three facts in life: death, taxes and the fact that every Oktoberfest our city turns into a shit show. The so-called Oktoberfest Wies’n can also be fun and - let's face it - when it comes to international business, it is really the place for closing deals and top client entertainment. The cultivated host best incorporates the Wies'n spirit as the epitome of Bavarian elegance. In so doing, your guest will hopefully go away with a bit more than just dirty puked-on disposable lederhosen that end up as Halloween costumes in American closets. The traditional costume is part of everyday life in Bavaria and as such, it should be a tidy and neat traditional outfit, for newcomers too. There's a lot more to this attire than the three chaotic weeks of Oktoberfest. I recently discovered Purple Angels – not your typical old-school designer but one with a modern concept that appeals to a younger, successful and informed audience. I love wearing their waistcoats with a suit or jeans.

Traditional Bavarian waistcoat (lamb wool with velvet trims) by Purple Angels

5. The accessories

You might think I exaggerate but I wouldn't have involved myself with the brand "Gentleman’s Agreement" had I not previously been a big fan of their products. Accessories are essential because the devil is in the details. There's still a long way to go until we men get it: a statement tie, a hint of colour showing underneath the trousers that makes the shoes pop, or a pocket square can bring the whole outfit together (without necessarily matching accessories). Perhaps you can also add a stick pin or a flower on the lapel. It's the details that separate the winners from the losers. I don't speak out of arrogance but based upon my own sense of taste. The kind of taste that runs in your veins and is visible head to toe, so show your taste! On the Gentleman’s Agreement homepage you can find handmade items made in Hamburg. Clip-on bow ties are a sweet accessory for a five-year-old but not for a grown man! Learn how to tie a bow tie already!

6. The hair styling product

In Munich, the one thing more tiresome than seeing uniform bankers marching down Leopoldstraße at the crack of dawn is their equally if not more uniform hairstyle: greasy sleek combed back and frozen in place saying "I'm a jerk, so you better hope I haven't put anything in the drink I bought for you". I prefer to use the Sumotech paste by Bumble and Bumble for a natural hold and a matt finish. it moves with you throughout the day. But it does need practice to bring it to the "I just-had-sex" look.

Styling gel „Sumotech" by Bumble and Bumble, via hager-shop.de

7. The skincare

Young people and especially men think of themselves as invulnerable, until it is clearly too late. The signs of crow's feet around the eye area become permanent, the once fine lines on the forehead become deep seated furrows and the skin has a lot less of its infamous "glow". Of course, every now and then, men too, can fall into the fountain of youth of men's cosmetology (without going into excess). Otherwise, the products I use are the Face Cleanser, Facial Fuel, Eye Defense, Shaving Cream & After Shave Balm, all by Kiehl’s.

8. The sunglasses

These sunglasses even have my name (Justin), but I had no idea when I first saw them on Elvis Costello – I just really wanted to look as cool as he did with his sunglasses. Then I came across the classic Ray Bans with the tortoise finish and those did it for me. It was only afterwards that I realized the line is called Justin. We could say it was karma. If you consider that my job has to do with the consumption of alcohol, it's no surprise that I lose sunglasses the way other people lose pens. So, apart from style I also take into account the value-for-money ratio, if I have to buy a new pair every two months.

9. The leather jacket

Whether you see yourself as an easy rider type of guy or punk rocker, none of us stands a chance next to legends like Brando or the Ramones if you don't have one of these: "The Classic Perfecto Horsehide Leather Biker Jacket" from New York's oldest leather jacket manufacturer Schott NYC – the original of coolness. If you buy the Horsehide jacket for yourself, it will be the coolest item your kids, grand kids or great grand kids will inherit, because these jackets last forever.

Cult leather jackets Schott NYC:

10. The shoes

Women love shoes, buy them in tons and wear them with pride. So, why is it that men think that women don't notice or value our shoes? A well groomed man with a good pair of shoes becomes the diamond in the rough. So, go ahead and treat yourself to a glorious romantic as well as practical Italian shoe designer! Magnanni offers styles in several colours, from the classic earthy tones to turquoise, violet and baby blue (available at Oberpollinger or online in the links below). Plus they offer a variety of leather qualities with all kinds of shoelaces or a monk strap. And of course matching belts!

11. The watch

Similarly to hairstyles, men in Munich are equally unadventurous when it comes to their wrist watches too. All men carry the same darn Rolex Deepsea, Submariner or GMT Master. Don't get me wrong, Rolex means quality, no doubt. But we're talking about diving watches and sports watches on the wrists of investment consultants. Unless they take off during their lunch break to some island beach to repair an oil drill, these bulky metal sport watches are a total mismatch for their elegant suits. I personally prefer a sleek Master Control World Time by Jaeger-LeCoultre. It stays casual and practical making a subtle gentleman statement.

The „Master Control World Time" by Jaeger-LeCoultre, via Christie's

translation by: Maria Delta

Der Beitrag Justin Leone: basics – if I had to start from scratch erschien zuerst auf Modepilot.

This season’s off-the-shoulder dresses by Chloé and Self-Portrait are every girl’s dream. Feminine and flattering, showing off our summer tan, the perfect mix of sexy and romantic. But do men share the same thoughts?

Off-the-shoulder dresses by See by Chloé (left) and Self-Portrait (right), both were available on net-a-porter.com

Emanuel, the consultant (46): “Only few women can pull off wearing something like this. When the dress is wide cut, it looks too bulky for the figure. A tight off-the-shoulder dress creates a flat-chested effect, which is a shame as the cut is supposed to be feminine.”

Karsten, the It-expert (34): “I love the off-the-shoulder trend, though the dresses in the picture are too short for my taste.”

Denis, the basketball coach (43): “Little summer dresses like these are always beautiful to look at. A simple summer equation: bare shoulders + bare legs = hello summer sexy women.”

Götz, the businessman (67): “The dress on the right with the bows on the arms is much prettier than the other one with the ruffle at the front; that one is not so flattering. In general I like shoulder-free dresses but I’m not sure about the opening being too far low.”

Florian, the digital manager (41): “I find the dress with the shoulder straps really cute, but the dress on the right looks like a straight jacket to me with the ribbons on the arms. Perhaps without them it would look nicer.”

Shoulder-free dresses in online-shop:

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Translation by Maria Giannakopoulou

Der Beitrag He said, she said – what men think about these dresses erschien zuerst auf Modepilot.

We all have one thing in common, something we only reluctantly admit: we follow a bunch of people on social media that we don’t particularly like, find stupid or even downright hate. People like the girlfriend of your secret crush (bitch!), the clueless ex-boss (idiot!), the colleague who snatched away your dream job (jerk!), the weirdo from school who keeps sending you invitations for online games.

We even follow people we have never personally met in our lives, like musicians whose political views we condemn, actors who dress their kids in designer clothes and parade them like circus horses and whose shrill voice we can’t even stand; the irritating blogger who posts yet another #deliciousbrekkie Instagram photo from a restaurant that we know serves scrambled eggs made out of instant powder. Yet, we are somehow unable to stop following them.

Hate-follow – the joy of hate

The phenomenon actually is a thing and there’s even a term for it: Hate-follow. The term sounds rather poetic, like a dramatic love story of sorts. And there is indeed quite some drama involved. With greedy fingers we keep scrolling through feeds only to make sure that our hate-follow “prey” remains just as stupid as in their last tweet and to check if our wish that they fail has finally come true - or if not, at least they got an utterly ugly-looking haircut.

My Hate-follow: Badly bleached YouTube starlets with pink gel nails and rhinestone tooth gems who abuse prefixes like “mega”, “super” or “ultra”, of course stretching the sound too, like “meeeeeeeega” excessively. Their rainbow-coloured glitterworld is the epitome of lack of taste. And that makes me feel instantly much better about myself, happy as a clam that I am nothing like them, and perhaps a little dirty too. Who’s the real victim here, then? Is it Bibi in her Beauty Palace, who uploads YouTube videos of her brushing her teeth or I, who watches those videos and, surprised by the high number of views, send a screenshot to Kathrin subtitled “really?”

Aggressively good mood: Bibi

What is it about this that we find appealing? Self-assurance (Who am I really?) becomes much simpler through dissociation: it is easier to define who we are not, or who we don’t want to be, than to define who we are. The same way it is easier to reject something as stupid than to create something ourselves.

Homo homini lupus – “Man is no man, but a wolf, to a stranger”

We have surely experienced the meaning of this latin proverb during prime time TV talk shows, while we sit and watch “white trash” go at it head to head, verbally and sometimes even physically too. Our reaction? Sitting smugly on the couch, thinking “thank God I’m not so ugly, so stupid, so clueless, so pathetic”. Compared to those people, my life seems like pure bliss. We feel better about ourselves when we watch the failings of others, especially when we are feeling down, as a study by Ohio State University demonstrated:

The study group was given the task to pass an exam. Half of the group’s participants were told that they had performed exceptionally well, whereas the other half were informed they had performed very poorly in the exam. Subsequently, they were all sent a number of social media links, specifically designed for the study. The outcome of the study revealed that although in principle we tend to follow people who are richer, more attractive and more successful than us, when we are in bad spirits, we are more likely to engage in hate-following.

Another explanation for the “hate-follow” phenomenon is our voyeuristic human disposition. The human brain loves to put all the bits and pieces of the puzzle together (images, comments and any piece of info) to play detective and figure out aspects of another person’s life (“When did he get together with her?”). Or as my friend brilliantly puts it, “Are you doing Instagram forensics again?” And just like the gambling addict loses track of how much money s/he has actually lost, hate followers lose track of how much time they lose insatiately scrolling and clicking. Research shows that the behavioral patterns behind excessive social media consumption resemble those of cocaine addiction. We keep needing a higher dosage to satisfy our needs.

How many hate followers does Kim Kardashian have? I used to be one of them. Apparently we spend a shocking 4 years of our lives on social media. Well, summer is almost here, and this time around there is NO time to waste.

Translation by Maria Giannakopoulou

Der Beitrag Why we love to hate erschien zuerst auf Modepilot.