[ GLOBAL FASHION OLYMPICS ] WT's Top 5 Opening Ceremony Uniforms

You couldn't have a Parade of Nations without a Wandering Threads feature on global style choices, it just wouldn't be right. In fact, even whilst watching the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony on Friday night my own friends were making predictions for this here post. So here we have it: a compiled list of Wandering Thread's Top 5 Opening Ceremony Outfits, featuring the teams whose uniforms most successfully captured an essence of their own country's traditional spirit whilst maintaining a contemporary sense of style. And before you mention it, yes I am unfailingly rooting for Team GB, but I have to hold my hands up (along with the rest of the country) with a 'WT*?!'. Should have left the job to Stella, Next. 

All images by Yahoo Sport. Graphics by Wandering Threads.

5. Mexico
In true Mexican spirit, the team paraded party spirit for the occasion. Donning brightly coloured ponchos and garishly embroidered and appliqued shirts, the Mexican team certainly radiated festive energy. It may not be Olympic chic, but hey, it's authentic, its colourful and it got a great reaction from the crowds. Viva Mexico!

4. Spain

From a distance, looking almost like a parade of Spanish national flags themselves, Spain kept true to their country colours with a coordinated red and yellow ensemble. Paying attention to detail, the women's yellow jacket and pleated silk skirt uniforms were accessorised with red waist belts and traditional Spanish patterned, fan-shaped cross body bags, whilst both genders wore custom printed neck ties. One of the few European nations that just managed to steer away from the dull 'flight crew' look, Spain comes in at number four for its traditional inspired embellishments and custom designed accessories.

3. Cameroon

At number 3 is West Africa's Cameroon. Clad head to toe in traditional dress (also worn on a daily basis by many Cameroonian's), the team's heavily decorated women's kabba and men's boubou's, embellished with sunset hued embroidery against a stark black background, really set the team apart. Ethnic style props to you Cameroon!

2.  Indonesia
Renowned for their skilfully crafted batik, its no wonder the Indonesian team chose to dress their female team members in brightly coloured version of the wax-resist dye technique. Paired with a smartly tailored red silk Kebaya, in keeping with the colours of their national flag, Team Indonesia certainly created a winning combination of contemporary meets traditional.

1. India
Mixing traditional brightly coloured Indian dress with an air of tailored western chic, India definitely stole the show with their elegant choice of an (auspicious) canary yellow/navy sari, turban and suit combos, despite the gatecrashing red jumper and jean glad random 'leading' in the nation in front! 

Which country do you think most successfully combined tradition with contemporary style for the Opening Ceremony? Leave your comments below!

[ JAPANESE WAVES & SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS ] Gloria Shizico Yi

Another day, another Latitude prompted post. Meet Japanese fashion designer and graphic artist Gloria Yi Ling: fresh from London College of Fashion, her sophisticated 'East meets West', Fine Art inspired approach to fashion is sure to charm the likes of London's most cultivated fashion crowd before you can say 'A/W 2013'. I could just say I 'met' Gloria during Saturday's post-fashion show Design Salon in The Painted House, but that would be somewhat of an understatement. I was pretty much bowled over by her effervescent personality before I'd even had chance to scold the band of unruly teenagers nabbing bits of Samara's 'candy floss trees'. Bouncing merrily around the Faraway Forest, brightening up rained out punters with talk of her collection and confessions of adoration for her beloved Labrador, Favor, chancing upon Gloria was such a delight I just had to share her story with the rest of you. So here's a Q&A with the Labrador-loving designer herself:

1. You hail from across the waters, from the faraway land (for us!) that is Japan and where a lot of your design inspiration comes from. So what made you want to study in London?

I lived in both LA and New York, then I went back to Asia where my mother and father were living, but in between all of this I visited London for the first time in 2005 and it was love at first sight. I fell in love with all the museums and that was it. I’ve not thought about living or studying in any other place ever since.

2. Evidently part of your collection has been inspired by Hokusai’s famous woodblock print of The Great Wave of Kanagawa, a work synonymous with 19th century Japanese art. Why did you choose this one in particular?

I was looking for a certain craft to help build my collection and discovered that Japanese woodblock printing was similar to the way I use screen-printing for my own textile design, so I decided to combine the two techniques to create something new. I also mixed this style with influences from the culture of the Scottish Highlands - it’s what inspired the draping effect in my collection. I just really love the idea of a culture-clash; the way the chemistry of the two opposing elements can create something innovative and exciting. 

Two of my prints have actually just been selected to feature in the upcoming exhibition ‘Bite: Artists Making Print’ which opens at the Mall Galleries in London later this year. I’m so fortunate to find people in London who love my ‘East meets West’ style! 

Click the link below to keep reading about Gloria Shizico Yi

[ AFRICAN OBSESSION ] FAIR + true

1. Fair Trade African Print Ruched Skirt 2. Fair Trade African Print Trousers 3. Fair Trade Bold African Print Dress 4. Upcycled Vegan T-Bar Sandals 5. Hava Fair Trade African Print Bikini  6. Upcycled Vegan Pattern Espadrille Shoes 7. Fair Trade African Print Peplum Top 8. Fair Trade African Print Round Neck Jacket 9. Fair Trade Floral Bustier Top 10. Fair Trade African Print Maxi Dress

Possessing a penchant for brightly coloured ethnic fabrics, it goes without saying that I'm totally in love with African prints. Lucky for me the fashion world's gone Africa crazy this season, with both the shops and the web positively bursting with eye-popping hues and over sized prints. Of course you can take your pick from the gazillion options out there, but why not get something a little more authentic, and while you're at it make that choice an ethical one?

A label that happens to tick all three boxes (contemporary and super stylish, check. Ethically produced, check. Use of authentic, traditional fabrics, check) are London based label FAIR + true. Their range of Kanga print (traditional fabric from East Africa) and Kanga inspired maxi dresses, beach and swimwear, tailoring and footwear are created using organic or sustainable materials such as soy, bamboo, tencel modal or organic cotton and are produced locally in London or in Kenya and Malawi under Fair Trade schemes, making special efforts to support local communities. Ethnically ethical statement pieces at an affordable price - what's not to love?

Click the links above to purchase FAIR + true from Fashion-Conscience.com or visit their website fair+true.co.uk

FAIR + true also utilise traditional textiles from both Nepal and Vietnam, examples of which can be seen above in vegan footwear products 4 and 6.

[ THE FLOWER & THE WILLOW ] Marie Claire Australia July 2012

Having just left Australia, it seems quite serendipitous that I should stumble across this diaphanously sensual shoot for Marie Claire Oz. The editorial features model Ollie Henderson entering as apprentice into the exotic world of Japanese Geisha. With an air of wistfulness and with a nostalgic nod to a time saturated in tradition rather than high tech gadgets and sleeper pods, photographer Richard Truscott and stylist Jane Roarty have delicately fused the traditional with the contemporary through the art of fashion.

Accomplished in music, calligraphy, dance and the intricate art of the tea ceremony, Geisha, themselves models for the art of Japanese high culture, are unfailingly adorned in perfectly tied Kimono, with each strand of hair carefully oiled into place and each step and gesture perfectly executed. Today there remain only one to two thousand Geisha practising in Japan.

Image source: www.visualoptimism.blogspot.com

[ WANDERING STYLE ] Hmong Tribal Fashion

Now this post has been a VERY long time coming, but, well, better late than never! I wanted to show you all this heavily appliqued and embroidered tribal jacket I picked up a few months ago during my month long adventure in Laos. Since visiting Thailand back in 2007 I've been obsessed with South East Asian tribal costume and textiles, so when I happened upon the Hmong people of Northern Laos with their super colourful style, I went straight to the markets to get my haggle on.

I picked up this super colourful jacket from a Hmong lady and her daughter sitting behind a small small at Luang Prabang Night Market (love everything handmade/artisanal? This place will blow your mind!) Through a series of smiles and broken English we managed to agree on a price and I managed to find out that the jacket was in fact worn by a local tribe. You can see a bit of wear if you look closely at the somewhat threadbare nature of the batik and stitching, but to me, this just adds to the excitement of owning a piece of traditional costume. Second hand purchases always have stories. As I'm currently residing in sunny Sydney and not wandering around the globe looking like a raggedy gypsy, I felt it only proper that I should make an attempt to appear somewhat presentable to my new Darlinghurst neighbours. I've teamed this kick-ass Hmong jacket with a plain vest, a kind of navy skort I picked up in Bangkok for $3 (along with a few other bits and pieces) and my trust yellow Havaianas - all for the cause of promoting a bit of authentic tribal style in the urban sphere. How would you wear it?


If you'd like to learn a little more about South East Asian tribal culture, costume and textiles, you should definitely check out my earlier post on the Vietnam Women's Museum in Hanoi. If you're specifically interested in Hmong design, or even market shopping in Laos, watch this space (or follow me on Bloglovin'!), I've got a whole lot more coming soon!

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[ THỜI TRANG NỮ ] Tribal Dress at the Vietnamese Women's Museum, Hanoi

Upon a rainy day in Hanoi, Vietnam, but a couple of months ago I ventured off to The Vietnamese Women's Museum on recommendation by a few fellow travellers who were most impressed by the exhibitions. Being a culture junkie and ethnic textile enthusiast, I found myself positively in textbook heaven upon reaching the fourth floor, dedicated entirely to 'Womens Fashion's' of Vietnam's indigenous populations.  

Having recently ventured into the depths of Laos and, previously, northern Thailand,I have a well established appreciation for the creative zeal of South East Asia's tribal minorities. In 2007 I trekked into the mountains of northern Thailand, spending a few days emersed in the fascinating culture of the Akha and Lisu groups whilst staying with them in their respective hill tribe villages. I was blown away by the abundance of dazzling embellishments, colour saturated appliqué and awesome oversized jewellery. Basically, it got me hooked.

As with many long standing indigenous cultures, handcrafted textiles, jewellery, headdresses and other such adornments are highly prized not just by the groups themselves, whose women perfect and pass on such traditional artistry from early childhood well into their adult lives, but by designer's and collectors around the world. But for the majority, who are relatively unexposed to such cultures, dedicated museum exhibitions such as this one are tremendously important. Set in place to both reach out and excite audiences, their role as an educative tool also draws attention to the fact that these diverse cultures, indigenous populations whose traditions stem back far beyond our own, are under threat from the pitfalls of the modern world.

As a designer myself I never fail to be captivated, inspired and impressed by the diversity and beauty interwoven within the wealth of techniques, patterns, motifs and styles of these tribal communities. I can't stress how important it is for us to help conserve the traditions of cultures like this all over the world, especially to the creative communities amongst us for whom these cultures can provide endless inspiration. Thus so I have put together this (super long!) post, with a few notes from the exhibition, in the hope that all of you may too be dazzled and intrigued by the beautiful handcrafted creations of these enterprising communities.

 

Fashion & Motif Art

Like many indigenous cultures around the world, a women's skills end experience are judged by the amount and quality of the textiles shes makes. Unfortunately nowadays this practice is becoming less and less important as more efficient, hard-wearing chemical dyes and sewing machines have overtaken the traditional craft of loom weaving along with the modernisation of traditional costumes to the point where they are often now only worn for ceremonial occasions.

Within the 54 ethnic groups of Vietnam cotton is the most popular fabric and while natural silk is usually reserved for festive costumes and appliqué, Hmong women mostly use fabric woven from hemp, which is then dyed with indigo.

Pathen, Flower Lolo and Flower Hmong traditionally have very colourful clothing and complex sewing techniques. The Yao and Phula peoples favour embroidery; Lolo and Pupeo, appliqué; Hmong and Yao Tien, batik; Thai and Khmer, ikat, and the Muong, Tay and populations of the High Plateau prefer woven patterns. Patterns and motifs generally vary with geographical location, traditional tribal identities and local landscapes. 

 
Batik

Used by the Hmong and Yao Tien.

Designs and patterns are drawn onto fabric using melted wax. When the wax is dry the fabric is dyed several times in indigo baths then immersed in boiling water to melt the wax. The protected patterns appear as a light colour on an indigo background. This ankle length pleated skirt shown below is a typical example of traditional Hmong batik application.

Ikat

Used by the Black Thai, the Khmer and the Bahnar to create patterns with beautiful soft outlines.

Ikat is a dye technique like batik, but instead of protecting the fabric before the dyeing process, the threads are protected instead. Some threads are tied up with plant or nylon fibres to protect them from the dyeing process which is usually repeated several times to obtain a multicoloured thread that is used for the weft during weaving. In some regions chain ikat is also used.

Appliqué

Used by indigenous populations in the Nothern Mountains of Vietnam.

Small pieces of coloured fabric are sewn onto a background to create patterns. Various coloured fabrics are cut into geometrical forms and sewn on to the fabric while the threads are hidden behind appliqué. Each group specialises in its own traditional patterns such as the Hmong, who use a very elaborate technique called reverse appliqué where the top layer of fabric is cut into patterns to reveal the colour of the backing fabric.

 
HEY! What are you doing?! Don't stop here, there's more to read (and, of course, more images) regarding hill tribe jewellery, adornments and headdresses! Click the link below to keep reading! DO IT NOW!

[ PINTER LUSTINGS ] Ethnic Style Inspirations

Just a few more of my favorite picks from my Pinterest Ethnic Fashion board. Reiterating exactly what it is I love about ethnic inspired design -  vibrant colours, geometrical patterns, in-your-face bold prints and innovative use of jewellery making techniques. What I wouldn't give for some tips from those Masai Mara....

All images sourced from Pinterest.com
 
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[ YANGGE PARTY PRINTS ] Píngyáo International Photography Festival

More raving about that little (in Chinese terms) town west of Beijing? Yes, more raving. Sorry but it really was quite the town. Last post, I promise. This time I want to share with you some of my favorite ethnic inspired shots from the 2011 Píngyáo international Photography Festival, which just happened to be taking place during my visit.  

Held at various locations around the town with prints strung up everywhere from disused factories to 300 year old temple walls and parking lot gates, this festival definitely took the town by storm, swamping the streets with super keen amateur photographers brandishing an unwarranted amount of camera equipment. Let's just say unofficial sponsors Canon and Nikon certainly peaked in inadvertent exposure ratings.

Photographs by Kang Fuqi

Naturally on the look out for traditional culture inspired shots, I came across two photographers who had both captured traditional villages in full swing Yangge mode. Taking place annually in lunar January each year around northern China's Shaanxi province, Yangge Party celebrates the joy of life and happiness stemming from the past years good harvest with drum and gong bearing dancers, often on stilts, paying visits to all dwellings in the area. So whilst we're welcoming in the new year with a hangover, these guys are prancing around on stilts in the most amazing, intricately embroidered costumes, faces plastered with traditional make up and crowned with fabulously decorative headpieces. I think I might try China next New Year. 

Photographs by Kang Fuqi

Traditional culture aside, the PIP festival has a plethora of awesome work from every level of photographer, mostly Chinese (naturally) with a few foreigners slotted in here and there. A great atmosphere and an even better location, its definitely worth a visit if you just happen to be hanging around Shaanxi province but if you're a westerner watch out for those telephoto lenses! True to form, being one of the only non-Asians around, I was unrelentingly swarmed by super lenses and tiny children wielding note books and pleading for autographs. I think my 'type' may be somewhat of a rarity in small town China... 

The Píngyáo international Photography Festival 2012: my no.1 recommendation for any non-Asian that wants to feel like a famous person for the day. 

To read more about the UNESCO heritage town of Píngyáo check out my earlier post here and and another on paper cutting in Píngyáo here

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[ CEREMONIAL SPARKLE ] Angkor Wat, Cambodia

 

I came across these elaborately adorned Khmer dancers a couple of weeks ago when I was lucky enough to visit the often labeled 'Eighth Wonder of the World': Cambodia's Ankor Wat. Rather than dancing, they stood around for about 5 minutes looking bored out of their minds before heading off out of the complex but, nevertheless, I thought their magnificent costumes worthy of a few snaps. 

The two female dancers in the middle are wearing variations of the Sampot, the primary garment of Cambodia's national dress (pretty much a glorified sarong) which originated in the Funan era when the Kymer King ordered his people to wear the Sampot at the behest of the Chinese envoys. Made from the finest quality Cambodian silk and traditionally embellished with woven or dyed floral, animal or geometrical motifs sewn with gold and silver thread, the Sampot, as worn by the two female characters in the centre, is wrapped around the waist, pleated at the front and then secured with a gold or brass belt.  

Check out the ornate headdresses, apparently you can depict each character by just looking at their headwear and the colour of their costumes (usually red, yellow, blue, green and black). For example, the two central characters are female due to the fresh flower tassels adorning their headdresses. The character in red is evidently playing an animal character as depicted by the design of her masked headwear and the girl in yellow is likely a royal character as the silk comes from a worm indigenous to Cambodia whose 'fuzzy' silk gives the finished product a shimmering quality.

If you're interested in traditional dress around the world, check out some of my other posts on Kathakali, Wayang Golek, Indra Jantra, Dhaka Topi, Turbans, and Rajasthani Gypsies.

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[ PINTER LUSTINGS ] Ethnic Fashion Inspirations

So, I've already mentioned my new-found obsession with Pinterest, and over the past few weeks I've been busy pinning my favorite ethnically inspired images all over my boards. I've already shown you some of my top picks from my Ethnic Interiors category so here's a  little taste of what you can find on my Ethnic Fashion board. Click here to see more ethnic inspired everything from fashion and interiors to homeware, accessories, global inspirations and editorials. I'll be posting my favorites on here now and again but remember to follow me on Pinterest if you like what you see!

All images sourced from Pinterest.com

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