Last night, we felt a couple more earthquakes (well, some of us anyway).  It remains to be seen if the “big one” will come before Halloween or after.  We’re gonna go for a bit of both today.  The first three songs are going to shake your room a bit if you have a proper subwoofer & the next few weeks will be completely dedicated to music for your Halloween parties, kickbacks and get togethers.  Happy Halloween.  Hopefully, this makes up for your insensitivity to seismic activity.

White Panda – Diamond Thrones

White Panda makes some awesome mash-ups and I think mash-ups are a good crowd pleaser at a decent party.  A while back, he made a mash-up I really enjoyed involving Ellie Goulding, A$AP Rocky, Kendrick Lamar, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Lumineers.  It’s worth noting I’m not a fan of two of the songs he used in that one, but I liked how they were used in the mash.  In this particular song, he mixes Rihanna’s “Diamonds” with the theme from “Game of Thrones.”  I’m personally considering a “Game of Thrones” get-up this year, so maybe I’m just biased.

Deorro – Bootie in Your Face

This song is incredibly stupid.  I think my IQ dropped just listening to it.  I don’t care, it’s amazingly fun.  This one’s a solid choice for a rager where you want people to get as unclassy as possible… it’ll even help you with the pre-drop “EVERYBODY RAGE!”  If this one doesn’t get people dancing, something’s catastrophically wrong with your party planning or guest list.

Yellow Claw – Kaolo

“IT’S A TRAP.”  Yes, here I am defending trap music again.  This song will pound your subwoofer more than any of the other ones on this list.  I recently gave this song a go at a party when I and everyone else were not quite there and it was a massive hit.  In their most recent releases, Yellow Claw call themselves “Amsterdam Twerking Music” and I’m not sure what the hell that means, but I’m becoming a huge fan of their stuff.

Nate Belasco – Kanye West “Black Skinhead” vs. Tame Impala “Elephant”

Another mash-up.  This one by Nate Belasco mixes Kanye West and Tame Impala and I can see it working just as well in a rager as at a kickback.  I don’t really know what else to say about this.  Listen for yourselves.  Oh wait, no.  You should watch the Kanye interview on Jimmy Kimmel.  It’s fascinating. Okay, that’s it.

FAROFF – Gangnam Busters (PSY vs. Ghostbusters)

This one’s for the people who like their playlists old school.  I think Monster Mash is a bit overplayed personally, but here’s a monster mash-up.  It’s only been just over a year and people will roll your eyes if you play Gangnam Style, but chances are most people haven’t heard this mash-up with Ghostbusters (a song which is definitely in the top 5 of my Halloween classics).

J. Cole – She Knows (ft. Amber Coffman)

This one is not one curated by myself… of all people, it was my film theory professor who began playing this song before my friend Sheila and I had to find out what it was.  It samples Cults, a band whose music I think works in a laid back scenario.  Thank you to Emily Carpenter, you are one of my favorite professors ever (though I doubt she’d ever be reading this).

Dead Man’s Bones – My Body’s a Zombie for You

Let’s slow it down a bit now.  This one’s more for a kickback or a nice little sneak if you want to get a little slow dance in with that person you’re into (yeah, I’m totally still in junior high).  Also, it’s RYAN GOSLING’s band.  And he’s singing the whole album with a children’s choir.  I can hear ovaries exploding.  This one’s for the ladies and gentlemen who love that man (and that’s not the only selling point, it’s a lovely song).

I’d like your opinion more than ever! Tell me some of your favorites for Halloween and parties in general.  There’s going to be two more weeks of this.

As usual, please comment or e-mail me with suggestions or feedback. I will also take songs in my Spotify inbox, just search for Ephraim Lee. I’m always up to listen to what you have to offer, and your recommendations may make it here!

The post Tunesday: Halloween, Part I appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Producers Distribution Agency/Courtesy

After following its splash at Sundance Film Festival and Ebertfest (Roger Ebert’s Film Festival) this spring, I eagerly await the public release of the film “Escape From Tomorrow,” this Friday, October 11th. Its trailer is both enticing and riveting; while little information on the plot of the film is enclosed, the official trailer for “Escape From Tomorrow” teases at its particularly alluring aesthetic. This black-and-white psychodrama twists a family’s vacation to Disney World into a sinister, dark adventure for survival.

What is most interesting about this film for me, however, is not its Disney-dream-turned-nightmare theme, but the process through which it was made. With absolutely no permission from the Disney Corporation, Randy Moore not only shot this film at the Disney World and Disneyland theme parks, but, as the trailer suggests, utilizes its rides, themes and characters as the film’s central focus. As Moore explains in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, “I thought it should be morally acceptable to go in and do this … to me, Disneyland has transcended just being a theme park. It is an American landmark.”

Was Moore within his right to appropriate the Disney parks into his film without permission, especially considering the critical stance this horror film seems to take on Disney’s insistence on providing (or selling) happiness to all? Quite honestly, I’m still on the fence.

First and foremost, I definitely don’t think that making money off of other people’s material is justified. However, I think Moore has a point in saying that Disneyland has become an “American landmark.” Personally, I believe that Disney as a corporation has become so pervasive in American culture that we often forget to step back and question its content and influence. It is exciting to think about the potential of “contraband” filming like Moore’s to shed new light on old, ubiquitous material. I’m anxiously waiting for Friday’s opening of “Escape from Tomorrow,” maybe it will make me think twice before I buy my next ticket to “the happiest place on earth.”

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Sex on Tuesday has been a staple of the Daily Cal that causes discussions – sometimes intellectual, sometimes pure sensation.  However, there are many of us who are currently experiencing no sensation.  Whatsoever.  Your love life is a barren wasteland, as are your genitals.  At this point, a kiss on the cheek is probably third base to you, maybe even a score.  You’re up at 3 AM browsing the dark corners of the internet and you see a $200 body pillow that heats up like an electric blanket and it seems like a reasonable price.  Because cuddles.

Perhaps it’s because you’re recently going through a break-up (why’s that so common this year?).  Perhaps you’re in a situation with unrequited love (or lust).  Maybe you just have too great a relationship with Netflix and suck at talking to people.  Whatever it may be, this one’s for you. Here’s to hoping your single-as-fuck rut ends soon enough.

Sia – Elastic Heart (ft. The Weeknd & Diplo)

This is one of the first few songs revealed from the soundtrack for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.  However, unlike the film, you’re not catching any fire, are you?  This is a solid example of pop music that I can get behind (not surprising, considering it’s Sia).  The lyrics are suited for someone who’s recently been hurt by someone and needs to stay strong with lines like “And I want it and I want everything / But there was so many red flags / Now another one bites the dust / And let’s be clear, I trust no one.”

Hippie Sabotage – Stay High (Tove Lo Flip)

Hippie Sabotage reworked Tove Lo’s “Habits” and I’m completely in love with both songs.  Seriously, give both a listen.  I think it’s a pretty relatable song for a college break-up or outright rejection by the object of our unrequited feelings.  One of the most common solutions (certainly for myself) is to get incredibly shitfaced.  “Staying in my play pretend / Where the fun ain’t got no end / Can’t go home alone again / Need someone to numb the pain.”  Sound familiar?  In the rework, the voice sounds a lot like Lykke Li who literally wrote a song called “Unrequited Love.”  I approve of your debauchery and will probably join you in it.  Do it responsibly.

The Colourist – Little Games

The Colourist has made an appearance on Tunesday before.  In fact, it was this song (a remixed version of it).  This song is infused with danceable riffs, but the song is all about having been hurt by someone when you thought they were into you. “What did I do so wrong? / You lied and led me on / Was I your hit and run? / Left for dead and now you’re gone” leads the listener into the chorus, which is even more about the fall after a particularly bad rejection.  The band, from Costa Mesa, CA (where my school was before transferring) recently released their debut EP and this is still by far their stand-out track in my opinion.

Capital Cities – Nothing Compares 2 U (Cover of Sinead O’Connor)

Capital Cities has become a massive hit with “Safe and Sound” hitting the Billboard Top 10 and playing non-stop on the radio.  A year ago, when they were still a relatively unknown band, they released this excellent cover of Sinead O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” (which was also recently mashed up with Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball”).  The original is considered one of the best break-up songs of all time and is in general an excellent song to describe unrequited feelings.

MS MR – Think of You (RAC Remix)

RAC is hands down one of my favorite remix artists (and even put out some awesome original stuff recently).  This time, he remixes MS MR’s “Think of You” which is a song suited for the messiest of break-ups.  I think it takes a special kind of scumbag to cheat on someone and Lizzy Plapinger sings with the kind of frustration that the situation deserves.  It’s also worth mentioning that she is the co-founder of Neon Gold records, who I have praised on multiple occasions.  She definitely knows a thing or two about good music.

Passenger – Let Her Go (Peer Kusiv Remix)

Passenger’s “Let Her Go” is by no means an unknown song with over 100 million views on Youtube alone.  It’s a song that exemplifies unrequited feelings.  Peer Kusiv takes what is a depressing song and makes it more relaxed (but not void of the somber theme).  The original is something I’d have on repeat while I lay in bed with 80 blankets over my head.  The remix is something more suited for a solo drive at night.

The Glitch Mob – Between Two Points (ft. Swan)

Finally, I’ll throw a bone to those of you actually getting laid.  Even though that’s the last thing you need.  This one’s an oldie-ish, but goodie.  My personal pick for an excellent song to get it on to which has been on an incredibly outdated playlist of mine entitled “Falling Madly in Bed With You.”  The only thing I’m falling madly in bed with lately is my Batman Snuggie.

I’m closing this post out with this preview that the Broken Bells (Danger Mouse + The Shins’ James Mercer) just put on Youtube today.  Reportedly, they’ll finally be bringing out a sophomore LP over 3 years after their self-titled debut.  This has nothing to do with the theme, but I’m ecstatic so deal with it.

As usual, please comment or e-mail me with suggestions or feedback. I will also take songs in my Spotify inbox, just search for Ephraim Lee. I’m always up to listen to what you have to offer, and your recommendations may make it here!

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Solo artist Four-Tet, stage name of thirty-five year old Kieren Hebden, has taken the music world by storm with his uniquely intricate electronic sound. His roots go back to his days with the post-rock band Fringe in the early nineties but the London born artist began his solo career as Four Tet in 1998 and has gained wide acclaim for his development as a performer over the past fifteen years. The product of a South African born Indian mother and lecturer father, Four Tet’s eclectic nature was predictable from birth. This diversification is ever present in the artist’s assorted sound and innovative promotional style.

As is the nature of any expansive performer, Four Tet has been linked to many big name artists en route to establishing a successful career for his brand. From opening for Radiohead back in 2003, collaborating with composer David Arnold on “Crawl, End Crawl” for the closing song of the acclaimed Hollywood hit Quantum of Solace in 2008, and again pairing up with Thom Yorke for “Ego”/ “Mirror” in 2011. His success has been forthcoming and dedicated fans have followed wide-eyed, waiting to see what the unpredictable artist will do next.

That’s just what gives Four Tet his edge, unpredictability. Fans never know what to expect from the fluctuating artist, both in his variance of style and sampling of a variety of songs in widely popular DJ sets. On Sunday October 3rd, Four Tet hosted an eight hour DJ streaming set on the UK’s Rinse FM, again proving his ability to seamlessly coalesce sounds from a variety of genres including techno, house, jazz, garage, and rock.

Four Tet released his sixth LP Pink at the end of Summer 2012, consisting of eight tracks that became global house dance-floor favorites. Gaining wide acclaim the artist leaked an online only LP 0181, which later went to Vinyl, a cumulation of unreleased work spanning from the beginning of his career in 1997 to 2013 displaying the artist’s steadfast talent and fluctuating style over the course of time. Thus far Four Tet’s style has been classified as “folktronica”, a label that he will soon shatter with the release of his seventh album entitled Beautiful Rewind, a fitting name for an artist with a career path that, when revisited, so beautifully elaborates his current success. The single Parallel Jalebi is up on the artist’s Soundcloud page and gives a taste of what is to come in the remaining ten tracks of the LP; gone is the element of folk melody and in it’s place comes a new wave mechanical sound with an emphasis on the subtlety of noise. A number of singles from the album have been leaked on the music blog The Hype Machine, including Unicorn, Ba Teaches Yoga, and Moma. Until recently the LP had been scheduled to release “soon” according to the artists Twitter page, but “soon” is upon us.

Earlier this week the artist leaked Beautiful Rewind to his Soundcloud page before the LP’s official release, yet another deliberately bold move. Just a teaser, the album was quickly taken down before going viral keeping fans on their toes for the anticipation of the official release on October 15th.

What is next for an artist that has seemingly done it all? It’s impossible to tell when it comes to the progressive nature of the hauntingly fickle Four Tet. To keep up with the fast pace of Four Tet and what will come next follow the artist on Twitter. You can pre-order Beautiful Rewind in a mp3, CD, or Vinyl.

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Welcome to the return of Local Limelight, where every two weeks we highlight a Bay Area artist that’s caught my attention – and will hopefully catch yours as well.

This week’s artist is singer-songwriter-producer Shawn Barry. Hailing from Palo Alto, Barry merges the two classic bedroom artists: the indie singer-songwriter, and the hip-hop beat maker. While Barry doesn’t rap over his beats, his mixture of ambient yet driving beats with intimate, soothing vocals creates a sound that walks between various sonic realms. Thumping bass, rainfall textures, harmonic strings and smooth synth progressions are just a portion of Barry’s beat arsenal. Though each song has a distinct tone to it, the common elements of reverb-rich effects and silky vocals tether the tracks together in unity.

Check out his latest album Real at his bandcamp page. Some key tracks include “Granite,” “Blur” and “Retiro Park.”

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hitRECord/File

hitRECord, Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s open collaborative production company, was launched in 2005 and has recently taken off. Producing short films and videos using text, imagery and music from online contributors around the world, hitRECord currently has over 80,000 members and is growing every day. Gordon-Levitt even has a television deal with Pivot to produce a show which features artists from hitRECord’s website. The actor-writer-director media mogul can now add “television host” to his impressive resume.

At a Q&A session over lunch at Twitter’s headquarters in San Francisco, JGL sat down to talk about the symbol for his company, the creative process and even the comparisons between his two movies “(500) Days of Summer” and “Don Jon.”

On hitRECord’s recording symbol:  (The button) is a symbol to be creative. When I was in my early twenties I went to college and then I stopped for a while and when I wanted to start acting again I couldn’t get a job. It can kind of suck as an actor because you’re reliant on others to hire you and outside of that you’re a little stuck. I realized that that wasn’t going to work for me.  I couldn’t rely on that. I had to take responsibility for my own creativity. That was the beginning of it. The button became the symbol like, “I’m going to push the button and hit record.” And then it grew. I was making little short films and videos and my brother helped me with the little website. It evolved really gradually. At no point was I like, “Eureka! I know what I’ll do!” It was a gradual feedback loop with a growing community.

On the commonalities between “500 Days of Summer” and “Don Jon”: (“(500) Days of Summer’s” Tom Hansen) doesn’t listen to a word (Summer Finn) says. In one scene, she starts telling him her dream and the narrator starts talking over her. The narrator is interesting in “(500) Days of Summer.” He has this authoritative voice but he’s really just Tom’s point of view and often times he is misguided.

As she’s telling him her dream, the narrator comes in and is like, “Tom knew that he was special now and not many people were getting this chance.” It’s completely self-obsessed. She finishes talking about the dream and says, “I haven’t told that to anyone yet.” And that’s the only thing Tom hears. He didn’t listen to any specifics of the dream. His response is, “I guess I’m not just anyone.”

That’s the biggest dick thing to say to a woman who just told you about her dream. And that doesn’t mean Tom is a dick; he’s just sort of selfish and he has some growing to do and by the end of the movie he has grown a bit. Same with Jon (in “Don Jon”). By the end of the movie he’s grown up. That’s just a comparison I’d like to point out.

On what JGL tells aspiring artists: Do it. Don’t wait for someone to hire you. Find a camera. Do it on your phone. That’s okay. Cut it up with iMovie. Put it out there. Make stuff. Start with something small. And if it sucks that’s totally fine. You’ll learn. No one’s first thing is ever great. That’s a trap we often fall in to.

And I think this relates to entrepreneurship as well: you so want to make it perfect that you never go for it because you’re worried it won’t be perfect. You have to go and try and maybe mess up and try again.

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I’m already screaming out of excitement and fear because the third season of American Horror Story, Coven, comes out this week and it is expected to be wilder and more terrifying than ever before.

Two years ago, American Horror Story released its first season, American Horror Story: Murder House and the entire TV-watching world had a collective nightmare, locked their doors, and threw away all their weird latex bodysuit sex toys. The first season was groundbreaking: AHS brought horror back to television in a way unparalleled by any other television show. The combination of jump-out-of-your-seat terror, outright genius humor, and amazing acting — much to the credit of Jessica Lange — made AHS stand out amongst the assembly line of television shows.

If you’re new American Horror Story, this is how it works: every season is a stand-alone story but the cast more or less remains the same. If you haven’t watched the first two seasons, it doesn’t matter: you can dive right into the third season without having missed a thing.

Nonetheless, a quick return to AHS’s past two seasons: the first season was centered around a family living in a haunted house in which every previous tenant had been murdered in some gruesome way; the second season took place in an insane asylum where an ex-Nazi doctor tortured and murdered patients, a cruel nun devoted herself to saving her patients from evil and homosexuality, and a serial=killer named Bloody Face skinned his patients alive.

In preparation for Coven’s premier, FX has released a series of thirty to sixty-second teasers that are more or less nonsensical but still give a chilling preview of the mood we can expect from this season of American Horror Story. Most clips are soundtracked by Lauren O’Connell’s chilling take on “House of the Rising Sun” as haunting clips of women marching in witches hats, half-beast-half-man creatures, voodoo-dolls and witches being stabbed with pins, flash across the screen.

From the few full-length trailers released, this is what you can expect from Coven: this season bounces between an 1800s slave plantation and a modern-day New Orleans where a war is being waged between witches and voodoo people (no, not the song by The Prodigy although that would be kind of cool if they threw The Prodigy in there somewhere).

Much of AHS’s previous seasons’ cast will return: Taissa Farmiga will play a young Floridian girl who is sent to a witches academy in New Orleans called Miss Robichaux’s Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies and Jessica Lange will play Fiona Goode, the head witch the academy. We will also be seeing the familiar faces of Sarah Paulson, Lily Rabe, and Evan Peters.

AHS is bringing an exciting cast of newcomers: Emma Roberts will play Madison Montgomery, another young witch at Miss Robichaux’s academy; Kathy Bates will play Madame LaLaurie, a slave owner who was known for torturing her slaves with unbelievable cruelty, and Angela Bassett will play Marie Laveau, queen of the voodoo practitioners. It should be noted that both Bates’ and Bassett’s characters are based on real-life people — as if AHS wasn’t scary enough!

If you aren’t already excited, go sit in a dark room, draw some pentagrams, and listen to the theme song over and over and over again. The scratching and booming will get you in the mood for another horrifying season of FX’s American Horror Story.

American Horror Story’s third season, Coven, is set to air on Wednesday, October 9 at 10 p.m. on FX.

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Warner Bros. Pictures/Courtesy

If you’re like me, that new-school-year excitement is probably beginning to wear off and that wtf-this-school-stuff-is-really-hard-work feeling is settling in. You don’t really have time to go to the movies, but…you’ll probably do it anyways. Check out this week’s picks if you’re in need of a quick break from midterm review and essay writing. They’ll still be there when you  get back.

Gravity

I saw this movie in 3D earlier in the week and let me tell you, it’s one you don’t want to miss. The special effects are mind blowing and the landscapes (spacescapes?) are absolutely breathtaking. “Gravity” is one of the most visually stunning films I’ve ever seen, but be warned, its not for the high of blood pressure. This movie is really stressful to watch — what with the constant threat of being impaled by Russian shrapnel or the fact that Sandra Bullock’s character is almost always moments away from suffocation — but the payoff is worth it.

Harold and Maude

The PFA is hosting a free outdoor screening of the 1971 cult comedy, “Harold and Maude,”  this Friday at 7:30 on the Crescent Lawn. Grab your blankets and lawn chairs and enjoy the story of a death-obsessed teen who falls for a seventy-nine-year-old anarchist. The film was shot in the San Francisco Bay Area, so keep an eye out for familiar scenes.

R.Kelly Trapped in the Closet Sing-Along

I didn’t make this up, although I wish I had. Hip-Hopera fans can sing along to the melodrama that is R.Kelly’s “Trapped in the Closet” music video saga this Saturday night at Oakland’s New Parkway Theater. Expect a “Rocky Horror Picture Show” experience, only about 100 times funnier.

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I saw the news of his death on Twitter, the modern equivalent of the doleful ringing of church bells, and I was surprised at what I felt. I mourn Tom Clancy the writer, not the man.

One of the most difficult things about working for progress on all fronts is getting held back, stymied, stigmatized, and lied about by old conservative white guys with guns. I have long comforted myself with the idea that these people are marching steadily toward death, and leaving behind tolerant and war-weary grandchildren.

It is uncomfortable to love the art of someone you can’t stand. Tom Clancy and I could never have been friends. His politics put him too deep into the camp of people who can’t get enough war and machines for war and peace through war. However, that same fascination with the military, with the unshakeable soldier, and with international tensions made Clancy a great writer.

It is also uncomfortable to admit that an author’s first book was always his best, especially when that author has died, but it’s true. Tom Clancy caught the brass ring on his first try in 1984 with “The Hunt for Red October.” It is not an exaggeration to call it a perfect novel. It is perfectly paced, it is populated with gorgeously lifelike characters, and it is a masterfully crafted narrative of suspense that keeps you on edge even upon re-reading. He folded real-life politics, speculative fiction, and loveable tough guys into one of the best American thrillers a reader can lose herself in.

If you’ve never read Tom Clancy, you’ve probably seen a movie based on his work. He was responsible for “Patriot Games,” “Clear and Present Danger,” “The Sum of All Fears,” and of course the film version of “The Hunt for Red October,” as well as the video games of the same titles. If you’ve never had any contact with him, he is still part of your consciousness. He influenced every writer of political thrillers, military narratives, and “Olympus Has Fallen” style disaster porn you’ve ever seen. Tom Clancy screwed with our idea of national security early and and often, even writing a terrorist weaponizing a commercial jet back in 1994.

I read Tom Clancy as a young teenager. I read Red October as an adventure and a thriller. I didn’t know why his strategy worked on me, but it worked like the proverbial charm. I read that book in one marathon sitting. When I got out of my chair, I saw that I had left impressions by gripping the arm. When I learned of his death, I re-read the novel. It went faster this time, and I was horrified by the underlying politics and creeping propaganda that had slid past the filter of my young mind. However, all of Clancy’s Red Scare and might-is-right rhetoric fell away and I was seduced again by the story. I felt the same sensation I do when listening to really misogynist hip-hop or watching one of Mel Gibson’s less awful films. The man and his art are separate, even when he can’t stop jamming his politics into it. The man dies, the art lives on.

So another paranoid old man, another lifetime member of the NRA, another registered better-red-than-dead voter has died. But Tom Clancy was also a gifted storyteller, a visionary, and a master craftsman with a head full of heroes to share.

He is mourned by people like me who loved his work but might have had a hard time shaking his hand. In the end it is only art that connects us. And death cannot sever that.

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Getty Images/Courtesy

As the catwalks of Paris emptied out and style bloggers flew back home, Paris Fashion Week officially came to an end on October 2nd, and Spring 2014 has left the style community with plenty to talk about. Designers across the board seemed to have come to a unanimous agreement that this would be the season that transgressed as many limits as possible. Old fashion houses rebelled and took an adrenaline shot to their established brand identities, while designers such as Owens took a jab right at the very heart of the fashion institution. If you’re not the patient type to flip through countless slideshows or the rich type to fly to Paris, here are five of the most exciting and memorable exhibitions that are sure to be big in conversation for months to come.

Rick Owens

Rick Owens is the rare designer who waits for the trends to come to him, rather than waste his breath catching up. However, now that Paris has caught up to his lavish silhouettes and his black-and-white aesthetic, the goth-ninja originator has something new to say.

Owens’ show took Paris by storm as forty mostly African-American models trampled down the catwalk with a snarling intensity, performing a thundering sidestep to a harsh, militaristic beat. The show took Owens’ primal undertones to a thrilling extreme. The clothes were nothing spectactularly new for Owens: luxuriously draped pieces dominated by black tones and leather. However, this wasn’t a fashion show as much as it was a performance piece. The designer launched a guerilla attack on the state of the fashion world, skewering the unhealthy, racist concepts of beauty that have plagued the institution for too long. While this show was as anti-fashion as it gets, it has captured the attention of the entire fashion world, the sort of paradox that has defined Owens’ career.

Saint Laurent

Thanks to Hedi Slimane, 2013 saw Paris fall in love with the cigarette-slim punk look helmed by Saint Laurent. Their Spring 2014 line continued the designer’s subversive vision and his keen obsession with musical subculture. Slimane’s typical characters of teddy girls, tattooed motorcyclists and heroin-chic rockers raced down the runway, adorned with the razor-sharp silhouettes that we’ve come to expect from Slimane. The collection demonstrated particular influence by the 80s industrial nightclub scene and Slimane’s experience with menswear, a haphazard contrast that somehow worked in remarkable ways. Dresses were decorated with campy yet retro patterns such as glittery lip prints and tiger stripes, followed by peak-lapel blazers stylized with an anti-establishment air.

All these things and the signature moto jackets that come with them have become the norm for Hedi Slimane, no longer shocking audiences as he did three years back. However, Slimane seems comfortable sitting high on his punk rock throne. Looking at Saint Laurent’s sales of late, the masses seem to agree.

Lanvin

Known to be Jay-Z’s go-to sneaker brand, Lanvin has gained recognition for its sophisticated yet aggressively urban lavishness, arguably the most contemporary of the Old World fashion titans.  Lanvin has taken this reputation for the aggressively urban to a whole new level, dispensing with traditional notions of fabric, in a collection seemingly from a European disco club 50 years into the future.

Lit by a cold, hard blue, the stage was electrified by a series of models in dresses and jumpsuits that were dominated by a maximalist metallic sheen. Sewn almost exclusively in lamé, a fabric woven by metallic yarn of gold and silver, the dresses were a sharp, alarming break from the sophisticated cool that the audience had expected. The house even traded in its usually cool, chic blues for loud tones of brass, gold and jewel tones. Sparsely thrown into the collection were more conventional Lanvin dresses that were sleekly cut and minimally adorned, but these seemed to only serve to highlight the striking contrast with previous collections. Who knew that Paris’ oldest couture house could also be its most electrifyingly youthful.

Christian Dior

With a reputation for beautiful pastel florals and an air of nostalgic femininity, Dior has become near-synonymous with the Parisian belle. Two years ago, no one would have expected Dior to be a fashion house that rebels against its brand identity. However, in an effort to be fresh and engaging again, the brand has let Raf Simons take creative lead, and the Rick Owens contemporary has already sent shockwaves through the brand in a drug-induced swirl.

Simons’ recent show took Diors’ pretty efflorescent world and dipped it in acid, as models paraded down the catwalk in unsettlingly strong fluorescents and bold Tahitian prints. Even the most classic and iconic of Dior silhouettes such as the bar jacket were reinvented, as Simons’ version was cut erratically and was decorated with another flash of fluorescent on the back. Dresses crassly printed with “primrose path” and “Alice Garden” made the intent of the show clear, as the show sent Dior’s image down a psychedelic Wonderland.

Commes Des Garcons

Every fashion week has its token “monster fashion” runway, evoking snarky parodies and countless questions of “who would wear that?” Last year’s was Thom Browne’s line of preppy schoolboy frankensteins, and now it’s Comme des Garcon’s line of uber-nightmarish lolita dolls wearing what might be considered clothes. The streetwear-meets-avant-garde brand has always had a penchant for revolting against fashion norms, as their past collections saw chaotic ruffles blossom across otherwise elegant dresses.

However, Garcon mastermind Kawakubo’s Spring 2014 vision totally abandoned any traditional notions of beauty in favor of masochistic effectations of cages and leather, as well as outlandish oval cutouts that sinisterly recall tentacles. To call it a bit fetishistic would be an understatement. However, ignoring what it means to wear “clothes” allowed Kawakubo to forge one of Spring 2014’s most astonishing and unforgettable artistic exhibitions, one that demonstrates why the people in Paris who are most ahead of the curve are the Japanese.

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