Don't Call My Name

Lady Gaga premiered his her new music video for the single Alejandro directed by fashion photographer Steven Klein.

The approximately 9 minute video starts with men passed out in a bar wearing stilettos and stockings. Then an army of half-naked men wearing some sort of "spanx", go dancing.

As the dancing men fades, emerges Gaga with some sort of Alien like being sprouting from her head while wearing a blond mop top. Mop tops were also prevalent among the shirtless male dancers, they were probably channeling Edith Head or the Peter Pan man.

Superhot male model Evandro Soldati was also there sans the "spanx" and bob but wearing a spiky helmet and dons a gold gun.

Then she wears a red latex nun habit by her fave S&M designer Atsuko Kudo while groping a rosary which she eventually "eats" by the end of the video. The scene then moves to Gaga in flesh-toned underwear with black pumps riding a man then dancing with the hordes of half-naked men with the bob.

Then on an attempt to "shock" people, she places an inverted cross on her crotch while being carried by the mop top men. Alas I was not shocked but rather tired by her attempts to be "provocative" by doing something as a religious statement maybe because I've gone tired of all her "shock" art that she has been displaying on her previous videos.

The next scene featured a more formal Gaga where she wears pants and a vest, gyrating with gay Nazis, probably a nod to Bob Fosse and Cabaret.

Lady Gaga then removes her vest to flaunt her new gun bra, probably one of my more favorite moments of videos and her outfit. (Though it creates pancake boob)

Overall, the video felt a little boring considering it's Gaga and I have been following her since Just Dance. The video and the song resembles Madonna, circa La Isla Bonita, and ABBA. Well, its just sensible since Steven Klein is a long time collaborator with Madonna that he just injects a little flavor of Madonna but ultimately feels like an imitation. Lady Gaga attempts to portray homosexuality as an accepted phenomenon present in religion and the military, but the interpretation in the video was unclear despite the evident gay theme. Generally, the song was ok, no Poker Face or Bad Romance, and the video was so-so, no Bad Romance, Paparazzi, or Telephone, despite the huge budget.

LATER!!!

Image Sources: Nicola Formichetti

CFDA Awards 2010

Last Monday, June 7, 2010, the Council of Fashion Designers of America held their annual CFDA Awards at the Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall where they honor designers who presented great pieces of design. Bloggers and editors cast their votes on who would be deserving of the award known to be the Oscars of Fashion.

There were eleven categories (seven competitive and four honorary awards).

Marc Jacobs' Spring 2010 Collection

Marc Jacob's Fall 2010 Collection

The Womenswear Designer of the Year Award was given to the marvelous Marc Jacobs. Fellow nominees were the amazing Alexander Wang & the divine Donna Karan.

rag&bone's Spring 2010 Collection

rag&bone's Fall 2010 Collection

Menswear Designer of the Year category was also tough considering the nominees: Michael Bastian, rag&bone, and established designer Tom Ford. Ultimately, rag&bone designers David Neville and Marcus Wainright nabbed the award.

Accessories by Alexis Bittar

The astounding accessories designer Alexis Bittar bested the marvelous Marc Jacobs and the pristine team at Proenza Schouler for the Accessories Designer of the Year Award.

Jason Wu's Spring 2010 Collection

Jason Wu's Fall 2010 Collection

Each year the CFDA awards up-and-coming designers with the Swarovski Awards, and this year Jason Wu won the Swarovski Awards for Womenswear surpassing nominees Joseph Altuzarra and Prabal Gurung.

Richard Chai's Spring 2010 Collection

Richard Chai's Fall 2010 Collection

Jason Wu's counterpart was Richard Chai who won the Swarovski Awards for Menswear beating Patrick Ervell & Simon Spurr.

Shoes by Alexander Wang

Bags by Alexander Wang

Though Alexander Wang didn't win the Womenswear Designer of the Year, he did win the Swarovski Awards for Accessory Design.

Iconic American designer Ralph Lauren wins Popular Award

Ralp Lauren proved to be really iconic since he won the Popular Vote (second time in a row) wherein people are voting much like American Idol

Lifetime Achievement Award winner Michael Kors with Gwyneth Paltrow, both in Michael Kors.

Fashion Icon Award winner, supermodel Iman wearing Giambattista Valli

Honorary Awards went to Michael Kors, Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Awards presented by Anna Wintour, and supermodel Iman was bestowed as CFDA's Fashion Icon.

Alexander McQueen's final collection part of the montage presented by Sarah Jessica Parker.

During the event, CFDA also honored the late great designer Alexander McQueen with a tribute of his work and by showing the final collection from the much lamented designer. With Sarah Jessica Parker (also wearing a McQueen gown) as the speaker, the montage/tribute was effective in showcasing the genius that was and always will be Alexander McQueen. Long live McQueen!!!

LATER!!!

Sources: The Cut & New York Times

Image Sources: Style.com, GQ.com, & CFDA

Red Velvets

Being bored has its perks & drawbacks. Well huge drawbacks - weight gain!!!

As I said being bored has its perks: catching up with the latest news, getting rest, fixing my room, eating, & discovering new stuff. One of the new things that I got to do for the last leg of my summer vacation was to bake all sorts of stuff, that includes cupcakes.

I have always wanted to make red velvet cakes but I see cakes to be a bit tedious so instead I made cupcakes!!!

On my first take of baking these delicate cupcakes I burned the bottom and did not really do a buttercream frosting instead I did a weird sweet butter topping.

I would really like to thank Ming Makes Cupcakes for the original recipe (I tweaked some elements on my recipe), my family totally loved it!!!

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

For the Cupcakes you need:

1 1/4 cup flour (all purpose flour could do)

3/4 cup sugar (brown sugar in my case)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp cocoa powder (in my case I pulverized semisweet chocolate)

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup buttermilk (a substitute of milk & vinegar should do the trick; ratio - 1:1)

1 egg

1 tbsp red food coloring

1/2 tsp white vinegar

1 tsp vanilla

Sift together the dry ingredients - flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, & cocoa powder in a medium sized bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg, food coloring, vinegar, & vanilla. Now add the

wet concoction

to the

dry mixture

gradually while mixing at medium speed until mixture is just combined and at smooth & gooey consistency. Fill the cupcake liners. Bake in a preheated oven at 175C for 15 to 20 minutes. To be sure that the cupcakes had been baked, poke a toothpick in the cupcakes and if it comes out clean then it's ready.

For the Buttercream Frosting:

1 stick room temp. butter (1/2 cup or 8 tbsp)
2 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
a dash of almond extract

Cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar, milk, vanilla, & almond extract then beat until spreadable consistency. This will yield a pale yellow-white mixture. Just wait for the cupcakes to cool then you can frost. You can use a plastic spatula or a piping bag to frost (I used spatula).

Voila!!! You now have delicious red velvet cupcakes topped with buttercream frosting. This recipe should make at least 12 cupcakes. :)

LATER!!!