Inside Ice-filled Alpine Lake

These stunning shots show the beautiful and eerie underwater world of a Swiss ice-filled Alpine lake.

Taken in Lake Sassolo, close to the southern border with Italy, these were taken by diving photographer Franco Banfi.
Although the high altitude region is known for its sunny weather, the lake was formed by the run-off of the Alps surrounding it.

The giant ice structures dwarf the tiny divers as they explore the nooks and crannies of the icebergs.



The pictures show the lake's massive ice formations, smoothed by the flow of the water into unusual formations.
In one shot there even seems to be a face peeking out of the ice to greet the divers.
The ice forms into comb like structures and tiny tunnels are made between the metre thick slabs, allowing the divers to squeeze through and capture these unseen views.
'The water in the lake is freezing, so the best time to go is summer,' said Franco who took the pictures in June of last year.
'But it's so different from a lot of other dives you could do around the world that it's well worth a visit.





'The other issue is altitude, it's hard work carrying diving eqipment and cameras around anyway, but when the air is thinner it becomes a real test of strength,' he added.
The region is home to 140 lakes and over 3,500 miles of rivers, streams and rivers and is popular with hikers and divers.

Awesome Rainbow Rose

WINTER KNIT JUMPER JACKET -LOOK

I realised the fact photos of my and my looks have been absent. So I thought I might take these quick ones just to balance out. Obviously seeing all the past model backstages, my poses compare nothing to theirs and I look rather crap. But here I am.

This is a chunk knit jumper by Levis. I bought it 2 years ago... I think. It's kind has a very big neck collar and when zipped up, it's like a turtle neck. It's very warm, though when you first wear it, you will be cold because of the chunk knit and the holes. I like experimenting with movement. So the last pictures shows. As always, most of the photos aren't that cohesive as a "collection" but I believe in bringing out different ways of photographing to show the jumper.

INJURY LABEL

Sydney based label INJURY is what the more dark and androgynous man would attempt to wear. They also do womenswear which follows the same vampire-eske aesthetic. I reckon the wardrobe of the "Twilight" movies should adopt some of these pieces. Eugene Leung created the label 6 years ago and has already been overseas showcasing his designs with stockists in the USA and Asia.

I must say I haven't heard of his label until quite recently. I must have been living under a rock, since his stuff has been in so many magazines. I love all his pieces. The prints on the tee and pants and the jackets are amazing! If you told me to choose a piece. I would have a lot of trouble!



Read interview HERE:





Name?
Eugene Leung


Name of fashion label and why it is called that?
INJURY, when you are being cut and sewn you are in a situation of INJURY same as the fabrics.

Age?
It's 6 years old


Where are you based?
Sydney

When and how did you decide design as your career?
I begin my design carreer when I study archiecture, and during the same time I designed lots of graffiti stickers then turn it into print tees

Were you always a fashionable person?
Depends on the definition of fashionable, before I start to design clothes and start to wear my own designs I'm pretty much only just wear vintage.

What was the process/ how did you start beginning your label?
Injury begins when the vampire like headshot picture of a friend was turned into graffiti art in 2002 and we called it INJURY I decided to make it a fashion related label in order to turn things into a 3 dimensional art form.

Then in 2005 we joined Melbourne fashion week. That’s where the label INJURY officially became a full collection with DVD short films as showing tools




Tips for aspiring designers, like me?
Just do whatever you feels right for being yourself.

Did you have any education in fashion? if so, where? if not, how did you learn the technical aspects?
I'm pretty much self taught, all the technical aspects are learn from dissembling lots of clothes


How did your friends/family react to you turning to fashion design?
Just try your best

How do you approach your designs each season and what inspires you?
Usually what inspires me is not anything from the fashion world – what usually inspires me are characters in movies, musicians, and strangers I meet. I usually approach my collection by observing news and what happens everyday around the world and by going outside to look at people.

What are your aesthetics/inspirations?
Modernism
Whats the underlying message of this collection/ themes?
God is coming Back, if he is not there before.

Where do you source fabrics and what kind of fabrics do you use?
I source fabrics from all around the world, from the best china silk, organic cotton to korean velvet, and european wool to japanese rayon etc.

The fashion industry is so competitive, how do you keep you label sustainable?
To always remember that we are not here to just make expensive clothes for expensive people.

Are you working internationally with stocking,etc?
Yes, USA and Asia.


How is your label unique from others in Australia and abroad ?
We don't belong to any genre, and I guess that helps to make it unique in lot of ways.

Who is your target market? what/why do you think your products appeals to them?
People who appreciate black is everything and white is the new black

Favourite designer/s and why?
It changes every season, but right now I’m very impressed by RAD Hourani ’s collection, its modern approach and minimal touch with a twist always, Rick Owen and Damir Doma

I believe good models help a lot in selling the clothes. what kind of models' outlook do you choose for your label?
Those with a body and face between vampire and human.

What will the public expect to see next, coming from your label?
Darker & lighter, brutal but peaceful pieces.


What's your favourite piece from your label?
It changes every season but right now I guess the drop crotch pant is the one I wear the most.

What the most popular piece customers like?
The drop crotch pant

For people who don't know your label, how would you describe it in a sentence?
The lights when you see through dark emotions

BAM BRANDS

JAMIE FAME










SERPENT AND THE SWAN













SOSUME










DAN JONES









BURN BRIDGES








MERCURIALIST









DESIGN BY JUDE






STAMPD









VANGUARD









On Monday, I took a visit to the pop up BAM BRANDS at Chalk Horse which went for 2 days. It was a great showcase that was original in an environment mixing fashion with art (there were works of Jasper Knight). Posted up here are the images of the labels I adored.

Jamie Fame was a favourite of mine and was the first label I laid my eyes upon. They are simplistic and have great prints on their tees and minimal tanks with different cuts and use of high quality fabric. You should watch this label. I think its the next Ksubi!

It was great seeing Hayley & Lauri Smith from Serpent and the Swan again. The previous time was at Fashion Forward. Those girls are so down to earth and artistic - as a result their design is unique and individual from anything else I have seen before in terms of intricate details- as you can see in the pictures of those horse hoofs and wolf heads. I love their colour palette with black and salmon/peachy colour. ( read interview i did with them awhile back here)

Sosume - I love! I have previously seen their collections online, however they only worked with monochromes in past seasons. The pieces that will be coming out soon will include a move into a few other colours but still keeping it very staple and basic -the signature of the label. I really love the bat wing shirt, that you can't actually see here.

Dan Jones blew me away with his hand work. The sequin jumper. GIVE ME NOW! His pieces are dramatic but simplistic. - (I've used the word simplistic so many times in this post.. I should probably look in the thesaurus for a new word). He used feathers that are hand sewn piece by piece on a very simple cut dress. That's just one piece! Imagine all his other pieces! He showed at RAFW at MCA - so this is the label to watch ! Bold but black!

Burn Bridges was a label that made me want to take away the whole suitcase. I love the fact they have based pieces on Shakespearean characters and the look of them really reminded me of the plays I studied. Especially the Othello ring!

Mercurialist - a new label really intrigues me with their leather bags and jewellery. I loved the way they have weathered and worked the leather of the bags. The textures are great and it's high quality of a decent price. Their jewellery is in test tubes and i was just attracted to it! It gives that extra touch to the jewellery itself. Great thanks to the guys at BAM for giving me one of the necklaces worth $80!

Design by Jude - When I saw the black fierce shoulder piece. My mouth literally dropped and I breathed and want to steal them! haha. I would totally wear it! Its so amazing! Oh and that necklace. mmm I want I want! Jude made his big publicity stunt ( hehe kind of ) when he gave a piece to Phoebe from Lady Melbourne and she wore it everywhere! If only Jude would give me that shoulder or the necklace piece. I'd prance around like the hottest thing in town in the biggest ego! hehe

StampD - lets just cut to it. I LOVE THAT PAIR WITH THE GOLD STUDS!!!! It's so awesome hehe. They are a label based in LA and have just landed in Australia - Not even in stores yet. It already has some celebrity follows overseas.

Vanguard- The guys behind the label are laid back and cool dudes and it's reflected in their clothes. It's something that's easy to wear day in day out but different enough for you to fit in a crowd and stand out at the same time. I like the crunched up pants!

Lots of labels here use high quality and environmentally friendly fabrics and I give them all a big thumbs up!