Marko Mitanovski, Location and Melancholic Concept

For the Cut Project I am working with Heidi Wood. The project allows us to explore film through research, resulting in our own creative film to ultimately sell Marko Mitanovski's clothing in a melancholic style. Film is not an area I have looked at and although daunting I am excited to produce our own promotional film.

We have to promote an up and coming designers work, including the elements of wind in a melancholic style.  Our designer is Marko Mitanovski so we started by researching into his work and wil continue this throughout the project.

 

The above images are some of his designs from the October 2008 collection ‘Lady Macbeth’ inspired by the Renaissance and Elizabethan costume, with exaggerated frills and pleating the look transforms into a futuristic sci-fi form, both trends echoed from designers in the past couple of years.

Lady Gaga wearing gloves by Marko Mitanovski for Q Magazine, February 2010.

Stylist: Nicola Formichetti Photographer: John Wright

I came across this magazine cover at the trainstation one morning and was extremely certain that these gloves Lady Ga Ga was wearing were designed by Marko Mitanovski! I checked the magazine but sadley could not find a reference for them! Later on however i was pleased to find i had been correct, Marko had put these images on his face book. The styling for his work here and throughout editorial works is very different from his own images that are a balance of exaggerated fierce Elizabethan and sci-fi futuristic escapism. The magazines choosing his clothing for styling have gone for a futuristic slant with an emphasis on glamour and the new. This is something Marko expresses in interviews that he is making the old very up to date and new. 

Corps Bride editorial. Designer: Marko Mitanovski Photographer: Marko Sovilj Model: Maja Atanasijevic Hair: Nina Butkovich- Budden & Djuka Makeup: Natasa Maljevic

Text about Marko Mitanovski's designs in SQM Magazine, Argentina

Photographer: Marko Sovilj Make up: Natasa Maljevic Hair: Nina Butkovich-Budden Model:a Maja Atanasijevic.

Below are snippets from an online interview taken from the editorial pictured above:

What can we expect next?

"At the moment i'm working on my new collection for next week LFW in Februaruy 2010. In a few weeks you could expect new editorial for Q magazine with Lady Gaga wearing my costumes... I felt very honoured to be one of the chosen designers to take part in the "ones to watch" show at LFW. I was invited to have several shoots for magazines :

• Dazed Digital (video)
• Drama Magazine (cover)
• Ponytail
• Issue 1
• Noise Magazine
• Glass Sublime
• Qliz Magazine
• Vision Vogue.com etc"

What was the inspiration for your collection?

"I was inspired with the form of Renaissance costumes, which i toyed with. I over dimensioned them and transpired collars in several ways. I acheived volume by pleating eco laether, to honour teh silhouette of costume. I tried to modernise it using S&M punk elements. i also designed shoes and gloves for the show."

What inspired your work?

"I observe the world around me and I interpret it in my own way and communicate it to the world. Historical costumes are my inspirational base. My work is recognised for its sculpturality and theatrics in models, detailed construction and moderate geometry...it does not disfigure a woman's shape...it reasonably emphasises and accentuates it."

I felt this was important research to get into the mind of our designer, and alalyse his collection that we have chosen to inspire our film, whihc inturn is a tool to promote him. This way we can be true to the concept and themes behind the clothing which inspires our film and learn how he produces his mindblowing creations, and for what reasons they are dynamic and original. The use of fabric and structure is unquestionable.

Dazed & Confused online stated: "Marko Mitanovski's clothes are perfect for the always theatrical and exciting miss Gaga"

'Manifesto of a little monster'-shows Gaga in a black top and 'Exercist intelude'-white pleated skirt

"Mitanovski showed an over-the-top collection filled with S&M, Reinassance elagance, a gothic twinge and animalistic ekements. Comparably speaking, Mitanovski is the Alexander McQueen of new London blood..."

Sublime Magazine Designer (skirt) Marko Mitanovski Photographer: Michal Martychowiec Stylist: Claudia Behnke Model: Taylor Makeup: Ken Nakano Hair: Teiji Utsumi.

Drama Magazine Designer: Marko Mitanovski Photographer: Ram Shergill Styling: Tanausu  Herrera 

Drama Magazine Designer: Marko Mitanovski Photographer Ram Shergill Atyling: Tanausu Herrera

Drama Magazine Designer Marko Mianovski Photographer: Ram Shergill Styling: Tanausu Herrera

Elle Magazine 

Designer: Marko Mitanovski 

Fashion Editor: Iva Stefanovic 

Styling: Jelena Ikonic 

Photography: Milena Rakocevic

 Makeup: Dragan Vurdelja za Art Deco 

Hair: UHS Taubner by L'oreal Proffesionel

Singer Paloma Faith wears top tby F.TAPE ROAR TALENT Designer Marko Mitanovski at the ICA on 24th June. 

The above 2 are images we found off of Marko's face book page in an editorial and press folder. We are unsure of their origin or who photographer and styled them but they are extremely beautiful and powerful compositions that can inspire us for our interpretation.

This is another shot taken from his face book page we thought it demonstrates the slightly punk attitude in his shows, and is a good shot of the hair construction. 

We thought this was a nice makeup and hair reference I like the way the jaw line is enhanced with the use of white makeup and the hair doubles as a kind of mask. This plays with the restrictive clothing concept to the face. 

Construction in hair clothing and lighting has made this image very powerful it is however not melancholic with this lighting.

Page Magazine Fashion Designer: Marko Mitanovski Photographer: Joshua Carroll 

Stylist: Claudia Behnke Makeup: Michelle Webb

Immodesty Blaize Shoot for the press material of the movie "Burlesque Undressed" 

Collar: Marko Mitanovski Hat: Stephen Jones Stylist Kimi O'Neil 

Vision Magazine, October 2009

Fashion Designer Marko Mitanovski 

Fashion Editor:  Maple Jiang 

Photography: Akif Hakan Celebi 

Styling: Claudia Behnke 

Makeup: Megumi Matsuno 

Hair: Kunio Kohzaki 

Model: Alice F Premier

Piers Atkinson's campaign A/W10 

Dress: Marko Mitanovski

Hat: Piers Atkinson 

Stylist: Kim Howells

Photo: Morgan White

Model: Lucy Atkinson

Elle Magazine

Designer: Marko Mitanovski

Photographer: Joe Kent- Smith

Stylist: Svetlana Prodanic

Makeup: Kate Goodwin Hair:Yoshiki

Model: Silvia Premier Model Menagment/ London

Grazia Magazine

Fashion Designer : Marko Mitanovski

Photo: Peter Vujanic

Styling: Lara Milanovic

 Makeup: Ivana Stoilov

Hair: Milian Saric 

Model: Ivana Stanimirovic

LOCATION


Whilst getting a thorough look into Marko Mitanovski's style and work, Heidi and i have brain stormed potential ideas for a melancholic film. The idea of love and loss comes to mind but not in a severely hysterical tragic way, more of a romantic memory with slight sorrow.


This is Camber Beach i have been here many times for photographic projects and painting. It is very peaceful and beautiful. The scape dramatically changes based on the weather, bellow are two examples of the same spot in different cloud conditions the first image has a filter to enhance the contrasts but we think over all this is a perfect melancholic location. Based on experience it seems the best time to shoot is early in the morning as the tide is out and you get this vast space of sand, water and cloud playing with light and textures. This would be a good back drop for Marko's silhouettes and black and white contrasts.

Leading up from the beach there are a series of large sand dunes with different shapes casting steep peaks and enclosed sheltered areas, this is a useful area to shoot to compile a narrative and awareness of time and motion.

MELANCHOLY

Heidi and I had heard of the term Melancholy but after conversations realised we didn't fully understand what the term meant. Melancholy to me evokes sadness immediately that was my initial reaction. Through research we learnt of the poem by John Keats called 'Ode on Melancholy' (as shown below)

NO, no! go not to Lethe, neither twist

Wolf's-bane, tight-rooted, for its poisonous wine;

Nor suffer thy pale forehead to be kist

By nightshade, ruby grape of Proserpine;

Make not your rosary of yew-berries,

Nor let the beetle, nor the death-moth be

Your mournful Psyche, nor the downy owl

A partner in your sorrow's mysteries;

For shade to shade will come too drowsily,

And drown the wakeful anguish of the soul.

But when the melancholy fit shall fall

Sudden from heaven like a weeping cloud,

That fosters the droop-headed flowers all,

And hides the green hill in an April shroud;

Then glut thy sorrow on a morning rose,

Or on the rainbow of the salt sand-wave,

Or on the wealth of globèd peonies;

Or if thy mistress some rich anger shows,

Emprison her soft hand, and let her rave,

And feed deep, deep upon her peerless eyes.

She dwells with Beauty—Beauty that must die;

And Joy, whose hand is ever at his lips

Bidding adieu; and aching Pleasure nigh,

Turning to poison while the bee-mouth sips:

Ay, in the very temple of Delight

Veil'd Melancholy has her sovran shrine,

Though seen of none save him whose strenuous tongue

Can burst Joy's grape against his palate fine;

His soul shall taste the sadness of her might, 

And be among her cloudy trophies hung.

Keats explains the term as a meaning of loss, longing and nostalgia. His poem underlines that to experience happiness one must experience melancholy.