Envoy is here

The dictionary defines Envoy as:

envoy |ˈenˌvoi, ˈänˌvoi|

noun

a messenger or representative, esp. one on a diplomatic mission.

ORIGIN mid 17th cent.: from French envoyé, past participle of envoyer‘send,’ from en voie ‘on the way,’ based on Latin via ‘way.’

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It’s Almost Summer! What’s Cooking, Ulysses King?

The Question: After the huge success of Ulysses King‘s Contempo 70s Holiday 2011 Collection, how did he top himself for his 35-piece Premiere Summer 2012?

The Answer: He took his drawing board under the sea.

Narcosis: An Altered Consciousness

Ulysses King brings his drawing board underwater and derives inspiration from the colours of the deep and the consciousness-altering culture of scuba diving. He named the collection “Narcosis.”

By definition, Narcosis is a reversible phenomenon with effects and susceptibility varying widely  from dive to dive and amongst individuals. Its effects range from a feeling of tranquility and serenity, to perception disturbance, vertigo and hallucination—depending on the physical elements working at different depths. Homer and Hippocrates describe Narcosis as a “temporary alteration of sense of movement, numbness.” It is completely reversed with no long-term effects. Tolerance is never developed, but coping is learned as long as the diver is aware of its manifestation.

Ulysses King’s Summer 2012 Collection revolves around this concept of “altered consciousness” that is adaptable, high-spirited, instinctive and playful. The Narcosis collection evokes a sense of high-octane recreation that is developed into a lifestyle framed only by one’s depiction of his environment; in this case, underwater.

Ulysses speaks to both men and women this time, a surprising turn from his customary menswear-only designs, with bases of blue, white and stripes, accented by neon pink, apple green, tartan and artwork prints. The daubs of neon mimic the colourful marine life and coral formations in the ocean.

The overall mode of the collection is sports-based that springs into diverse beach clothing, streetwear and casual wear. The assortment comes in various construction and textures of cotton, lycra, spandex and dri-fit fabric made into heterogeneous shorts, tanks and shirts, swimsuits and sweatpants. Lightweight cropped jackets and the perennial hoodie paired with athletic trousers bursting with details and colours make up the casual look.

Ulysses King’s Narcosis Collection conjures up an image of an elevated style consciousness when one adapts to his environment and instinct—all woven into a lifestyle that is always evolving.

All photos courtesy of Teddy Manansala (The Manansala Portfolio).

Project StyleWolf: Contempo 70s by Ulysses King, Holiday 2011

Lightweight coats, jackets with asymmetric front, angled-zip pockets and epaulets, fitted blazers that flared slightly at the hip, trousers with a gentle bell at the bottom and ruffled tops–King’s new story came in the shape of a saunter into the Seventies–a strong trend to have emerged on menswear forecast for Holiday 2011.

Envoy Man: Club Bowtie

But for EDMIR DEQUINA LAGUI (of Envoy Man), bowties can also be used as awesome party night-out statements. While doing the styling job for menswear designer Ulysses King for his Holiday 2011 Collection entitled Contempo 70′s (which I already blogged about before), Edmir imagined a British dandy dressed up for a night in town in New York during the 70s, thus the collection called Club Bowtie was born.

Contempo 70s: Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2011 by Ulysses King (Press Kit)

Contempo 70s, as the collection is called, brings out the relatively stranger alter-egos of men dressed in suits who are the dashing Dannys in Ocean’s Eleven. These are men in sartorial garb–seductive and dangerous, powerful but playful–who meet at a tucked-away pub downtown to plot their next agenda. They are attractive, clean, elegant, and full of mystery–with a smirk that either gives away their love for fun that borders on impeccable debauchery or that elusive debonair eclecticism.

99 Summer Looks from the Philippine Fashion Week

Shocking colour blocking, clinical whites, nautical stripes, flowers and citrus fruits, stark contrasts, patterns galore, nomadic accessories, hoodies and capelets–these are the hottest trends for Spring/Summer 2011. But what have you got in your closet?

Philippine Fashion Week SS2011: Ulysses King “Cross Border”

The Egyptians had woven the fibre into a cloth from their earliest days, and by the middle ages in Europe, it had become the principal textile. The Indian silk, for more than 4000 years, has been associated with crowned heads and riches throughout the different ages and acclaimed to be an important aspect of summer’s wardrobe. Both linen and silk materials were used to connect the ancient fashion to modern style.