Thursday, November 10, 2011

COSTUME/COSPLAY #002: Lady Gaga 2010 MTV VMAs Meat Dress





I made my own Lady Gaga Meat dress costume! I debuted it at SPACES gallery's POP ROYALTY benefit costume party.

I've been itching to make a costume based on Lady Gaga's infamous meat dress. I bought the materials for it last year, but hadn't got around to creating it. For the wig, I purchased an all white long haired wig, then spray painted it with turquoise and silver temporary hair spray paint. For the necklace and bracelets, I glued gems onto leather strips and turned them into velcro bracelets.  As for my "Meat Dress," I made entirely out of red felt, red jersey knit for the lining, and fabric paint <3  (I like using knit fabrics for the stretch in costumes - it's more forgiving on fit than wovens.  However if you are more comfortable with wovens, follow this tuturial but leave 1" to sew in a side seam or back zipper to get in or out.)

Personally I loved all the outfits she wore to the 2010 VMAs, she looked gorgeous in her S/S 2010 Alexander McQueen 1st outfit, and her custom black Armani couture gown for her 2nd look.  Her 3rd look, now known as "the Meat Dress" left people loving it or disgusted. What draws my attention to this outfit are the colors:  The white/grey and turquoise ombre hair with the start contrast of the red and white of the meat. I LOVE IT.  Her shoe wraps remind me of chunky platform shoes of the late 90's.  Not to mention she was dripping in jewels.  That's what I liked most about it, the colors...THE COLORS. I loved her Meat Dress 2010 MTV VMAs outfit so much I even included it as an illustration in my 2011 Sketchbook Project.

Meat has been used in art as material and fashion photo shoots time and time again. It was a very Dada-esque thing to do. (Marcel Duchamp, Elsa Schiaparelli, and Salvador Dali would have approved). Kind of a big "F*%& You" to the red carpet and PETA.
Meat Gaga" by Lisa Malanij, The Sketchbook Project 2011

In this video of the Pop Royalty party from CoolCleveland.com, you can see myself and my Katy Perry girl friend at :15 sec, and my girls Pam, Laurel, and Carolyn at 1:26 sec.

The Pop Royalty party was a blast. Among many other pop stars running around, I made friends with a girl dressed as Katy Perry (Though she had an awesome blue bob wig that could have totally passed for CFDA Fashion Awards 2011 Gaga). After the party, my friends and I decided to get food at XYZ Tavern in the Detroit Shoreway area.  I didn't have a change of clothes, so in my full Gaga ensemble I bravely went to the bars with no shame. HAHA. I am truly a brave soul.

Here are my "red carpet" photos taken at SPACES Gallery during their Pop Royalty event :]

Friday, October 28, 2011

COSTUME/COSPLAY #001 - Adventure Time with Fionna & Cake Costume

I've decided to make a new section of my blog for costumes, since I am a fashion designer with the power of pattern making and sewing and all ;]
This Halloween I set my heart on being Fionna from Adventure Time, as I feel she is pretty much a cartoon version of myself.
Me as Fionna and Cake from Adventure Time! Costume and Cake Plushie made by me!

Me as Fionna and Cake from Adventure Time!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

THINGS LISA LIKES #001: Cult Films - The Phantom of the Paradise

"He sold his soul for Rock n Roll"
The Phantom of the Paradise is one of my favorite cult films.



So it makes me very happy that this Saturday, September 17, 2011 the Capitol Theater will be playing Brian DePalma’s Phantom of the Paradise as part of the Cleveland Cinema’s Late Shift Movies! OMG YES! <3 Even better, Simply His Servants, the same cast who performs during Rocky Horror at the Cedar Lee will be performing live throughout the movie.  So if you are free this Saturday come see the Phantom of the Paradise at the Capitol Theater. I might even bust out my  black Makeup Forever Lipstick in Rouge Artist Intense #50 to channel my own Phantom.

There’s nothing quite like a favorite cult film playing on the big screen with other fans shouting out things at the screen ;] (Side note:  Simply His Servants acted out Clue during a Late Shift movie last April 2010, which was awesome!)

I even doodled the Phantom in my 2011 Sketchbook Project. <3

Thursday, September 1, 2011

THINGS LISA LIKES #011: I ♥ Adventure Time!

I am absolutely obsessed with "Adventure Time With Finn & Jake" on Cartoon Network.  It's this surreal children's cartoon with lots of wacky characters and situations which I can only describe as if Tim & Eric and Dungeons and Dragons had a lovechild.  With it's simple yet wacky animation style, it's quickly become a cult favorite among kids and adults alike.   The premise is a  boy named Finn and his BFF dog Jake go around fighting wizards, finding treasure, saving towns, having dance parties... you name it while having fun in this magical land of Ooo.

On Sept. 5, the long awaited "Adventure Time with Fionna and Cake"  fan service episode will be featuring Finn and Jake's gender-swapped counterparts: Fionna (a girl adventurer) and Cake (a cat).  To celebrate I drew some doodles of what I would look like if I was in the world of Adventure Time.   

So this is me, Adventure Time Lisa with my stretchy pals Snowball and Tube Socks.

Snowball is my favorite stuffed animal who I took everywhere with me when I was a kid.  He started out as a white, fluffy Precious Moments stuffed rabbit.  He currently looks like a gray, flattened, loved to death, stuffed animal resembling more of a slushball than a snowball.  It doesn't matter.  I've already decreed he will be buried with me in my coffin. He currently sits on my bed.
Tube Socks is the family cat we saved from the streets.  In real life he is a very handsome black and white tuxedo cat with a really chill personality.   His cartoon alter-ego would be sort of a trouble making dickens I suppose.
Fionna and Cake meet Finn and Jake

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

BLOG #010: New Business Cards for 2011

Hey guys!  Here are my new business cards for 2011!  I made them at the end of July so I could hand out my updated business cards while on my vacation to NYC networking to other designers, friends, industry professionals, and cute boys. *cough cough*


Monday, June 27, 2011

BLOG #009: Final Fantasy VII Extra Knights

Admittedly, I also like collecting certain nostalgic toys and action figures in addition to my collecting of clothing, accessories, makeup, and books.  When you are a kid, you are somewhat limited in purchasing or collecting certain toys that were available while you were growing up due to lack of money ($3 allowance only goes so far) or parental prohibiting.
Fast forward to 2011 where eBay can make all things possible!

Last week I had a sudden urge to make good on one of the items I've always wanted: an original Cloud Strife Extra Knights Bandai action figure.  Final Fantasy VII is hands down my favorite and millions of others favorite game.  Ever since 1997 I saw these action figures at a HMV, but my broke 12 year old self wasn't allowed to buy them.

Well look what came in the mail today!

Me and my Final Fantasy VII Extra Knights Bandai action figure set c. 1998
I'm such a happy fan girl right now <3
Originally I was just going to get myself the Cloud Strife extra knight, I didn't care if it was opened.  However through my master searching skills I was able to find an unopened box set with Cloud, Barret, Tifa, and Aerith for a little more than the unopened Cloud and opened FFVII Extra Knights set.  I wish I could open them and play with them, but the good news is that  they will be worth lots of  $$$ money in the years to come.  Guess I have to collect the rest of the characters to make my set complete.

Are there any toys you always wanted but didn't get when you were a child? What were they? Tell me in the comments section :]

Friday, June 24, 2011

BLOG #008: New Website Redesign!

Hello!  Lisamalanij.com is back up and running complete with entire redesign including video, scrolling photo galleries,  and integrated blog!  Major props to my designer Mike Stone for the site facelift.
I’m very happy to have a cohesive place to promote my professional work and musings all in one site.

For the moment I am working two jobs (I am a Beauty Advisor for Clinique and temporarily working at my local gym) plus my freelancing  so life is a bit hectic and my design work has been temporarily on the back burner.  I have a new conceptual collection that has evolved into something  into two collections, as well as my upcycled 3xHearts line.

But never fear, I will be updating my blog frequently.  Watch over this space for updates through the blog for local events, trends, fashions, outfits, and of course current projects, illustrations, items for sale, and Lisa fashion news.

It’s good to be back!