Showing posts with label They Say I'm Different. Show all posts
Showing posts with label They Say I'm Different. Show all posts
June 13, 2026
July 22, 2024
Joel Brodsky articles/mentions
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December 31, 2022
Buddy Miles articles/mentions
November 18, 2021
March 1, 2021
January 29, 2021
September 13, 2016
Beemer Memory 13: Betty Davis, Kaisik Wong & Sandra Sakata ~ They were different
costume by Kaisik Wong
cover photo by Mel Dixon
detail photo of cover by Styrous®
Around
the middle of July in 1979, fantasy clothing designer, Kaisik Wong, was
preparing for a fashion show he was producing on the 25th of that
month. It was to be presented at the Hilton Hotel in Caracas, Venezuela.
In addition to the fashsions he was creating and sewing together, he
was trying to put together the actual show itself; and he was not having
a very good time with that. In a panic he contacted Gene Weber, a
photographer, for any kind of help he could recommend.
I had done some underwater photography for Weber as well as some modeling. I was recovering from a back injury while dancing two years earlier (Beemer 5 link below). In the recovery time I was making a living with stage productions which was supported by my music knowledge.
Weber told Kaisik he knew just the fellow that could help him out and introduced me to him. I began working with a man who would change my life forever.
I had done some underwater photography for Weber as well as some modeling. I was recovering from a back injury while dancing two years earlier (Beemer 5 link below). In the recovery time I was making a living with stage productions which was supported by my music knowledge.
Weber told Kaisik he knew just the fellow that could help him out and introduced me to him. I began working with a man who would change my life forever.
1950-1990
photographer unknown
I
had never seen a fashion show before; all my experience was in
performance, acting, dancing, theater, etc. I looked at his designs and
in my head heard the sound I wanted to hear when I viewed them.
I spent the next week or so working with Kaisik on his show, looking at his designs knowing I'd seen something like what he was doing somewhere. It took me a while, then suddenly it clicked one day! I didn't say anything but that night I went back to my studio then to the record shelves to look for . . . what? In what I can only describe as a semi-conscious state, I reached out and pulled this album from a shelf. I looked at it with amazement and took it with me the next day when I went back to work with Kaisik.
When I showed the album to him he was astonished! Yes, it was his design. That was the day he began telling me about all the adventures he had while designing costumes for some of the biggest singers in the business as well as others.
I spent the next week or so working with Kaisik on his show, looking at his designs knowing I'd seen something like what he was doing somewhere. It took me a while, then suddenly it clicked one day! I didn't say anything but that night I went back to my studio then to the record shelves to look for . . . what? In what I can only describe as a semi-conscious state, I reached out and pulled this album from a shelf. I looked at it with amazement and took it with me the next day when I went back to work with Kaisik.
When I showed the album to him he was astonished! Yes, it was his design. That was the day he began telling me about all the adventures he had while designing costumes for some of the biggest singers in the business as well as others.
He told me about taking dresses to Tina Turner in her dressing room during shows when she was still with Ike; seems that other than Tina, it wasn't a whole lot of fun.
He recounted his adventures in Spain when he met the great Catalon artist, Salvador Dalí in 1969 and when he and Steven Arnold (more below), a protégé of Dalí, assisted the master in the embellishment and inauguration of his Teatro-Museo Dalí in the mid 70's. Dali commissioned Wong to create his signature work, Red Ray, one of The Seven Rays series.
When we were working on his show, sometimes I took Kaisik around to pick up items he needed for his designs. Neither of us had a car so we went on my bike; he loved riding around on it with me, holding onto the back of my jacket. I loved it when I heard him hoot and holler the first time. He rode excellent pillion!
Well, he went off to Caracas with the music I'd put together for his fashion show; unfortunately, I couldn't go with it. When Kaisik returned he said the people went crazy over his designs and the music I'd used. It was nothing like any they'd seen or heard before in a fashion show. I thought, "Great!" then didn't think of it any further.
Kaisik worked for an art-to-wear salon in San Francisco called, Obiko, owned and operated by Sandra Sakata. In March of 1980, Sakata was preparing for her very first fashion show (Beemer Memory 14 link below). The clothing for the show was furiously being designed and created but production for the actual show was not going well. In desperation she asked Kaisik if he knew of any one who could help with the music. He told her about me; I met Sandra and we proceeded to produce our very first fashion show together. Obiko, Sandra and I were on the way to an almost 20 year history of stellar, theatrical fashion shows that have never been equaled. I produced the Obiko shows until Sandra died in 1997.
He recounted his adventures in Spain when he met the great Catalon artist, Salvador Dalí in 1969 and when he and Steven Arnold (more below), a protégé of Dalí, assisted the master in the embellishment and inauguration of his Teatro-Museo Dalí in the mid 70's. Dali commissioned Wong to create his signature work, Red Ray, one of The Seven Rays series.
photo by Allan Warren
When we were working on his show, sometimes I took Kaisik around to pick up items he needed for his designs. Neither of us had a car so we went on my bike; he loved riding around on it with me, holding onto the back of my jacket. I loved it when I heard him hoot and holler the first time. He rode excellent pillion!
Well, he went off to Caracas with the music I'd put together for his fashion show; unfortunately, I couldn't go with it. When Kaisik returned he said the people went crazy over his designs and the music I'd used. It was nothing like any they'd seen or heard before in a fashion show. I thought, "Great!" then didn't think of it any further.
Kaisik worked for an art-to-wear salon in San Francisco called, Obiko, owned and operated by Sandra Sakata. In March of 1980, Sakata was preparing for her very first fashion show (Beemer Memory 14 link below). The clothing for the show was furiously being designed and created but production for the actual show was not going well. In desperation she asked Kaisik if he knew of any one who could help with the music. He told her about me; I met Sandra and we proceeded to produce our very first fashion show together. Obiko, Sandra and I were on the way to an almost 20 year history of stellar, theatrical fashion shows that have never been equaled. I produced the Obiko shows until Sandra died in 1997.
The last piece in the first Obiko fashion show, Red Ray, was commissioned by Salvadore Dalí. It was one of many designs by Kaisik Wong that have found their way into the collection of the Textile Arts Council of the M. H. de Young Museum.
Kaisik Wong ~ Red Ray (1974)
Kaisik Wong ~ Orchid Dress, ca. 1976
shown in the first Obiko fashion show
Textile Arts Council
M. H. de Young Museum
shown in the first Obiko fashion show
Textile Arts Council
M. H. de Young Museum
Kaisik Wong ~ photographer
Wong designed the costumes for the 1981 film, Fruits of Passion, directed by Shūji Terayama and starring Klaus Kinski. The film is loosely based on the novel Retour à Roissy by Pauline Réage, written as a sequel to the Story of O. The story takes place in southern China where Sir Stephen (Kinski) owns a casino. Sir Stephen
places O (sabelle Illiers) in a Chinese brothel for "training" and O is then subjected to a
variety of humiliating experiences to prove her unconditional
obedience. A sub-plot concerns a coolie rebellion due to the resentment
towards Europeans by the local population and a young man desperate to
afford O's favors at the brothel (links to more info).
Steven Arnold was an artist of various media. There is a video of one of his works, Luminous Procuress on YouTube (link below). The Procuress leads two young men through a surreal peepshow of fantastic, bizarre, androgynous, mystical, spiritual, and sexual vignettes. Arnold’s surrealistic fantasy, was lauded by Dali and Andy Warhol, among others. The Village Voice called the film ‘a tour de force of the imagination – a journey through peekboxes of naked tableaux, theatres of mechanical dreams, feasts of monsters and piles of humanity.’
Kaisik Wong died in 1990. In 2002, the star of the house of Balenciaga, Nicolas Ghesquiere, copied the work of Wong. Although this happens all the time, when someone is caught at it, this is a sin in the fashion industry. It created an international incident in the fashion world (link below). Ghesquiere created a patchwork vest in his spring collection that resembled one that Wong had designed in 1973. He admitted in an interview in Paris that he had copied the garment.
Fruits of Passion - 1981
Steven Arnold was an artist of various media. There is a video of one of his works, Luminous Procuress on YouTube (link below). The Procuress leads two young men through a surreal peepshow of fantastic, bizarre, androgynous, mystical, spiritual, and sexual vignettes. Arnold’s surrealistic fantasy, was lauded by Dali and Andy Warhol, among others. The Village Voice called the film ‘a tour de force of the imagination – a journey through peekboxes of naked tableaux, theatres of mechanical dreams, feasts of monsters and piles of humanity.’
Luminous Procuress - poster
Kaisik Wong died in 1990. In 2002, the star of the house of Balenciaga, Nicolas Ghesquiere, copied the work of Wong. Although this happens all the time, when someone is caught at it, this is a sin in the fashion industry. It created an international incident in the fashion world (link below). Ghesquiere created a patchwork vest in his spring collection that resembled one that Wong had designed in 1973. He admitted in an interview in Paris that he had copied the garment.
Kaisik Wong vest (1973)
Net links:
Golden Haze ~ The Wearable art of Kaisik Wong
LA Times ~ Kaisik Wong: Still Dazzling
New York Times ~ Is Copying Really a Part of the Creative Process?
Kaisik Wong ~ TumblrNew York Times ~ Is Copying Really a Part of the Creative Process?
Kaisik Wong ~ Wearable Art For Gods and Goddesses
Fruits of Passion (complete) on YouTube
Fruits of Passion credits on imdb
Steven Arnold ~ Luminous Procuress on thethird-eye.co.uk
Betty Davis, They Say I'm Different
costume by Kaisik Wong
vinyl LP
cover photo by Mel Dixon
detail photo of cover by Styrous®
costume by Kaisik Wong
vinyl LP
cover photo by Mel Dixon
detail photo of cover by Styrous®
"I think the whole body should be a jeweled, radiating beauty."
~ Kaisik Wong: 1950-1990
Styrous® ~ Tuesday, September 13, 2016
September 12, 2016
Betty Davis ~ He Was A Big Freak lyrics
vinyl LP album cover detail
costume by Kaisik Wong
cover photo by Mel Dixon
detail photo of cover by Styrous®
He Was A Big Freak lyrics
He was a big freak!
I used to beat him with a turquoise chain, yeah
When I was his woman, I pleased him
I’d lead him to the tip
When I was his mistress, oh oh
I gave him cheap thrills
When I was his princess, silk and satin and lace
I'd wear for him
He was a big freak!
flim, flam, floozy, fantasy
When I was his housewife
I’d scrub him, I’d love him, I’d cook his meals
When I was his geisha, oh oh
I got down and (?)
When I was his flower
I’d answer to the name of Rosie May
He was a big freak!
I used to say all kinds of dirty thangs
When I was his mother
I’d hold him like a baby in my arms
When I was his lover
Oh, I drive him out of his mind
When I was his daydream
Ain’t no need to tell you what that means
I’d tie him up with my turquoise chain
I used to tie him up
Yeah, he couldn’t get enough
Nah, he’d be on the floor
Oh, begging me for more
He was a big freak!
I used to say all kinds of dirty thangs
He was a big freak!
Film, flam, floozy, fantasy
He was a big freak!
Kept his mind entertained all the time
I’d get him off with my turquoise chain
I used to whip him
I used to beat him
Oh, he used to dig it
Yeah, he used to really dig it
He was a big freak!
Pain was his middle name
He was a big freak!
He used to laugh when I’d make him cry
He was big freak!
A big freak, yes he was!
I used to whip him with my turquoise chain
Viewfinder link:
I used to beat him with a turquoise chain, yeah
When I was his woman, I pleased him
I’d lead him to the tip
When I was his mistress, oh oh
I gave him cheap thrills
When I was his princess, silk and satin and lace
I'd wear for him
He was a big freak!
flim, flam, floozy, fantasy
When I was his housewife
I’d scrub him, I’d love him, I’d cook his meals
When I was his geisha, oh oh
I got down and (?)
When I was his flower
I’d answer to the name of Rosie May
He was a big freak!
I used to say all kinds of dirty thangs
When I was his mother
I’d hold him like a baby in my arms
When I was his lover
Oh, I drive him out of his mind
When I was his daydream
Ain’t no need to tell you what that means
I’d tie him up with my turquoise chain
I used to tie him up
Yeah, he couldn’t get enough
Nah, he’d be on the floor
Oh, begging me for more
He was a big freak!
I used to say all kinds of dirty thangs
He was a big freak!
Film, flam, floozy, fantasy
He was a big freak!
Kept his mind entertained all the time
I’d get him off with my turquoise chain
I used to whip him
I used to beat him
Oh, he used to dig it
Yeah, he used to really dig it
He was a big freak!
Pain was his middle name
He was a big freak!
He used to laugh when I’d make him cry
He was big freak!
A big freak, yes he was!
I used to whip him with my turquoise chain
Viewfinder link:
Betty Davis articles
They Say I'm Different album
They Say I'm Different lyrics
He Was a Big Freak lyrics
Betty Davis, Kaisik Wong & Sandra Sakata
Bessie Smith
costume by Kaisik Wong
cover photo by Mel Dixon
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