Pull My Strings: 2008 Remix

"I ain't no artist, I'm a business man. No ideas of my own.." - The DK's

San Francisco Protest - 1980

Hong Kong Fashion - 2008

Jello is probably rolling in his grave...... Irony is dead.

Hey! I Know You!

Today's edition of the San Francisco Chronicle featured a story in the Style section that directly involves the Umlaut Nation. Lo and behold but Umlaut's dear friend Dema was featured:

Tanov, Grim, Moon's latest inspirations
Sylvia Rubin, Chronicle Fashion Writer
San Francisco Chronicle
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Page F-1

Dema Grim

Dema Grim boutique, 1038 Valencia St., San Francisco. www.godemago.com.

Resume: Seattle native, moved to San Francisco in the mid-'90s. Age 42.

Self-taught. Self-financed her first line in 1988, when she lived in New York; sold her wholesale line to Barneys Co-Op. Moved to San Francisco in 1994, opened her boutique in 1998. "The Mission was very edgy and exploratory then, but it had a feeling of an up-and-coming neighborhood."

Run of show: Cheerful, whimsical mix and matching prints and colors with a '60s sensibility and attention to tailoring. "Laugh-In" flower print A-line skirts and African print dresses, wide-leg pants, print blouses, signature jackets in bold prints with contrasting lining.

Rules to live by: "I'm not trendy. I work and react in the moment. When I occasionally do sway off with my line, like trying a different shape, something I wouldn't wear, but think it might appeal to my customers, it doesn't move. Everything I make I would wear."

Reason to stay in town: "San Francisco is awash in indie designers, and I find that really exciting. It's competition, but I don't think I really have any direct competition."

Recent inspirations: "There's a lot going on right in front of my shop, with Ritual Coffee and all the young girls walking by."

Truth be told, Umlaut isn't sophisticated enough to comprehend Dema's magical fashion world and the only colors he seems to know how to match are denim and leather, but if he was a chick he'd wear her stylish creations.

Viv and Dema

Next Friday evening (5/25), Umlaut's dear and fabulous friend Dema will be featured at the de Young Museum's Friday Night Series highlighting the current Vivienne Westwood: 36 Years In Fashion exhibition!

As the the de Young eloquently put it:

"DEMA - The latest collection from local designer Dema Grim, the bad ass whose twisted classics have filled the closets of independent-minded women for almost two decades."

Click for larger image

Very exciting; Umlaut is so proud! Go Dema, Go and cue The Clash!!

See y'all there!

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Umlaut's Metal Gear + Under Age Drinking - Oct. 1982

Visit almost any mall in America and there will be a Hot Topic store. Kids can now get their Punk Rock / Metal gear and then stop for a Mrs. Field's cookie next door. Mom can even drop them off and pick them up. It’s all very safe. Old Farts like me can remember another time (Oh no.. ANOTHER nostalgic Umlaut post...cue time machine sounds..)..

In the early 80’s, taking our cue from Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, we wanted to BE Metal. Studded belts and wristbands looked dangerous.. No one else in Sunnyvale, Silicon Valley, CA wore that stuff. D’ya know why?? ‘Cause they WEREN'T Metal! And we WERE Metal.

When I was a kid, you had to make that extra effort to get your Metal gear. Unbeknownst to most of us sheltered suburban Metalheads, the leather and studs aesthetic also represented the gay leather subculture. Rob Halford’s gay?? No way.

We were so fucking naive. I think a co-worker told us that there were stores in San Francisco that carried studded belts and wristbands. In those pre-Internet days we consulted something called "The Yellow Pages” and located a store. I seem to remember it being in the South of Market area, which to this day remains the epicenter of S.F. gay leather culture (YAYY!). It’s funny trying to remember when your mind was “pure” and first confronted with the interior of a gay leather / S&M store.

“WOW, look at that 3 ft. rubber fist! I wonder what that... WOW! That belt is JUST LIKE Halford's!!”

The guy who ran the place was probably titilated that 2 fresh-faced teenage boys were in his shop.. He chatted us up by telling us how he had outfitted Judas Priest with their leather gear when he had a shop in England. I wouldn’t be surprised if we responded with something like “No way, Mister!”... Which probably titilated him even more.

Accompanying Umlaut was Old Metal friend Rich.. He also remembers that day:

“I remember being kind of weirded-out by the place; there was a strange, glass-enclosed room towards the back that had hardcore S&M equipment. We didn't go in. I think I also remember that some guy outside had dropped his car keys down a drain in the gutter, and was frantically trying to retrieve them. It was kind of a seedy neighborhood, and we thought him rather brave. We also left quickly.”

Here in the 21st Century it amuses Umlaut to see studded belts and wristbands being worn by mainstream kids. There’s rarely a day that goes by that I don’t see some tike’s belt or wrist glinting in the sun as they listen to Avril Lavigne or Blink 182 on their iPod.

At this point, I’m reminded of a guy in our scene who made his own studded wristband.. His materials: A piece of leather and nails. The best part: They’d let him into shows wearing it! Kids these days don’t even know... Old Fart over and out.

Hell bent, Hell bent for LEATHA...