At a time when fakes and knock-offs are a complicated fact of consumerism and the luxury market, Liao Yibai's hand-welded large-scale sculptures are testimony to the power of the brand. Shoes, watches, handbags and jewellery are just some of the products on offer, created so that we may fill an emotional need we won't always admit to having. These shots from Yibai's Chongqing, China studio shows him preparing for a fall exhibition in New York.
Mother Nature has long since made us understand the femininity of the natural world, and Australian artist Melissa Haslam has no trouble following this up with her new body of work, Botanica. The powers of our surrounding flora and fauna make themselves known when flowers sprout out of young women in full bloom. The little black dress needs very little adornment under these circumstances, but the further embellishment due to the ears of the cat, fox and rabbit can totally change any outfit.