Pond in the Big Cypress National Preserve

The geography and ecology of the Everglades are areas of study of the vast interconnected ecosystems known as the Everglades that once occupied about a third of the southern Florida peninsula. Although sawgrass and sloughs are the enduring geographical icons of the Everglades, other ecosystems are as vital, and the borders marking them are subtle or nonexistent. Pinelands and tropical hardwood hammocks are common; the trees, rooted in soil inches above the peat, marl, or water, support a variety of wildlife. The oldest and tallest trees are cypresses, with roots specially adapted to grow underwater for months at a time. Freshwater from Lake Okeechobee meets saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico, nurturing mangrove forests which harbor many species of birds, fish, and invertebrates. The marine environment of Florida Bay is also considered part of the Everglades. Minor fluctuations in water levels have far-reaching consequences for many species, and the system cycles and pulses with each change. (Full article...)

Razor clamshell dress from Voss

Voss is the seventeenth collection by British fashion designer Alexander McQueen, made for the Spring/Summer 2001 season of his fashion house. Voss drew on imagery of madness and nature to question beauty standards and critique the fashion industry, with showpiece designs made from unusual materials such as razor clam shells (dress pictured), an antique Japanese screen, and microscope slides. The runway show was staged on 26 September 2000 in London, inside a room-sized mirrored glass cube, the audience seated outside. The interior was styled to look like an insane asylum and models were directed to act unwell. In the finale, a glass cube within shattered to reveal Michelle Olley, fat, nude, and covered in moths. Critical response was positive, especially towards the showpieces and the performance art aspect. The show is regarded as one of McQueen's best, and has attracted a large amount of academic analysis. Several ensembles appeared in the retrospective Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty. (Full article...)