Lectura de sambata dimineata

Cred ca a venit primavara, altfel nu imi explic soarele, zambilele, fundele prinse in parul fetelor, campaniile publicitare pentru noul sezon, mirosul de vopsea proaspata din bloc, senzatia ca anul a inceput de acum 4 luni, nu de 2 saptamani…

M-am gandit ca poate asta e si motivul pentru care nimeni nu a lasat comentarii la articolul despre „intentii nu rezolutii pentru 2011” – pentru unii, timpul trece atat de repede si valul este atat de tumultuos, incat planurile si dorintele nu mai au loc pe hartie. Imi permit sa va dau un sfat: daca nu aveti timp pentru planuri pe 12 luni, propuneti-va macar sa realizati/ faceti/invatati ceva in fiecare saptamana. Saptamana asta, de pilda, descoperiti in 15 minute, pe Ted.com, teoria despre frumusete a lui Dennis Dutton, cititi despre contractul cu voi insiva, scris de Adi Ciubotaru, sau cititi o carte cu creionul in mana, facandu-va adnotari pe un caiet.

Pana va hotarati ce vreti, e mai usor sa treceti prin recomandarile zilei…

Spring-summer 2011 ad campaigns – “If you’re the kind of follower of fashion who thinks Kate Moss is still big in modelling, a cursory glance at the spring/summer 2011 ad campaigns which have broken in the new February magazine issues, will set you straight… who’s filling her shoes these days?” In The Telegraph.

Spring’s broad brushstrokes – „Are you thinking about silk, chiffon or even cotton dresses in marmalade shades, plunging silk evening gowns or platform, open-toed wedges? No, me neither. Within six weeks, though, it’s a certainty that said items will begin filtering into the stores, if they aren’t already there.” Pe Wall Street Journal.

Lucky’s Brandon Holley: dressing for a revolution – “The challenge now… is figuring out how to rejuvenate Lucky without losing what makes it special: ‘I’m trying to figure out what’s baby and what’s bath water.’… Ms. Holley wants to transform Luckymag.com into a ‘social shopping experience,’ akin to eBay and etsy.com.” In NY Times.

Who’s buying all that luxury? Not the rich –  “Luxury is soaring again… The reason for the boom, we’re told, is that the rich are on a spending binge again after the brief unpleasantness of the recession. That’s true to a point. But a new study finds that the wealthy no longer dominate luxury spending like they did before the recession.” In Wall Street Journal.

Fitting into a slim Mad Men suit? Not so easy – „The slim suit has become the norm over the past couple of years. The trousers are narrower, flat-fronted, often cuffless and non-breaking (that is, shorter), with a lower, skankier rise. The matching jackets have tight sleeves and high-cut armholes, softer shoulders, skinny lapels and an inch-and-a-half-shorter hem. It’s all cut dangerously close to the body in an off-the-rack and even slightly ironic approximation of English bespoke tailoring.” Pe Globe and Mail.

How should luxury brands prepare for Valentine’s day? – „Although some affluent consumers see Valentine’s Day as a chance for jewelry and candy companies to make money, luxury brands think outside of the proverbial chocolate box in order to reap the benefits of star-crossed lovers and their wallets.” Pe Luxury Daily.

Rachel Zoe: mother of invention – „It is time to stop calling Zoe a celebrity stylist? It is barely her day job anymore” Pe WWD.

Pushing fashion boundaries in an era without any – “In some ways, the focus on sexuality reflects the fairly narrow thinking of designers and photographers [or, possibly, of editors and advertising agency art directors]. After all, the Internet offers people all kinds of ways to express themselves — through blogs, e-commerce, photographs and videos.” In NY Times.

Forever in blue jeans – “When one ponders the history of the fabric, certain images may come to mind. Levi Strauss & Co.’s original pair of dungarees… Jane Birkin in impossibly low-rise bell bottoms roaming the streets of Paris… Brooke Shields ensuring nothing got between her and her Calvins.” Pe Wall Street Journal.

Arbiters of Style see it, post it and share it – “Melding social networking and the style maven’s obsession with all things beautiful, sites like Fancy and Svpply have emerged recently, letting users shop and fetishize while creating and sharing things they like with friends and followers, from clothes to art to gadgets.” In NY Times.

Scott Schuman’s new documentary – “Intel followed The Sartorialist’s Scott Schuman around just before the holidays to produce a seven-minute short documentary on how he works… he talks about how street photography is something he wants to do for 30 or 40 more years to come.” Pe Fashionologie.

Fashion blogger snags next H&M collaboration – “After the much-publicised sell-out success of their pre-xmas collaboration with Lanvin, high street megalith H&M has announced their next partner: Elin Kling, a Swedish fashion blogger and stylist. The bloggers have moved from commentators to creators.” In Financial Times.

End of line for Zara tsar – “Amancio Ortega, the wealthiest man in Spain and perhaps one of the world’s most reclusive moguls, has tiptoed into the spotlight this week by announcing his imminent retirement from the fast-fashion giant Inditex… which he founded with a single store in La Coruna 35 years ago.” In The Independent.

Face-lift for Met’s Costume Institute – “The Metropolitan Museum of Art is planning a major renovation of its renowned Costume Institute. The project will enable the museum to show off part of its world-class permanent collection 10 months out of the year in a more contemporary setting.” In NY Times.

Why dressing well is costing more – “The culprit is the rising price of fabric. Cotton prices climbed a record 91% in 2010, and the price of crossbred wool hit a 14-year high in October, up 50% over 15 months… But higher material costs are only part of the story: Increasing demand caused by rising affluence is another.” In Wall Street Journal.