Lectura de sambata dimineata

Luati-va de mana sora, verisoara, cea mai buna prietena, colega de birou sau de banca si convingeti-o ca exista un mod mai interesant de a-si petrece o dimineata de weekend, decat mersul la un supermarket sau la o manichiura. Vorbesc de cursul meu de stil, evident! Un curs similar – dar mai teoretic – tin si in timpul saptamanii, dar pe acesta din weekend l-am gandit altfel: in primul rand, cu mai multe exercitii si cu informatii pe care sa le puneti in aplicare de a doua zi, plus cu posibilitatea unui feedback individualizat din partea mea; in al doilea rand, este programat pentru cele dintre voi care au timp liber doar in weekend. As putea sa va „vand” aici avantajele si beneficiile cursului, dar imi place sa cred ca daca cititi blogul asta, deja stiti ce v-as putea invata. Asadar, doar va invit… ne vedem in aprilie sau nu?

Cat despre citit, am si astazi multe recomandari – dar am si una speciala: daca stati in casa din cauza vremii, puneti-va deoparte 2-3 ore ca sa cititi o carte adevarata. Ce aveti acum pe noptiera?

Fashion’s approachable ambassador – “As fashion has evolved from an insular club to mass-market obsession — helped in part by proliferating Web sites, blogs and TV shows like ‘Project Runway’ — Mr. Zee, 42, has come to epitomize a new form of top-of-the-masthead personality. He is not the aloof style arbiter, gazing out silently behind Frisbee-size sunglasses, but a chatty and approachable ambassador of fashion.” In NY Times.

CFDA Fashion Awards Nominees set – “This will mark the 10th year that Swarovski is underwriting the awards gala, which will take place on Monday, June 6… As in previous years, the night will also be an occasion for the CFDA to hand out several special awards. Marc Jacobs will receive this year’s Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award.” In WWD.

Yohji Yamamoto’s London moment – “Thirty years after Yohji Yamamoto first presented his collection in Paris, the designer is having a moment in London… Yamamoto’s first solo exhibition in the U.K. will open at the Victoria and Albert Museum, along with two smaller shows dedicated to his work at the Wapping Project and the Wapping Project Bankside galleries in South London.” In WWD.

Exit Paris, winking – “My guess is it was a clever provocation. Mr. Jacobs would hardly be the first designer to have watched ‘The Night Porter’ or to allude to the obsessive and ultimately objectifying nature of high fashion. But he made no attempt to back away from this imagery in the wake of the Galliano scandal.” In NY Times.

Fashion designer crackups: is the industry too relentless? – “You are on a very, very tight schedule. It’s like a factory putting out an aesthetic. There is no space for imperfection.’ The shift occurred during the past two decades, when business tycoons took over established family-run houses and — with the help of bright, young talents — transformed them into publicly traded billion-dollar global luxury brands.” In Washington Post.

A new day for Valentino couture – “The task before Chiuri and Piccioli – to take couture and ready-to-wear to the next generation – was seen by many as a poisoned chalice… Alessandra Facchinetti’s designs were judged too directional for established customers and yet not appealing enough for a new audience… Now young Hollywood in particular is embracing Valentino.” In The Telegraph.

How the Olsen twins won the world – ” In an interview with Vogue they revealed how, at first, suspicious retailers didn’t believe that they actually designed the high-end garments in their collections for The Row. From around $300 for a T-shirt up to $5,000 for a cashmere and mink cape, they wanted to test the twins’ knowledge.” In Daily Mail.

China split between conspicuous and sophisticated shoppers – “Currently, China’s luxury consumption remains in the ‘conspicuous consumption’ or ‘competition in consumption’ stage. Of course, there are some consumers who are highly educated and erudite, some rich second- and third-generation individuals, and those who have had experience living abroad — all of whom have learned how to enjoy luxury goods.” In Jing Daily.

Luxury brands need a woman’s touch – “Even Arnault wants more women at the very top: a third non-executive female director will be joining in May and more will follow. He’s given Chantal Gaemperle, the head of human resources and synergies for the group, the task of helping push the proportion of female executive committee members to 35 per cent by 2012.” In The Independent.

Authors dish on fashionable attire –  „In their new book „What to Wear, Where,” Hillary Kerr and Katherine Power instruct readers on what kind of outfit to put on for many an occasion. One thing the guide does not outline, however, is what to wear to a dinner in celebration of a book like „What to Wear, Where.”” In Wall Street Journal.

Is print in vogue again? – “Maybe the Web’s ascent and print’s decline is happening a bit more slowly than originally thought. Maybe the only money to be made these days is in print or some tablet-Web-print hybrid. Whatever it is, it appears the old-fashioned print world has a little left in the tank.” In WWD.

What luxury brands are doing to help Japan victims – “Brands such as Bergdorf Goodman, Gilt Groupe, David Yurman, Gucci and Swarovski are using Facebook and Twitter to encourage consumers to donate money to the Red Cross and other disaster-relief organizations dedicated to helping those affected by the tsunami and earthquake in Japan.” In Luxury Daily.

Fashion rethinkers: Norma Kamali – “She uses Skype as a medium for customer service, the pieces from her most recent collection, which was shown in February, will hit her store in just a few weeks (compared to the normal delivery of a few months)… In other words, Kamali has never played by the rules, and for that we consider her a revolutionary thinker.” In JC Report.

The Kate effect: her impact on fashion is huge – “Fights over her earrings. The £650 trench coat that sold out within in a day. The red twinset that caused a stampede in a shop. With waiting lists for her outfits, how Waity Katie took on a whole new meaning…” In Daily Mail.

Jean Touitou, APC designer – “Jean Touitou is what some might call a ‘tough crowd.’ The Tunisian-born, Paris-based founder of the French clothing line A.P.C. is famously vocal about his dislike of most stores… For all Mr. Touitou’s grumbling, his 24-year-old label is deeply beloved by bespectacled creative types for its simple, chic, well-tailored staples.” In Wall Street Journal.

Westwood lasting imagery – “Ms. Westwood’s 1980s fashions now are the focus of an exhibition at the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology. The show… is highlighted by pioneering looks such as a unisex ensemble in billowing striped cotton from the 1981 Pirates collection, which may well have an effect on designers now experimenting with genderless styles.” In NY Times.

Chinese creativity: who are the emerging designers? – “With Shanghai Fashion Week about to kick off, and Beijing Fashion Week just around the corner, Jing Daily is looking forward to the newest collections by some of the top emerging designers in China. Some we’re watching closely.” In Jing Daily.