Lectura de sambata dimineata

Stiti conceptul acela de „pay it forward”? Este vorba de generozitate si reciprocitate, este acel gest frumos pe care il faci la randul tau, atunci cand tu primesti ceva la fel de pozitiv. Weekendul acesta, in mansarda din Carturesti-Verona, la Genuine.ro, poti intalni cativa tineri designeri romani, care si-au propus sa ne infrumuseteze noua vietile: cu haine frumoase, cu bijuterii pline de personalitate, cu fotografii emotionante… Fa-le o vizita, rasplateste-le creativitatea macar prin interesul aratat muncii lor, ia o carte de vizita si „pay it forward” data urmatoare cand crezi ca traiesti intr-un Bucuresti gri, murdar si sufocat de manele.

Mai tarziu, cand reveniti la rutina de weekend, beti o limonada racoroasa, mancati piersici zemoase, mergeti un sfert de ora in parc si umblati desculte prin iarba, stati la umbra cu o carte (sau cititi recomandarile mele online) si bucurati-va din plin de vara. Vi se va face atat de dor de ea, peste cateva luni!

From idea to paper cutout to runway gown – „By the end of the design process, a dress can be transformed into a veritable United Nations of fashion. The evening gown, for instance, contains materials from six countries, including Japanese hanger loops, Swiss zippers, and German interlining.” In Wall Street Journal.

All the young dudes – “The 1970s are a style decade that many would rather forget yet also one that contemporary fashion designers seem to adore… For men… The period conjures images of flared trousers, platform soles, gold medallions and jackets with outsized lapels… The look is also evident in some of this season’s best men’s wear collections.” In Financial Times.

Social shopping gets personal – “Lucky magazine, Conde Nast’s publication dedicated to shopping and style, teamed up with ThisNext.com to create a social shopping platform on a co-branded site… Lucky readers aren’t the only ones who will be crafting personal shopping guides. Lucky editors and brand partners will also be pushing their picks.” In Forbes.

Books on fashion’s secrets, even theft –  „This summer’s style reading opens windows on power dressing, fashion publicity, shoplifting and the chic Diana Vreeland.” In Wall Street Journal.

Chalayan and McQueen exhibitions: cultural landmarks of the year – “It is the intellectual and imaginative stature of these two former peers – the fact that they drove fashion to reflect difficult realities and push the boundaries of technology – which make their shows a different kettle of fish from the usual lifeless way clothes appear in museums.” In The Telegraph.

Elvis would be proud – Not only have men’s shoes undergone a renaissance of elegance, with old-school styles like saddle shoes, wingtips and crepe-sole suede bucks coming back into style, but those same styles (and their designers) have gone your grandfather one better by stealing a page from the sneaker playbook. In short, color.” In NY Times.

Bernard Arnault rethinks the Cult of Fashion Gurus – “Arnault suggests it’s time for change, time to recast his global, glittering, status-laden empire as something else. The watchwords are: intimate, Old World, artful. And the timing feels right… After all, Arnault has learned that rock-star designers come and go. ‘A good product,’ he says, ‘can last forever.’” In Newsweek.

Made to measure – “…The DIY trend is about consumers using new self-service brands to achieve and create professional-quality products, goods or services… ‘As the power of the high street diminishes further, and more store groups start to disappear, people will want greater choice and bespoke offers that.’” In Marketing  Week.

Dreamy looks at Paris couture shows – „Couture fashion shows slipped back to 4 days this season, including one dedicated mostly to high-end jewelry. A new generation of designers, including Mr. Valli and the twenty-something Maxime Simoens, are joining couture.” In Wall Street Journal.

At Versailles, Rock ‘n’ Rococo – “Who would have thought that modern designers could feel right at home amid the curlicues, gilding, Watteau paintings and water fountains of Versailles?… But as in music, so in fashion: modernity is in the mix. And a little of the courtly grandeur of Versailles goes a long way.” In NY Times.

Dressed for medieval success – „”Illuminating Fashion: Dress in the Art of Medieval France and the Netherlands,” an exhibit at the Morgan Library & Museum in New York examines the evolution of clothing from the 1300s to the early 1500s through the art of the period.” In Wall Street Journal.

Nothing sells like a duchess – “In the duchess’s case, much like that of Michelle Obama, every designer she wears is likely to see an immediate impact on sales… The duchess has been praised for projecting a youthful freshness without being remotely bare, for wearing the work of a number of London designers.” In International Herald Tribune.

PS: ah, si daca aveti chef, participati la concurs, poate castigati o geanta!