Lectura de sambata dimineata

Stiti ce este un maelstrom? Este un vartej, complicat, care se naste in mijlocul oceanului si absoarbe tot ce e in jur.

Asa am avut senzatia ca este viata mea in ultimele saptamani – proiectele si munca au absorbit cu totul viata personala, toata saptamana este o alergatura continua si un fel de haos ordonat (da, stiu ca se exclud reciproc). Si totusi… stiti momentele acelea scurte de revelatie, cand intalnesti cei mai calzi, generosi, simpatici, altruisti, zambitori, complexi, autentici oameni? Acelea sunt momentele cand toata munca asta incepe sa capete sens. Sau mai bine spus, atunci cand simt eu ca reusesc sa contribui cu ceva mic la viata lor, iar maelstromul se calmeaza si viata se echilibreaza…

Saptamana trecuta, de exemplu, am fost o zi la Cluj, intr-o mare de 350 de femei, care mai de care mai istete, mai frumoase, mai luminoase si mai intreprinzatoare. „The Woman„ – caci asa se numea conferinta – mi s-a parut un model excelent de networking la feminin. Fara sa fiu feminista, stand de vorba cu unele dintre participante, nu ma putea gandi decat la citatul cu Ginger si Fred: „Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in high heels.” (nu ma intrebati cui ii este atribuit citatul, caci nu stiu!).

*Ah, si ca sa vedeti ca „stilul” mi se intampla si mie: m-am simtit ca o diva in Audi-ul care ma astepta la aeroport, cu tot cu sofer (cu ochi albastri). Un adevarat gentleman, care mi-a povestit despre inovatiile celor de la Audi; asa am aflat ca inginerii lor au descoperit ca led-urile minuscule care formeaza acum stopurile masinilor sunt de zeci de ori mai vizibile decat variantele standard (asta era in categoria interesting fact of the day, worth mentioning)

Luni, la Bucuresti, am finalizat primul meu curs de Stilism & Tendinte de la DallesGo. Daca in saptamana anterioara fetele se jucasera intr-un intreg magazin cu scenarii fictive de personal shopping, cu haine multicolore si cu accesorii de poveste, la ultima intalnire am intrat in „dulapul” lor. Nici nu stiu daca ele si-au dat seama cum mi-au deschis usa, cate mi-au povestit despre ele si cum mi-au dat de inteles ca acest curs a fost important pentru ele. How sweet is that?

La polul opus, „induiosator” nu este un cuvant pe care sa il folosesc cand urmeaza sa vorbesc despre frumusete si feminitate unor femei care se ocupa de copii cu boli in stadii terminale. Asta se va intampla marti, la Brasov, si ma pregatesc sufleteste, nu doar cu un ppt. Bine, pai si cum sa pun eu in balanta cuvintele mele cu ce fac ele?

In sfarsit, pentru ca spuneam ca natura echilibreaza totul, va lansez doua invitatii care sper sa va insenineze primavara.

Sambata urmatoare, pe 23 martie, va dau intalnire la Stefanel Concept Store. Daca vreti sa aflati cum sa creati maximum de tinute cu minimum de haine, care sunt regulile de asortare ale pieselor din garderoba, ce articole ar trebui sa includeti in dulap in primavara asta, va astept la „Garderoba Mix & Match”. O sa avem o groaza de goodies, de la ciocolata la cosmetice, reviste si carti de moda si make-up…

Iar peste 2 saptamani, in weekendul 30-31 martie, tin „Fii propria ta stilista„, cursul meu intensiv de stil personal si vestimentar. O sa va vorbesc despre cum va identificati silueta si cum ar trebui sa o imbracati, cum descoperiti cea mai potrivita paleta de culori pentru voi, ce va influenteaza si va construieste stilul vestimentar, ce fel de accesorii ar trebui sa aveti in „cutia de bijuterii”, si inca multe, multe subiecte. Daca simtiti ca este un curs pentru voi, astept un email la office(at)imagematters(punct)ro, nu fiti sfioase! Mai sunt cateva locuri libere…

Gata, v-am innebunit suficient cu viata mea, m-as bucura sa aud si despre viata voastra si despre stilul voastru! On with the show, sa ne hranim putin sufletul si mintea…

How to succeed in fashion without trying too hard – „Before growing into a global fashion business with high-profile collaborations, its own culture magazine and an ever-evolving product line, Acne Studios began as a boutique creative consulting firm that played by a few counterintuitive rules—ones it still stands by today.” In Wall Street Journal.

An Intellectual Fashion: Nicholas Kirkwood – “Nicholas Kirkwood is universally acclaimed as the most talented shoe designer of his generation. Often described as Manolo Blahnik’s legitimate heir, he started his career by working with Philip Treacy.” In AnOther Mag.

China’s Bosideng Eyes Fifth Avenue After Success of London Store – “Chinese clothing giant Bosideng’s first foreign store in London may not be profitable in the near term, but the company says it is already ramping up plans to open another in New York.” In Globe and Mail.

“Be Stupid,” says Renzo Rosso – “Although Renzo Rosso debuted on Forbes Billionaires list this year, what is truly interesting about him has a lot more to do with his passion for life than his accumulated wealth.” In Forbes.

QVC: Quality, Value – But Can QVC Ever Be Cool? – “Vogue Italia – that high temple of designer fashion – recently printed a fashion shoot that wittily, if snootily, spoofed the home-shopping channel QVC. It had models doing a glassily accurate send-up of a show-and-tell in Prada, Chanel, McQueen and Gucci. “An artistically ironic simulation of telesales programmes,” the glossy explained.” In The Telegraph.

Fashion Critics Defend Their Craft – “Fashion critics encounter naysayers about their beat in every direction. It’s not serious; it’s elitist; it’s a fluffy, feminine topic.” In Columbia Journalism Review

Chinese designers must connect to international customers – “In the 21st century, China wants to become known as a design and innovation center – and nolonger just as a manufacturing powerhouse. Its eye is set on creating brands and products that will win the world, much like Apple, Louis Vuitton and Ikea. But to build that reputation, it has toovercome the stigma of churning out subpar, imitation goods.” In China Daily.

Snake charmers: Gucci talks python at species meeting – “They are very concerned that illegally sourced python skins are ending up being sold to customers as high fashion bags and boots. So they are trying to rapidly put in place a traceability system that would allow the python to be tracked from ‘marsh to market’.” In BBC News

Kick-Starting a Collection – “Since he was fired from Gap in May 2011, and with still-fresh wounds from his days at Perry Ellis and Paco Rabanne, Patrick Robinson checked out of fashion for a while. Now Mr. Robinson is returning on his own terms, or more accurately, on yours. This week, he is introducing a collection of performance apparel designed for urban environments, seeking financing through the crowd-funding site Kickstarter.” In NY Times.