Lectura de sambata dimineata

„Was the black dress truly a new design? Not exactly. Gabrielle Chanel’s genius lay in her ability to reinvent an existing garment, to reinterpret and restyle it, to transport it to the dizzying heights of desirable fashion with the talent of an unrelenting pioneer. What actually inspired Chanel to create the dress remains somewhat of a mystery. Was it an expression of nostalgia? Did it recall her sad, neglected childhood? Did it remind her of that dark shapeless uniform she wore in the orphanage in Aubazine?

Or did the idea come later, when she discovered the almost erotic strictness of the black dress with white trimmings worn by chambermaids and household servants? Or perhaps her sole purpose was to highlight the strict beauty of the simplest shapes by subjecting them to her visionary fashion instinct?”

La fel ca absolut delicioasa si onctuoasa inghetata cioccolata all pepperoncino pe care am incercat-o, prima data aseara, la Venchi, cartea pe care o citesc acum –  Chanel: Collections and creation – este o surpriza si o placere la fiecare pagina. Si la fel ca inghetata dulce-iute – a carei degustare sta nu in infulecarea unor cantitati vulgare, oricat de savuroase ar fi, ci in aprecierea fiecarei lingurite, in mini-cantitati elegante, de lady – nu vreau sa va povestesc prea multe despre ea. Doar doua lucruri: minunata carte-album iti explica totul despre 5 teme principale ale lumii Chanel (parfumul, taiorul, rochia neagra, camelia si bijuteriile) si… este premiul concursului de saptamana urmatoare de pe Style Diary!

Dar pana una-alta, va las sa cititi recomandarile zilei – la o cafea si cu un croissant cu unt, iar spre dupa-amiaza revin cu anuntarea castigatoarelor la concursul Born to Bio.

Coach moves to sell more shoes – „Coach  has fought for relevance in recent years, first introducing bling-laden products to attract younger shoppers and then bringing back more classic lines to appease its longtime customers. Yet all the while the company remained true to its roots: finely crafted leather bags. Now, as upstarts such as Michael Kors Holdings and Tory Burch challenge its dominance of that market in the U.S., Coach is broadening its focus in hopes of ultimately becoming a full-fledged lifestyle brand that outfits customers from head to toe.” In Business Week.

Annabel Tollman: the calm amid fashion’s storm – „There are people in the industry who, when the boss isn’t around, are really friendly and chatty and, when the boss shows up, they flip a switch and look right through you,’ said Anne Slowey, the fashion news director of Elle. ‘With Annabel you never got any of the negative fallout you get from people who are striving in an unkind, competitive fashion, the kind who, the minute they feel threatened, go psycho.’” In NY Times.

What to watch at London Fashion Week Men’s Collections – „There has been a huge amount of fuss about big British brands such as Burberry and Paul Smith deciding to show their collections in London this time round. But what’s most exciting is the next generation of British and UK-based desigers who are enjoying the international platform of a dedicated menswear event.” In The Telegraph.

Valentino: I am somebody with taste, of course – “As a creator, beauty is the most important. Since I was a child I loved the way a dress looks, I admired a great face, a lovely body. I enjoy the beauty in a woman, in a man, in a child, in a painting. Beautiful things are important and make life important. Since I was a kid I’ve been encouraging myself to appreciate beauty.” In The Talks.

Thrifty shoppers rediscover secondhand fashion – „More people are discovering thrift store shopping because of the recession, said Maureen McGill, co-founder of Manhattan Vintage, New York’s biggest vintage fashion market for more than 30 years. But, she believes that the love of vintage style and the thrill of the hunt will keep people coming even during good economic times.” Pe CNN.

What LMVH can learn from Apple – „Part of Steve Jobs’ genius was taking the rules of fashion and applying them to technology, be it the importance of must-have seasonal design, or gadgets that are actually accessories, and hence identity totems. As Michel Kors pointed out recently, however, fashion has never exactly turned the tables; it hasn’t figured out what it should absorb from Apple. BCG is publishing a paper that suggests things might be changing. They have pinpointed a lesson. And they want the luxury world to learn it.” In Financial Times.

Resort collections are a walk on the whimsical side – „The resort shows are a complete distraction. Nobody can really decide if resort should be a nice reworking of a designer’s latest runway line or its own thing. Should it be relaxed and beachy? Or is there an opportunity to create a fresh interpretation of resort, as Raf Simons demonstrated in May with his first Dior resort show?” In NY Times.

Mencyclopedia: Selfridges – „”Just 8 per cent of clothes purchases in the UK are made online, and were Harry Selfridge alive today he’d doubtless be a dot-commer. A visit to the 9,500 sq ft dedicated to menswear on the first floor of his original Oxford Street retail palace demonstrates why physical retail will never entirely be rendered obsolete.” In The Telegraph.

Beautiful minds: Dries van Noten and Elizabeth Peyton – „The designer and the artist on how they met, and the relationship between fashion and art.” In Financial Times.