Lectura de sambata dimineata

Incep cu doua lucruri importante.

Acum un an de zile organizam primul workshop Style Conversations. Luna de luna, ne strangem in cate o sambata dimineata in jurul unei cafele de la Starbucks, rontaim cupcakes si biscuiti, rasfoim cate un Beau Monde, un ForbesLife sau cartile de moda de la BooksExpress, bifam talismanele pe care ni le dorim din catalogul Pandora…

Am rulat, devorat si disecat cateva subiecte bune: cum sa nu mai purtam atata negru si sa ne coloram tinutele, cum ne organizam garderoba pe fiecare sezon, cum descifram codurile vestimentare de pe invitatii, cum purtam accesoriile cu efect maxim, ce reguli de stil mai aplicam si pe care le incalcam, care sunt pasii pentru o transformare de imagine, cum facem un buget de shopping si o lista pentru intreg anul, pe langa tendintele de primavara sau de toamna…. Acum, dupa un an de zile, mi-ar placea sa stiu ce alte subiecte vi s-ar parea interesante, valoroase, atragatoare. Cum va suna „50 de rochii care au facut istorie”? Sau un workshop „pentru shoe addicts and bag snobs” – numai despre genti si incaltaminte? Dar despre „cum sa va imbracati in stil parizian, milanez, new yorkez & londonez”? V-ar tenta un workshop in care sa exersam 50 de feluri de a lega o esarfa sau vi s-ar parea boring? Ce idei aveti, despre ce v-ar placea sa aflati tot, tot, tot? Haide, spuneti-mi…

Al doilea lucru este legat de dragostea mea pentru carti. „Sunt singurele lucruri pe care le cumparam si ne imbogatesc, cu adevarat” – am vazut asta scris undeva si mi-a placut, rezoneaza cu ce simt si gandesc eu. Cartile – biografii, beletristica, fantasy, de fotografie, de povesti, de colorat – sunt mai valoroase si mai frumoase decat orice rochie sau pereche de pantofi.

Daca sunteti pe aceeasi lungime de unda cu mine, va invit sa ne intalnim o data pe luna intr-un cerc – la propriu si la figurat – de lectura, la ceainaria Infinitea, unde discutam (mai ales) despre carti. „Books, tea & more” se pregateste de a treia editie, in 8 aprilie, am ales o minunata carte scrisa de Alice Munro, premiata la Nobelul pentru literatura in 2013. Insa, daca timpul nu este generos cu voi dar moda va fascineaza, un click poate fi suficient pentru a castiga un splendid album: „Vogue: The editor’s Eye” (concursul mai ruleaza pana duminica noaptea).

In sfarsit, va las cu un citat – „food for thought” – la inceput de primavara, un citat care sa va puna pe ganduri si pe treaba.

„Chic women know when to adopt a look and when to ditch one. Knowing fashion is like surfing. You watch a wave rising from a perfectly still ocean, feel the swell, ride down the face of the wave, and then leap off before getting dumped. The freaky things that catch the media attention at the Paris shows are definitely not what the couture ladies order in bulk. Chic is about taking the best elements of a trendy new look and using it to refresh you inviolate sense of personal style.

Examine the history of design and you’ll see the same pattern. Sometimes fashion takes a shocking leap forward (from pencil skirts to mini skirts), but most of the time it is a nostalgic dance. Fifty years ago they said we’d all be sporting silver space suits in the 21st century, but it’s more probably the ozone will force a return to neck-to-knee swimwear and bonnets to shelter from the sun. The faster we hurtle into the future, the more we mine the past for a romance we feel we’ve lost or a sense of quality that mass production is rapidly erroding. […]

Chic women trust their intuitive sartorial urges but blend them with a strong existing look. The reason the YSL smoking jacket has survived so well since 1969 is that it can be transformed practically every season. […] If you prefer a more laid-back approach to shifting trends, take a hard look each season at hemlines and hair. Both are easy to change without having to overhaul your wardrobe or spend a lot of money. Finally: never wear clothes at the expense of your dignity or your hips.”

Astazi selectia de articole este ceva mai scurta – ma grabesc sa beau o cafea si sa ajung la workshopul de azi despre tendintele primaverii 2014. Daca nu ati prins un loc, no worries – il repet sambata urmatoare, 22 martie, cu aceeasi tema (si mai sunt 5 locuri disponibile). Bucurati-va de soare!

Nicolas Ghesquiere’s first interview – „In his first interview since being appointed creative director of Louis Vuitton, fashion designer Nicolas Ghesquière talks about his career in fashion and his first collection for the 160-year-old fashion house.” In Vanity Fair.

When fashion meets art – “Ms. Schorr has made a career of skating between worlds, removing the boundaries of masculine and feminine and art and fashion.” In NY Times.

Ray Kelvin: a passion for fashion – but not for the spotlight – “He is probably the most famous retailer you’ve never heard of, despite building up one of the UK’s best-known fashion brands from scratch to a £1bn behemoth, but Ray Kelvin likes it that way. And while other boardrooms may be stuffed full of suits, spreadsheets and pie charts, Mr Kelvin runs his Ted Baker empire very differently.” In The Independent.

Fashion books to look forward to – „From Oscar de la Renta to street style, what will make it on to the best-dressed bookshelves?” In Financial Times.

All about Yves: inside an unmissable fashion film – „The French film, directed by Jalil Lespert, stars Pierre Niney in the title role and chronicles the designer’s legendary career – from the 22-year-old creative director of the house of Dior, to the creative mastermind behind one of the influential and enduring fashion brands in history, changing the way that women dress forever.” In Vogue UK si, total diferit, in The Telegraph.

The dress shirt’s big moment – “Women may have their shoes. But men have their shirts. Men can be a little obsessed with dress shirts, owning loads and geeking out on such details as stitching on buttons or cuffs, fabric weight, and how stiff a collar stands up when worn under a jacket or sweater without a tie.” In Wall Street Journal.

How Gucci goes Hollywood – „President and CEO Patrizio di Marco talks to THR about Gucci’s relationship with Hollywood, its support of film restoration (including the works of John Cassavetes, Michelangelo Antonioni, Federico Fellini and Sergio Leone) and plans for a new Rodeo Drive boutique.”  In Hollywood Reporter

A victory of resilience for fashion – „Bad taste? An example of fashion’s self-absorption and lack of sensitivity when it comes to the thorny issues of the world? Ridiculous frivolity in the face of serious social unrest?” In Financial Times.