Lectura de sambata dimineata

„The fashion magazine is the tried and tested means of communication that is integral to the chronology of fashion. From La Belle Assemblee, which displayed fashion plates to the gentry of the Regency period, to the 21st century EverManifesto, which only distributes its freeprint copies at fashion shows, the magazine has remained a touchstone between designers and public.

The magazine must convey ideas of fashion to its readership but also, via its editors, stylists, models, photographers, has to contextualise these ideas within the zeitgeits of the time. For a Vogue reader, picking up the latest issue with a somptuous photo story detailing the latest shape of skirt increases the desirabiity of that skirt. Looking at the same issue in hindsight – the style of the photographer, the use of colour, the make-up, the figure of the model – contributes t our understanding of social history.”

Randurile de mai sus, frumoase si destepte, fac parte din prefata unei carti la fel de frumoase si destepte: „Chronology of Fashion”. Ieri am primit-o spre recenzie de la Books Express si abia o pot lasa din mana, dar veti afla pe 1 noiembrie ce am invatat din ea, ce am aflat nou, ce mi-a placut si de ce o recomand, atunci cand dau drumul celui de-al doilea concurs cu Books Express – iar aceasta e cartea pe care o puteti castiga!

Pana atunci insa va las sa va bucurati de ultimele zile de toamna blanda, de dormitul pana tarziu in weekend, de octombrie si de lectura de sambata dimineata…

Artful fashion meets fashionable art at fairs – “As art fairs and festivals bring a cosmopolitan crowd to London and Paris, a different question comes to the fore: Is art now more fashionable than fashion?” In International Herald Tribune.

Why Henry Holland is more than a figure of fun – „“Holland has been making people talk since 2006. It was at London Fashion Week that the public first saw his slogan T-shirts, when designers Gareth Pugh and Giles Deacon took their post-show bows, each wearing a Holland design in homage to the other. ‘Get yer freak on, Giles Deacon,’ read Pugh’s. ‘UHU, Gareth Pugh,’ said Deacon’s in return.” In The Independent.

Costume drama – „What are movie costumes for? They are there to tell a story, to indicate something about their wearer’s character and situation in life. They aren’t created for their own sake, or to be viewed as stand-alone objects. But they are still mostly to be seen in two dimensions, which […] makes designing them different from designing for the fashion industry.” In Wall Street Journal.

Why are so many editors leaving magazines for retail brands? – “WWD reported that Anamaria Wilson, the fashion features director at Harper’s Bazaar, would be leaving her post at the magazine to join Michael Kors as senior vice president of global corporate communications… So what’s going on? Why are all these editorial-minded individuals leaving publishing to work for retail brands?” In Fashionista.

Designers and brands take steps towards sustainable fashion – “But a clutch of designers, some of them high-end, are pursuing a different tack. They’re producing clothing and accessories that are biodegradable — or at the very least, have parts that are capable of decomposing into natural substances. The movement is still in its infancy, but it’s an important development in an industry that’s increasingly scrutinized for its wastefulness.” In LA Times.

The comfort revolution – „We’ve long accepted that high style presumes a certain level of suffering, as if feeling good were the antithesis of fashion, something to be indulged in private, when nobody was looking (e.g., sweatpants). That’s changing.” In Wall Street Journal.

Time to end climate denial, time to invest in fashion perennials – „Focusing on clothes you can wear eight-to-10 months out of 12 might sound boringly sensible but, by putting as much energy into choosing the work-horses of your wardrobe as you do an impulsive cheesecloth smock dress, those rational purchases should become enduring sources of pleasure.” In The Telegraph.

Mencyclopedia: J.M. Weston – „President Mitterrand alternated between 30 identical pairs of the company’s „Blake” moccasin-style loafers in kidskin. President Chirac wore the same model, but in calfskin. And President d’Estaing opted for Oxfords, with a perforated toecap in a style called the Bunting.”  In The Telegraph.