Lectura de sambata dimineata

N-am mai scris sambata dimineata de cateva saptamani bune. Fara un motiv anume – pur si simplu, diminetile acestei veri, oricat de matinale, le-am ocupat cu altceva.

Am observat si cum acest iunie a trecut pe neobservate: uneori a parut mai mult noiembrie, cu zile bleu-gri si ploi marunte; alteori a parut mai, cu tei infloriti ca niciodata si grei de flori si cu munti de cirese rosii in piata… Abia acum, la final, parca isi intra in drepturi: buchete de margarete si floarea-soarelui vandute de taranci, seri calde si romantice, copii mancand inghetata, piersici si vata de zahar prin parcuri, sentimentul vacantei… o minune de luna!

Asa cum va obisnuiam mai demult, va fac trei invitatii, toate legate de vestimentatie dar in forme diferite. Daca aveti chef de cultura si preumblare, faceti-va timp sa vizitati expozitia „Haina il face pe om: 6 secole de istorie vestimentara”, de la Muzeul National de Istorie. De pe Calea Victoriei plimbati-va pana la parcul Ioanid, pentru ca la muzeul Lowendal puteti vizita pana in 7 iulie „Camasa„, o expozitie curata de Adrian Oianu: camasi si ii din colectia lui privata, costume din Muscel si obiecte traditionale, inconjurate de portrete de tarani din Bucovina.

A treia invitatie este personala, pentru sambata urmatoare, 5 iulie: inca o editie de Style Conversations, cu nr. 15, in care descifram coduri vestimentare pentru toate evenimentele verii, discutam posibile outfituri, pentru cocktailuri after-work, picnicuri cu prietenii si nunti semi-formale si neaparat comentam reguli de stil care se aplica in functie de context (purtam neaparat palarie la o garden party? Si tocuri fine? Sau talpa ortopedica si balerini? Avem voie sa imbracam o rochie neagra la o nunta? Dar partenerul poate purta costum negru?). va astept emailurile la inscrieri(at)imagematters(punct)ro.

Iar acum, cand inca este devreme si nu ne-a prins iuresul zilei, sa citim…

World Cup winner, sartorially – “When it comes to the World Cup (or rather, what is worn in the World Cup), what happens on the field does not stay on the field; it filters out to sportswear consumers globally.” In NY Times.

First ladies are regal, maternal and patriotic. Should they be sexy too? – “The subject of power is tricky territory for a fashion magazine. Such glossies, after all, are fueled by an industry that plays fast and loose with female autonomy, regularly creating templates and installing signposts in the culture that quietly guide public thinking on what it means to be a modern woman.” In Washington Post.

The fashion codes of Frida Khalo – „Her structured corsetry helped align a torso damaged by polio, which she suffered from as a child, her expansive patterned dresses shielded a wasted right leg, and her floral headbands were a delicate representation of her own vulnerability.” In Another Mag

The Investment Dresser: the striped shirt – „A stripy man’s shirt. What could be more Katharine Hepburn/ French Vogue editor/ Christy Turlington? Think effortless, masculine and perfectly suited for summer.” In The Telegraph.

Modern menswear? It’s all gone a bit Brian Ferry – “Menswear is traditionally the better-behaved brother of its flashy female counterpart. Traditional is the word: the former is a slower, stiffer and often stuffier proposition.” In The Independent.

A provocateur prepares to show his quiet side – “Loewe is what the French would call a maison — it comprises men’s and women’s wear, bags, shoes, small leather goods and more — but since taking over, Mr. Anderson has been rebranding one of the oldest labels in the LVMH portfolio from the most micro level up.”  In NY Times.

Birkenstocks are still ugly but now they’re cool – “The business has had few ups and downs, with the exception of a faddish bump in the 1990s. Since then sales have been stable, buoyed by hippies, preppies, and Vermonters who stuck with Howard Dean after the scream. But in the past two years, something strange has been happening to Birkenstocks: They’ve gotten kind of cool.” In Business Week.

How Sephora reorganized to become a more digital brand – „“Sephora, the cosmetics retailer, has been widely recognized as a leader in integrating its digital marketing efforts into its overall strategy. As one sign of that, Sephora has a single executive who serves as both chief marketing officer and chief digital officer.” In Harvard Business Review.

Clothing with a byline – “Fashion’s quest to mint its own class of superheroes has been voracious. First there were the models, leggy and unattainable. Then came the designers, cults of personality with fervent followings … Now, fashion, perhaps out of runway, has come for its own chroniclers: the journalists, the bloggers, the creative directors.” In NY Times.

Is sales shopping an outdated concept? – „There are bargains to be had all year round. So can the traditional sales season still set the heart racing as it did in the past?” In The Telegraph

Dov Charney’s failed utopia – “Charney built American Apparel, which has about two hundred and fifty stores in twenty countries, into a midsized retailer with an outsized reputation. He earned good will for employing U.S. workers to sew his clothes, at a time when most apparel production has moved overseas.” In The New Yorker.