Lectura de sambata dimineata

Va vine sa credeti ca deja suntem la sfarsitul lui ianuarie? Maybe it’s just me, dar in ultimele 3 saptamani am muncit atat de mult si am creionat atat de multe proiecte, incat am senzatia ca e aprilie, nu ianuarie! Astazi nu va tin prea mult de „vorba”, va anunt doar ca din 10 februarie incep inca un curs de stil personal – in engleza, mai concentrat (in 4 sedinte), la The Hobby. In rest, bucurati-va de soarele de dinti, inveliti-va in jachete pufoase si beti ceai din cesti pictate de portelan, cum face Sophie Dahl.

Si evident, cititi linkurile zilei.

Mad Men! romancing the suit – “In tailored suits and noble coats, a whole new generation is finding an antidote to casual sportswear. It is as if the cast of ‘Mad Men,’ the cult television series based on a New York advertising office in the 1960s, had migrated to the men’s shows and been re-branded for the 21st century.” In NY Times.

Chinese take a hoarding to cotton – „Chinese farmers, ginners and merchants apparently are hoarding cotton in the hopes of holding out for higher prices, as the commodity has reached 140-year highs.”In Wall Street Journal.

Tod’s to restore Rome’s Colosseum – “Tod’s, the Italian luxury shoe group… has announced a new project to fund the cost of the restoration of Rome’s historic Colosseum, at a cost of €25 million. The project, which will be carried out in eight stages, has been finalised by the Italian ministry of Culture.” In The Telegraph.

Asian shoppers thirst for luxury – “So many times in the past few decades, the insatiable appetite of the Americans [helped the world out of recession]… But if China’s emerging class of consumers put their mind to it… their buying power will shape the needs and demands of the rest of the world.” Pe BBC.

Met hails models of 1973 – „A Metropolitan Museum event honored 10 models of color who took part in a legendary fashion face-off between five American designers and five French couturiers at the Palace of Versailles in 1973.” Pe Wall Street Journal.

A whole lot of flare – „Big flares, big hair and calf-length skirts; orange, purple, mustard, yellow… Does any of this sound familiar? Are your hearts already sinking at the thought of another 1970s revival?” In The Telegraph.

Social tribes vs. social networks – “Social networks allow for the expression of current mindsets, but are not good at moving that mindset into the field of concerted action or conversion. In contrast, if luxury marketers could help gird the formation of tribes, they would gain a larger return on investment.” Pe Fashion Collective.

A filmmaker’s view of the runway – „It is remarkable just how open to interpretation a fashion collection can be when seen from a different lens, as Ms. Cassavetes demonstrates in a short video she made for Ms. Prada, which will have its debut at miumiu.com today.” In NY Times.

Chanel swaps pearls and operatic grandeur for Tshirts and flats – “‘This is the way young women dress nowadays,’ pronounced Karl Lagerfeld, explaining why his Chanel haute couture show in Paris was built around T-shirts, slim trousers and flat shoes, with barely a cocktail frock to be seen and not a pearl in sight.” In The Guardian.

50s glamour meets the cancan –  „Couture week raises the spectacle of runway shows to its highest form. This season, the catwalks were awash in sequins, pearls, crystals and even snaps embroidered on dresses. A chaste theme of minimal bare skin and below-the-knee looks ran throughout.” In Wall Street Journal.

Prada prods China’s elite – “For Prada, in particular, the Chinese market is critical. The company is expected to announce this week plans for an initial public offering on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Its valuation would likely be higher in Hong Kong than in other market.” In Wall Street Journal.

Eminent domain name: what do to when your brand is coveted – “Late last week, Erin Kleinberg, Stephanie Mark and Jake Rosenberg launched a new fashion blog. The design was solid, the content striking and the concept – a peek inside the closets of fashion editors and insiders – met with enthusiasm. The name, however, was met with raised eyebrows.” Pe Signature9.

Selfridges: bright young things – “The windows of Selfridges will feature some of the biggest upcoming stars in British fashion and art… 25 young designers and artists [will] create their own displays and showcase their work to millions. They will also design limited edition pieces.” In Dazed Digital.

Onstage or backstage, a kiss for Paris –  “The couture shows have been pretty wonderful this season. Nobody is crabbing about them being out of touch, maybe because a lot of editors just finished preseason collections and are bored to death.” In NY Times.

How long will Burberry’s success last? – “The ‘democratic luxury” positioning, although it may have a very possitive message during the current recession, it remains to be seen how the consumers will regard it once most of the international market will have recovered from the recession.” Pe CPP Luxury.

So chic it’s unreal –  „Fake fur is in such bad taste. And that’s just what I love about it. As Diana Vreeland once said, „never fear being vulgar, just boring.” Well, fear no more. The breed once reserved for ladies of the night is on the backs of stylish girls from the Rue Saint-Honoré to Madison Avenue.” In Wall Street Journal.

Boardwalk Empire: roaring back to the Twenties in style –  „It has been described as the next Mad Men – Boardwalk Empire, set in the Twenties, is a new American period drama that will have an indelible impact on our wardrobes.[…] Rows of beaded evening gowns and shawls, bookcases brimming with top hats, straw boaters, period lingerie, shelves full of 1920s-style shoes, rails of beautifully cut men’s suits, ties, swathes of beaded and embroidered fabric, and soldier’s uniforms.” In The Telegraph.