Decoding : Cute Overdose

A facebook group found out freaky similarities between a Disney wedding and those of William and Kate

 Most of the people I met think that I am no fun. They say that I didn't kept my children's soul because I don't know by heart the song of the opening credits of the Japanese cartoon I've watched when I was a child. They say that I am a cold heart because I ask them to stop sending me YouTube videos of kittens while at work. And they call me an alien because I have main interests and joys different from them. As you can see, in our modern society, grown-ups still behave like kids in the freaking sandbox ... In France, the phenomenon is clearly visible with people in their thirties, and I've observed some similarities while in the USA too. They seem to suffer from the Peter Pan's syndrome : they refuse to enjoy themselves like adults, so they keep doing kids activities, using kids references and most importantly, dressing with kids accessories, this, past twenty. Is this one of the symptoms of the 11th September's trauma ? I think it is rather a new response to the punk "No Future". But while punks were sinking into sex, drugs and good music, this new generation prefers sweets, teddy bears and facebook groups. Harmless ? I'm not sure. But irritating, definitely.

T-shirt Uniqlo £7,99 - Necklace Vivienne Westwood 220euros - Shoes Jeremy Scott for Adidas $250

The day Kate told "yes" to William, I was quite happy. Everyone was behind its TV, and I could enjoy my city, being the only one outside and not obsessed by a wedding that didn't touch me at all. But the avalanche catched me up the following days with intensive press coverage and, above all, web invasion. Oh yes, they were cute, love is great, the princesses had ridiculous hats ... People around the world were acting as if this event was personal to them, calling the bride "Kate" as if she was a close friend. It was an earth-scale version of  movie Muriel, without the good tunes of ABBA. Yes, see, I like joyful music. But I must miss the namby pamby allele on my female chromosome, perhaps the same one which prevents me to like heels ( see my article I'm not Cinderella ), because I don't do idiot little cries when I see a baby or an animal. Something you're now told to do in every fashion magazine that respects itself. Really.
As everything mainstream, the "Cute" quickly became a good tank of inspiration for fashion, and some designers have started to suffer from the syndrom, or mostly, to think that idiots would be delighted to buy their regressive creations. It is certainly the case of Jeremy Scott, who even admits that creating his teddy bears sneakers was the dumbest ideas he had. But thanks to the trend of wearing kids' toys as fashion accessories, he will make a fortune without any regret. Many others were precursors, Moschino and Sonia Rikyel, for example, which quickly assumed a change for exhilarating fluo colours and  models acting like little girls.

Paul&Joe : jacket 295euros, lipstick 21,65euros

But the Golden Palm at Cannes Festival would certainly go this year to the childish prints. Mickey is struting about in both Uniqlo and Topshop, with many of his closest relatives. But now that everyone has got the new book of Jonathan Safran Foer on the bedside, the supreme IT is to show love for animals. Forget about the fuddy-duddy of wearing sweaters with horses designs ! But you will be even trendier with lobsters and penguins in your tees and scarves, signé Charlotte Taylor. The cat is a sure value : it always will be cute. So, brand Paul&Joe was certain to make a hit with their lipstick in shape of the pet. Adorable, admittedly, but how stupid when you have to use it and the cat disappears ? As usual, consumerism didn't stop to strike ... But you don't only wear animals as prints, you also have to wear them as accessories themselves ! The trend has been launched in the catwalks, where models started walking their dogs. Then Natalia Vodianova carried a lamb for lingerie brand Etam. And then again, the escalation couldn't be stopped. On the cover of the magazines, you cannot see the girl without the beast, not dangerous anymore. Even Robert Pattinson showed that gators were cute, and Bulgari offered a big cuddly toy to its new muse Kirsten Dunst ... If Givenchy and Wildfox are still trying to sell drooling fangs, they are totally out of the time. The wild animal inside us has been tamed and it is now as peaceful and sweet as a lamb.

Moschino 683euros

It is not great anymore to be rock : the skulls start to become fun, as for jeweller Aurélie Bidermann, and we'd rather take the sweet necklaces of our childhood out again, because they're the new studs !
Smileys, peace signs, cheerful messages are blooming everywhere, and even the Queen of protest, Vivienne Westwood, have teddy bears in her Summer 2011 collection ! Suddenly, we are all told to dress like Katy Perry and to live on Sesame Street  ! I know that the world is scary, my dears. But I don't think that spending your evenings and nights watching series could help when you're desperately single. Same, I don't think that losing your time watching YouTube videos of pandas could solve your problems of unemployment, neither a t-shirt could fight your angst of nuclear disaster, even made by the interesting label Mother of Pearls. And don't kid yourself : if the richest prescribers of the world are showing you cats with bags, it is not a way for them to bring you something cute and relieving : it is because they are taking advantage of your need for reassurance. Did you see the price of the items shown in this article ? Except for the t-shirt, everything is so indecently expensive. Stella McCartney has taken her last collection directly from your childhood wardrobe and she tries to sell it for a fortune. Blog The Fashion Police ( http://www.thefashionpolice.net/ ) has found a very appropriate expression for that : Daylight Armed Robbery.

V Magazine

Yes, my children, while you are dreaming that you could live forever in your wonderland of childhood references and dreams, the nasty capitalists out there are still planning to eat you in the wood when you will take honey to your grandmother ... And if no t-shirt could repels the troubles of the adulthood, they are also good things about growing up. Believe Aunt Sammy ...
So, put away your Barbies and start looking for them ...

Mother of Pearls

Decoding : "Talonted" !



All Saints (£155 and £175)



In the past, we used to do the curtsey : this exercise was first a social sign for respect, but also a good way to show your grace and excellent deportment. Now, it is obsolete, and quite regrettable and not only for the daily gymnastics it forced you to do, but because it would be a quite convenient way to admire our peers' shoes. Indeed, shoes are now a powerful part of an outfit, and customers are getting more and more daring with what they choose. But, face it, it is a pity to wear extravagant shoes because you're incuring the risk of them being ignored. Except if we reintroduce curstey ... And then, your fruity Charlotte Olympia would never been missed again ! But when it comes to the heel, this smart idea is finding its limits.

Jeffrey Campbell (I Don't Like Mondays, out of stock) - Alexander McQueen (price on demand)

In French, le talon. Hence the title, a pun with "talented". The heel is designers' new whim for some seasons. The most famous examples are of course the creations of Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, but slowly, the heel is starting to become one of the most important part of an outfit. Is it a new "Follow me, young man" ? Or just a fantasy that doesn't really survive the transfer from the catwalks to the streets ? Why spending so much work and attention in a part which is not clearly visible ? That sounds like an excessive luxury. But heels have been a strong symbol of feminity for ages. Stilettos are a weapon of sensuality. It is very simple : a sexy curve and a sense of power, due to the threat of the point. So, sculpted, finely-worked heels have got a meaning too. They are all extremely solid, even monolithic. If stilettos were associated with knives, those remind of guns grips ! But they are pacific, and their message seems to be "Art not War" ! 

Rodarte (Style.com) - Meadham Kirchhof (Stylerookie)





















The heel is a new way to express the talent of a designer. They can do what they want with it, treating it like a real medium for their artistic sense. Scuplted in wood or metal, it can be minimalistic, such as a contemporary sculpture. Some prefers it more baroque, and imitates the stucco of the architecture Grand Siècle. With gold, it turns luxuous, with sequins, it gets pop. Ralph Lauren prefered silver, Christian Dior worked it in the way of a Art Déco glass-blower. Everything is possible. But is Art the only meaning of those complicated heels ? It is also a statement, a way to show your uniqueness in a world of mainstream culture and production at grand-scale. Yes, women still want to be sexy. But they also want to be remarkable.
As for me, you know I'm not a great defender of heels, but I appreciate the effort, as a strong supporter of art. But I still can't picture myself perched on those things.

Decoding : Fashion, the Tenth Art ?

The execution of Lady Grey by Delaroche (detail)

 Two days ago, I've had a strange encounter at London Fashion Week during the Giles' show, at the Royal Court of Justice. No, it wasn't Pixie Geldof, but a certain Lady Grey. Is she a close relative to Lady Gaga ? Not at all, Jane Grey was a 16th century English noblewoman who was queen during nine days before her execution for high treason. This woman is mainly famous for a painting of the said execution, by French painter Paul Delaroche. As you suspect, I don't have medium's skills, so, when I talk of encounter, I describe my surprise to see the face of Miss Grey on several outfits of designer Giles Deacon. For me, it was especially relevant to find the detail of a famous painting used as the main pattern of a fashion collection, and I was quite amazed that no one thought about it before.

Giles Fall 2011 ( Style.com )

 Fashion, after all, is just an art like another. Critics accuse Haute Couture of being "Art for Art", that is to say something unwearable, pricey and totally useless. Designers such as Gareth Pugh are forced to defend themselves against that accusation, and to prove that their creations are made for stores and not for galleries . But I don't fit into that scheme. I particularly agree with Vanessa Paradis when she declares that she goes to fashion shows as she would go to real shows, i.e. theatre, dance or another performance. I don't mind if a dress is wearable or not, affordable or not, if it is gorgeous and aesthetic, I consider that it equals a painting or a sculpture. I was maybe influenced by the Parnassian poets during my teenage years, but I proclaim the right to "l'Art pour l'Art" !

Alexander McQueen "Savage beauty" exhibition ( photo Sølve Sundsbø )

 It seems that I am not alone in this process. Museums are opening their doors to designers, launching exhibitions for them as they would do it for masters of paintings, sculpture and photography. This Spring, the Metropolitan Museum of New York will host an exhibition devoted to Alexander McQueen at its Costume Institute. In London, the Victoria & Albert Museum will take a special interest in designer Yohji Yamamoto in March, and in Paris, the Museum of Quai Branly shows the close relationship between East and Christian Lacroix. Long past, fashion photography has been considered as artistic. It is not surprising then that the clothes themselves would enter in the spheres of Fine Arts. To when the creation of Fashion gelleries ? It is nearly here : some brands have already launched short-lived concept stores, mixing clothes with contemporary exhibitions ...

Sergio Rossi "Idol" bodice

 The dialogue between art and fashion started with the artists themselves. Painter Dalì influenced designer Elsa Schiaparelli, but he was a designer himself : he created jewels, and many other artists did the same ( Cesar, Picasso and Arman to name few ). The March issue of Vogue Paris incidentally pays a tribute to the famous artist and finds its inspiration in surrealism.
Not surprising then that jewellers and designers would venture in the world of sculpture : I have already told you about Jordan Askill, but the Fashion Week also reavealed Erickson Beaman, and brand Sergio Rossi launched a surprising line of accessories, close to classic Greek sculpture.

Elle Fanning in a video for Rodarte

Then, Contemporary Art starts to blend in with Fashion : when art performer Olympia Scarry wants to create an art statement at Art Basel, she chooses to appear in a burqua at Playboy's party. But not an ordinary burqua : this one was a piece of black lace and silk custom-tailored by Riccardo Tisci himself ... The designer, at the head of the Givenchy House of Couture, has already expressed his will to send fashion back into the world of luxury and, inevitably, of Art.
Indeed, each Art can easily flirt with Fashion : you can see my article on Architecture and the Lourenços, many singers are moving Music closer to Couture, Comics are often seen in t-shirts, and Dance is in the spotlight since the success of Black Swan ( with costumes by Rodarte ). The 7th art is not forgotten : talking of Rodarte, we have spotted actress Elle Fanning in their last video, a genre which grows faster in the Industry, with Tom Ford distinguishing himself in the cinema. From here, we can imagine more meetings with poetry, literature, gastronomy, television and more ... Imagination has no limit, and so is Art. So, let's create !

Decoding : Sex and other fashion considerations



Raquel Zimmerman in 2009

 If we could sum up fashion with only one word, a word that would explain at the same time its existence and its gist, I think that the word body would be satisfying. No flesh, no bones = no clothes. And yet, body is something Fashion is always trying to hide the reality, as clothes hide the skin. It's a scandal each time creators or photographers reveal the body of a female model. But a naked woman in a fashion magazine, what it is ? Sex, art or a joke ? Indeed, how bare skin could sell clothes ? Some stylists have found the antidote to this problem : they added a naked man next to the dressed woman. But still. The sex disturbs. But sex is intimately related to fashion. We choose our style depending on our sex and on the sex we want to seduce. Reductive ? Yes, especially for the heads of marketing. If we didn't have a sex, we could buy more clothes. No more choice between menswear and womenswear, but an infinity of possibilities. And here enters androgyny. The concept exists in the industry for a while, but at the beginning, it was mainly a deliberate transgression from designers and stylists who liked their tea with a bit of provocation. Among them is Jean-Paul Gaultier. Already in 2009, he has stricken our imagination with his A/W 2009 campaign which was showing two different versions of model Raquel Zimmerman. Stunning.

Andrej Pejic and Martin Cohn

 But, in June 2010, he struck harder. In the catwalk, a tall and seducive blond is walking, her ciggy carelessly lit in her hand. She looks at the public with arrogance. But this blond beauty, who is showing the designer's latest womenswear collection, is not a woman. It is Andrej Pejic, a 18 years old Aussie boy. We must say that Andrej is working a lot on his androgynous look : long hair, ambiguous clothes and girly pout. He could fool the jury of Miss World for sure. Same with the porcelain doll's face of Martin Cohn, who is now one of the most booked male models and who recently have reached the rank of It boy. Men are stripping, but their bodies are not sexed at all. They met the ancient Greece ideal : effeminate posture, children's innocent faces and invisible genitals. Long-past, the male body seems to be made for womanhood. In ancient theatre, the actors could easily play the part of a girl and in opera, castrato were more celebrated than female singers. We can find more easily men who cross-dress rather than women. But if it is easier for them to slip on our clothes, then, perhaps the female models should start to worry. Male models can parade for both collections, but can female models do the same ?

Tilda Swinton and Lady Gaga

 Probably, but it is not certain. Nowadays, models look more like fragile little girls rather than strong little boys. Some already have embraced the boyish trend, such as Agyness Deyn and Freja Beha Erichsen, but most of their female colleagues balk at cutting their long sylph hair. In other professions, some are less cautious. In cinema, actresses have cross-dressed for a long time : Sarah Bernhardt in L'Aiglon, Jeanne Moreau in Jules and Jim, Julie Andrews in Victor Victoria, Barbara Streisand in Yentl, Gwyneth Paltrow in Shakespeare in Love, Hilary Swank for Boys don't cry and more recently, we have to remember the stunning performance of Cate Blanchett as rocker Bob Dylan. If actors cross-dress for comedy ( Some like it Hot, Mrs Doubtfire, Hairspray ), actresses have always drama roles. There is something melancholic in seeing a woman dressed as a man. See the famous pictures of Lady Gaga for Vogue Japan. No smile, but solemnity. The feminists will protest, but it looks like women can't easily be men. To my knowledge, Tilda Swinton is the only one woman who can brag to do campaigns for both womenswear and menswear at Pringle of Scotland. With her unusual look and her boyish style, she can easily be mistaken for a man.

David Bowie, Brian Molko and Miyavi

 Then, men still have the advantage here. But for our defense, it is just because they have a leg up. Men started to work on their androgynous look in the 70s. It is something usual in the music industry. We can't do an article about androgyny without mentioning David Bowie. Many other singers have played with their ambiguity, such as Brian Molko, the singer of rock band Placebo. But when it comes to Japan, it is a real institution : Visual Kei, a specific kind of rock, have very strict codes of appearances, and fan girls are worshiping singers and musicians with feminine appearances. The roots of this trend date back to Kabuki theatre. Theatre, Music, Cinema, Fashion : it is a permanent loop and the trend of androgyny is not going to disappear. Ancient Greece's philosopher Plato thought that, at the beginning of the world, there were no male nor female. We were one, and the gods decided to cut us in two distinct sexes in order to have peace. An idea that facinates so much we can't get rid of it, and even, in our modern world, eager of novelties, starts to establish itself as the new norm.

Gisele Bundchen for Balenciaga and Ben Grimes for Grazia Magazine

 So, in the future, will we ask ourselves "To be sexed or not to be ?". Science-fiction promised us cold creatures in androgynous jumpsuits. Are we going to sacrify the dresses to the suits forever ? Some brands already started to launch collections wearable by both men and women, such as Acne and The Kooples. In many new campaigns and photoshots, models are masculine. With the increase of women at the head of fashion houses and magazines, is it a sign of power ? Or is erasing sex a way to have more sex ? Bisexuality is staying discreet but some defend it as the It sexuality. I don't think there is an It sexuality, as I think that there is not one sexuality. And not one fashion either. Because the human being is not only one thing. There always will be aestheticism and free will. Two other words that can also perfectly describe fashion ...

Model of Danielle Scutt Womenswear A/W 2010 collection

Third Sex ( 3eme Sexe )





Decoding : The Complex of the blogger

Already, 2010 is designated as the year of the fashion blogs, the one which won them the supreme recognition. Recently, Anna Dello Russo has repeated her support to the blogging community, praising the fresh air it was bringing to the industry. This new media has certainly filled with enthusiasm many great actors of the world of fashion, and also many anonymous people.

But the attacks are starting to burst forth.

In a recent issue of a renowned fashion magazine, a column is indignant about the financial success of some famous bloggers. The journalist quotes some of our colleagues who have created a bag for a famous label, who are working for brands or influential fashion editors. Of course, there is some truth in this article : it is a pity that bloggers would lose their integrity for profit and ambition. The announcement of Bryan Boy about his six-figure income is certainly irritating, but not only for professional journalists. All the bloggers are not famous and rich.

I think that those kind of attacks come close to bad faith, to jealousy. Are the bloggers traitors ? Sold out ?
Isn't it an hypocritical accusation from a profession which receive tons of benefits, including free samples and special discounts on clothes ? So, yes, Tavi Gevinson, for example, receives samples from designers and many blogs are posting sponsored articles, but they are just imitating their elders : sponsors are the main profit of magazines ! Everyone has to survive. According to some journalists, blogging would be okay if without earnings. But how are we supposed to live ? Blogging is mainly a job for most of us, and sometimes because of a lack of choice : we are doing it because we are not journalists yet ...
According to a poll I have seen on website Independant Fashion Bloggers, more than 80% of the polled declare blogging for a professional goal. No pleasure invoked when you worry about your future.

Now, this is true that blogging is losing speed. Is it the fault of almighty figures such as Bryan Boy, Garance Doré or Tavi Gevinson ? Or maybe are there too many blogs out there ... Indeed, each day, thousands of new accounts are created. Thousands of concepts, but always the same goal : to gain visibility as quickly as they can. But it's hard when there are too many fishes in the sea. Blogging is now as intimate as Twitter and most of the articles seems to get lost in the deafening hubbub of Internet. And what about bloggers' community, mutual aid ? The assessment is depressing. Independant Fashion Blogger has even launched a "comments challenge" to encourage contact and compliments between its members. The website even speaks of blogger's burnout.

It is a fact that blogging is not an easy work. Journalists have at least a team to rely on, and even if they don't receive feedback, they have the satisfaction to see their publication sold.
The blogger is like a novelist, alone in front of the computer, wondering if his work is good and why nobody is commenting his last article. It is an angst I am sure you know.
Sometimes, the blogger even visits other blogs and almost cries to discover some articles which seem to have been written by a six years old but have reached the 40 comments. The blogger is not extroverted, he hasn't got thousands of friends on Facebook and he has a lot of hang-ups. So, when he has the possibility to gain money and love, he goes for it. It is human.

Personally, I have chosed not to put ads on my blog, first because I find them annoying for a reader, but mainly because of my experience on a writers' website where ads have brought me 22 cents so far ... This kind of thing only works if you are Bryan WonderBoy, albeit thousands of articles told you the contrary. There are no magic words for success, just luck, as in the real world.
Unfortunately, there are some people who have nothing to do in blogging and who are literally polluting the blogosphere ( each of us can easily quote one or two without nastiness : it is just a fact that some people were not meant for blogging ) but this is mainly the fault of the magazines, which have given an excessive publicity to the process. So, thanks to them, we have too much competition, no more fraternity and besides, they are accusing us of being self-interested ! Oh well. Blogging looks like more and more to a curse and less to a blessing ...

I have been asked by young bloggers what I could advise them to do to have success. I really can't answer, I don't even consider my own experience as a success. Yes, I have more than 200 readers per day and I have been spotted by a magazine, but when I read articles on making business plans for a blog, I have quite a nervous laugh. That's silly. Until now, The Column brought me £0,00 and no job offer. But we have to stop thinking about profit : the pleasure it gives me is priceless ...

So I think that bragging about earning £50k per year, when milliards of people are unemployed and surviving, is totally indecent. And I also think that blogging is not designed to perish yet, whether the journalists like it or not. So, if I would have to give you a piece of advice, I would told you to blog for pleasure, not for profit. We have to stop being so obsessive about money. We are lured with luxury, especially in fashion blogging, but don't dream : it will never make you happy nor complete, but constantly unsatisfied.

If writing is becoming too obsessive, too mechanical, stand back and take the time to have some fresh air. Do it only as Susie Lau of Style Bubble does it, because you want to share. If it brings you money, great, if it is not, don't get mad and embittered, maybe success is waiting for you elsewhere. And, most importantly : stop trying to emulate the blogging superstars. Stay yourself and bring what journalists can't.

Genuineness.

Sources :
http://heartifb.com/
http://www.graziadaily.co.uk/fashion/archive/2010/12/09/bryan-boy-is-considerably-richer-than-you.htm
http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2010/12/susie_bubble_doesnt_blog_for_t.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nymag%2Ffashion+%28The+Cut+-+nymag.com%27s+Fashion+Blog+-+New+York+Magazine%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

Decoding : When Fashion meets Contemporary Architecture, the Lourenço family

Pedro Lourenço's Jacket

 The first collection presented at the last Fashion Week of Paris has been quite a revelation for many fashion critics. Indeed, they were first skeptic, they thought they were going to see another teenage designer. But Pedro Lourenço, 19 years old only, forced them to change their mind in just one show. It was not a complete challenge : the young Brazilian designer is definitely not a novice. His Parisian show was already his tenth one, as he has presented his very first collection at the age of 13. That sounds young, but not for the son of Reinaldo Lourenço and Gloria Coelho, two of the most famous designers of Sao Paulo. As you might have guessed, fashion is a family business for the Lourenços.

The Wyly Theatre of Dallas by Rem Koolhaas and Joshua Prince-Ramus

 Pedro is a very serious boy, talking with ease of both the commercial and the artistic aspects of his work. Down to earth, he favours quality to an unbridled creativity, but he is aware that his clienthood is attracted by his most futuristic pieces. So, for Paris, he has developped a very matured line, constituted of architectural and military strict dresses, structured with black leather lined with neoprene and geometrical effects which have been described as venetian-blinds. But the secret of the neofuturistic appearance of his work resides in his main influence : in fact, he eagerly quotes Oscar Niemeyer, his compatriot, who is a worldwide famous architect, considered as a pioneer. I can't help but also see the grooves of Dallas' Wyly Theatre.This influence of contemporary architecture is very vibrant in Lourenço's work, both conscient and unconscient, and it can easily be explained by his heritage.

Reinaldo Lourenço - Shigeru Ban

 A quick look at his parents' work is enlightening. Reinaldo Lourenço, his father, seems to be a master of architecture, with some woven dresses which directly connect him with the genius of lightness, the Japanese Shigeru Ban. In both men's work, the attention of the details reveals a will of space and of agility. Reinaldo's woman is fleeing the fetters and is yearning for appeasement. His clothes looks as organic as the material used by the Zen architect. We could also find the troubling sensuality of the Pompidou Center of Metz, in the east of France ( designed by the Tokyo's master in collaboration with French architect Jean de Gastines ) into some dresses of the son, the fitted uniforms imitating the curves of the roof structure of light wood.

Gloria Coelho - Zaha Hadid in Beijing

 On the side of the mother, Gloria Coelho, the choice goes on metal structures and a more futuristic relief, which is not without reminding the last collection of British Gareth Pugh, another architectural designer. Perhaps it is already the hand of Pedro, who has handled his mother's line "Carlota Joakina" for years, but I recognize the Walt Disney Concert Hall of Los Angeles in those stratums of brushed metal. They are also close of the work of another famous woman, Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid, especially with her project of the Chaoyangmen SOHO III in China.

Pedro Lourenço AW 2010 - Oscar Niemeyer

 Both Reinaldo and Gloria are harden craftsmen who perfectly know how to use the futuristic shapes that attract the public's eyes. Pedro has grown up with this experience, and with his modernity and talent, he already masters the tools that other designers take years to learn. The young man is not a privileged, even if he is given an attention and an help ( his stylist is Brana Wolf, his protector, equally famous Brazilian designer Alexandre Herchcovitch ) some others fail to receive for their first step into the Industry. But even if he used the same room as Yves Saint Laurent, offering himself a unique jewel case to his first media-covered collection, the Brazilian gifted child knows he will have to work hard. He has received the tag of "New Nicolas Ghesquière" : already, the industry tries to format him.

Pedro Lourenço AW 2010 - The Pompidou Center of Metz by Shigeru Ban and Jean de Gastines

 But if Pedro has got actually some likeness with the designer of Balenciaga, he is determined to impose his personal style. His Spring/Summer 2011's collection is already a new step toward assertiveness. This time, he chosed to marry a white and denatured leather to an almost invisible tulle, revealing bodies with the same elegance as the mashrabiyas used by French architect Jean Nouvel for his Louvre of Abu Dhabi. The collection and the museum are very similar : white, with an openwork design, almost austere, but also sensual, the dome of the building echoing the laid bare curves of the women. The unity is less rigid than his Autumn/Winter 2010's collection, and also closer to ready to wear.

Pedro Lourenço SS 2011 - The Louvre of Abu Dhabi by Jean Nouvel

 But if the ghost of Balenciaga has to haunt Lourenço, I would prefer to associate his creative approach to those of the avant-gardist André Courrèges, a French designer well-known in the 60s for his structured yet liberating clothes. He is the one who established the miniskirt and wanted to create clothes which will make the women free, before the moral revolution of May 1968. The Asian purity of Pedro Lourenço's new collection follows the step of the black and white lines of Courrèges, heralding a promising fashion adventure.
The French timestamp is already on the South American young talent, since he has worked a month at the house of couture of Giambattista Valli. But it is very improbable that Pedro Lourenço would forget his Brazilian origins, he who honours this continent, still neglected by the almighty Westerner fashion world. Hopefully not for long ...

Pedro Lourenço SS 2011 - André Courrèges

The official website of Pedro Lourenço is not yet avaible but here's the address : http://www.pedrolourenco.com/ ( I hope they will correct the mistake of "Coming soon" with two m )
His parents' websites are working but they are only in portuguese, and his mother's is not updated ( the date is 2008 ). They definitely need a good spotlight.
http://www.reinaldolourenco.com/
http://www.gloriacoelho.com.br/

Decoding : The artist, the editor and the blogger

 Some weeks ago, a picture surfaced on the web have created such a sensation. We could see Anna Wintour, the editor in chief of American Vogue with her iconic pageboy bob cut, except that it has been dyed, and she was now sporting animal print hair with some odd bunny hears.
But soon, viewers have realized that this picture was merely a very faithful painting, coming from the exuberant imagination of a Swiss artist, Saul Zanolari.
This 33 years old phenomenon is an already renowned digital magician, who excels in merging photos and paint and whose world would have amazed Sigmund Freud. Zanolari's creatures are insolent dollies with gigantic plastic heads, fake eyelashes which would make Katy Perry green with envy, and moustaches. Yes, you've read it right, moustaches, even pornstaches, especially worn by the most famous models of the world.

 The surprising vision of Linda Evangelista as a udder with a moustache, which ranks directly after the work of Salvador Dali, will leave you flabbergasted, and quite excited. The burlesque and exhilarating show goes on with Kate Moss as a bird eating a worm, a devilish Marilyn and other funky fashion icons and drag-queens.
But what led the artist to strike at Anna Wintour ?
Sure, after all those years, the boss of Vogue needed a good make-over, she who has already been decked out with horns because she was suspected to be the devil out of the Devil wears Prada. But I am tempted to put another theory forward, purely far-fetched I admit.
Maybe Master Zanolari was celebrating the new Anna, the 2010's live wire vintage. Indeed, this year, the 61 years old editor has let her hair down ( everything is in the hair ) and offered us some memorable times, such as this delicious photo, taken during the Fashion Week.

 But my favourite remains her speech at the Teen Vogue's Fashion University, the last 24 October, in New York. There, the most famous fashionista of the world told the kids that the best thing that could happen to them is to be fired. Ah. Oh, said the world.
But no, Anna Wintour didn't go berzek, nor is developing the first symptoms of Alzheimer, as some tactless journalists have murmured. Neither she is the devil, advising people to loose an insecure job they have struggled to get, in a period of crisis and unemployment. I think that the piece of advice was good and of the best intentions. Sure, life is challenging and the more challenge you get, the stronger you become. But that was working in the 80s, when the population was smaller, when there still was job offers and when the bosses weren't afraid that hiring would ruin their budget. Now that half of the graduates are unemployed after university, as well as almost 10% of the population, I think that Anna's tirade is very outdated.
But don't misunderstand me : I respect her.
I think that Anna Wintour is the grandmother every fashion blogger dreams to have. Ah, watching her knitting a D&G sweater under our Christmas tree, while eating the foie gras ice cream she has prepared just for us ...

But as every grandmother, we are nodding to her pieces of advice with a tender smile which means "That's cute, granny, but the world has changed, things are not the same anymore !".
I'd love to be fired. You know why ? Because it would mean that I have actually managed to get a first job. And by job, I mean a real one, with a salary and health insurance, not another internship. A job that would not lead me to precariousness because I have to pay a scandalously high rent just to live in the city, because all the good jobs are only in big and expensive cities. Being fired would mean that I have had the opportunity to prove my value at work. No, instead, all I can do is the photocopies, and writing the more I can, waiting for someone to have the courage to give me a chance. It is not as easy as Anna thinks. My father is not a tycoon of the British press, I didn't grow up in London nor get prestigious first jobs thanks to my family. I couldn't even pay the school of journalism !
But I don't complain, I am not jealous. I am aware that I have to work harder, to surpass myself everyday. I am an hard liner. Just like Anna Wintour. And I am also an agitator. Just like Saul Zanolari.
So, it is my time to give a piece of advice to Lady Wintour : you should consider following the make over tips of Saul because it would give you a brand new step into modernity and reality.
Oh, and perhaps you could also think about hiring more young writers ? My curriculum vitae can be found in the "Who's Sam ?" section under the header ...

http://www.saulzanolari.com/
Saul Zanolari's artwork is used with the agreement of the artist.
This article is featured on Saul's website here : http://www.saulzanolari.com/decoding-the-artist-the-editor-and-the-blogger/

Decoding : Fashion previews, appetizers or appetite suppressant ?

 The indigestion came as fast as expected. Few days after the launch of the limited collection of French label Lanvin for H&M, Internet is completely phagocytosed by the pictures : every blog is talking about it to such an overwhelming extent that the website Independant Fashion Blogger made an article about the problem of the repeating topics. The effect is similar to these songs which invade the radios and seem to capture our minds for many days. The goal, of course, is to lead us to the closest store to buy the more we could. The principle has to do with the dogs of Pavlov, the post-hypnotic suggestions and the appetizers. The funny thing about Lanvin is that, in France, it is also a brand of chocolates, so the food metaphor is quite appropriate. When we are hungry, just a little bit of food make us want to have more, especially if it is chocolate. It is inevitable : according to writer Stendhal, it's the desire that creates the object of the desire. So, designers offer us collections because we are starving for them. H&M is perfectly aware that most of us have the dream to buy designers clothes, and they have known that their concept will be a gold mine. And we acted just as they expected : every time they launch a designer's collection, we are rushing to their stores to grab little pieces of luxury. But the good question is : are we really starving for Lanvin ? Perhaps we desire it just because it means luxury ( and it is French; it is well-known that all the countries think that France is the ultimate : spend some time in France and you will wonder why ). Philosopher Descartes remarked that "often, passion make us believe some things are better and more desirable than they are". Nothing to add.

The Swedish company is incredibly clever. Not only she drives us to buy clothes we are not genuinely wanting, playing on our desire of possession, but they manage to turn us into free publicists. All that bloggers who have spread the photos have not been paid, whereas they convert the event into the main subject of conversation in the whole world !
But let's come back to our meal. Now, everyone have had chocolate, but too much chocolate as they saw the pictures ten thousand times ... And the appetizers may have turned into appetite suppressants. I don't want to rush to my H&M store to buy Lanvin : indeed, the more I have seen the clothes the more I have thought that they were not that exciting. Plus, the idea to fight with a crowd of lobotomised and overexcited gals over a t-shirt is not my vision of glamour. "If desire blooms, possession fade everything" said writer Proust. I have all the photos ( which are not very good by the way, those models are scary ), why would I buy the clothes, especially if I can buy better ones without stress and agitation ? But maybe am I the worst nightmare of the marketing researchers : of course, I follow my own tastes ...

Now, Lanvin is ( nearly ) over but Tom Ford is using the same process : great, the photos are better and the clothes look gorgeous ... But it is just the beggining : wait to see them in every blog, every mag, and you may change your mind. And who will be next ? Would our years become a stream of previews, spoilers, foretastes ? Hey, we are not going to keep our chin up ! After indigestion, it will be nausea ... That's not chic ! Where's pleasure in that ? We are neither robots nor living Mastercards ... It is time to comeback to a more peaceful fashion before it collapses.
I found the designers who keep their collections secret untill the release much more clever. The effect of surprise bring more pleasure, and fuel our need to possess. Then, we are free to desire. After all, I think that philosopher Pascal will have the last word, he who thought that we were not genuinely searching for the things, but in fact searching for the "research of those things" ... Loving fashion rather than loving buying, isn't it the real definition of a real fashionista ?

Photos Steven Meisel ( Tom Ford ).

Decoding : What is THE Bag ?

Moschino Large Leather Bag 1040 euros 

 Of the Importance of the Bag

As a self-confessed 'bagoholic', I have always wondered why bags were so important for me, and for women in general. The bag is quite a paradox : both useful and aesthetic, it is the central point of an outfit, and also, of a woman's life. How could we live without a bag ? We put everything in it, it is almost a house ...  Mother, working girl or party freak, every type of woman needs to have everything at her fingertips. Sometimes, it could be a genuine brain-teaser ( "Where are my glasses ?", "Damn lipstick !" or "I was sure to have put my shopping list in that pocket !?" ) and it is often said that contents of a bag can describe the character of its owner. But it is way more than an object of transport. The look of the bag is definitely decisive for the image of the woman. Image you want to show, image your have of you or image you would like to have ? Really, the bag is a psychotherapy single-handedly !

Kate Moss for Longchamp Gloucester 990 euros

 IT Bag ?

It is the King of the magazines. Fashionistas swear only by it and try to convince you that you can't live without it. But what is it exactly ? An IT Bag is a designer bag for sure, but it isn't necessarely from the new season. IT bags are classics, their elegance is timeless and prevent you from any error of judgement. If you don't know what to add to an outfit, the IT bag is the easy solution, always welcomed by the fashion judges.
But is the IT bag the one for you ? It is not personal at all. It has been seen ten thousand times on the arm of various celebrities, from the classiest to the most vulgar. Yes for having the same bag than Kate Moss or Julianne Moore, but no to a copycat of Paris Hilton ! It is better to crush on the bag first, then to discover it is IT. But never buy one because you've been told to, that will be a decision you will regret.

Accessorize Double Bow Red Leather Cross Body Bag £45

 The Sexy Bag

You have certainly crossed the path of a woman who was clearly not fashionable, even absolutely hideous, with loose hair, men's clothes, well, a neglected appearance ... I am always surprised to discover their bags ! They are often really feminine, even aggressively sexy ... Quite strange ! A sexy bag is often a way to reveal your feminity that you aren't daring to show with clothes. It is also the prerogative of bimbos and starlets, such as Kim Kardashian and Britney Spears. Somehow, it is not the most elegant bag you can find, due to its flashiness, but there is always a time in a woman's life when it is required. Some buy it at adolescence, others when older. It depends on how you're assuming your sexuality.

Kathy Van Zeeland Sparkling Light Tote price on demand

 The Girly Bag

We all have at least one, we all dream about it. It is terribly cute and you never resist it in shops. It is cocaine, really ! The good point is that they're easy to find, and usually affordable. Sometimes, though, they drive us to go bersek and we put a whole year of salary into one of these little wonders. You can't describe it, but your true heart of woman recognizes it at the first sight. It is your soulmate, no more.

Prada Nappa Tote £2695

 Whatever the Price, it is a [...] ( Put any Brand in the Gap )

This one is quite beyond my understanding, I who prefer aesthetic and quality to labels. It is like glasses and T's with enormous logos. I don't know if you are aware of that, but the brands you worship are enough rich, they don't need you to play the sandwich board ! Chanel, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Hermes ... These are the brands that are fought over. Why ? Because ... well, because they are Chanel, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Hermes. That's the only point of those bags. If you find them genuinely pretty, it is okay, but I won't cut my arms for them. I often meet girls who are totally excited to show me their labeled last find : it is usually the less interesting bag of the collection, or purse or even a key chain, they're ready to buy everything if it's a label, with their little salary, just to show off. They're always deceived to see my reaction : you know how sarcastic I can be !!!

Love Moschino Large Fabric Bag 165 euros

 My Bag is my Way to Nirvana

This one is interesting. A bag as an object of spirituality. This is the supreme accessory of the bobos and the hippy-chic girls. Drew Barrymore has got tons of them. It is a way to show that you could be in Kathmandu instead of Manhattan. The boho bag is made of fabric or wicker, and has got patterns that would go from India to Spanish Inquisition. The message doesn't have to be clear, in the contrary, it has to be mysterious. You are a complex woman, half-traveler ( from the Starbucks in Newbury Street to the one in Commonwealth Avenue; you know, the true travels are in the inside, in your soul ... ), half-mystic, and 100% vegan. Your bag show your soul. Is your soul ?

Proenza Schouler price on demand

 My Bag is Art

Sometimes improbable, always a success. You want your bag to be a statement. Its shape is classical, but there is a detail that makes it unique, arty. Or it is completely odd, such as Gaga's meat purse. Whatever. You are an artist. You can only draw snowmen, the last time you've tried violin you've broke it and you burn your pastas ... That doesn't matter ! You have a bag that is a piece of art, so you are Art ! Who will dare to tell you the contrary ? Not me, honey, not me.

Mango Campero £69,90

 Leather or nothing

It is time to raise the hot question. Is THE bag inevitably a leather bag ? Leather is most of the time expensive, and some prefers to buy fabric bags or bags made of plastic and fake leather. I tend to avoid fabric because I live in a rainy country, and I want to protect my electronics and my notebooks. But it is quite difficult to find a good leather bag. They are often very rigid, bulky. But a fine one is definitely something that would warm your heart. Leather is primitive, it touches the birth of humanity. It is reassuring, sweet and also strong and durable. The bag you want to keep with you, your talisman is inevitably in leather. The shape varies, cross body bag, tote, handbag, shoulder bag ... That's a whole story. Personaly, I don't have preference, I love them all ...

Petite Mendigote Douglas Bag 105 euros

 The Military Bag

It is my last find. This season, Army is everywhere. Vogue showed us medals, and all the brands have coats with those typical knots accross the chest, called brandebourg, which were the distinguishing feature of the old fashioned uniforms. But if you are a true pacifist, or just uncomfortable with wearing military clothes, the military bag is made for you. Both trendy, beautiful and clever, it is my personal favorite of the season. I especially love the Sergeant Pepper Cross Body Bag of Accessorize : my heart of Beatles' fan is talking here.
Let's just pray that it won't rain too much as it is in fabric ...

Accessorize Sergeant Pepper Cross Body Bag £25

Ah, obviously the hunt of THE bag, the perfect bag, is endless ... Sometimes, you need a life to find it.
But you don't mind at all ... Because maybe the quest is what is more exciting !

Some websites where you can find THE ONE ( perhaps, good luck ! )
http://www.accessorize.com/
http://www.longchamp.com/
http://www.kathyvanzeeland.com/
http://www.moschino.it/
http://www.petitemendigote.fr/
http://www.proenzaschouler.com/
http://www.prada.com/
http://www.hermes.com/
http://www.amazon.com/

Decoding : There must be a law against THAT

 This is totally the article that is going to cause a stir : how can I dare attacking a 9 years old who is clearly enjoying herself ? I dare, I dare for the good of our world and our mental sanity. I didn't have any feeling against the Smiths before. Alright, they've decided to push their elder on the Cinema Industry. They're both experienced actors, we need kids for roles, alright, alright, that's their choice, and I am not forced to see their son's movies. But I started to hate them, yes HATE, when I saw their younger hanging on in post-techno-pre-lunatic-asylum outfits and invading my ears with irritating Rihanna-like songs. I can't stay there and watch the massacre happens.

 People clearly don't remember Britney Spears. Little Brit-brit was a music egghead at only 3 and seeing the rest of her life and what she passed through, I would have think that it will be a case of conscience for parents who were tempted to throw their projeny into the lions' den. But, it seems that few people have made two plus two. A child need to have a childhood, i.e. having children's concerns : games, school, caring parents. To my mind, allowing them to go to TV shows to promote their last album or their last clothes' collection is not a favour, but an evident mistreatment. Yes, life is golden for them now ... But if it isn't when they grow up ? Think Macauley Culkin.

 Sure, Drew Barrymore is okay now, but how many committed suicides, are still in rehab and in therapy ? Do you think it is healthy to make a little girl believe that she can be the queen of an industry that is cruel with adults and that she will still it all her life ? Beside that, I can hear you yell already, those kids are no more than robots, whose pretentious twit's attitude deserve only one thing : a good slap. Please send back Willow Smith to her plastic mike, Cecilia Cassini to her Barbie and Lindsey Wixson to her mirror ( is her face even REAL ??? ).

 Tavi Gevinson ? I guess there are always an exception that proves the rule. Tavi is clearly advanced for her age. You're yelling again. Why am I making an exception for her and not for the others ? Three points : 1, she likes Daria, and the fans of Daria never stab each others in the back ( yes, I know, this is not really a concrete point,but I have to put Daria Morgendorffer somewhere in this article, she would have loved it ), 2, more seriously, if you want to ignore Tavi's existence, you definitely can : she's not on TV, not on radio, not everywhere on your homepage in internet, and 3, there's a big difference between having a blog on a subject and thinking you ARE the subject.

So, please, Mr and Mrs Smith, and also the parents out there who are obviously living celebrity through their little kiddies, take them back home, burn their outrageous clothes, put their hair in pigtails and force them to sit at their desk to learn their math lessons. You will do them a great service. And do us a greater.

Because another music video of Willow will clearly drive a thousand more people to see their psychologist.