Gianfranco Ferrè R.I.P.

June 17th 2007 fashion creator Gianfranco Ferrè sadly passed passed away. Wikipedia about Ferrè

$500 in fine or 6 months in jail?

It is certainly not a nice view but to fine it with $500 or 6 months in jail is that not to go a bit far? I read today in the Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet that the City of Delcambre in the state of Louisiana. The Mayor of the city explains that if you walk around showing your private parts you get fined. What is your opinion? I certainly don’t find the style attractive, rather embarrasing to be honest. But to give someone 6 months jail for this when Paris Hilton is given 45 days for driving when having  been drinking. This ‘dress code’ marks that you are a hiphop or want to belong to that group.Photo: Scanpix

Men in shorts in the city?

Is this suitable?

Some people label themselves as ‘fashion experts’ argue that men in shorts in the city is not correct dressing. What is your opinion? I can’t see anthing wrong in it as long as the shorts is about knee-length.

Preparing for new post

Sorry not to have posted anything for some days. I am preparing one post that will discuss hoodies and the history of hoodies. Have in mind that ‘The Scottish Widow’ is hoodied too.

Another post will be on how apprentices in the businessworld dress. Should an apprentice really dress as if already is an international businessman?

What is most valued in models?

Have you ever looked at a poster or a photo in a glossy-magazine and asked yourself why they have used that specific model? I have! Can an attractive model make up for a reputation of drug-and alcohol misuse? I believe it can. They hope that we forget what we have heard. Bad publicity doesn’t exist? Is it different between men and women? I wouldn’t buy something modelled on a man that is known for bad behaviour, like Pete Doherty. I think we as consumers can show what we want by what we buy. I made a connection with Hugh Grant and his new movie after he had kicked that photographer. I want to show my dislike by doing what I can do.

Do all models have to be size zero and age 17?

I went to a fashion show at ‘Norsk Form’ when I was in Oslo. It was a Performance by Danish designer Karoline Kjeldtoft called “86/77/96″. Ms Kjeldtoft interprets the little black dress and investigates contemporary ideals of beauty. The measures “86/77/96″ is the typical for ‘mature’ women. I was asked in the perspective of being a male about my opinion? I find these ladies far more attractive than skinny size zero-models. This was very stylish. The garments shown worked with the bodies instead of trying to change them.

More information on Karoline Kjeldtoft can be found here www.karolinekjeldtoft.com 

Photo: Bo Persson        bo_persson@ntlworld.com

Paris Hilton new fashion statement at Madame Tussauds

I have to appologize today. This is far from how serious I want this blog to be, but it’s funny. Madame Tussaud’s in New York has today dressed the Paris Hilton copy in traditional jailbird striped costume. Anyone up for a bet that Ms Hilton will make a collection or a trend out of this? Photo:AFP

Dressed for Demonstration?

What kind of a person is it that covers up the way the pictures shows? To me this is an image of a coward! S/he is as anonymous as is possible. Why don’t they want people to be able to identify their face? Could it be they are aware they are doing something illegal? If you oppose to others meaning and want to make Your meaning known, why mask your face? That way your opinion is faceless!

I find it interesting to look back in history and see who has been hoodied and masked? Their aim.

People known in history wearing hoods are monks, druids and the Deathman. The mask is mainly connected with Pirates and Highwaymen. The mask has been to conceal the identity because they have committed illegal acts.

To me monks and druids wears a hood as they don’t feel as part of the soceity, although they are friendly. Is a hoodie in general friendly, just got a bad reputation by G8 Summit demonstrators?

I hope to be able to present some results from research later. I welcome comments very much.

Do we need Fashion Magazines?

Fashion magazines has been around since the 1850s. It had the same purpose. more or less, as of today. You are looking in it to read about the latest trends, what celebrities wears, and where to buy. All that can be done online today. You can read Vogue online.

But you need to subscribe.

Personally I think that fashion should be seen on video. Fashion is made to be seen on a body and in motion, not flat in a paper. You can have a look at The Knot dot com  

To form your opinion.  I find the video report far better and efficient compared to the magazine. The magazine was something fantastic in the 1850s but now we have better ways to present fashion. Just imagine to present Techno-or Smart Clothes in a magazine compared to in a video.

Presentation of Fashion in Museums

I had the pleasure to listen to a keynote by Dr. Alexandra Palmer, Senior Curator at Royal Ontario Museum in Canada. Dr. Palmer topic was the visualization of the histories of fashion and textiles in museums. I have a passion for this topic. She states that textiles and fashion is presented in methods that mask signs of wear, alterations or histories. The reason according to Dr. Palmer is that it currently is considered “unfashionable”. I would like to know why it is that way? I am well aware it is up to each museum to interpret objects on display the way the curator decides, within the rules museums have to follow. But by masking the wear and tear of the clothes on display, don’t the museums make a wrong correction? The history of a garment is what makes it interesting. I find it interesting to go ‘backstage’ and study each garment. You can see signs of alterations. You can see signs of how ordinary people tried their best to follow the current fashion. That is a change from how it works today. Very few people alter any clothes. Clothes are not done to be altered, and more important very few people has the knowledge to do it.

How do you want museums to present/display their collection of fashion?