Lectura de sambata dimineata

“Being here counts. Being kind and considerate counts. Getting through each day without seriously offending anyone or hurting anyone counts. Having the latest tehcnoogy doesn’t. Doing something useful with your life counts. Going shopping because you’re bored, doesn’t. Yes, by all means go shopping, but see what you do as counting or not counting, being real or not being real, having real value or not, being of some benefit or not. This doesn’t mean chucking it all up and going off to some fly-infested swamp to work with the locals and catch malaria – althought that, in itself, would count, but you don’t have to go to those extremes to make your life meaningful.

There are some things in this life that are important and a whole lot of things that aren’t. It doesn’t take much discrimination to work out which are which. I’m not saying we can’t have trivia in our lives – we can and it’s fine. Just don’t go mistaking the trivia for what is really important. Having time for loved one and friends is important, watching the latest soap isn’t. Repaying a debt is important, what brand of washing powder you use isn’t. Nurturing our children and teaching them real values is important, dressing them i designer fashion isn’t. You get the idea. Think about what you do that counts – and do more of it.”*

Stati linistite, nu am de gand sa ma erijez in ceva guru spiritual. Mi-am adus aminte de aceste paragrafe azi dimineata, imediat cum m-am trezit. Sunt dintr-una din cartile mele preferate si mi s-au parut atat de frumoase in simplitatea lor, incat am zis “hai sa le pun pe blog…”

Dar acum trecem la lucrurile obisnuite, linkuri, alea-alea… Nu inainte de un ultim reminder: maine este ultima zi in care mai puteti participa la concursul organizat impreuna cu editura Litera. Asadar, daca exista printre voi viitoare mirese, domnisoare de onoare sau daca pur si simplu vreti sa aveti in biblioteca o carte frumoasa despre cum sa iti organizezi nunta de vis, stiti ce aveti de facut. Spor la clickuit!

At the Met, McQueen’s final showstopper – “… While he was revered in fashion, and his runway shows were among the most closely watched, almost no one could have imagined that, as the subject of a museum exhibition, Mr. McQueen would prove to be almost as popular as Pablo Picasso and Vincent van Gogh.” In International Herald Tribune.

European vs. American luxury: is there a difference? – “Proenza often seems more design-led than many of its NY fashion week peers… which are more rooted in the American sports wear tradition of combining super-luxurious materials with super-uncomplicated shapes. This is one of the reasons VFG bought them it the first place; its work does not, in fact, scream ‘American!’ It sort of whispers ‘cool chic.’” In Financial Times.

Summer at Camp Couture – “At Fashion Camp NYC, a five-day program centered at LIM College in Midtown Manhattan now in its fourth year, “campers” dream up their own fashion brands, tour museums, learn to blog, attend lectures by stylists and editors, and barnstorm shops like Barneys and Saks in trips known as “market visits.” In NY Times.

Burberry joins rush to enter Hong Kong retail scene -“The shopping landscape in Hong Kong is about to be expanded once again with news that the British luxury brand Burberry plans to open its Asian flagship store in the city… It will be the British retail giant’s largest store in the region and the second largest in the world, behind its 57th Street, New York outlet.” In The Independent.

The 75 percent solution – “Say farewell to the maxiskirt and the mini dress. The season’s new sweet spot falls subtly below the knee.” In Wall Street Journal.

The experimental designer who will replace Jil Sander at Uniqlo – “In some ways Takahashi is a surprising choice — he’s not exactly a household name outside of Japan, and his clothes veer toward the avant garde… But Takahashi is Japanese, and he has worked with big commercial companies before — he designs a running line for Nike. Furthermore, he’s one of the most innovative, interesting designers working today.” In Forbes.

When dieting becomes a role to play – “Diet companies want to incorporate celebrities in their marketing, but those who lose weight in public can regain it in the spotlight, too. Consumers believe they “know” famous people — especially forthcoming ones like Valerie Bertinelli (Jenny Craig), Jennifer Hudson (Weight Watchers) and Marie Osmond (Nutrisystem) — and can be inspired by them. ” In NY Times.

Gap weaves fabric of L.A. into 1969 jeans campaign –  “To bring its 1969 Premium Jeans line closer to the heart of the designer denim industry, the apparel giant last year opened a creative design office in a gritty section of downtown L.A. near the fashion district. Now Gap is putting its L.A. vibe at the core of a global marketing campaign.” In L.A. Times.

A preview of Daphne Guiness’s wardrobe exhibition –  “There is an Alexander McQueen jacket, which has shoulders adorned with solid silver eagle-head epaulettes the size of a man’s fist. This piece needed careful arrangement, because the eagles were so heavy. There is a dress Guinness designed herself, which looks rather like a futuristic Roland Mouret – a structured sheath dress in palest green – and a Valentino silk jacquard blazer with a flamboyant ostrich feather collar.” In The Telegraph.

Rise: Ziv Gil Kazenstein – “A recent graduate from Central Saint Martins, Ziv Gil Kazenstein inadvertently laid the foundations for his menswear collection long before he began studying fashion. Hailing from Natania, Israel, the print wear designer describes how at age 17 he spent two years making, creating and painting in a commune before moving to London in search of an outlet for his creativity.” In Dazed Digital.
A wish of e-shoppers everywhere, now in China -“FedEx Corp. delivery men will wait on the doorsteps of Chinese consumers while they inspect their purchases, try them on for size, and decide if the products are worthy of keeping or sending back… The goal is to draw more of that luxury spending online. It is also part of a larger trend of retailers offering special perks to impress upon China’s consumers they are priority No. 1.”  In Wall Street Journal.

The slow fragrance movement –  “A decade after joining the once-ailing heritage Italian leather goods brand Bottega Veneta – a period in which he increased sales by 800 per cent – creative director Tomas Maier is giving himself an anniversary present. What will it be? A fabulous Amalfi coast holiday? A ski chalet? Nah. He’s finally launching the house’s first perfume.” In Financial Times.

Tommy Hilfiger makes Asia inroad – “In August, Hilfiger will be taking over the right to sell its own brand in China, where it was previously distributed through a licensing agreement. And it said today that it poached John Ermatinger, who until recently was the president of Gap Asia Pacific, for the newly appointed role of Asia Chief Executive for Tommy Hilfiger.” In Wall Street Journal.

It’s a breeze – “Clothes for hot summer nights: floaty and fluid; colourful and carefree. Think maxi dresses made of the lightest silk to waft in an island breeze, or strapless jumpsuits the colour of the brightest bougainvillea. Think one-part Marie Helvin in a sarong dress on the cover of May 1974’s Vogue, one-part Marisa Berenson at Studio 54, and a splash of Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Grab a mojito and go.” In Financial Times.

Daughters leads, moms follow – “It’s not just celebrity moms like Lynne Spears (glittery little tops) or Dina Lohan (hair, sunglasses and black blazer that looked nearly identical to her daughter Lindsay’s in court last summer). Fashion industry observers say many ordinary mothers are following their daughters’ style lead these days.” In NY Times.

*The Rules of Life by Richard Templar