Fulanos de tal

Sim, a Vogue Brasil me incomoda. É quase uma Caras com mais conteúdo. Que revista digna começa uma reportagem com "Quando cicrana, a filha de fulana de tal pediu um trench coat Burberry e não uma jaqueta Balmain para sua mãe"? Bem, a Vogue Brasil, que eu passo a desconsiderar como uma revista digna. Dou um desconto porque é uma revista recente, e ainda precisa ganhar espaço. Mas, até que ponto eles esperam ganhar leitores ao se referir ao pequeno círculos de famosos desconhecidos da elite brasileira - possivelmente carioca e paulista? Agora sou eu obrigada a conhecer tais pessoas para ser uma leitora menos "ignorante" de Vogue? Tudo bem citar Marion Cotillard, Grazi Massafera e outras pessoas carismáticas e de quem os leitores possivelmente gostem, mas o que me interessa o que fulanos de tal estão vestindo? Eu queria é ver moda de rua, o que está sendo usado de interessante. O que eu queria ver é criatividade, é beleza, é fotos bem tiradas, não as peças que valem a pena ser compradas e seus preços absurdos. A Vogue Brasil erra ao tratar moda mais como um negócio e menos como arte e manifestação cultural. Bem, capitalismo, ganância e elitismo provavelmente são partes do cenário atual, mas, eu que não gasto meu dinheiro com coisas que eu gostaria de esquecer enquanto folheio as páginas de uma revista.

Back again

I'm back at full throtle! Now less tired of the technological world and more again into the fashion business. Yes, unfortunately, it is a cruel and harsh business. And since I'm so divided in attention between Brazilian and International fashion I will dedicate different languages to each one. Hence, posts in Portuguese will be related to Brazilian fashion scenario, while English... Well, you know.

Smallville has never EVER been better

Okay, it may seem I am driving very far away from my fashion topic landscapes. But, as I proposed at first, fashion here is a broader concept. So, it is only fair that television shows should be included here. Who thinks that fashion is only about Gossip Girl, is SO mistaken. GG lost its tracks, it is low consumerist at its worst, and what is has of fashion translates only in bad script and even worse plot sense.
But Oh my! Hot day at the Smallville spaceship. "Charade" was great and it's been so long since I watch something which at the end makes me sad and craving for some more. I don't care how exaggeratly fake Erica Durance's breasts are, she is amazing as Lois Lane. As for Tom Welling, he is getting better and better, and I think he is more of an actor this season than he had been for the past eight put together. Maybe it is just my romantic emotions getting in the way. But, my oh my, don't those two make a picture perfect and story perfect couple? I didn't like Superman, but these two are changing my mind, and it was about time Lana Lang was out of the picture. That too was exaggeratly fake, but that I did mind.

Brazil's fashion

For those who can't read Brazilian Portuguese, I'm going to briefly explain what those posts were all about. They were about Brazilian fashion and how it reflects Brazil's artistic scene. Like everything that relates to culture, fashion in Brazil is made to be uncomprehensible. It is not even pretty. It is made to be complicated, like the books and the paintings, and of course you are never the one to belong to the cultural ellite if you are not capable to appreciate that. Brazil's cultural ellite sucks. There are few people in power who have the interest to do good things for the country. They like to talk about foreign countries and how developed and refined they are, and forget to say how they fuck their own country, in which they drink and spend their millions and fuck each other freely while what is decent and honest goes down the flush. Do you know that Brazil was the first country in which a 47.000 dollars Victor Hugo bag sold out? It was some years ago, but I will never forget it. We have people with no homes, with no conditions of health and hygiene. Now, do the math. Who is fucking who? I'm not excusing the poor, as many of them keep having children to beg for money on the streets. I'm excusing no one. Brazilians are all agreeing to this fuckery, and sometimes I don't even know if they enjoy it! Our celebrities suck. I'm ashamed to see national magazine covers and discover who are those people that should make us look up to them.
The best I can do, at least for now, is to talk about those who are worth talking. Samuel Cirnansck is the only designer, and I mean, the ONLY, in Brazil that has earned my respect until now. The guy is great, and he knows how to make beautiful stuff. He doesn't fool around, and he does not have to explain his work in order for us to try to find it interesting. Interesting enough, he wasn't in the top 10 shows picked by the shitty Elle Brazil magazine. That only adds to the point. He should not share the podium with that. He will for his turn. And deserve it.

Pós comentário ao post anterior

É importante ver a situação no qual eu escrevo estes posts. Este blog se dedica à discussão da moda e, acima de tudo, da arte, e, no entanto, o escrevo em inglês. E quanto à acessibilidade? Minha decisão veio do pensamento de que ninguém no Brasil se interessaria por ele, e que com o inglês eu atingiria muito mais pessoas. Deveria me envergonhar de mim mesma. Muitos me repreendem pelo meu comportamento anglocentrado. E não sei se tem um lado certo nessa história. O que eu sei é que muitas pessoas, como eu, precisam pensar em outros lados, sem deixar de pensar no que é óbvio. A arte brasileira é extremamente reestrita em seus padrões de incentivo e divulgação, especialmente se comparada a de outros países. Olhar para fora, porém, não deve ser o mesmo que não olhar para dentro. Na comparação, muito se ganha. Não sou contra nos inspirarmos na moda européia, e admitir. Para quem se cansa de sobreposições, reconstruções, e todas as outras ões usadas pelos "especialistas" na arte da moda, é uma boa opção sentar e apreciar. Na verdade, tênis e moda são coisas que eu gosto de curtir no silêncio. Talvez se eu tivesse aderido a esses costumes antes, talvez tivesse um maior respeito pela moda brasileira.

Aos modistas e desmodados cidadãos e amantes brasileiros

Lendo a nova edição da Elle brasileira, não posso deixar de pensar que as pessoas que são responsáveis pela definição das tendência sofrem do que parece ser uma grande falta de bom gosto, e mesmo de originalidade. A moda brasileira reflete, é quase calro, tudo o mais no cenário artístico do país. Após seis anos na faculdade de Letras, posso dizer que há vários lugares e instituições que podem ser lidas como microcosmos da situação atual da arte brasileira. E não, não menciono a faculdade de Letras como forma de autorizar minha escrita, e menos ainda minhas opiniões. Menciono porque ali também é clara as posições tomadas pelos estudiosos das diferentes línguas ali apresentadas. Nada mais justo, e também interessante, que as respectivas culturas estejam refletidas nas suas produções.
Como se torna claro na moda, o artista brasileiro se esforça para ser original. Originalidade muitas vezes é confundida com diferença, algumas vezes com a extrema. Talvez seja uma forma de reforçar uma idéia, make a statement. É ambicioso sim. O Brasil é, como um todo, um país ambicioso. Porém, pouco prático, pouco paciente, e, acima de tudo, pouco ativo. E essa combinação costuma n"ao resultar no que é necessário ao desenvolvimento; o aprendizado.
As pessoas que detem o tal "conhecimento" cultural autorizado continuam a acreditar que tal poder deve ter como base a ignorância de todos os outros incapazes de entender o significado por trás das renomadas obras e autores. Do que adianta? Qual o poder da arte se não é, de alguma forma, comunicável? O brasileiro não gosta, não entende, não se interessa. Não se expressa.
O que se discute aqui não é gosto (embora eu expresse o meu próprio), mas quão acessível é a arte brasileira, e qual é o esforço direcionado para que seja. O que se vê mais e mais são pessoas com conexões pessoais e com pouco talento dominarem setores que se tornam cada vez mais pedantes na sua busca pela "originalidade" inspirada em "tendências". Quantas vezes você, brasileiro, já pegou um de "nossos" livros ovacionados, fundadores do intelecto nacional, e n"ao se identificou ou sequer entendey do que se trata? É culpa minha, você pensa. ~E culpa nossa. Crescemos em uma das sociedades que nos ensinam constantemente que não somos parte de um coletivo maior. Nós somos os analfabetos ou um dos intelectuais, o rico ou o pobre, agora o branco ou o negro.
Se você leu O ateneu e não se sentiu motivado a dar uma chance à décima página, não se culpe. Mas pode se afligir. No Brasil, você é ignorante ou é pedante, e salvem-se as exceções, que, como diz o rótulo, são pouquíssimas e desvalorozas.

Back still on vacations

To keep track of what is happening at the fashion world is really tiring. Maybe that's because you keep seeing the same thing over and over again. It would probably be good for the designers themselves not to keep track of what is going on. This could guarantee some more freedom for their creativity. Well, but some work best with inspiration, and that is fine by me.
I have been saying for days now I am going to take break. No looking at the new collections, and just enjoy other aspects of my life. However, I am still on vacations so it is quite difficult to do that. I started sewing myself, because it is fun and it takes a lot of time and work, and so I do not have time to miss college or work or anything of the sort.
One comment I do have about fashion relates to the dress I last saw Diane Kruger wearing, and its furry coat on the top. I don't know if it is a fake fur, but that is not the point. It is not particularly a good time to be seen wearing anything that reminds a dead animal. And I cannot find beautiful either. Some things, as leather shoes and bags, are quite hard to abandon, even though I did both, but fur coats, honestly, always made me nauseous.
If people worry more about beauty than with their image as a whole, go ahead, but I do not think it's the case. No fur, EVER.
Obs.: I have tried to find a nice picture with a 'no fur' message, but they are just hard to look at. So, I'll keep looking for one that sends the message and I can actually look at.

Elie Saab Spring 2010 Couture, Paris

Okay, this is happening! Elie Saab and his new couture collection! I'm sorry if I cannot contain my emotions! First of all, I love Elie Saab's sparkles, sparkles, sparkles! His runways' decoration are always among the best. The best show he ever did was 2008's couture, and I think it is quite hard not to compare every other show with that. Difficult to top such a perfect collection.
In the newest collection there is not much innovation. But that is not a problem for Mr. Saab. He works pretty well with the common places. Are you tired to see drapery? You can be sure there is no draping like Saab's. When it comes to embelishments and curves, he is the man you should look for. His designs' details are not only perfectly made, but they are incredibly and richly ornamented. The softness of his looks combined with an apparently effortless glamorous air are one of his best characteristics. You can imagine any woman looking good on his designs.
It was difficult to choose which dress to put in this post. I love the flowy dresses, and I love the fact that Mr. Saab showed a lot of legs. The gowns are stunning, but I did not find one that had all the characteristics I think were necessary to illustrate his collection. The one I chose is not the most beautiful in my opinion, but it is the one that stood out in the pictures, and since it is the only possible media we have, that is what we will get from now...

Christian Dior Spring 2010 Culture, Paris

I confess that when it comes to Mr. John Galliano, I cannot be objective. I admire his vision, his audacity, his marvellous capacity of being absorbed and being able to absorb his creations in a dreamy dimension. Mr. Galliano is able to make art triumph in a business as competitive as fashion, and still sell his clothes for the price such a talent deserves. Of course, I have no such money, but that is not an obstacle to admire his designs. That is one of the major qualities of John Galliano, the mastery of his designs do not lay sole on its details (even though they are often flawless), but on the whole presentation of his pompous, luxurious, romantic and baroque imagination. That being said, I cannot say a bad word about his new collection. I loved the waist of every single outfit. The way he accentuated the hips is wonderful, and the hats... Uh, the hats... I wish I could go some place people would only wear John Galliano's clothes, inclusive me. But maybe the charm of his style is that it belongs to this secret world of dreams, and only he has the key.

Details

The vest worn by Maryna Linchuk is marvellous, and it is a shame I couldn't find a closeup of this piece available to link. The shoes are also flawless.

Giorgio Armani Privé Spring 2010 Couture, Paris

I would do without all those moons. The collection was really well done, very clean, very flattering to the body, and I would wear almost all of those clothes. However, it still was not a show for me. There was some daring construction, but most of all it was very safe. Not that there is anything wrong with safe. The clothes were beautifull, but, as I said, when it comes to couture I expect a show, and since I can only see it throught photos or videos it has to be something more than the details.

Givenchy Spring 2010 Couture

I adore ruffles and flowers, and now with the mix of the two, clothes are becoming more and more lighter, flowy and romantic. I liked the construction of the pink dress worn by Kamila Filipcikova. It is nice, but there is something odd about it. The neck part is really pretty, but the ruffles meeting down the crotch are not really flattering. There is also a charm in the lamphead hats. I like intriguing hats. This one is big and with an air of mystery, and the lace is the essential touch. The lace also fits well the pants worn by Anabela Belikova, that presented with a high waisted vest gave a retro-modern glamorous quality to the look. The clothes worn by Chanel Iman seem beautiful, but they do not seem to fit well the model. I would chose someone with larger hips. But that is just me. Overall, not a very impressive show. I think it's normal to expect more from couture runway shows. But the makeup was really powerful and the last dress, very interesting. The embroidered top was great.

Previous comments on the comments of most recent fashion shows

First, I don't know every single term used in the fashion business. I don't know the names of the fabric, the particular name of a structure that is not straight, curvy or whatsoever. My observation are nothing more than an amateur's appreciation, and I would like to keep it that way. Reason: I loved to write until I went to English school. Now I certainly know a lot more about Literature, but love much less to write, and do it less and less frequently.
Second, I avoid reading criticism about fashion, even though I sometimes read it (however, only after seeing the show). I'm favour of just looking at the clothes. Sometimes it is nice to see what the designer has to say. They usually say pretty good stuff. On the contrary of what many people think, fashion designers are not shallow. Of course some of them might be, but that is the case in any businness you may find yourself in.
However, it is really nice to read the comments of people that do like to share their tastes and opinions with others like themselves. I do watch Project Runway, and love it! And I really like Nina and Michael's comments. They are important to any path you chose to work with. Believe me.

The Phantom of the Opera

Those that had never seen The Phantom of the Opera until today raise their hands! Yes, it is true. Just now I was able to catch the last thirty minutes of the most recent, quite old indeed, version of the story. And why am I writing this in a blog about fashion? Well, as I expand my views of what is fashion, I will write anything that even vaguely reminds me of it. Not that the movie is vaguely about fashion. It has a lot! to do with it. Emmy Rossum big curly hair, her silky skin... What about those marvellous dresses and the powerful scenarios?! For what I remember, it was not well acclaimed by the critics, but again, who cares? My favorite movie director is Antonioni, but that does not colide with the fact that I love Pride and Prejudice and almost every Andrew Mccarthy's movie from the 80s. Yeah! That's right! Entertainment is like art, and like love, there will always be someone who will see some beauty in it.
Anyway, back to the phantom, I was chocked, and even mesmerized, to see the colors and the passion of the scenes, and how surprisingly corny it turned out to be. As corny as it may sound, it made me actually think of my childhood, when I used to dream one day I would also wear those big fat layered dresses like Emmy Rossum's. And I also imagined I would be disputed by two handsome men that would love me deeply, and would die for me, even though I really wished none of them would. Complication was so delightful at that age. I used to wear red lipstick and my mother would not tell it was a ho's lipstick color. And I would walk around the house in her big shoes and she would not criticize me for being inadequate. I am sure my sense of style, and the fun of fashion were at their highest when I was a child. Would it be my mother the first fashion critic I ever had?
Maybe. But she was in fact also my first fashion model, because until today there is no one I consider more fashionable and elegant than her. And I am not saying that to please her. She will never read this blog, so, trust me when I say it.
Overall, it was really nice to see Gerard Butler at his prime, like Andrew Mccarthy was one upon a time. It feels good to look at the past and see some of the romantic bullshit we have lost. It is like childhood, you know, deep down, maybe deep deep down, it is still within us.

Fashion

Fashion is a complicated area to be an expert in. Maybe that's because, as already pointed by Mademoiselle Chanel, many people tend to mistake fashion by style. How can you argue about style? How can you teach people how to dress themselves! It's absurd if you think about it. You may help them feel good about themselves, flattering a little bit of this, showing a little bit of that, but that's not what usually happens. Fashion industry is nowadays, and maybe it has always been since its birth as an industry, a field that makes money by making people feel bad about themselves. I don't believe, though, this is the idea that drives the ego of many talented and creative minds in fashion. I confess, that when I saw John Galliano's designs for Dior's spring 2009 couture collection I discovered my love for fashion. It was a whole bright, beautiful and glamourous new world to me. That is beauty, and from that moment on that became, for me, the most important quality of fashion. It may be innovative, it may be comfortable, but when it comes to a fashion show, an escape from day to day practicality, I still chose beauty. And, for the record, I don't approve human suffering to fit certain rules of fashion and beauty. Beauty for me equals pleasure, even if the pleasure is acquired from hard work. Hard work is only a sacrifice when unpleasant. That being said...