Highlights from the Drawing Fashion Debate

Taken from the debate at the Design Museum, London, on 05/11/2010, where the Drawing Fashion exhibition is currently running.

Those taking the floor:

Colin McDowell (CM) – guest curator of the Drawing Fashion exhibition

Joelle Chariau (JC) – custodian of the collection on show

François Berthaud (FB) – artist (see www.francoisberthaud.com)

Howard Tangye (HT) – artist (see www.howardtangye.com)

William Ling (WL) – director of the Fashion Illustration Gallery (see www.fashionillustrationgallery.com).

CM: I believe in the drawn line. After food and before procreation, man has always had a desire to make a mark on a surface. All has started for centuries with a line...It [fashion illustration] came at a time when we were losing sophisticated glamour, with figures like Fred Astaire, and people started to think, ‘What have we lost?’. Now we have Francois as the new approach to fashion, as you have seen on our exhibition invitation, which is sexy yet incredibly beautiful.

WL: The art market is starved of that kind of hand-drawn work, and there’s a kind of grace to it, yet with these images of very, very powerful women. The future is fashion illustration.

HT: Each of the artists in the exhibition was a part of their time, in art and culture, and their work had a luxury appeal. The camera has its place too, but I don’t think drawing is redundant, and fashion illustration is such a specialist kind of drawing. You really do have to have the feeling of what the clothes are about – although the images look simple and elegant, it’s about what you leave out. It’s not like life drawing and it takes a special eye to do it.

CM: Fashion drawing is, to a degree, an idealising thing.

FB: My clients come to me because I can represent the more sophisticated items. I will be able to convey the extreme attention that my client has. In magazines, it’s more about challenging those empty pages and creating something new which you haven’t seen before.

CM: Is multimedia the future for fashion?

JC: It’s certainly a possibility, but I can’t say what will happen.

FB: I like drawing, scanning, getting it out and drawing again.

HT: I always work with a model and I prefer working on paper, because I like to see the real thing.

WL: ‘Does it engage me?’ is the question for me. Everybody finds their own medium.

FB: Most of the work in this exhibition is hand drawn and has a depth which you cannot compare; it has a superior quality.

Is photography a friend or foe?

CM: Magazine editors have told me that they couldn’t run a full-page spread on illustration because the advertisers wouldn’t like it.

FB: I think it’s enriching for the magazine [to contain illustration].

JC: My favourite magazines are from way back because they included photography and drawings. There was a tension you don’t have now.

WL: We have sold some magazines in the gallery, and some of the covers are just beautiful, but advertisers don’t like fashion illustration much. Yet we worked with David Downton for the 25th anniversary issue of Vogue Australia, where he produced four different illustrations of Cate Blanchett, and it outsold all previous issues of the magazine.

When is it illustration and when is it drawing?

WL: I distinguish between design drawings, to help make the object, and illustrations after the event. The temptation is to ring-fence categories, but artists often jump that.

CM: Drawing isn’t necessarily an intrinsic part of fashion design but there are some designers who draw profusely, such as John Galliano.

Will drawing come back as a popular medium?

JC: Handmade things belong to a world that doesn’t exist anymore, so yes, it’s very different, but something unexpected may come out of it.

HT: Exhibitions are another form of appreciation and promotion.

WL: These exhibitions do have an impact. For students now, these can be milestones, and there seems to be nostalgia for how things used to be, such as graffiti and street art of the nineties.

On the individuality of magazines.

CM: Italian Vogue makes less money than the other Vogue magazines, but it’s the one that everyone wants to collect, and they’ll give Steven Meisel forty pages to tell a story. I read Italian Vogue and sometimes Parisian Vogue, but nothing else. The others are just catalogues! I think it’s very sad that you can’t spot the difference between magazines by content. Magazines are in terrible trouble and they’re going to have to think again about how to keep people’s interest.

HT: Lots of young people are making their own magazines and publishing them. They find a way to get them out there.

To be continued...

In which the retail store I work in decides to publicly advocate drug use. I am less than amused.

Today I received the shock of my life in work, when our Christmas display delivery arrived (as ever, the name of the brand shall remain anonymous). Buried amongst the usual detritus of candles and other stocking fillers was a book entitled 'Mary Jane's Hash Brownies, Hot Pot and other Marijuana Munchies', but sadly this was not a joke. It caused uproar amongst my colleagues and we were all hoping that it had been accidentally packed up by someone in the warehouse, or had been included to keep us on our toes, but then we realised that there was more than one copy in the stock and it had been itemised on the delivery notes. Taking a look inside, it was clear that the cookbook was actually very serious about its intentions, with detailed recipes for dishes such as 'Stoned Salmon' and 'Sky-High Shortbread'. The whole book is angled towards silly humour and blatant drug use, which falls down like a lead balloon with me, as one of my friends was a daily cannabis user for several years. It was neither funny or cool to hear that she needed a fix yet again (so don't let anyone tell you it's not addictive), and to know that she was so dependent on it was frightening and upsetting for everyone around her. Maybe if the buyers responsible for taking this book under the wing of our brand would like to talk to people like her, and realise that this isn't as innocent and carefree as they'd imagined.

I find it utterly irresponsible that an apparently upstanding and professional retail chain, with over seventy UK stores, feels it appropriate to stock anything referring directly to drug use, let alone telling you how to widen your options with that drug. It is not remotely funny to be selling this to a clientele of mainly middle-aged, middle class people with 2.4 children in tow, and it's also dangerous for the brand name if nothing else. To consider yourself above the law and too cool to appeal to the very people who keep your company in business is beyond stupid, in my opinion. A lot of people I work with have suggested that "This would go down better in Brighton," but even in their branch we have no major differentiation with customer type. We do not market ourselves as a 'stoner brand' or try and appeal to reckless teenagers and students; our bestselling lines are on-the-knee dresses, fisherman jumpers, and t-shirts that feature floral motifs. None of those motifs are even close to the cannabis leaf, and nor should they be. It is completely distasteful to sell this product, regardless of the humour attached to it.

At the time of writing, my manager is waiting to hear back from a representative in the buying department as to why this product is intended for sale in our stores. She told me that she will not be selling it unless she is forced to, and I hope she sticks to her principles.

Will Gaz7etta Work?

[Image credits: Gaz7etta cover from Marketing Week, and the widely used Helvetica Man symbol by Lupton and Miller].

The end of October saw the launch of a new men's magazine from Bauer Media, designed to become the male equivalent of the (very successful) Grazia. This pilot issue was distributed inside copies of the aforementioned Grazia as well as men's titles such as Mojo, Empire and Golf World, with a full launch planned for next year. I was interested to see what this new magazine could bring to the table, and indeed who it was aimed at, as I often find that Grazia provides good fashion and reading material but very few featured products that are within my budget. I use it as an aspirational magazine rather than a direct shopping catalogue, and most of my peers are in a similar position. Taking a look at the front cover of Gaz7etta, it seems that some of its content is also marketed at the more affluent members of society (supercars, anyone?), but other features are more suited to the 'lad's mag' genre, as they feature an innuendo-based headline on Katy Perry, and the obligatory football story. I am also intrigued by the promise that you can make £1500 this lunchtime, because my automatic and very pessimistic assumption is that men up and down the country will be turning into gigolos or selling their grannies in order to achieve this goal. With this juxtaposition of cover stories in mind, I am inclined to believe that Gaz7etta hasn't yet honed in on a specific target audience.

Inside the magazine, the editor's letter adds further confusion, as his casual way of speaking - 'I know what you're thinking: dude, this is awesome. Which is true' - doesn't quite sit comfortably with Grazia's description of Gaz7etta as 'The new style magazine for men'. Have you heard any stylish, supercar-owning man say the words 'dude' or 'awesome' in the last ten years? I thought not. The editor also says that the bizarre title spelling of Gaz7etta is not about 'trademarking the title', but he claims it's about the seven reasons for enjoying the publication, which just sounds a little tame to me. There would be nothing wrong with taking out the pointless number and never speaking of it again.

When exploring the content, I must admit that a lot of the shorter pieces are very inventive, such as the traditional format of Going Up/Going Down popularity charts being presented as 'Buy and Sell: this week's winners and losers in life's stock exchange', and a very revealing look at celebrity donors to political parties in 'Who's Funding Whom?'. But then the annoying juxtapositions start again, with a serious political comment box nestled next to a photo story of Heidi Montag trying to get publicity on Malibu Beach, which seems to be lifted straight out of Heat Magazine. When I reach the fashion shoot, which is very well presented, I half expect a sidebar discussing Keith Lemon or Kerry Katona (thankfully there was none present). I am genuinely surprised, and very relieved, to find that they have allowed good content to sit undisturbed on the page. I must also point out the strapline for the photoshoot, which tells the reader 'Your soundtrack: Joy Division. Your reading material: William S. Burroughs'; this is such a subtle but clever detail, immediately getting you into the mood of the shoot and also the kind of man that the fashion would suit. I wish that more women's magazines would adopt such a strapline, instead of telling us that everyone is wearing shearling and expecting us to just get on with it. Setting the mood is very important when describing fashion, and this is something that Gaz7etta has done well - in fact, their style pages are among the best in the whole publication.

So, after reading Gaz7etta from cover to cover, what is my final verdict? It must be incredibly difficult launching a new male magazine, but this project seems to have given itself extra hurdles in trying to reach out to a very wide range of men. The 'something for everyone' approach would be far more acceptable if content was divided into clear sections and articles or stories sat well with each other on the page. Gaz7etta also needs to decide its voice - is it a sophisticated older brother, or a lad who wants to talk celebrities whilst pretending he can afford a posh coat and Clinique skincare? And if it really is a style magazine then this element should take precedence over endless football references, because not all men enjoy football or relate to it. I will be intrigued to see which changes, if any, have been implemented when Gaz7etta launches properly in 2011, and if that daft name has been scrapped.

Shoe Tribute

I’ll freely admit it: I am addicted to brogues. I know they’ve been kicking around for a good few years now, but this is one trend that has longevity. I, for one, will be wearing mine for years to come, until the soles give up and let in more water than a sponge and I can feel all the detritus of the street on my toes. Why? Because they’re flattering, quirky, and as quintessentially British as bowler hats and Cheddar cheese.

I get the feeling that I’m not alone in my appreciation of brogues, either – in a recent episode of Gok’s Fashion Fix, the irrepressible Brix Smith-Start was seen practically salivating over the complex procedures involved in making a brogue at the well-established firm Lodger. I shared her enthusiasm as the soft, creamy suede was formed into a shoe and punched, then laced, and finally ready to wear. This was a real labour of love, not some fleeting fixation, and that’s how I feel about the brogue in fashion. You can wear this shoe for a job interview or just popping to the shops, with the same style suiting anyone from twenty-something to sixty-something. It can be a nod to the androgynous trend, worn with men’s slacks, or to balance out a floral dress. If you’re not much of a traditionalist then look no further than some of the brighter coloured options available at the moment – from floral print to turquoise to purple, the brogue is the ultimate chameleon of footwear, adopting various guises but always remaining functional.

I own several pairs myself and I’m constantly looking to amass more; the current collection is comprised of basics in white, pewter, tan and soft grey, so that they can be easily incorporated with my clothing. The first ones I ever owned were more of a semi-brogue; I bought some white plimsolls from an Army Surplus Store in Cornwall and meticulously applied the detailing of men’s black and white wingtips, using fabric paint. The eventual effect was something akin to Art Attack, though I loved them nevertheless because they were the closest I could get to the real thing. However, the fashion market has since changed, with brogues now available to suit every budget and transcend gender rules. If money was no object then I’d grab some berry-coloured brogues, designed by Stuart Weitzman for Mulberry, in an instant. Mulberry’s foray into footwear was heralded by the arrival of these beauties, and what a way to expand a company! Statement shoes are the way forward and the brogue is in keeping with the strong heritage of the Mulberry brand, whilst the shade adds a modern twist.

So what would be my ultimate brogue-centric outfit? As the old-fashioned side of the brogue is one of its strongest draws for me, I would add plenty of lace, either in a fingerless glove, a high-waisted skirt or tights. To dress it down I’d add a baggy vest in a deep khaki or burgundy, then pile on rings and necklaces haphazardly. Yes, the ensemble might make you think I’d had a fight in a flea market, but I don’t think vintage fashions should always be presented as immaculately as they originally were. I like to combine older styles with newer ones, such as harem pants, and see where that leads me.

But why should you choose brogues for a night out? They are perhaps not the obvious choice, but they are attractive in a subtle way – Victoria Beckham once described her failsafe sexy look as a white shirt and jeans, and brogues are similarly cool without trying too hard. They can include delicate additions, like the ribbon laces of an H by Hudson pair, giving you the edge over more conservative dressers. Another great design aspect is their resilience against the perils of being trodden on whilst clubbing, or the hours of dancing that may be ahead. Can you say the same for flimsy ballet pumps and platform shoes? I certainly can’t. My footwear should still be going long after I’ve called it a night. And, on an irritatingly practical note, leather brogues are wipe-clean, so you can spill as many drinks on them as you like but they’ll still look good the morning after, often in contrast to your own appearance. With everyone tightening their (waist-cinching) belts at the moment, financially speaking, it does become increasingly important to have more versatile clothing and accessories, fun as it is to buy the odd frivolous item. We need our footwear to be multi-purpose and to withstand our daily lives.

With all this in mind, I can safely say that brogues are essentially the glue holding my wardrobe together and adding a touch of vintage glamour to everything else.

COS gets arty

Today I decided to check out a new video on the rather brilliant Dazed Digital website, which showed the partnership between the clothing line COS and the Frieze Art Fair:

http://www.dazeddigital.com/artsandculture/article/8766/1/exclusive-cos-x-frieze-art-fair-film

I really like this video as a piece of art, but I feel like it takes too much direct inspiration from existing filmed content – namely the Sony Bravia advert with the bouncing balls of colour (directed by Nicolai Fuglsig), which become balloons here, and the Girls Aloud video for ‘Sexy (No No No)’, which used coloured tape and strips to create a tangled effect, which became entwined ribbons here. I would have expected something a little more innovative to be hitting me as a viewer, or at least to recall two ideas lifted from other projects within the space of a minute and a half. The mimicking behaviour also doesn’t really befit COS as a brand, because the company is giving the high street a much-needed injection of minimalism and innovative fabric cuts, not the same old tried-and-tested gimmicks. The one element that works for me is the switching between different areas and frames, which is visually stimulating and keeps you guessing as to what will be revealed next. I think that COS has headed in the right direction by using artists in order to develop their commercial presence, but the video should have been developed further and perhaps made more abstract than it currently is.

I feel that the video could have worked better if it was promoting COS' line for children, where the blobs of colour, glitter and ribbons would sit nicely amongst young models and perhaps I wouldn't have immediately connected it with Girls Aloud. That said, it's a great piece to watch if you just want to see people having fun in clothes and not looking utterly bored or serious. My conclusion would be: fun video, but too much deja-vu and not a clear enough brand direction.

Hell for Leather

[N.B. Images of my own leather shorts are still to come, so these are a few mood board-style reference ones to get you in the right frame of mind. To me, leather is more broodingly sexy and well worn rather than chavvy...]

I must admit that I’m a sucker for leather – yes, it’s not the most politically correct thing to say in the 21st century, but I just can’t help myself, so I was naturally thrilled when leather shorts began to pepper the pages of magazines and websites that I love. Sadly, this trend seems to be exclusive to London at the moment and, when I spied three pairs of leather-topped legs on Oxford Street, my eyes were being positively greedy. River Island’s black pairs were snapped up after Fashion’s Night Out in the capital, as the fashion pack has cottoned on to the versatility of this piece. Leather shorts work well alongside chiffon blouses, baggy jumpers, or a simple white t-shirt, as was the case with the three street examples I spotted; the important thing to let this piece speak for itself and not to team it with any other attention-grabbing item. You are flashing more than enough leg flesh without looking like a meat market (plus the vegetarians will already be after you for wearing leather, so let’s not provoke them further). Of course, there are some great synthetic alternatives which don’t leave you smelling like the bag department in Primark, so don’t rule them out until you’ve tried them.

My own exploits with leather shorts began when, frustrated at the lack of affordable high street options, I trawled Ebay and bought a black faux-leather pair of trousers. After cutting and hemming them (which was quite easy due to the flexibility of the fabric, but still a time-consuming job), they're still a little tighter than I'd have liked, so I'll either have to expand them with side panels or lose some weight. Probably the former.

Anyway, the images above are of an Edinburgh alleyway and some of my doodles with black spray paint before my final art project earlier this year.