CoolGirls Magazine - April 2016

. . ’CoolGirls’ magazine, issue #01, April 2016

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CoolGirls

magazine

index Editor’s Letter 3 #01 acceptance 7 #02 authenticity

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#03 ideal vs individuality

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#04 real woman

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Writing the first page of this magazine, I would like to share my own experience with you ...

As a little girl, I never experienced how it feels to enter an inspiring wardrobe of my mum or granny. How it feels to get lost in clothes. Fit the different pieces on and mix them together into the craziest combination that only a child imagination can create. Wear high heels that seems to be too huge. Became a small lady for couple of moments. Yet their wardrobes were very practical, too basic in a way. They kept only what they needed, what they attached the great value to or simply were not able to throw away due to the connection to the memories.

For many years, I did not understand this simplicity. I am still not sure if I do. But one thing I know. They did not want to spend mornings in front of a mirror to make a choice for a ‘perfect’ themselves of a day. Both were too busy with every minute of their day. Honest to themselves, honest about their emotions.

They loved their age and they celebrated that period of time.

They set own preferences. Yet not always the perfect ones, but authentic and with own statement. They embraced who they were without limiting themselves.

I wish to say the same about each of us …

Yours Klara

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On next pages, I will invite you to the world of beauty we often tend to hide with a longevity revolution. A kind of beauty that lasts far beyond the physical prime of youth. It is a type of beauty often ignored by a culture that pressures woman to remain forever young.

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#01 acceptance

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flabby skin

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W wrinkles

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G grey hair

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#02 authenticity

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There has been quite a flurry of older women appearing in campaigns across both fashion and beauty over last couple of years.

For example, we can name a former apollo dancer Jacqueline Tajah Murdock for Lanvin Fall 2012, actress Catherine Deneuve for Louis Vuitton SS 2014, Jessica Lange for Marc Jacobs Beauty Fall 2014, etc.). Yet, I have to be critical about the intend and whether it was an honest question of angeism or marketing ploy that has been addressed to the audience. Looking at those advertisements with gracefully aged ladies I still can not avoid the impression of a temtation to perfection and the desire to a particular beauty. A beautiful scene, make-up, clothes on a famous persona. A condition of musthave a personal style at any age. Those group of celebrities seem to me still superficial in a way and quite far from the most women who we meet on the street everyday.

Therefore I search for a right voice that communicates the best to me the relationship between eldery in campaigns and beautiful real women that we see potentially might look at them.

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Every year, a number of young and handsome models and new faces hope they sparkle at the fashion scene. Every year, several designers hope that this glimpse of diversity and freshness in youth will make their work stand out and possess the ideal shape or complexion of what consumers should aspire to. In a world overrun by thirst, seemingly ageless models and celebrities it seemed like a storm when Celine and Saint Laurent released their campaigns for Spring/Summer 2015 starring masterminds Joan Didion (81) and Joni Mitchel (72) in January 2015. Was it a message towards the abolition of ageism in the fashion industry? I believe so. Though there was no aggressive rebellion visible. It was a hint, but clear one and refreshingly progressive. A moment where fashion met strong character of two women in their 70s and 80s in a very natural, authentic, empowering way.

Joan Didion (* December 5, 1934)

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An American author known for her novels and her literary journalism. Her novels and essays explore the disintegration of American morals and cultural chaos, where the overriding theme is individual and social fragmentation. Her most popular book Blue Nights, a memoir about aging, was published in 2011.

Didion is heavily influenced by Ernest Hemingway, whose writing taught her the importance of the way sentences work within a text.

Interesting: She read everything she could get her hands on after learning how to read and even needed written permission from mother to borrow adult books, biographies especially, from the library at a young age. With this, she identified herself as being a “shy, bookish child�, who pushed herself to overcome social anxiety through acting and public speaking.

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Joni Mitchell (* November 7, 1943)

A Canadian singer-songwriter and painter.

Her lyrics are noted for their developed poetics, social and environmental ideals alongside personal feelings of romantic longing, confusion, disillusion, and joy. She is responsible for hits such as “Both sides Now” and “Big Yellow Taxi”.

Interesting: She responded badly to formal education, preferring a freethinking outlook, and was drawn to art, a pursuit often regarded as peripheral at the time. One unconventional teacher did manage to make an impact on her, stimulating her to write poetry, and her first album includes a dedication to him. In twelfth grade, she flunked out (though she later picked up her studies) and hung out downtown with a rowdy set until deciding that she was getting too close to the criminal world.

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Notwithstanding Hedi Slimane’s grunge-bohemian aesthetics and gangs of teens and twenty somethings appearing in campaigns, he has signed another amazing mature woman for SS 2016 campaign. Just right before his departure from Yves Saint Laurent.

This time it was 69 years old Jane Birkin who became face of the brand. Known for her oft-referenced personal style, she poses with a nonchalant smirk in Saint Laurent’s iconic mannish-cut Le Smoking Tuxedo.

Jane Birkin (* December 14, 1946)

An English actress and singer. She is perhaps best known for her relationship with Serge Gainsbourg in the 1970s and being the namesake of the popular Hermès Birkin bag. In recent years she has written her own album, directed a film and become an outspoken proponent of democracy in Myanmar.

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Interesting: She has asked the French leather goods purveyor to rename the version of the Birkin bag made out of crocodile skin, in protest of crocodile farming and skinning practices. The request came after an investigative report at a Texas farm. (2015).

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Disillusioned with modeling, she had moved into music. After many years she returned back when asked by Vivienne Westwood to be a face of her SS 2014 campaign. Since Leslie’s life was quite wild and rebellious, there is no wonder that this combination works well.

Leslie Winer

An American fashion model, musician and poet.

She is considered to be grandmother of trip-hop, former punk, dub lesbian, witch.

She was picked up by Elite Agency for her special androgynous look and started modeling, mainly for Italia Vogue. She worked with Pierre&Gilles, Helmut Newton, Irving Penn. She soon became one of the world’s first supermodels. As early as 1983 became more interested in music.

She debuted with album “Witch” (1990), whose deadpan feminist musings are as relevant today as they ever were: “because a woman’s work is never done, and underpaid, boring, and repetitious. And I’m the first one to get the sack.”

Interesting: She was born in Western Massachusetts on a Christmas Eve to a 16 year old girl.

She is married to a French man and has five daughters.

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Charlotte Rampling in the NARS Audacious Lipstick Collection campaign from 2014. Shot by François Nars.

Charlotte Rampling, (* February 5, 1946)

An English actress, model and chanteuse, known for her work in European arthouse films in three languages, English, French, and Italian.

She began her career as a model. Thanks to her daring charisma she was quickly cast in many movies as actress.

She also appeared as an extra in the Beatles film A Hard Day’s Night (1964).

She has performed controversial roles, for example in The Damned (1969).

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It was not a first time Charlotte Rampling appeared in the campaign. In 2004, she posed in edgy advertising when snuggled with a photographer Juergen Teller in a bed for the designer Marc Jacobs.

According to Teller, Rampling put up a brief resistance when he first broached the idea: “She said, ‘Who wants to see an old woman naked?’ ” She was 58 years old at that time.

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#03 I /\ I

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... building a bridge between IDEAL

/\ INDIVIDUALITY

... a bridge between a dream and the reality

How might seemingly very ordinariness become the extraordinariness when one become aware of it by looking from a different perspective?

Those fashionable ladies know much better what it means than we would even think. Obviously, they prove the individual approach toward fashion and that age does not matter at all. It is a mindset that makes a difference.

Each of us is exceptional. Yet we have forgotten about it. There is no mediocrity. Re-find this hiden beauty in yourselves and call it for example ... authentic exclusiveness.

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34 left - Gucci Fall 2015, Ready-to-Wear; right - Anne, March 7, 2015

left - Emporio Armani Pre-Fall 2015; right - Julie, May 13, 2015

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36 left - Prada Fall 2015, Ready-to-Wear; right - Simone, February 27, 2015

left - 3.1 Phillip Lim Fall 2016, Ready-to-Wear; right - Marieke, November 11, 2015

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38 left - Blumarine Spring 2010, Ready-to-Wear; right - Nicolette, August 8, 2015

left - Jonathan Saunders Spring 2015, Ready-to-Wear; right - Jaroslava, June 30, 2015

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40 left - Nina Ricci Spring 2015, Ready-to-Wear; right - Jane & Nathalia, July 1, 2015

left - Vetements Fall 2015, Ready-to-Wear; right - Erika, September 14, 2015

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#04 real woman

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Women are too much deluged with what is coming from the outside that they quietened the inner voice that they could listen to who they really are. Without any excuses.

It is the honest embracing of ourselves that allows us to love any age. With all the changes that it brings, with all the characteristics and emotions.

powerful gentleness gentle power

Women (mens also of course!) are sated with ideals, standarts, conditions that makes them all perhaps overanalyse how they should look like, as well as how they should live and behave. Yes, I admit there has been a certain picture of a catwalk beauty, but that is not really relevant anymore.

A woman does not have to search for herself, for a style. Everything who she is, is there. Sometimes she forgets about it, but she will remember one day. Then, there is no hidding and immitation neccessary anymore. No tunes of make up, no dying hair, no dressing up like twenty somethings girl, if she just does not feel it that way.

It is a celebration of pure self. Does not always have to be opulently visible. Not always powerful. It can be silent and discreet. It can feels something in between.

All is right ...

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I would love to empower you in finding your own voice of expression. Ladies on following pages are just like you.

They might have thought they is nothing special about them at all. I have met those beautiful women when living and travelling in three different countries. The Netherlands, Germany and The Czech republic. I am very glad they very so much willing to spent with me couple of amazing lovely moments to share their story. ... thank you, Gwendolyn, Marieke

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Gwendolyn (67)

I have met her when she was buying and eating cheese. She was shy and talked very calmly.

She says it is very important for her to feel comfortable in what she wears. She cares how the clothes she buys is made.

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Marieke (83)

Marieke was in the middle of an lovely argument with her husband over removing a closet in their livingroom when I stopped her.

You can see she is very energetic and proud of her age.

She loves to experiment and visit different stores you would not expect a lady with this age. She is passionate about snickers from Ecco. She says she always had her own head to make choices in dressing. ... obviously with the same brilliance as she just convinced her man to move the closet to the corner.

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Text, photographs and collages: Klara Valkova Front cover: Inge Morath from ‘The Mask Series’ with Saul Steinberg, /1961/ Back cover: http://pinterest.com Campaign pictures: from various sources Look book pictures: http://style.com Thanks to my grandmother who I could take pictures of.

Thanks to Gwendolyn, Marieke, ...

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special thanks belons to ...

for their larger-than-life personalities that unintentionaly inspired this project.

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