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Issue n.01 SEPTEMBER 2011
Autumn Falls SO VAIN magazine sept 2011
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o Vain is an online magazine featuring fashion, art, photography and beauty, published worldwide every 3 months. It’s a free press that anticipates new trends and currents focusing on cutting-edge fashion, exclusive events and innovative ideas . An ambitious project on the web through popular networks, from Twitter to Facebook, which involves readers, making them an active part of a dialogue.There is a whole world to discover in our pages: lessons on “how to dress” for women and men, news from the fashion and creative world, interviews, events, tips for young talents on how to get into the industry, photoshoot by teams of professionals, and much much more. A full immersion in the glamour and the arts, driven by the passion of all those who are working hard, in order to make it all work out in the best way. There are several editors who work for
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So Vain, together with journalists and bloggers recruited on the web, as well as a team of photographers and graphic designers. The magazine has also a blog with always new contents written by our experts, in order to keep in touch with the readers and keep them updated on the publication of the next issue.
For inserting adverts in So Vain magazine at a very convenient price or collaborate through articles and projects, contact us at sovainmagazine@gmail.com. Follow us also on Facebook, Twitter and Bloglovin!
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CONTENTS Fashion 12 Fashion Flash: big news in small doses – by Claudia Sirchia 14 Style is never out of fashion 16 Web-style 18 How to wear a headscarf 20 Take everything from me, but Vogue! – by Alessandra Pepe 23 Editorial: what we will wear – ph. Cinzia Scarsi 30 Interview to a fashion blogger: Camille Co 32 Fashion in the 19th century – by Sara Chin
Careers 36 38
What’s a fashion editor? – by Stephanie Reed The fashion stylist – by Dario Bentinvegna
Man 40 42
Fashion biker – by Alessio Verzergnassi The Jacket – by Alessio Versegnassi
Beauty 44 Facial masks 46 Make-up trends – by Simona Serpellini 48 Tattoos 50 How to lose weight in a healthy way - by Simona Serpellini 52 The right hair colour for your complexion – By Simona Serpellini
Art 54 56
Between Fashion and art: Sonia Delunay Terk – by Sara Chin Vienna: the city of art – by Stefano Malosso
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SO VAIN team Editor-in-chief and Fashion editor
Stephanie Reed
Beauty Editor
Ph: Cinzia Scarsi Stylist: Stephanie Reed MUA: Simona Serpellini Model: Valentina Turla Dress and bracelet by Primark Tights and headbband by New Look
Simona Serpellini
Man Editor
Dario Bentinvegna
Art Editor
Sara Chin
Graphic designers
Cinzia Scarsi Enzo Furloni
To write for the magazine or inserting an advert, contact us at sovainmagazine@gmail.com 6 SO VAIN magazine sept 2011
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Make-up tutorials
What to wear Always new contents w
ritten by experts
All the latest news from the fashion world
Latest trends rials
Backstages of the edito
The sense of glamour, art and aesthetic seen through the eyes of passion
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Contributors ALESSIO VERZEGNASSI
Alessio, 33 years old, lover of beauty, fashion and design, works as an interior designer and in its free time he writes on his blog about different subjects, from architecture, to fashion, trips and events, wishing that someday he will be able to influence the trends of men’s fashion BLOG :
ilsalonedellusso.over-blog.it
CINZIA SCARSI Cinzia is 18 years old and she has decided to follow her passions instead of her certainties. She is studying graphic design and she loves photography. She has worked with different photographers as an assistant because she wanted to learn everything she could and she does graphic works to test her creativity and her “know-how”. Terribly curious and stubborn, she tries to assimilate every idea that comes from the world that surrounds her, always enthusiastic about satisfying her thirst for knowing.
ALESSANDRA PEPE
Alessandra is 25 years old and has a degree in theories and methods of communication. After several working experiences in the web as an editor and web marketer, she decided to open a fashion, lifestyle and beauty blog: M.O.M.A. A disenchanted, ironic and sincere approach, with an eye for emerging designers and the world of the handmade. BLOG :
momastyle.blogspot.com
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Contributors CLAUDIA SIRCHIA
Full-time loafer, Claudia is 20 years old and Milan has adopted her. She has a diploma in Architecture and she is still thinking what to do when she “grown up”. Meanwhile, she spends her time photographing and writing for her blog “piccolo spazio vitale”, born in August 2010, which has really inflated her ego. She is not a fashion blogger, but she likes writing about fashion. She is not a photo blogger, but she would like to become a photographer. She is not a beauty blogger, even if she tests some products and reviews them. She’s a blogger, full stop. BLOG :
STEFANO MALOSSO Stefano came to the darkness in 1984, on the unfortunate advice of Orwell, and he stubbornly walks the territories situated between editorial projects and rock’r’roll. Besides being a university student and journalist, he also works as a director for the studio Kaspar Hauser Pro. Visual artist and lazy writer, he swims in a snowball constantly shaken by his bad teachers. Sometimes he says that he wants to dig inside writing, just like a little child who disassembles the clock in order to understand what time is.
piccolospaziovitale.blogspot.com
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Editor’s letter
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elcome all, dear readers, to the first issue of So Vain magazine; the first, we hope, of a long series. It has been really tough this month to put everything together, but the magazine’s team has been very efficient and professional in recruiting bloggers and journalists, writing exciting contents and assembling it all. We really hope to receive positive feedback from this issue, which will spur us to do even better in the next one and offer you the magazines of your dreams. Our aim is to become a fix point for all women and men who want to learn how to dress and take care of themselves, or those who are already fashionistas and want to deepen their knowledge of the fashion world. So Vain has several different sections so to meet the tastes of everyone, from the intellectual person interested in art, to the young girl who is starting to think about clothes and make-up. However, all of it is connected from a passion for the visual arts and beauty in its widest meaning. We really hope that you enjoy reading this issue and find it interesting and useful. We cannot wait to hear from you soon!
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Backstage
see editorial at page: 23 SO VAIN magazine sept 2011
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S0 VAIN FASHION Claudia Sirchia
FASHION FLASH
big news in small doses
The creative genius of Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld, is unstoppable. After having shot the pictures for the Pirelli Calendar 2011, having designed the winter collection for Hogan and having dressed a special edition for Coca Cola, now he is making the dreams of clients of the American colossus “Macy’s” come true, with a perfect collection and amazing prices. But there’s more.. Karl Lagerfeld and Snoop Dogg? Yes, it’s possible.
Changes are in the air in the fashion system. Dior is courting Marc Jacobs: according to the gossips in a short while we will see the passage of the designer from the French Maison in which he has worked for 14 years, Louis Vuitton, to the 6-months-orphan Dior. Now the question is: “Who will be the next LV thinking mind?”. The favourite is Phoebe Philo, currently at Celine. Meanwhile, Azzaro has already chosen his new creative director: Matilda Castello Branco, 39 years old, Brazilian, for the first time head of a fashion house, but not new in the field, as she was at Lanvin.
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Problems for the low-cost fashion. In Brazil they have f o u n d s o m e stores in which the employees were working in difficult circumstances. The culprit? Zara, or so it seems. The Spanish company, part of the Inditex group (which also owns Massimo Dutti, Stradivarius, Bershka and so on), has been hands on, as it seems that the employees were not direct dependants of the brand, but a second company from which Zara buys some of the clothes. Could be.. but it’s not the first time that such accusations come to light. Having toxic substances in the clothes, however, is the accusation that affects H&M, Abercrombie and 12 other companies. It’s GreenPeace to point the finger against them with his “Dirty Laundry 2”, in which the association argued that those companies that manufacture in China, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines, use a nonlifenole ethoxylates, substances that emanate during the washing.
S0 VAIN FASHION Claudia Sirchia
FASHION FLASH
big news in small doses
Capsule collections: Missoni + Target and Versace + H&M The first one, just out, we will only be able to see it on the web. Targetarget, in fact, will only be available in the American territory, and this is why Angela Missoni has accepted the collaboration: to present the brand as young and fresh is the goal of the company. The second, however, will arrive in some H&M stores on November 17th. The previews are still not many, but two things are certain: a lot of leather and lots of studs.
Attention please! When it comes to draw the attention of customers, some minds can imagine the unimaginable: Stephen Meisel and Alber Elbaz know something about it. The new Lanvin campaign features Karen Elson and Raquel Zimmerman dancing on Calle Ocho, better known as “I know you want me� by Pitbull, smash hit from last year.
Carter: we are talking about It Bags Carter: this is the name of the new must-have of Mulberry. Having abandoned the super famous Alexa, the British brand launches this new bag in three different materials: nappa leather with crocodile print, super soft suede and leather with snake print (like the latest trends want); the three sizes available are Camera Bag, Double Hand and Mini Version, this last one is the favourite from the stars like Kate Bosworth and Emma Watson.
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STYLE IS NEVER OUT OF FASHION Having a personal style is the key of always being in fashion and beautiful, but finding one is not always that easy. Stephanie Reed Your style When you feel you’re beautiful, sexy and unique, than you can really rule the world! You feel like invincible with the whole world at your feet. So, how we dress, helps us to get self confident. Jean Cocteau said: “style is a way of saying complicated things!”. What you wear has to reveal what kind of person you are, but the important thing you want to remember is that style can only define who you are, not create it. Clothes are a way to stand out from the multitude, expressing your own personality and telling others who you are, but style is also knowing how to dress the right way in each occasion and season. Understand what you are, decide what you want to tell others, and create your own style You can’t buy style. You can only train it with the expe14 SO VAIN magazine sept 2011
notice how Hollywood stars hide their own defects through clothes and do it to your own wardrobe.
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lay with the mix&match technique, the very refined art of mixing vintage clothes with really modern ones. Or wear ready-to-wear with fleamarket items!
riences of life. Although you can get inspiration to try to define it: The really hard thing: other people’s judgments our interests and your Style is all about knowing who passions give you ideas you are, what you want to say, for those little details who and not giving a damn at other can give you a personal look people’s judgment. Unfortuo to art galleries to get nately our own personal style some ideas and read is very limited from the fear of good literature, let your clo- what other people could say thes talk for you about you, especially in Italy, reate a notebook where where the attention to fashion you will put some maga- is very accurate. In England, zines’ images or some pics for example, is much easier to you took in the streets to get express your own personality inspiration through the wardrobe. xperience until you find something that really Style is no fashion makes you feel good You should never wear something just because it’s on heck out fashion gurus fashion, you should, first of all, or style icons’ look, like like it and always try to follow Amelia Earhard or Greta your own style. The great Coco Garbo. Looking up an old Chanel said it: “Fashion fades, Audrey Hepburn photo, for example, you might be really Only style remains”. There are no rules. The world inspired to start wearing is your shell. Listening to your really elegant LBDs. own opinion, the possibilities nowing your own body are endless! it’s fundamental. Try to
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www.tossapenny.it
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WEB-STYLE Bee a t l a n t i c - p a c i f i c. b l o g s p o t . co m
Kristy Elena v o g u e g o n e r o g u e . c o m
This autumn, be inspired by the best fashion bloggers
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Flavia Desgranges van der linden fashioncoolture.com.br
Karin k arink irsten.blogspot.com
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HOW TO WEAR A HEADSCARF
‌ and give a touch of originality and colour to every look! 18 SO VAIN magazine sept 2011
S0 VAIN FASHION wear the scarf like a hairband, tying in a loose knot and letting it hang down on one side. So sweet!Playing around with your scarf, you’ll discover hundreds of ways to fix it, depending on what you like the best! You can just use a normal silk scarf, or buy one of those designed specifically to become a hairband from New Look or other high-street shops
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he headscarf is the latest hot-thing in London and all around the world. It immediately gives a colourful and original touch to your look and it can be worn in so many ways!Pull your hair into a top knot, and fold the scarf into a straight line about an inch wide, and wrap that around your head under the knot and tied in a bow at the front. Definitely trendy!If you have a fringe, then tie the scarf in a loose bow and let the hair come onto your forehead for a sweet and a bit childish look. A hippy and casual look is to leave the hair down and just tie the scarf in the back, after folding it until it’s a couple of inches wide.Leaving your hair down you can also recreate a very 50es look by back-combing only the hair on the top of your head and tieing the twisted scarf around the bum it creates. Very Amy Winehouse! At last, try to SO VAIN magazine sept 2011
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TAKE EVERYTHING FROM ME, BUT VOGUE! Real or presumed crisis of magazines. Will also the most popular ones disappear?
Alessandra Pepe
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ave you ever thought of a world without Vogue? A world without that unmistakable scent of the printed and glossy paper of the most famous fashion magazines in the world. I do not want to think about it, it would be a nightmare.
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n 2011 the traditional publishing industry is in crisis, and it has been this way for many years, a fact that is a common reality. Internet is the thief, the 2.0 web that beats the printed information in publishing everything in advance through speed of distribution and ease of use. Yet, although the progressive
S0 VAIN FASHION advancement of webzines, websites, blogs and so on, there are plenty of experts who do not want to surrender, indeed one of the most authoritative voices in the industry of new media and the internet, Marco Zamperini, argues that the publishing industry and the specialized magazines have been favored by the web that, thanks to its leading force and pervasiveness with which it reaches the users divided into specific targets, has given the same chance to be advertised in a really inexpensive way. Not to mention the social networks, Facebook in the first place: a powerful marketing tool that, if used in the right way, allows you to create perfect ad campaigns, generating some interesting phenomena of cross-media.
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he mechanism is simple: “I learn on the web that on the X magazine there is an interesting contest: as soon as I find a shop it is highly likely that I will but the magazine”. This seems simplistic pop psychology: far be it from me to write a treatise on the psychology of the customer, I would not be able to do so, I’m just trying to think as a user and not a blogger. After all, I am a blogger, but I’m also a girl who loves to buy every week or every month the same magazines and I even have a subscription to some of those. If the web were the real problem of the magazines I, and many other colleagues of mine, would be the living oxymoron. So, what are the real reasons for the crisis? Advertising
in the first place. As pointed out in an interesting article by Gianluigi Torchiani for the Italian newspaper “Il Sole24Ore”: “in 2009 the Italian specialized press has suffered a loss of 12.6% in advertising. The difficult situation for the sector is going to go on for a long time, so it’s expected to be negative in 2010 (-6.5%) and 2011 (-1.9%)”. One might wonder what happened to all the advertisers and it’s easy to find the answer: they haven’t certainly disappeared altogether or have ceased to invest, they are simply aiming to a more efficient and cost-limited tool: the web. The big affiliation platforms like Zanox or Google AdWords, to name just 2 examples, allow the company to create low-cost advertising campaigns with high rates in return.
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nother important factor, as Torchiani says, is the increase in postal rates, +17% in 2011, which influences heavily the costs of subscription , one of the tools most used by magazines to retain the readers. A mechanism with no apparent solution: the magazines cost more because they have fewer adverts and the delivery costs are higher, the reader gives up and surfs the web where he has all the information he wants at his fingertips for free. How can they get out from this situation? Relying on case history and winning business models. The printed magazines, in order to survive, should become what “the haute couture is for fashion”. An effective comparison this,
suggested by Alain Pinto, MGR International Consultant. Fashion magazines should undergo a radical transformation and become niche products, a super-glossy and super-expensive alternative to the vast sea of information that the user can find online. Like when I want a special dress and I go looking for it in a luxury boutique instead of a traditional ready-to-wear shop. The printed magazine would then become a luxury product, in limited edition, with lower production costs and a lower percentage of unsold publications, allowing editors to take in a breath of fresh air.
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s this another example on how money and the evolution of the market, together with that of technology, were able to destroy an industry, such as that of women’s magazines, born back in 1800? As always, we’ll live and see, and to us, nostalgic and affectionate, there is only one certainty: as long as they will exist and we will be able to afford them, our favourite fashion magazines will continue to occupy out bed-side tables and sofas. Word of a blogger who has bought a library just to keep her Vanity Fair favourites in it.
You can read other articles by Alessandra on http://momastyle.blogspot.com
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Photographer: Cinzia Scarsi Stylist: Stephanie Reed Make-up Artist: Simona Serpellini Model: Valentina Turla
WHAT WE WILL WEAR This autumn is colour, colour, colour, together with fur details, big hats, gloves and headscarves, not to forget the androgynous look. Play around with these must-haves and find your personal and unique style!
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Socks and gloves
The over-the-knee socks are still in fashion, especially those with patterns. The gloves are also a must-have this season. Short or long, no woman should go VAIN magazinethem! sept 2011 out24 SOwithout
Androgynous
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A masculine look is the fashion this autumn. Go for boyfriend’s clothes but with a touch of femininity in the accessories and shoes!
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Fur and colour
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Fur, fur and fur again, especially if synthetic. If well used, it adds sophistication to every look! An other super trend for autumn is colour! Put aside those sad black and grays and go for really bold shades of orange and blue
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The maxi skirt is not only a summer trend, but also this winter we will see lots of them in the streets. The hat is something you cannot go out without, especially the really big ones! And don’t forget, this autumn is all about the colour mustard!
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Headscarves
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We saw them in the summer, but we will continue to see them also now! The headscarf is a really versatile accessory, which can make you look chic, hippy, sweet, childish, etc.! It is you who decides and creates the style. The coloured tights give even more originality to the look!
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Camille: fashion blogger, style icon and designer Who is Camille Co, the popular blogger with a unique style and incredible talent!? She tells the readers of So Vain about her style and how her passion for fashion started.
Who are you?
I’m a 23-year-old Management graduate from the Ateneo who pursued her love for fashion against all odds. Currently, I design for my own RTW line for women called Coexist and have also started accepting made-to-order gowns and dresses, including bridal entourages. Coexist is available online at coexistonline.multiply.com and at Robinsons Manila, The Ramp Shangri-La, Spruce CDO and in our atelier in San Antonio Village, Makati. In April of this year, I decided to add fashion blogger to my credentials. You can read all about my fashion musings and a few other things at itscamilleco.com.
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People ask me this all the time and my answer never changes. I’ve been in love with fashion ever since I can remember that it’s really so hard for me to pinpoint how exactly my passion for fashion got ignited. I guess it’s because my mom instilled in me the value of dressing well very early on in my life. I enjoyed dressing up as a kid and still do until now. I guess that’s how my interest for fashion grew. From just dressing up my Barbies, now I get to wear the nicest clothes and design for clients too!
How did your passion for fashion start?
I’d like to believe my style is versatile. I like trying out different styles every now and then
How would you describe your style?
S0 VAIN FASHION to show my range and how I interpret different trends. I enjoy mixing and matching and adding a little surprise or 2 in each of my looks. But even so, I always make sure I look puttogether and well balanced. I want to show people that sophisticated can also be young and fun.
What are your favourite pieces of clothing?
Blazers and jackets that are unique and eye-catching.
Something you couldn’t live without?
Ironically, flats. I’m always in heels in my outfit/lookbook posts and I enjoy buying them. But nothing beats the comfort of wearing flats. When it comes to work and running errands, you have to wear what’s practical!
You can follow Camille on:
http://itscamilleco.com http://www.twitter.com/itscamilleco http://lookbook.nu/camille_c http://www.chictopia.com/camilleco http://coexistonline.multiply.com http://www.facebook.com/coexistonline
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Sara Chin
FASHION IN THE 19th CENTURY France, the milestone of feminine elegance
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uring the 19th century, France was considered the world’s capital of feminine elegance, a territory in which fashion has expanded rapidly enough to obtain an undisputed world record. On the other hand, as regarding men’s fashion the undisputed centre was situated in Great Britain, favored especially by the increase of the wool industry in the English territories. As we all well know, fashion is subject to constant changes that allow a greater use of it by the population and all of those involved in this fascinating and increasingly innovative sector. France, in this case, saw a continuous changing of the silhouette throughout the century. Contributing to the increase of women’s fashion was the collapse of the traditional hierarchical order of
the French society, which led to the rapid rise of the rich bourgeoisie that have characterized the society for the whole century. An important role in this scenario is to be attributed to the famous Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III, who was an icon in the fashion industry. Rich upper-class ladies, actresses and famous demimondaines (known as the dubious ladies of high society) became real figures of reference and important customers of the Haute Couture in the second half of the century. In an era characterized by a progressive enlargement of the population, the first department stores were constructed, whose appearance on the market in the 50es of the
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XIV century. The Revolution also intervened to contribute to this rapid development, which brought significant changes. Just to mention one, the habit-chemise, known as slip, put aside the style of the moment. During the harsh winters, since it was an item made from very light fabrics, they covered it with cashmere shawls, draped loosely over the shoulders. Over time, the ladies came to prefer white cotton dresses, almost transparent, and nude coloured underwear. The skirts became shorter, underwear was back in vogue and so also the corsets created with soft structures, without whalebones. Despite the momentary privilege of cotton, which caused a deep crisis in the manufacturing industry, defeated after Napoleon, the leadership, with regards to fabrics, can be attributed to silk. In the
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mid-‘20s, Europe witnessed the reappearance of the rigid corset, the skirts widened until they’ve reached the shape of a bell and became so short as to allow the view of the ankles. The most striking element in fashion in this period were the “gigot” sleeves, characterized by a large bulge at the top, tight from the elbow to the cuff and the large necklines, accompanied by the sizes of the hats and the hair on the increase. In the 30s, the gigot sleeves disappeared and the skirts were supported by petticoats with more layers to the floor, unlike those that characterized the 50s, decorated with horizontal ledges. At the end of the 50s the crinoline appeared, a petticoat with a steel structure which further accentuated the width of the skirts. As we all well know, the skirt was an essential item for women of this age and, for this reason, the changes and innovations to it were frequent and 34 SO VAIN magazine sept 2011
continuous. In the late 60s, the skirts appeared voluminous in the back and flat in the front, all made possible by tournure, also present in the famous picture “La grande Jatte” by Georges Seurat. In the second half of the century, most of the clothes were made up by a skirt and a bodice, while as regards the attention for details and the ornaments, it became very lively. During the famous Belle Epoque that preceded the outbreak of World War I, there were important innovations, among which the S-shaped silhouette, which accentuated the tiny waist and emphasized the breasts and the bum, and the introduction of the tailor-made women’s dress, the suit. The latter consisted of a jacket and a skirt, complemented by a blouse, which obtained the official entry in the female wardrobe, or a shirt inspired by menswear.
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BEHIND THE MAGAZINE: WHAT’S A FASHION EDITOR? Stephanie Reed
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ave you ever thought what goes on behind the scenes of a fashion magazine? There is such hard work and soooo many people who have the passion for this. I would like to start showing you this side
of fashion, that sometimes is left a bit in the shadow, and I would like to start talking about the job of my dreams: FASHION EDITORS! I had the idea of this post because sooo many people when I just say I would like to become a fashion editor put on a I-don’t-have-a-clue36 SO VAIN magazine sept 2011
what-you’re-talking-about face. For people who are not that into the fashion world it is not an obvious thing to know, so here it is: a clear explanation of what an editor does in a fashion magazine and also some tips on how to get there. Stay tuned for more “BEHIND THE MAGAZINE”! (I’ve highlighted the aspects I like the most in this job) Job Description: Fa s h i o n editors supervise the process of creating, developing and presenting content for fashion-specific magazines, photo shoots, websites, newspaper sections, or television shows. Editors occupy the mid to highest-level positions at publications. Under guidance of the editor-in-chief, they
S0 VAIN CAREERS are responsible for deciding the creative influence and direction that their departments will pursue during a given season or issue. Editors may specialize in apparel, accessories, beauty
ordinate with that of the stylist. The stylist’s job is to conceive photo shoots, edit designer collections and help with their advertising images.
and make-up, and so on. In addition, editors are often required to travel to keep up with the latest fashion trends through meetings with designers and visits to fashion shows throughout the world (e.g., New York, Paris, London, and Milan), retail stores, specialty boutiques, and vintage clothing stores. They also rely on the content of designer “Look Books” and apparel and product samples to select content to be featured in their publications. She (or he) creates themes for stories to be shot by a photographer – showing off the best clothing currently available in local stores. A fashion editor develops relationships with photographers, with stylists and local designers. The fashion editing game can be said to have many different responsibilities that often co-
The fashion editor is either the stylist, or works with the stylist and supervises the creative process Salary Range: Entry level pay may range from $30,000 to $40,000 Experienced may range from $40,000 to $60,000 Top level pay may range from $70,000 to $100,000 TIPS: Because competition for these jobs is fierce, aspiring editors must be creative, hard working and willing to start at the bottom and take opportunities as they arise. Once in the system, opportunities for advancement become more readily available. It is also important to develop a fashion point of view, and to keep an open mind. It helps if you love photography, and have collected a library of fashion
books and magazines for reference (well, this is definatly my case!). Qualifications: Education – A 3-year bachelor’s degree in Fashion Merchandising or Journalism/English is required (I’m willing on doing English). Coursework in both fields is a plus. A Liberal Arts degree with the necessary related coursework is also a good option. Experience – Internships with fashion publications is a good way to get a foot in the door – and often the only way (I will most definatly try to do that!). However, any journalistic internship can be a launching pad for an eventual career as a fashion writer or editor. A portfolio of previous written and published work is required for higher-level writing and editing jobs. Personal Characteristics/Skills – Passion for fashion (Sure I have it!); broad knowledge of fashion industry trends and forecasts (I will try to achieve it with a MA in fashion history, forecasting and styling); excellent writing/ journalistic talent with the ability to communicate effectively and clearly (I love writing); great organization and planning skills (I’m really organized); excellent interpersonal and management skills; competitive spirit (oh yes, it’s me!); ability to perform well under stress (stress is my daily bread). SO VAIN magazine sept 2011
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THE STYLIST, WHO IS HE Dario Bentinvegna
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ave ever heard of GraWho is a stylist and what ce Coddington, Patricia does he do!? It’time for Field, Nicola Formicheteveryone to know the ti, Emmanuelle Alt and details of this glamouRachel Zoe? There are rous word. How to enter the most known and it, which studies to do succesfull fashion stylists , who, in the and whi are the most famous stylist in the world ordere that I mentioned them created the looks seen on Vogue America, Sex&TheCity, Lady Gaga-Vogue JapanMugler,Vogue Paris and celebrities like Anne Hathway e Cameron Diaz. Let’s try now to learn something more about this profession that it is often mistaken , by those not in the know, with the figure of the fashion designer ( stilista, in Italian). Let’s answer just few basic questions.
cept. The outfits are created for several projects: a photoshoot, a runway show, an advert, a music video, a celebrity red carpet and so on… To achieve these results clothes, accessories (shoes, bags, jewelry, hats) and props ( small object for the scenography, i.e. a chair, a mirror, etc..) can be either borrowed from designers, in return of advert credits, or purchased. It’s up to the stylist’s or company’s PR skills and connections to get all the stuff that is needed. But that’s not all. The stylist doesn’t work on his/her own. In fact he has to coordinate his work with the photographer, the MUA ( make up artist) and hairstylist and sometimes even have his say on the location. The degree of coordination and collaboration depends on the kind of project that it’s been wored on. In my experience, in fact, I met photographer who want the stylist slent and still when they shoot, and others that ask for your opinion; the same things applies to the MUA and hair stylist, to whom you give options Who is a fashion stylist? and hints about the look, that sometiThe main task of a fashion stylist is to mes they get and sometimes don’t at choose the right clothes and accessoriall. es in order to create an outfit ( a comFinally, the stylist is that key, charismatic plete look for head-to-toe) that matches figure that has to make real the artistic/ , hints or conjures up a theme or concommercial vision of editors, photo-
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S0 VAIN CAREERS
graphers, designers or directors. The fashion stylist is a creative person but also with an eye on the reality of the imagine or outfit that it’s being created. How does a stylist fit in the fashion system? A fashion stylist can work for a fashion magazine, for a brand and decide with the designer the outfits for the runway, work ( often) as a free lance and have,
if famous, an agent through which he can be booked for the different kind of project I told you about. How can you become a stylist? That is the classic 1 million dollars question! Formally there’s no qualification required to be a stylist, but it is really obvious that if you want to learn and understand truly how to work as a stylist and what to do it is convenient ( read, compulsory) to do a course in fashion styling. The rip-offs are behind the corner so you have to research for the course REALLY well and, if you get the chance, ask around the opinion and comments of those who attended those courses. On line forum are really helpful, so it can be Facebook. I often get messages from student or people interested in fashion that ask me for advice on courses or my opinion about them.
See “Dan’s styling Tips” column on sovainmagazine.com
Photo credits: DKNY Times nuok.it gagadaily.com thestyletherapy.com guardian.co.uk azcentral.com vogue sept. 2009 SO VAIN magazine sept 2011
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S0 VAIN MAN
FASHION BIKER For those who don’t want to give up style also on the 2 wheels Alessio Verzegnassi
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y The rainy season is coming and the cold with it, but the true riders won’t close their motorbike behind the garage doors. During the summer you have been able to exhibit your best outfits without pro-
blems: you don’t need heavy jackets or clumsy raincoats to cover them. It’s now that the challenge begins. Autumn and winter are the enemies of fashion, and you risk looking like an astronaut 40 SO VAIN magazine sept 2011
taking off piece by piece those fundamental warm and waterproof items. Since a while ago, fashion has started influencing some technical clothing brands, which year after year they are adding in their catalogs some trendy items. There is a need to cover yo u r s e l f, but there is still to decide which look to show off when going to work, to a happy hour with friends or simply doing shopping. If you love the smell of leather and want to look a bit vintage, the ideal and coolest item is the “Trialmaster” by Belstaff, an icon for motorbikes that, although having always been the same for years, it mantains a status of
fashionable brand. Going through the catalog of the company you will find other patterns and colours. If you want to stay on the more technical genre, the brand Dainese has in its catalogue something similar but less trendy. For those who can’t spend hundreds of dollars, or want something less technical and more like traditional clothing, Tucano Urbano offers excellent quality garments at incredible prices and a fashion line that follows today’s trends. You can find a classic motgomery, a trench coat and even a blazer, which all have a fashionable cut, trendy colours and still give you the
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assurance of not getting wet, keeping you warm and being safe, as they can have the necessary protections All the items are definitely waterproof, but you can always put a raincoat above your jacket, so as not to look like a wet bird at your appointment and will make your clothes last longer: always keep a raincoat under
the saddle of your motorbike, as they now occupy just the space of a packet of cigarettes. Accessories The most important one is the heat shield (termoscud) that keeps you warm and protected by rain and makes you look really cool. A smiley face to whoever invented it! Finally, don’t miss the gloves, scarves collars and windbreakers, to store in a small trunk. Tucano gives a wide range of choice. What else to say, keep warm and dry and espe-
cially watch out for the cars, as the drivers don’t usually take you into account, and go on two wheels every season!
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the master piece of a man’s wardrobe Alessio Verzegnassi
THE JACKET
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very wardrobe should at least have a couple of them, but if you do not know which one to choose, when to wear and how to match them, follow the simple advice I will give you. Choose your style and stock your wardrobe, but be careful not to overdo it. This garment was born hundreds of years ago and has had over the years, if not over the centuries, thousands of varia-
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tions and changes, to get to its final aspect of today. There are thousands of different jackets, but the most popular and classic can be easily summarized and distinguished in the following three types: Tuxedo Jacket How to recognize it: only one button, matching or contrasting lapels, a rather short cut and quite close to the body When to wear it: gala evenings and very formal occasions, especially if the dress code requires it How to wear it: the classic black colour must be matched with black trousers, if you want to create a contrast white jacket and black trousers, or black trousers and coloured jacket. It’s also possible to wear coloured tuxedos, but be careful not to go too bold with colours. Double-breasted Jacket How to recognize it: as its name says, it has a double row of buttons (in some cases it could even have three or even four rows), a longer cut and coloured
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S0 VAIN MAN lapels. rent combinations, even with When to wear it: when otheryou colours. want to give the impression of someone very elegant and slightly snob, who knows what he is wearing during ceremonies and business meetings. How to wear it: if used with matching trousers it will give you a very serious and elegant look. My suggestion is to look for a coloured version and use it also with a pair of jeans in informal occasions, in order to be saucy and original. Single-breasted Jacket How to recognize it: the most classic one is the one that has more variations and possibilities, starting from the number of buttons, the size and the colour of the lapels, to the number of pockets, their shape and so on, up to the most extreme versions When to wear it: any occasion, from wedding parties on the beach, job interviews and gala evenings How to wear it: NEVER wear it fully closed, always with at least one button undone, wear it with matching trousers unless you feel really confident and want to wear a contrasting version . Details to pay attention to The length of the sleeve The traditional rule has it that the cuff of the shirt is more than 1 cm longer than the jacket (half an inch). Make sure that the cuff comes out a few millimeters when the arm is stretched out along the sides and that, therefore, comes out half an inch and even more when bending the elbow. Fabric Choose it carefully according to the season. Do not show up in summer with a winter jacket or viceversa, you would give the impression of not knowing how to dress properly. The type of jacket Choose it according to your style and try to have at least two different types in your wardrobe, so you are always perfect for every occasion. When in doubt, go for a full dark blue or dark gray, with a classic cut that can be used in diffe-
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S0 VAIN BEAUTY
Natural remedies for your skin: facial masks Stephanie Reed
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ur skin is really important, and this is why we need to take care of it! These are some natural remedies, personally tested by me, really easy and quick to prepare, which have been real anchors in those moments when I’m a bit stressed or tired, to give back some light to my face and relax for a while.
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EMERGENCY MASK It’s a good remedy after a long night out, when the skin in the morning is dry. Recipe: 1 tablespoon of honey 1 tablespoon of fresh milk 1 teaspoon of white flour Leave it on your face for 15 minutes. Rinse it with warm water.
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DARK CIRCLES REMOVER Recipe: 1 tablespoon of olive oil 1 egg yolk 1 tablespoon of honey 1 tablespoon of fresh milk Leave it on your face for 10 minutes. Rinse it with warm and then cold water.
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AGAINST BLACK SPOTS It softens the skin and cancels the imperfections and the signs of aging. Recipe: 1 small piece of boiled yellow pumpkin 1 tablespoon of fresh cream Leave it on your face for half an hour. Rinse it with warm water.
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REALLY DRY SKIN Recipe: Put on the face some goat butter. Leave it on for 20 minutes and then rinse it.
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MAKE-UP TRENDS FOR THE A/W 2011 Simona Serpellini
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ere we are, at the threshold of the cold season, the holidays are over and the memories of beautiful days fade away, but not the colours! Luckily the strong colours remain to illuminate
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our face. Orange is the best colour for the eyes, but there are a lot of other shades such as red, purple, gold, brown and blue lines. On the catwalks we could admire really strong cat looks, with strong borders
and the outer corner of the eye lifted up. We could also see a lot of smokey eyes, often in the lower area of the eye, thus emphasizing the drama. But what really can’t miss in your beauty case in this season will be the lice point, to be applied on the eyelids or eyelashes.
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As we all know by now, also the eyebrows have their trends and the one for this autumn/winter is all about a natural Mediterranean look. The eyebrows are full, dark and natural. The lips are coloured in bright red or really dark tones like purple and brown. Rosy cheeks give that “Bonne Minne� touch that makes everything more interesting . A natural make-up Is the true protagonist this season. It can be used with a total look or matched with other seasonal trends (eg. Natural lips and smokey eyes) This is what the designer suggested, now you just need to chose the ideas you prefer and customize them according to your own taste and features. Have a good autumn! SO VAIN magazine sept 2011
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TATTOOS:
permanent accessories Stephanie Reed
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ho among you has never thought about doing a tattoo!? I certainly did and, after a lot of thinking it’s finally time to go in a shop to get it done. You’ll wonder what this has to do with So Vain magazine, but I want to show you how tattoos and fashion are strictly connected. A tattoo is a way to show our personality and, at the same time, to decorate our body, just like a dress does. A tattoo is like a dress, or better a permanent accessory! Its visual impact it’s such that it’s often used during fashion shows to decorated the body of the models. Then tattoos are a fashion themselves! There are periods in which a tattoo on your back, on your wrist, on your arm and so on, are in fashion. Also the subjects go from trend to trend and everyone follows it, even though I don’t understand it. Tattoos are a very personal thing and not a fashion dictat. Here are some images taken from the starsystem with the tattoos I like the most. Do you have one or are you thinking about doing one!? Do you also think that they are this closely linked to fashion!?
Some small tips I’ve learned: Be sure 100%! It will be something that will stay with you all your life, part of you, don’t take it lightly
maybe when you’re older
Never do a tattoo with the name of a a boyfriend or friend on it if it’s not an extremely particular siChoose a symbol or a design that really represents tuation you, not something just because it’s esthetically Go to a serious tattooist, who uses sterilized nice needles and a good ink. Don’t try to save money It’s better to do it in places that you can easily hide, on this! SO VAIN magazine sept 2011
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How to lose weight in a healthy way How to lose weight and start eating in a healthy way? It’s possible following just a few simple rules. Simona Serpellini
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ere are some healthy diet rules that are really good for your body and mind. I’ve put them together and created a diet that I’ve personally tried and, even though my lack of consistency (I’m really bad when it comes to gluttony) I’ve lost 3 kilos in 3 weeks! Now let’s see them: Just have 3 meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) without small snacks in the middle. For EACH MEAL you should eat: carbohydrates proteins (better if not saturated fat, namely those of animal origin) Fat (like olive oil) Vitamins Minerals
S0 VAIN BEAUTY Yoghurt Mushrooms C If you really can’t resist to your hunger and you want to transgress for one day, don’t do it and think about all the sacrifice you did! Choose instead some dry biscuits or something from the “food to include” list. Don’t exaggerate! Now it’s your turn to decide whether to follow all these rules at once like I did, or just pick some of them. Tell me what you think about it and if also you are satisfied by this diet. I now feel I have more energy and a lot less kilos!
EVERY DAY: Drink 1,5/2 litres of natural water 2 fruit portions 3 vegetable portions ONCE A WEEK take example from the vegetarians and try to get the proteins from vegetables instead of meat or fish. Now let’s see the FOOD TO AVOID Saturated Fat Cold meat Canned food Salt (don’t exagerate with it) Sweets Sugary drinks Alcohol Cheese And now the FOOD TO INCLUDE Water Herb teas A lot of fish, especially if blue Wholemeal products (don’t forget the bread) and with fibers Olive oil (do not use mayionnaise) Fresh vegetables, better if coloured Fresh fruit White meat (but not too much) Light food and with not too much fat SO VAIN magazine sept 2011
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THE RIGHT HAIR COLOUR FOR YOUR COMPLEXION Simona Serpellini
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air, cross point of every woman, is one of the key elements of our aesthetic appearance. It influences many factors, like it changes the way in which others perceive us. Therefore its styling should not be underestimated. Remember these are just general guidelines, though! Every face has different features, and only a personalized study can give you the perfect result. Because
COLD TONES: the colour should stay mainly cold
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rayish or pearly white skin: the best is blond. If you like it, also a natural red looks good on you.
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ale pink skin: absolutely no to the dull colours that bring out the redness of your skin! Do not fall into a golden blonde. Choose neutral colours like darker shade of blondes, coppery reds or warm browns. edium-clear skin: the chocolate colour is the best one for you, but also dark blonde looks good on you
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WARM TONES: he colours that highlight the most your complexion are the warm ones.
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ale amber skin: yes to a golden blonde or coppery, bright, and warm colours. Do not pick colours with many reflections, and pay attention to the fair blonde because with a pony-tail you might look
bald!! olden skin: you have to choose warm, golden, and full colours! Also, you can try dark red reflections.
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live skin: here blond starts to be forbidden! You can do it, but just if you want a fierce look with a very short haircut, and a platinum blonde. You should skip also golden and orange colours. Moreover you can choose between all the different browns, mostly the warm ones( mahogany, copper, and chocolate), and you can do the black, which is precluded to many others!
S0 VAIN BEAUTY of this it is very important to ask advice to your personal hairdresser before doing the first colour treatment. I’ve often heard that you shouldn’t change of more than two tones the natural colour of your hair, and to choose the natural colours that you’ve already had during your life. I frankly find that it’s just a matter of taste. Surely that helps to maintain a more natural look and it is useful for the hair regrowth, but I think that if mother nature hasn’t done her best, you can always make it better. In Dulcis in fundo, an eye for the luckiest girls
this article, we are going to analyze the different combinations with various complexions. The complexion is one of the main aspects you should consider when you choose the colour for your hair. It’s important to know if your skin has a cold or a warm tone. For women with a cold skin tone, it’s easier to get sunburnt, and if you look at the veins of the wrist, they should have a blue-purple reflection. Contrariwise, women with a warm skin tone, get tanned more quickly and their veins tend to a greenish color. Follow all the other tips for your hair colour on sovainmagazine.com
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he Very beautiful ones with dark skin and bright eyes: prefer warm browns. They highlight your eyes and blend with your skin.
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he very lucky ones with translucent skin: I’m sorry but the only thing I can say is that you can choose any colour you like the most! As we can’t say white looks bad with colours, I can tell you that any colour would look good on you!
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lack girls: play with all the different colours from a warm brown up to a dark black. Forget about the blonde! If you want to lighten your hair, you can do thin and light shots well mixed. astern girls: forget about the trend to lighten your hair! Your natural colour is perfect for you! Indeed I recommend you to intensify it and do some blue reflections.
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S0 VAIN ART
Between fashion and art:
SONIA DELAUNAY TERK
Fashion and art, two areas that this artist, appro aching futurism, has managed to bring together during her career.
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Sara Chin
onia Delunay Terk was born in 1885 in Gradiesk, in Ukraine. She spent her childhood in St. Petersburg showing an early interest for the arts, which she was able to develop in 1903 when she took part in a drawing course at the Academy of Karlsruhe in Germany. In 1905 she moved to Paris where she attended the “Academie dela Palette� and began to paint in the current of post-impressionism, creating works inspired by Paul Gauguin and Vincent Van Gogh.
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S0 VAIN ART In 1908 she exhibited a selection of works in the Parisian gallery of Wilhelm Uhde, who she married the following year. However, the marriage was short and in 1910 she married the artist Robert Delaunay. Already oriented towards a painting of pure colour, Sonia helped her husband in the research of colour and light refraction, in which the dynamic effect is expressed only by the modulations of
Orphism beyond the boundaries of painting: the colour are mixed together with fantastic patterns, the pencil or brush gives life to clothes never seen before. Lines, squared, dots, brushstrokes, chromatic architectures, flashes of light. In 1913 the artist was approached by a fashion house in Lyons. From here, her interest grew and gave birth to the first “Simultaneous Clothes”: is the cutting-edge of
The dominion of the artist is mainly seen in the art of the tapestry and fabrics, which is profoundly renewed by placing the traditional decoration of geometric motifs of surprising intensity of colour, characteristic elements of his painting. In the same year she exhibited at the Erster Detscher Herbstsalon, a cutting-edge international show that was held in the Galerie der Sturm of Berlin and the following year she participated at the Salon des Indipendants of Paris. She was present at the major events and began toappear within the European international scenes. After the October revolution, she ceased to receive the wage which ensured the financial support for her family and from now on her commitment in the visual arts became more frequent. Sonia created sketches and costumes for theatre and fashion, abstract creations of paper and fabric, different fonts for books with simultaneous colour, with different chromatic relations and typefaces in a vertical text.
colour and light that give to the painting a lyrical tone, approaching the movement of Orphism (a term that derives from Orpheus, the mythical musician of greek mythology) Sonia tried to bring the
fashion. Sonia didn’t have a particular interest in the mass production of the clothes she draw, despite being considered the forerunner of the readyto-wear, as her pieces were unique and unrepeatable.
She designed adverts for Zenith, Pirelli, Dubonnet and she created artist’s books for her poets friends Apollinare, Tzara and Cendar. For the last one she created in 1913 the “Prose du transsiberien et de la petit Jehanne de France”, from the collection of rare books in the Napoleon Library in Florence. In doing so she put into practice the technique of Pachoire (similar to stencil, characterized by a watercolour effect). SO VAIN magazine sept 2011 55
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Abstraction-Creation The narrative sequence group of the text was printed and joined all the main colin twelve different type- lections of the moment. faces, in order to give it rhythm, on a 6 metres surface. We are in the middle of the futurist revolution. In the black books, that is the colour diaries of the artist, written in 1923, she codified her chromatic permutations and a vast repertoire of forms that became costumes in the Coer a Gas by Tzara, where the main character is an invisible body, eyes, lips and nose. Inside those books there are also some decorations never seen before, such as those for the Citroen B12, the fist painted car. In 1925 her cutting-edge creations gained critical acclaim at the international exhibition of applied arts in Paris and, in the same year, the artist opened an emporium of clothes and accessories together with the designer Jaques Heim. In the thirties she joined the 56 SO VAIN magazine sept 2011
In 1937 she worked with Robert Delaunay for the decorations at the universal exhposition in Paris and, the following year, the Stedilijk museum of Amsterdam created a retrospective dedicated to her. After the war, she participated to the foundation of the Salon des Realites Nouvelles, designed for the promotion and the aggregation of all the abstract international experiences. From the fifties onwards, there were several retrospectives in the main museums of the world and the artist wan numerous awards for her fundamental contribution to making the avant-garde aesthetic popular in the field of applied arts. The artist died in Paris in 1979
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Stefano Malosso
YESTERDAY TODAY Vi e n n a
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ienna has been the birthplace of a cultural revolution destined to subvert the traditional concept of mankind, bringing to light its contradictions and questioning all the certainties�. Thus the art critic Federico Zeri sketched the historical spirit of a city which, from the beginnings up to our times, surprises for its contrasts, in balance between beautiful mermaids that can speak through the harmony of beauty and the most diabolical art creations, fruit of the wild avant-gardes of the twentieth century. In Vienna, a true micro-universe that seems to constantly lose its cardinal points, the souls of the composer Amadeus Mozart, of the father of the psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud, of the artist Gustav Klimt, of the princess Sissi, of the director Fritz Lang, of the tormented Egon Schiele, of the harmony of Antonio Vivaldi and of the philosopher Wittgenstein live together in stunning nonchalance. The different arts seem to 58 SO VAIN magazine sept 2011
converge towards a more unified and high concept of art; the man here reigns, with his intellect and taste for beauty! In the autumn season, the city shows all its qualities and the doors of its museums are opened to tourists just like many small chests full of treasures. Vienna has been for centuries the
European capital for painting, and the masterpieces contained in the sumptuous palaces of the powerful Habsburg dynasty, now used ad museums, show it. The Museum of fine Arts (Kunsthistorisches Museum), containes some of the mosts valuable art collections in the world: inside you can admire some of the most famous
S0 VAIN masterpieces in the history of art, including Raphael’s Madonna of the Meadow, the Art of Painting by Vermeer and several other paintings by Rubens, Velazquez, Rembrandt, Dürer, Tiziano and Tintoretto. The “Albertina” is another big exhibition space in the city: it is the largest residential palace of the Habsburg dynasty, and contains a collection of paintings created by artists including the famous names such as Schiele, Picasso, Cezanne , Klimt, Kokoschka, Monet, Degas and Renoir. Of great interest is the photographic collection, which includes famous signatures such as Lisette Model and Helmut Newton. Really important is the visit to the Belvedere, which houses the famous “Kiss” by Gustav Klimt. Walking in its elegant rooms, we find the largest collection of works by Klimt, as well as some paintings by Oscar Kokoschka, Egon Schiele and authors of the French impressionism. To rule in the remaining rooms of the building is the baroque, with its excesses of elegance, wealth and wild aesthetic taste. After the Belvedere, you can jump to the modern times, heading towards the Museums Quarter, an area of museums built near the Hofburg which houses the Leopold Museum (with an extensive collection of works by Schiele, until January 2012 on display in the retrospective “melancholy and
Provocation: the Egon Schiele Project “), the Mumok (Museum of Modern Art, which exhibits the collection” Fokus01. Rebellion and rebirth of the Sixties” with over three hundred works belonging to different artistic experiences such as pop Art, Fluxus and nuouveau réalisme, a balance between artistic provocation and new trends), the Kunsthalle (which exposes the international contemporary art) and the Architecture Centre Vienna (Architekturzentrum Wien). A must is the visit to Mak (Museum of applied arts) in which the modern design and the new creative languages reign.
For those who want to go for kitsch gifts, there is also the MQ-Point, a museum-shop filled with quirky ideas conceived by Austrian and international young designers. Finally, an important stop is the colourful neighborhood of the Kunst Haus Wien, built in 1991 and designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser (1928-2000). Here the Hundertwasser Museum reigns (which houses the retrospective “In the World of Hundertwasser” to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of its opening) and the Hundertwasser building, a rare architectural treasure at the mercy of fantasy and the wildest imagination. A walk through the bizarre shapes of these buildings will convey you a sense of joy and vivacity which you won’t be able to get rid of. Contrary to how it might appear, Vienna doesn’t live only out of art. The city has always been a favourite destination for musicians from all over the world, as it is considered the cradle of music. Over the centuries, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Joseph Haydn, Antonio Salieri, Antonio Vivaldi, Ludwig van Beethoven, the Strauss,
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S0 VAIN Johannes Brahms, Franz Liszt, Franz Schubert, Schoenberg, Paganini and others have lived here. The historical memory of these past lives is the majestic Museum of Sound (or House of Music), located in the old town in the old Erzherzog Karl palace: six floors of exhibition to jump into the music world, in a perceptive journey that starts from the past to bring the visitor into the future. A world of sounds, noises and high-tech notes are the cardinal points of the ideal sound mapping of this exhibition space. Of great importance is the Jazz Fest Wien, the jazz festival in the city that attracts thousands of fans of this music genre, including improvsed saxophones, basses and pianos. For the fans of cinema, instead, the msot important appointment is with the renowned Viennale International Film Festival (this year from October 20th to November 2nd )which, since 1960, offers its selection of movies, stopping in the cinemas in the historic part of the town (Urania, Metro-Kino, Gartenbaukino, Filmmuseum, Knstlerhaus Kino, Stadtkino) and serves hundreds of national and international films, in addition to organizing thematic retrospectives and tributes to individual directors. After a walk to the famous Prater (among the most famous sights of the city, an oasis of greenery and home to the Ferris wheel, one of the most famous symbols of Vienna), a visit to the Cathedral of St. Stephen, and a tour of the Ringstrasse (the ‘elegant boulevard around the city centre, which will show you the State Opera, the Hofburg Palace, Parliament,
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City Hall and many other ancient buildings of the Habsburg era) and a shower in one of the many B & B that come out from everywhere , you are ready to dive into the nightlife of the city, made up of many pubs and cafes that offer drinks and new lifestyles, showing a young and dynamic Vienna. The famous Strauss’ waltzes leave space to the electronic sound of the clubs, rich and imperial banquets leave room for fashionable happyhours, often needed after hours of shopping in the stylish Mariahilfer Strasse, the shopping street populated by trendy boutiques. Do not miss alto the clubs on the Gurtel (under the arches of the undergroung), which have been for years the meeting point for the Viennese nightlife. Why not going wild on the dancefloor of a disco like the Flex, on the Danube channel, which has been recently voted as one of the best places in the world? In short, the Viennese autumn promises to be very hot, in spite of the harsh climate that will invade the city. Between art, music, shopping and night life, fun is guaranteed in an environment not at all obvious but with unexpected surprises. Oh, almost forgot. If you’re in the neighborhood in New Year, do not miss the famous Concert of Vienna (Das Neujahrskonzert der Wiener Philharmoniker), the Vienna Philharmonic’s traditional concert held since 1939 in the Musikverein Golden Hall, with the classic finale of the famous March of Radetzky by Johann Strauss: a richly evocative and epic triumph, where the wealthy past of the Habsburg Empire meets the glitzy modernity of today’s Europe and the new challenges that the young generation will have to engage.
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Watch out for the next issue of
out in December 2011
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