PORTFOLIO 2012

A WAY WITH WORDS AN EYE FOR DETAIL & A NOSE FOR NEWS This portfolio is the body of work of recent AMFI International Fashion & Branding graduate Thomas Stevens

QUOTA “Music makes me intensely happy. I honestly would chose music over any man”.

“There is something tragically sad about a 53 year old wearing a cheerleader outfit and leather gloves to hide those wrinkly hands”. (on Madonna)

“I like being the fly on the wall, eavesdropping on conversations on the bus; an outsider looking in. It’s where I pick up a lot of inspiration”.

I´m able to both blend into the background as stand out from it when necessary”

“Currently also working “You can tell Amy is a one-take kinda gal. No fussing on a Dutch Fashion about with technicalities, just her and the mic. That’s Almanac which captures also why she would never sing the same version of the best of the past a song twice. The girl sings how she feels. Pure, raw and present of Dutch fashion, which will be and straight from the heart, right into your gut. Love pitched to AIFW. Also is a Losing Game is probably one of the greatest working on a debut lyrics ever written. Her way of writing definitely novel which is an inspired mine”. (On Amy Winehouse) eccentric coming-ofage story, featuring a one-legged ballerina called Una, a transexual drug dealer with an obsession for acrylic nails, a retired, lesbian P.E. teacher with a fondness for tracksuits and a former pageant queen with facial spasms and a slight case of Gilles de la Tourette.”

“Other people I highly regard are choreographers Sonya Tayeh and Mia Michaels, photographers Guy Bourdin, Diane Arbus, Solve Sundsbo, Mert & Marcus and Erwin Olaf, men-of-manytalents Stephen Fry and Graham Norton, Dawn French & Jennifer Saunders, Julie Walters, Catherine Tate, writer and director Todd Solondz and Jean Pierre Jeunet, visionairies Carine Roitfeld, Sonny Groo, Isabelle Blow, Daphne Guinness, Lee McQueen and Sarah Burton, Miucca Prada, Katie Grand, documentary makers Frans Bromet and Michiel van Erp, writers Cathy Horyn, Suzy Menkes and Bregle Lampe”

“I have an obsession with serial killer documentaries on Youtube as well as thriller novels; the more gruesome, the better”.

“I’m always scouring for the next best thing. And in that search one can find many irrelevant and unnecessary yet entertaning facts.

My friends call me the walking encyclopedia because of my fondness for the obscure.”

That’s all folks. Take it or leave it.

PROJECTS GRADUATION PROJECT 2012

OUT OF THE ORDINARY

INTERNSHIP 2012

AVELON

BRANDS & IDENTITY 2011

ADO LES SCENTS

BRANDS & IDENTITY 2010

SIRENS SONG

MINOR 2011

VISUAL CULTURE

A compendium of archetypes based on the average Dutch female consumer.

A 6 month traineeship involving the PR, communication and online media for high-end brand AVELON.

Presenting the improved visual identity of the innovative menswear brand.

Creation of a ficticious brand and an accompanying sponsored magazine.

Analyzing photography and film which resulted in some personal books and a short fashion film.

TEXTS TEXTUAL HEALING 2009

JEANS BRAND BOOK

TEXTUAL HEALING 2012

AN INTERVIEW

TEXTUAL HEALING 2010

AN ARTICLE

TEXTUAL HEALING 2011

AN ESSAY

TEXTUAL HEALING 2010

A COLUMN

In charge of the editing of this class project concerning all things essentially denim.

An example of a chapter from the graduation project, depicting one of the archetypal women.

An article inspired by the beautyfying and predatory effects of photography.

A carefully crafted essay discussing the topic of gay representations in mainstream popular culture.

A lightweight piece about a ficticious 30-something career woman.

1 GRADUATION OUT OF THE ORDINARY WHAT? A compendium of archetypes of the average Dutch female consumer. The project focused on researching if there even was such a thing as an average Dutch woman and if yes, what do they look and live like?

WHY? The end-product fits perfectly with the current Zeitgeist as well as showing off my strong assets as a professional brander. It emphasizes my ability to write to anyone, about anything. It also provides a glimpse of what goes on in the world and my personal view on it but it is never self-indulgent. This allows the compendium to be very versatile in use.

HOW? First off, there had to be an extensive research into several general topics before diverging into more specific ones. This required both desk as field research into questions as ‘What is average’? ‘Is there such a things as a Dutch identity’? etc. I’ve spent hours going through profiles on Hyves and Facebook, sat on benches in parks in the pouring rain and conducted interviews in several women’s homes. This eventually resulted in 6 different archetypal consumer profiles in which these women are captured in their natural habitat, celebratin their ordinariness.

AVERAGE IS AWESOME GIVING ORDINARY A FACE

ﾃ］d a voice.

BREAKING STEREOTYPES

BY CREATING ARCHETYPES

This compelling and eclectic manual of encyclopedic nature features several different archetypal consumer profiles. As well as facts, figures and references you never knew, needed to know or cared for, making this compendium far more than just an interesting read. And Premsela agreed. As a renowned institute they are constantly documenting and archiving fashion and design in the Dutch climate. There’s no moving forward if you don’t look back. Therefore, this compendium is vital in not only painting a present picture, but also a possible future one.

So what makes this compendium different from and more vital than other demographic research? Whereas most research is done to deduct an average, this compendium focuses on going beyond that notion. It will become clear that the 6 different archetypal women all belong to the same tribe, the average Dutch consumer, but that there are distinctions to be made within that broad group of females. Instead of trying to put them back into the same box, like most research is focused on, this compendium allows each of them to have a face. And maybe more importantly, a voice.

Check out the entire compendium and process book on www.issuu.com/thomascoulier/docs/outoftheordinary

Rock it. Don’t mock it.

INTERNSHIP AVELON WHAT? A 6 month internship during the 7th semester of AMFI in which I’ve worked at one of Holland’s most exciting luxury brands AVELON. The training focused on the branding/marketing/PR side of the company.

WHY? AVELON is an innovative and cutting edge brand that has managed to develop itself into a brand with international allure in no time. Personifying with the target audience and understanding their ‘language’, this internship would provide a platform for my acquired capacities.

HOW? Practically speaking, this meant taking care of the showroom as well as the stockroom. Social media played a big part, making sure there was a constant flow of posts and reciprocation, as well as ensuring online orders were sent out accordingly. I also initiated to create a press-book for them, in which all the important media that featured AVELON were gathered.

They’ve used them to hand out at international fairs as well as to their international PR offices.

AVELON IS NOT JUST A BRAND IT’S A WAY OF LIFE

The leather principle

AVELON ITEMS ARE LIFETIME INVESTMENTS

With my background and experience in mass-produced fashion, the choice to conduct my internship in a smaller sized company had been a deliberate one. In fact, it was my extensive knowledge of that particular industry that got me the actual position. Though AVELON has quickly expanded internationally, the business is still run by 4 people from a showroom in Amsterdam. This offered the opportunity to gain real-life insights as well as the ability to actively participate.

During my 6 month stay I actively took responsibility for the online media, such as Facebook and Twitter. Due to the small size of the brand, I also functioned as somewhat of a host, receiving guests, providing beverages and preparing lunch. I created a press-book for them, both online as offline, helped at the Dutch Fashion Awards and prepared look book shoots. All in all, a very diverse semester that left me with a stronger love for fashion and AVELON, as well as a greater admiration for Erik Frenken and where he wants to take the brand.

Fox fur forever

BRANDS & IDENTITY ADO LES SCENTS WHAT? A brand book and manifesto for ADO LES SCENTS, which visualizes its newly found identity and communication.

WHY? ADO LES SCENTS is represented by designer Hyun Yeu and offers something truly unique to the landscape of mens fashion. Yet the brand is struggling with its inconsistent visual communication, hence the choice for a brand book. It provides a solid base on which certain decisions can be made, whether in terms of style or substance. The folder is meant as an accessible hand-out at fairs, showrooms and press offices to communicate this newly established visual identity.

HOW? After conducting a wide research in mens fashion, it then went more in depth upon investigating ADO LES SCENTS from top to bottom. After the extensive analysis we could provide a solution to the uncovered problem. We then had to arrange the right models, location, overall look etc. The end-result has surpassed any expectation with photography by Tarone Rachamim.

ADO LES SCENTS THE SCENT OF TROUBLE

Separating boys from men

DEFYING EXPECTATIONS DEFINING MASCULINITY

With no prior affinity for mens fashion I took this opportunity to challenge myself. As a professional brander one should be able to brand anything. Delving into the past and present of the landscape of mens fashion quickly dissolved any anxiety. I had come to the realization that in terms of fashion, menswear was still lagging behind its counterpart and thus there is far more ground to be covered, instead of the highly saturated womens market.

On top of that, ADO LES SCENTS proved to be an innovative and cutting edge brand that would allow us to truly make a difference in its current communication strategy. After extensive research and experimentation, we had found the ‘problem’ and had come up with a solution; visualizing the tweaked brand identity in the form of a brand book and a press hand-out. To express this visual identity we had arranged for a photo shoot which would incorporate all the established values.

Check out the entire brand book and press hand-out on www.issuu.com/thomascoulier/docs/manifesto/1

I am man

BRANDS & IDENTITY SIRENS SONG WHAT? The creation of a brand from scratch. In this case Sirens Song, an erotic luxury brand aimed at catering women over 30 with a higher disposable income and preferably a career.

WHY? To illustrate brands are built on human characteristics, the assignment was to build a brand inspired by an assigned partner. In doing so, we were able to gain insights in the practice of branding.

HOW? Besides illustrating the brand’s identity through a brand book and manual, as well as creating an extensive strategic marketing plan, we also created a sponsored magazine in which all the brand’s core values were to be implemented.

AN EROTIC LUXURY BRAND WITH A DARK SIDE

Build a brand

NOIR IS SIRENS SONG’S SPONSORED MAGAZINE

Though not a new initiative, the link to career women had not been made. Women tend to be approached as honeydewed creatures but times have changed. Women can be as (sexually) aggressive as men and some brands are not afraid to take that risk. Established by women, for women, Sirens Song empowers females around the globe.

Check out all Sirens Song products, including NOIR on www.issuu.com/thomascoulier/docs/noirmagazine

Extend a brand

MINOR VISUAL CULTURE WHAT? The goal of this 5th semester was to create a short fashion film.

WHY? Fashion films have developed themselves to extended brand communication tools and are no longer solely focused on selling a product. To be part of such a process brings invaluable insights into branding and (visual) communication, both on screen as off screen.

HOW? The first half of the minor focused on photography, analyzing existing work, as well as creating our own. This provided a backbone to the second half, which revolved around film. In groups of 5, each was assigned a specific role. In my case, Director of Photography. The end results were shown in ‘het Ketelhuis’.

A SINGLE IMAGE CAN STRIKE A THOUSAND CHORDS

Speaking in imagery

VISUAL LANGUAGE BOTH STATIC AS IN MOTION Fashion has always been unequivocally linked to photography but film has caught up in recent years and many fashion brands and designer have used the medium to advertise their products.

As such, learning how to actually create a professional short film requires both some theory as some practice. Which is exactly how the semester was built up.

Analyzing both photography as film after which one would try and create its own visual language. Each movie was to be inspired by an upcoming Dutch designer, in this case Non By Kim, whom has actually used our film in the presentation of her latest collection.

Check out Hoarderline Syndrom, a curated selection of films www.issuu.com/thomascoulier/docs/hoarderlinesyndrom Check out L´Artisan in its entirety on http://vimeo.com/43288220

Making imagery move

TEXTUAL HEALING JEANS BRAND BOOK WHAT? An accumulation of the biggest players in the denim market in alphabetical order. It comprises of brand analyses and visualizes distinguishing features.

WHY? This particular semester focused on all aspects of the denim industry. Since that is such an iconic item with an incredibly deep history and language, there was lots of ground to be covered in terms of research. The eventual end-product presents all filtered information, covering all things essentially denim.

HOW? Because of the extensiveness of the research, this was a class-project in which some of the work had to be divided. Anyone not involved in the editing or layout team were each assigned to investigate 3 denim brands. Since I was in charge of the editing, I had written an example so everyone had the same sort of template. They’d send the texts to me, I’d correct/ adapt them and they would in turn be sent to the layout team who’d place them in a mock-up.

THE QUEST FOR DENIM A CRUSADE IN JEANS

Denim: National Anthem

DENIM: SIGNS OF SHACKLES OR JUST FREEDOM

There’s hardly a more iconic item of clothing than a pair of jeans. Its meaning has changed over time and has undergone many changes. But one thing remains. The actual jeans.

Experiencing every part of the ride, they can become an extended part of one’s identity. Moreover, in the current landscape of denim, there’s hardly room to distinguish oneself.

Because of this highly saturated industry this jeans brand book sheds some light on what is going on.

Brands that do denim

TEXTUAL HEALING AN ARTICLE

WHAT? An article discussing the beautifying and predatorial effects of photography.

WHY? During the Minor: Visual Culture we were assigned to read Susan Sontag´s On Photography and to write an inspiring piece, using Sontag’s theory in a contemporary way.

HOW? Without blatantly copying Sontag’s timeless work, I decided to link the discussed theory to my personal view on photography. This includes my love and fascination for Polaroid images, Pop culture, Guy Bourdin and Kate Moss.

PHOTOGRAPHY: A CRIME OF PASSION

Lock, aim & shoot

“I think I´m ready for my close-up” BRITNEY SPEARS in ‘Kill the Lights’

My introduction to and affinity for photography has been awakened mainly by fashion photography. As a young boy, flipping through magazines, this alternate planet; a perfect moment in time, captured in front of the lens was something otherworldly, magical, maybe even surreal or hyper real for that matter. What is it with photographs that make them universally accepted, unequivocally present?

The only sense you need is sight and thus makes it an highly accessible form of art, to many people around us.

For me personally, being the glass is half empty kinda guy, I have had issues capturing something photographically since I was about 16. Where most people can look at an image, full of nostalgia, and reminisce about what was, I on the other hand can feel slightly depressed looking at images of unforgettable nights; they can and never will be measured up to. The photo is the absolute truth, providing you with evidence of something occurring. Without the tangible proof of that slice of time, the only thing that remains is a hazy memory which will only confirm it was a great night, but will not slap you around the face to say: You know what, this was such a great fucking party. Nothing will ever come close to the feeling you had that night, so there, take that, in your face.

Thus, for the same reason you will hardly find any pictures of me after that certain age. Has that got to do with avoiding confirmation? For example, nobody will be able to say: You’ve never looked better there. Or worse.

Or even, you look so different. If so, it has everything to do with the way I see myself in my head and the actual representation of me, if there is any such a thing. This led me to think more about the predatory effect and beautification of photography. Closely linked to (fashion) photography are models and after finishing Sontag’s insightful essays it began to dawn on me why these girls are being photographed by a Polaroid

camera when they are first plucked off the street. The image will show the girl in its most pure form, yet shot through the most ‘ugly’ way possible; harsh lighting etc. Only if her features survive what the Polaroid picture does to her, will she get the chance to actually call herself a model. Which is an odd thing, because she will be replaced by heavily madeup and computer enhanced model-like creatures; she will not look anything like the way they initially found her. Her hyper-real self becomes the norm.

Model gone mad

If there is truth-telling in photography, like Sontag claims, does this mean the Polaroid is closer near the truth or is it just an awful liar? This brings me to an avid user of the Polaroid and another one of my fascinations: Guy Bourdin.

Maybe the fact that he used the truthtelling machine for his grotesque and ‘fake’ images is what made his work so strong. Exactly like Edward Steichen did when he took the image of the milk bottle on the tenement escape, before that no one had ever thought that could be worth photographing.

When Guy Bourdin took something like fashion photography, which in itself is an idolizing and beautifying genre, and combined it with the ‘gritty’, ‘real’ aesthetic of the Polaroid, he placed it out of context and pushed the boundaries for photography even further.

In a way, he’s not too different from someone like Diane Arbus. How she photographed her subjects, void from judgment, is exactly the opposite of

how they were seen and treated by the public. The fact that her eccentric photographic topics are faced to the camera, full frontally, shows a clear intimacy between subject and photographer. Which is interesting since this full frontality in images often strengthen the predatory effect of the camera.

Just think of the passport pictures or other images of official documents; clear and strict guidelines, no room for improvisation. Stripped back from all glamour and technique, this again reminds me of the Polaroid images taken from models at the beginning of their “career”. Standing in front of the camera, often holding up their measurements the way inmates hold up their sheet of misdemeanors , you can’t get any more up close and personal than that, a violation of keeping one at arms’ length.

What I find intriguing about this ‘breach of privacy, if such a thing can ever be fully captured on film, is what happens if you are confronted with your own representation, or someone else’s representation of you for that matter, on a constant base?

“My images are just accidents. I´m not a director, merely the agent of chance” GUY BOURDIN on his own photography

Legendary legacies

Does the model I discussed earlier above will be able to recognize herself in her own hyper-reality? Or does she adapt to that representation, slowly leaving behind what exactly made her photographically interesting to begin with? Personally, I do think the difference between one’s own representation and the actual endresult can have self-destructing effects.

Would Britney have lost it had she been an ordinary elementary teacher?

If not, and let’s assume this is true, it is probable that Ms. Spears started to put her hyper-real self on a pedestal.

If this flawless, picture perfect Pop Princess becomes something to live up to, one can only imagine how much of a disillusion this can cause in one’s sense of self.

That gives a double meaning when Susan Sontag mentions that the mere act of photography is one of nonintervention; prolonging the moment that is captured. It almost makes the photographer the perpetrator, its

subject the victim of whatever the viewer wants to see, or keep seeing.

But there are also examples of a society being the victim, or at least disillusioned. What to think about the moment Kate Moss was snapped snorting coke? Of course the nature of the image, taken with a mobile phone, added to the ‘peeping’ feeling.

Outraged, the world demanded an explanation from the model with mythlike proportions.

This was not the creature they created!

Would the same thing have happened, had it been an editorial photo-shoot

by Vogue Italia’s master Meisel?

Undoubtedly it would have generated an extreme buzz and even more negative responses and insinuations of provocation, but Ms. Moss would probably also be applauded for her courageous commentary on the fashion industry. Does this say something about the development of photography, or of a society? One would be inclined to agree on the latter, since it is the outside world that isn’t satisfied anymore with a photo as absolute truth or proof. It needs more and it will only want more.

Caught in the act

TEXTUAL HEALING AN ESSAY WHAT? The assignment was to come up with a statement which would ultimately lead to a carefully crafted essay

WHY? Though this 6th semester, in which this essay was written, focused on the re-branding of a specific brand, the classes revolved around writing were there to help establish a certain tone of voice; a way of communicating.

HOW? The assignment of the thesis was not specifically linked to the brand we worked with, in my case, ADO LES SCENTS. This brand struggled with its identity รกnd sexuality, something I have always been personally fascinated with, and so that became the approach for me; mixing business with pleasure.

NO QUEER HERE HOW HOLLYWOOD HIDES HOMOSEXUALITY

Fear the queer

“I’m a try-sexual. I’ll try anything once” SAMANTHA JONES in ‘Sex and the City’

As both a gay man as well as a film fanatic, I’ve always felt there was a lack of gay representations on screen. But, at the same time, I’ve also wondered if this opinion was tainted by my own sexual preference. By writing this essay it helped me to form an objective view on the matter, based on substantial facts. But before elaborately investigating this thesis, one first has to understand what is meant with ‘Hollywood’. Originally it refers to the actual place where films were made.

(They could have been called Miami films, for that matter). Hollywood had the means and the infrastructure to become the epicenter of film, which it did. But, that was then and this is now. In this highly digitalized and fragmented era, film has lost its place as the single most important medium. The term Hollywood is no longer solely based on the place where films get made but on a way of life. It is associated with red carpets, glamour and success and used to be exclusively linked with the Hollywood films but the invention of TV has democratized the availability of these characteristics.

To illustrate: What do ‘Mission Impossible’, ‘Sex and the City’ and ‘Gone With the Wind’ have in common? Hollywood. They are all widely accepted, critically acclaimed shows and series, therefore they can be called ‘mainstream’ and thus the term Hollywood can now be referred to as mainstream American culture. But in this day and age, is Hollywood still discriminating gays?

“In the early sound era, particularly in the raw and gutsy cinema of the Early Depression, the gloves were off; it seemed like every fifth or sixth Hollywood movie contained a character or a reference to the gay and lesbian experience. There were in fact, more visibly gay and lesbian characters on screen at this time than at any other point in American cinema until the late 1980s” (Russo, The Celluloid Closet, 1981)

Case of the closet

But “it all seemed to stop by 1934. So many things vanished from film after the middle of 1934; women’s navels, occupied double beds, any sense of a bedroom as something other than a sleep chamber, drug use, the attractiveness of lawlessness, and, essentially, being an out gay man or lesbian”. (Barrios, Screened Out, 2003) This is because of the Hays code, strict moral guidelines for films to adhere to, that was introduced in film when “major studios were under fire from politicians, preachers and other moral arbiters for the nation’s declining moral.” (Gardner, The Czar of Hollywood, 2005) According to Hays himself, “the Motion Picture is the epitome of civilization and the quintessence of what we mean by ‘America’”. (Gardner, The Czar of Hollywood, 2005) One can conclude it would be fair to say that the hiding of deviants of society is imbedded in Hollywood’s core essence. Surely, the gays didn’t completely vanish from the screen after the Hays code was introduced but were often depicted

as something to laugh at, to pity or even to fear. The result are numerous movies, mostly made between 1934 and the 70s, where homosexuality is implicitly presented as an evil aberration. These films have taught its audience how to think and feel about homosexuals, often without them even knowing they were slowly being brainwashed. And though you could claim Hollywood was not hiding the gays during this period of time, you could also argue that by not depicting them correctly, by turning them into a terrifying bogeyman, their actual existence is still denied.

I can hear you think: ‘Yeah ok, but this is 2011, Hollywood can’t be that anally retentive’. (no pun intended) But if we take look at one of the most successful American TV shows of the past decade, ‘Will & Grace’, we see that even a show that is deemed as gay, has a tendency to fear the queer.

Main character Will is portrayed as a masculine, straight-acting, though a homosexual lawyer. Out of the 2 gay characters, he is the most straight and therefore the best choice to reach upon a more broader audience. The second one, Jack, is a hysterically, flamboyant and promiscuous scream-queen. He has become a caricature of all things gay, a grossly exaggerated version of all things supposedly gay.

Thus he is forced to play a supporting role, out of fear of alienating some of the audience. By opposing him to his peer Will, the same viewers are implicitly told who the ‘better’ homosexual is. Obviously that is Will, since he is the most successful of the 2 and is rewarded for his emulating straight male behavior.

What constitutes being a homosexual in the first place is engaging in some sort of a relationship with someone from the same sex. That hardly happens on the show and if it did, it wasn’t explicitly shown. On top of that, both characters display their sexual aversion for each other which is the ultimate denial of their sexuality.

So yes, even in this ‘tolerant’ day and age, the gays are denied the right to be portrayed beyond their superficial stereotypes, banishing their entire existence to uphold a myth.

Legendary legacies

Of course there are also arguments against this thesis. One of them being the fact that film or TV knows no such concept as ‘implicit’, for everything has been filmed with an intent to portray, to convey, whether underlying or not.

The meaning behind the term gay, just like masculine and feminine, is a socially constructed one. In other words, the maker can intend to portray something as gay, or not, but ultimately it is the audience that has the last say.

‘Star Trek’ has a huge gay following because of the, supposedly, implicit homo-eroticism as shown on the show. There are multiple forums on the internet discussing Jack Sparrow’s sexuality in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’, or if Matt Damon’s character in ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’ is gay or not.

These examples show that meaning is searched for, created and established by the viewers and not by its makers.

Therefore, the only way of not showing homosexuality in films,

is by not showing any films at all.

“Film.. cannot invent what does not already exist. It reflects, reproduces, copies, caricatures. It learns from its audiences and imparts to them…”

(Barrios, Screened Out, 2003) But there are much simpler explanations to be found opposing this thesis. If Hollywood is mainstream American culture, then it has no relevance depicting gays and lesbians, for they are not part of mainstream American culture. Simple as that.

Especially in this fragmented era, where you have a niche market for everything, there are more than enough other choices for the gay community to find redemption.

Hollywood films tend to be ‘cookiecutter’, but that is because they are supposed to speak to a broad, mainstream that is, audience. That is why they revolve around ‘easy’ stories, because most of the viewers will be able to relate to that; it is what they expect. Hollywood is simply catering to a different part of society, the majority.

The final argument opposing this thesis is that gays refuse to be part of mainstream society. They have done their utter best to be separated from the rest; they want their own parties, they want their own TV channels, they

want their own movies, they even have their own annual parade. It is not mainstream society that has a problem with the depiction of gays, it is the gays who have a problem being depicted in mainstream society. Who does not remember Sascha Baron Cohen as ‘Bruno’, the outrageously German and über-gay fashion designer? The movie was a huge box office hit, therefore mainstream America liked it but the outcries came from the gay community, dissatisfied at being portrayed so savagely. It seems Hollywood can do no right, if they don’t include gays, they’re discriminating and if they do, they’re also discriminating.

It has become evident Film has some catching up to do on TV, but to no surprise. The fragmentation of TV makes it much easier to diverge into specific subcultures or lifestyles. In Film, everything has be squashed into a 2-hour time-span, which does not leave much room for subtlety nor nuance. What Hollywood should focus

on is making “…no more films about homosexuality. Instead films that focus on the lives of ordinary people, who happen to be gay and how their lives intersect with the dominant culture.”

(Russo, The Celluloid Closet, 1981)

That’s all folks. Take it or leave it.

TEXTUAL HEALING AN INTERVIEW WHAT? An example of one of the archetypes of my most recent project: OUT OF THE ORDINARY: Average is Awesome.

WHY? A compendium of archetypes of the average Dutch female consumer. The project focused on researching if there even was such a thing as an average Dutch woman and if yes, what do they look and live like?

OUT OF THE ORDINARY: because average is awesome is the project I graduated with from AMFI.

HOW? A compendium of archetypes of the average Dutch female consumer. The project focused on researching if there even was such a thing as an average Dutch woman and if yes, what do they look and live like?

OUT OF THE ORDINARY: because average is awesome is the project I graduated with from AMFI.

AVERAGE IS AWESOME GIVING ORDINARY A FACE AND A VOICE

Archetype #6

MIRIAM DE JONG THE HIP HOUSEWIFE

When Miriam opens the front door, two little Tasmanian devils storm out to greet me outside. I crouch down and the blond one immediately jumps on my lap. Miriam laughs: “She’s such a flirt with guys. She’s all over my husband and ignores me, except when there’s food involved”. As I carry the few pounds heavy package inside, Fientje looks up at me lovingly. We have a thing going on, that much is obvious. While Miriam is making us some coffee, I make myself comfortable in this lovely looking house. It is immaculate. Better take my shoes off.

They’ve been living here for over a decade now and though both Miriam and Arie are fond of their home, they see themselves moving at a later stage. “A garden is great when you have children or dogs but it’s also a lot of extra work”. So she has no qualms moving into an apartment with only a ground floor and a balcony? “No not at all”.

Though she’s quick to add that the apartment preferably should be located in the South of France. “It has always been the plan to move there once the kids left the house”. So why specifically there? “Well, as long as the climate is warm enough, I’m content”.

I ask her if they’d been recently because she looks so tanned but she tells me she has a tanning bed up in the attic that she uses every now and again. She looks well taken care of, though she keeps warning me to not take pictures too up-close, since she hasn’t dyed her hair.

Does she do that herself? “Yes, why would I spend that much money at a hairdresser when I can do it myself for a fraction of the price”?

I nod in agreement. She does however tells me the last time she cut her hair was at Kinki Kappers and she was very satisfied. “For a second I was scared I would leave with a mohawk”. I laugh out loud because I have similar experiences with hairdressers at Kinki’s.

Fientje and Caprice are circling around at the front door. “I think it’s time to take a leak”, Miriam says. I decide to come with her on her stroll. The weather is nice and it might give me an opportunity to get even more details about her life. She hands me the pink dog leash belonging to Fientje and we laugh when she says: “This one is all yours”.

Mean Queen of Markplaats

When asked how she would describe her sense of style, there’s a slight pause before she replies: “I would say I’m always dressed very casual, sportive even”. That’s not how I would describe her since she looks a lot more fashionable than ‘basic’. It depends on what she’s doing as well. “I’m not going to rummage around the garden in wedges and a wrap-dress but I would change back into it when going to the supermarket, for example”.

“Besides, I’m over 50. There are certain things that need to be taken into consideration”. I chuckle and ask if she means gravity going the opposite way. “Exactly”, is her reply. “The last thing I want is for my strapless dress to go south when going grocery shopping. Which is exactly what happened to me last Summer.”

We have a laughing fit over this hilarious anecdote when she bluntly adds: “Ah well, they’re just tits. Not even a handful at that.”

Wow, talk about being direct. She can tell I’m shocked by her phrasing and she seems pleased when she mentions I’m just as prude as her son.

Speaking of which. Her son is her go-to person when it comes to fashion dilemmas.

He works in retail and is in fact gay too. “One of the many plus sides of having a gay son”, she says. “No grandchildren and brutally honest about what I can or can’t wear”. Ah, that sounds familiar. Is there anything you’re forbidden to wear? “Well, he hates it when I dress too sportive, asking me if I’ve dumped my girlfriend recently”. I crack up, he sounds like a great guy.

Do you have a fashion weakness then? “Oh yes, lately I have a thing for scarves. They always manage to bring a pop of color into an outfit. And accessories. I have enough to last me a lifetime but I’m always drawn to little trinkets; I’m like a magpie, as long as it shimmers it’s OK”. Despite her fashionable appearance, the one thing she values most is a good price. Hence her obsession for stores like Action, Zeeman and Xenos, where they sell a little bit of everything for a fraction of the regular price. She actually dyes her hair with the Action brand hair coloring, which costs not even €5! How very courageous of her. But then again, Miriam does not really care what others think of her and I admire her for that.

Age: 53 / Occupation: Housewife / Lives: Purmerend / Status: Married to Arie for almost 30 years / Pets: Two Yorkshire Terriërs Caprice and Fientje / Children: Christophe (29), Robine (25) / Hobbies: Dogs, Marktplaats, scouring brochures / Tattoos: 1 heartshaped on lower back / Spends Saturdays: Sleeping in, doing groceries, having lunch outdoors / Favorite color: Turqoise and champagne / Favorite brand: H&M / Favorite music: Los Angeles, The Voices / Favorite magazine: Libelle / Favorite supermarket: Deen / Buys her lingerie at: Zeeman / Buys her make-up at: Hema /

Strapless at 50

TEXTUAL HEALING A COLUMN WHAT? A column in which I pose as a thirty-something year old career woman, Saffy Stirrup.

WHY? Wile creating the Sirens Song brand and its accompanying sponsored magazine NOIR, I had taken up the idea to write all texts that were included. Rather ambitious but it did add to the credibility of the endproduct.

HOW? The Sirens Song project required a specific approach since everything was supposedly done ‘by women, for women’. This meant getting into character with each piece of text. Ultimately, the choice to add a column was done in order to represent someone from the Sirens Song target audience.

A TALL GLASS OF STIRRUP BOTH A HANDFUL AS A HOOT

Saffy says so

As I was frantically dodging my mother´s weekly nuisance calls, I silently thanked God the poor biddy had not figured caller ID yet. I was applying some make-up before leaving for work when I suddenly noticed it. Well, them actually. Initially I blamed the lighting, or lack thereof, but as I leaned in to take a closer look, I could clearly see them mocking me; the bags under my eyes. Clearly these hadn´t been here before, had they? As I muttered some profanities and told myself that these sort of things were inevitable leading such a busy life, I was abrubtly awoken by the disdain in my mother´s voice, telling me she knew darn well I was there and that there was no need for me to avoid her. No way in hell would I give her the pleasure of ruining this morning even further, so I quickly grabbed my keys and headed for the garage to get my car. I catch myself ducking and tiptoeing as if my mother´s iron grip can teleport itself through the answering machine.

“ It´s not as much as I resent the de-gratifying signs of ageing, well I do actually, but I´ve always accepted them gracefully before today;there is a lot a woman can do without having an operation. I´m the first to admit that figure-corrective underwear, though granted only if there is no testosteron in sight, can be kind to a ´girl´our age.”

As I was driving, with Linda Ronstadt on the radio telling me ‘I’m no good’, I noticed I kept glancing in the rear view mirror. And not for driving purposes.

It’s not as much as I resent the de-gratifying signs of ageing, well I do actually, but I’ve always accepted them gracefully before today; there is a lot a woman can do without having an operation.

I’m the first to admit that figure-corrective underwear, though granted only if there is no testosteron in sight, can be kind to a ‘girl’ our age.

But there are certain things you just can’t stop.

And so I did something very un-Saffy when I arrived at work. I booked a consultation with an esteemed surgeon to talk about the possibilities.

It´s not like I´d made up my mind already because honestly, I always felt it would jinx some bad spirits, coming back to kick your ass for messing up Mother Nature’s creation. So besides my mother whooping my behind for ruining what she always refers to as ‘her greatest work in progress’, I would also be haunted

by God & Co. I mean, no one voluntarily says: “Please make me look like Joan

Rivers”, but hey, thats how most women end up looking like. They go in for some botox and before you know it, wham, they have to drink through their noses. As I tried pushing this middle-aged momentum to the back of my mind, preparing for a vitally important business deal with a possible merger, the name of the man I was about to meet felt faintly familiar. Just a common name though, so no alarm bells went off when I pushed open the glass paneled doors. They did go off however, only 20 seconds too late, just as I was giving him my infamous firm hand shake.

With a badly imitated Southern drawl he smugly said: “My my, you still look mighty fine, Ma’am”. As my brain was fizzing trying to figure out where we’ve met before, I had a falshback of me slurring out his name while jamming his face down my crotch. Ah now I remember. Some random guy I picked up in a sports bar now thinks he has to explain to little Miss cougar what all the numbers on his papers mean. Fine, I’ll play the coy ploy. This deal means a lot so as I mutter something about losing my phone and having a sick mom, which technically is not a lie, I open up the the top 2 buttons of my blouse while pouring him a scotch. He slyly smiles when I suggest we get down to business and slide over the appropriate paper work. After an hour of him blatantly swooning, which I must admit did wonders for my bruised self-esteem of that morning. I had managed to work him out the the door with all the signed documents. But only under the promise of picking up where we had left off. Smugly I thought since I had not really figured out where things had begun and thus ended, the oath I was pledging to was invalid. What I’m actually trying to say is, isn’t it odd how you sometimes have the feeling you’ve literally seen all the fish in the whole damned pond?

As for the doctor’s appointment, the so-called esteemed surgeon kept staring at my boobs, which initially felt quite flattering. I love my breasts and this man has seem them and he’s admiring mine. Until he informs me if I’ve ever considered going up a size or 2. Because what, that would be recommendable? As I storm out of his office, I realize there are other ways to solve this ridiculous problem. Some good night’s sleepfor example. Or the old, yet highly effective freezing-teabags-on-the-eyes treatment. As for now, no surgery for Saffy.