Change 2009: Fashion Magazines

I didn't grow up liking fashion magazines -- at least those tween-teen magazines telling me how a normal teenager should look like. I studied in a private school and wore a uniform every day. Wearing make-up wasn't allowed and even fancy jewelry like dangling earrings were highly discouraged to wear. Because of these limitations, then, I had a certain dislike for teen fashion magazines, Meg, Candy and the like. I occasionally read Vogue though, and until now it looks like a giant book of well-laid out advertisments and I sometimes feel bad for reading something that I couldn't read because there was nothing much to read in the first place.

Despite my dislike for fashion magazines, I did grow up reading Time, Country Living, National Geographic back issues (because they were damn expensive, and still are!) and Tribute Magazine, a magazine very popular in Canada. My favorite was, and is, Time, for obvious reasons. Except for Time and National Geographic (I read issues in my elementary school library), I read the rest because I had to use them as scrap materials for my art projects.

It was when I got to Ateneo that my interest in one particular magazine, Preview, grew. Though I did not openly admit to buying an issue in 2007, later on, particularly this year, it became a hobby of mine to sneak into the Summit Media website and see what's in store in the new issue. I started to like fashion trends (but not wear them -- Paris, Milan, New York and London winter fashion just won't do in Philippine setting) because the writers told convincing stories with pictures; they did not just advertise the apparel. I eventually developed an appreciation for fashion magazines. After reading a few more issues I simply became hooked.

Since early June my interest in personal style grow, as well as my general interest in magazines. I presently read, aside from Preview and Time, I-mag|Photography and Interior Design (an expensive magazine. I buy this every six months -- p700 a month? Excuse me, but I need to eat). Aside from reading these magazines, I have a bar full of online magazines and art news websites: New York Times - Art News, Financial Times - Art and Leisure, ArtsJournal.com, LensCulture.com, Artdaily.org and Journalism.co.uk, to name a few. Not only did I start to get in the know of the latest fashion trends, I also learned of different names of people and places, particularly photographers and art galleries, respectively. But I think the most important thing here is that I dispelled all beliefs that fashion magazines were just a waste of money -- they aren't; because I learn as much as I learn from textbooks (I mean, not the technical nitty-gritty stuff, but about how to live today).

I consider what I'm reading now as a commercial break from all the news that I read in newspapers (I read the lifestyle section of the newspaper just to escape the bad news in the front page). After all 2009 isn't the best of years, financially and politically speaking. I simply decided to make the best of what's left of this year: I opened my eyes to a possibility of reading more than just textbooks and thriller novels. Before sticking my head out the window and see the present moment happening, I was something like a conservative librarian, believing the textbooks were the only key to the future. I have been wrong for the past ten years. Upon realizing this incorrect worldview, I actually began to seek the best in life -- for me it's knowing what's going on in the art world, understanding today's culture, seeing people live their dreams through photos and their articles, and of course letting myself grow in the right time.

So now, here I am, about to read the latest ish of I-mag|Photography. Tilak Hettige (I wouldn't know he existed if I hadn't read magazines) has an interesting article about how motion blurs add depth to a photo. Beside me as well is the latest issue of Preview with Anne Curtis on the cover. My mind is getting giddy since AFAR Media followed me in Twitter, and I just asked them when their magazine will hit Philippine shores.

And now I'm thinking if I should buy a new pair of earphones, a loudspeaker for my laptop, or an issue of Interior Design.

Great Christmas Gifts from handbagseshop

The 2009 Christmas is approaching. Now it is the time to choose a nice gift for your friends or anyone who is close to you. Handbagseshop is coming with the great time of Christmas.

I enjoy sharing the Christmas spirit with people I love. Christmas is certainly a wonderful religious celebration. Originating from Western culture, where Christmas is characterized by the exchange of gifts among friends and family members, some of the gifts are attributed to Father Christmas (also known as Santa Claus).

Since Christmas exchange of gifts is a meaningful part of the holiday season, you should give more care to Christmas shopping. Some people think it is too hard to give everyone the special Christmas gifts on their wish list. Here I want to share some Christmas shopping ideas which will help you to know the top 5 Christmas gifts 2009

Great Christmas Gifts 2009

Hermes handbags

Handbagseshop provides large numbers of replica Hermes handbags. Hermes not only stands for luxury but also an unmatched quality for even the most functional items. Our Hermes Replica handbags are the same with the authentic ones in almost every way. We believe there are great numbers of fashion ladies are the fans of Hermes. The handbagseshop is made to match with the unique taste of you. Compared to the real Hermes handbags, the replica Hermes handbags we provide here are much cheaper but with high quality and unique style.

Prada handbags

Prada is a well known luxury brand for handbags. The reason why Prada is welcomed by so many people is quite transparent. Replica Prada handbags are both practical and fashionable which definitely matches with the people's pursuit in this modern world. And Prada not only paid much attention to its material, color and style but also to the fashion ideas of customers. Here all the Prada Replica handbags are the same with the real ones in almost every way. Just see the following pictures. They will never let you down.

Dior handbags

Dior Replica handbags are well known for their elegance and quality. Christian Dior was known as godfather of the “Golden Age of Fashion” and also known for his meticulous attention to the minute details of his awe-inspiring designs. In this category we have large numbers of replica fashion Replica Dior handbags for you. Cpmpared to the real Dior handbags, our replica Dior handbags are much cheaper but with the same styles and high quality of the real ones.

Burberry handbags

Burberry is a luxury brand with a distinctive British sensibility, strong international recognition and differentiated brand values. Burberry Replica Handbags is best known for its distinctive plaid which is popular among this fashion modern world. Here all the Replica Burberry handbags are in latest style and with top quality. Best Replica Burberry handbags are just at handbagseshop.

Mulberry Handbags

Replica Mulberry Handbags are well known for the classic style and, Mulberry Handbags purses have the most popular models. Mulberry Handbags is a brand that many fashion famous people.

Merry Chrismas For All..!!

CHRISTIAN DIOR Fall 2009

Homeless teens design clothes for major fashion show

YOUNG designers are gearing up to show their hard work on the catwalk in Cardiff’s biggest fashion show of the year.

More than 200 models and performers are currently preparing for the Fluorescent Adolescent show at the recently re-opened Coal Exchange.

But what makes this show different is that it features the designs of a team of talented homeless teenagers who have never picked up a sewing needle before.

Called Fluorescent Adolescent, it is a street-inspired collection designed and made by vulnerable young service users of a South Wales charity.

The youngsters are taking part in the Learn for Life scheme at Llamau, which works to improve the lives of socially excluded or homeless young people.

For the past few weeks, Llamau’s Cardiff centre base has been transformed to resemble a fashion studio.

“It’s a risk because they’re complete novices and I’m putting on a major catwalk show that has grown into something really big,” said Kate Handley, the fashion showcase’s 29-year-old director.

“Every year the show benefits a charity, but we wanted to do more than just write a cheque and do something that was interactive and let us give up time and skills, kind of cutting out the middle man, and I’ve got the contacts to make a difference.”

The youngsters will get to keep some of the outfits they make and every one of them will be there in December to watch their creations being paraded down the runway.

“It’s all about giving a platform to young talent and making sure the opportunities are there,” said Kate.

“It’s about putting people who’ve been at a disadvantage on the right track and giving them a chance to do something they’ve never done before.

“It has a great harmony with what Fashion Showcase Wales is all about.

“It’s not a snobby fashion event full of people drinking Champagne.

“It’s weird, wonderful and creative and is about celebrating underground talent that doesn’t always get the opportunity to shine.”

New Orleans jewelry designer Thomas Mann designs pendant for TOMS shoes

Fans of Thomas Mann’s jewelry designs might not spot the artist’s signature techno-romantic style on one of his latest pieces: a little pewter pendant depicting a parachute hoisting a shoe aloft.

But diehard fans of TOMS shoes will get the imagery instantly. The New Orleans jewelry artist recently collaborated with TOMS, the innovative company that gives away a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair it sells.

Mann’s pendant was posted earlier this month on the TOMS Web site, www.tomsshoes.com, which averages about 200,000 visitors weekly. So far about 225 of the $28 pieces have sold, and the company just placed a re-order in anticipation of the holidays.

Mann said the work is practically pro-bono, having reduced his profit margin dramatically because he believes in the TOMS effort. For every necklace sold, the company also gives away another pair of shoes.

The popularity of the pendant isn’t surprising. TOMS is on the vanguard of the social entrepreneurship movement, a new breed of businesses that merge charitable missions with for-profit motives. In just three years, the company has built a fervent fan club. Volunteers from around the world pay their own travel expenses to participate in the “shoe drop” giveaways held in far flung countries and cities closer to home, such as New Orleans.

Company founder Blake Mycoskie and 33 volunteers spent three days here in August, giving away 2,000 pairs of white canvas shoes to students at five local elementary schools.
While volunteers where fitting little feet, Mann had designed the pendant, strung it on a black cord and instructed his team give them away to the TOMS group. The pendants were such a hit, Mann produced more to give to shoe drop volunteers in other cities.

The connection between the jeweler and the cobbler came about through a mutual acquaintance, Connie Fails, museum store manager at the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, Ark. Mann has made several pieces for the Clintons, including 600 pendants and cuff links that Hillary Rodham Clinton gave away as Christmas gifts during her campaign for president.

“Connie called me and said she was coming to New Orleans in August to volunteer for the TOMS shoe drop,” said Helen Redmann, marketing director for Thomas Mann Designs. “I love TOMS shoes, and we definitely wanted to see how we could get involved.”

Mann didn’t get to meet Mycoskie when TOMS swung through New Orleans, but the jewelry designer has been following the company’s progress.

“I’m always interested in entrepreneurial efforts,” said Mann, who teaches classes to other artists on how to succeed in business. It’s a button-down course for creative types, with tips on how to price product, plan for market shifts and rising overhead costs.

Mann’s own enterprise is a model of artistic entrepreneurship. The Allentown, Penn., native learned jewelry design in a high school art class. He opened his first store in 1968 at 19 years old.

He started showing his witty, whimsical robot-like creations at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in 1977. A decade later, he had fallen for the city’s siren song, and moved here permanently .

Though his operation is based here, Mann said he will spend 240 days on the road this year, hosting workshops, giving lectures and attending design shows. On one of those trips out West, he hopes to eventually meet Mycoskie in person.

Blanche Macdonald presents Line & Form: your latest grad fashion show fix

Blanche Macdonald is gearing up for its 2009 fashion show, which showcases the talents of their most recent graduates this Tuesday, November 22nd. Line & Form, as the event has been dubbed, is an accumulation of the knowledge each student has gained, and the culmination of months of late nights and study. More than 30 grads will each present a mini-collection made up of three designs, no doubt directly indicative of each student’s abilities and creativity.

Fashion student graduate shows are known to be always packed with spectators, half of who are friends and family of the students, but the other half of who are industry professionals and media on the lookout for the next best new designer. Previous shows and graduate success rates have proven Blanche Macdonald to be one of the most reputable fashion schools in Canada, so there is sure to be a full house at Line & Form.

Another reason graduate shows are so well attended could be because they are of the most interesting types of fashion shows, as there is such an immense variety in the collections presented. Every student takes their own individualistic approach, some even straying far into the corners of their most imaginative thoughts and coming up with the most brilliant wearable ideas. However, sometimes the imaginative becomes too obtuse or tacky. One theme that always seems to make an appearance at every show is what one could call “vampiresque”. At each student show, there is invariably one student that decides to base his or her whole collection around a black and red palette, constructing all the pieces out of satin. The result is that of a wardrobe seemingly snatched right out of the dark closet of a vampire maiden.

As classes are usually on the large size, grad shows end up being quite lengthy, sometimes even lasting well over an hour. An ordinary fashion show would only be 45 minutes at its most elaborate, so one must think of student shows as a whole experience—like going to see a play, concert, or movie. Design schools, and Blanche Macdonald is no exception, take care to have top-notch production for their shows, which is a given as their students pay top-dollar for their education.

Inspiring, refreshing, and just plain interesting, fashion graduate shows are a definite must-see. Line & Form is just around the corner and is bound to be a big one in all of those departments, making it worth it's ticket price at $27.

Tickets are available at the both Blanche Macdonald campuses (City Square Campus: #100 555 West 12th Avenue, Vancouver BC, Downtown Campus, Robson: 460 Robson St., Vancouver BC) and can be ordered over the phone or email (amanda@blanchemacdonald.com, 604.685.0337). Bring a camera and watch out for those vampire looks (but here’s to hoping that there are none).