FASHION BOOK REVIEW NO. 1

Over the past few years, I have developed a minor addiction to fashion books. I have a shelf filled with books on fashion photographers, fashion magazines, fashion stylists, and all the beautiful things that distract me from the somewhat ordinariness of everyday life. 

These books celebrate the industry, by showcasing the talented groups and individuals who make up this ever-changing world of high fashion. 

I am going to analyse and review my books in the hope that I will familiarise myself with the content of each book, and learn more about the fashion industry. 

REVIEW OF FASHION BOOK, 

“In Vogue: 50 Years of Australian Style”

Edited by Kirstie Clements and Lee Tulloch.

First published in Australia in 2009 by HarperCollinsPublishers Australia Pty Ltd.

“Vogue Australia celebrates its 50^th birthday with a fascinating look back over five decades of people, fashions and style setters; the names, the faces and the places in vogue... In Vogue: 50 Years of Australian Style is a stunning visual journey of Vogue in Australia and a gorgeous document of a magazine’s confident coming of age.”

WORDS BY SIGRID (SIGGI) MCCARTHY.

Vogue Australia has been committed to educating and engaging its readers since it started as a supplement to British Vogue in 1956. This book, dedicated to 'every talented individual associated with Vogue Australia over the decades', looks back over the first fifty years of the magazine - highlighting the ways in which society has changed and how this well known publication has changed with it. 

Vogue Australia took a large step in 1959, when it broke away from its British sister and became an 'edition of Vogue in its own right.’ The first Editor of Vogue Australia, Rosemary Cooper, proudly announced in her debut issue that 'There are now four Vogues. American Vogue, English Vogue, French Vogue and Vogue Australia...We, ourselves, are thrilled that Vogue Australia has grown up so quickly. We hope that you are, too."

In the foreword written by Kirstie Clements and Lee Tulloch, we are told that more than 600 existing issues of the magazine were sifted through to create this book. 

"...Our ambition was to show the evolution of Vogue Australia over fifty years in a cultural as much as a fashion sense. It's striking just how much of the magazine, right from the beginning, was devoted to words as well as pictures, and in those words are encapsulated a vibrant record of Australian social history." 

Before the rise of the Internet and the obvious influences brought about by globalisation, magazines had a duty of connecting locals with the world. Vogue Australia opened our eyes to the European and American fashion worlds, and showed that fashion could transcend borders. This book documents the ebbs and flows of fashion trends throughout time, and highlights how various trends have been recycled, or 'referenced' over the years. It is pregnant with stylish women, vibrant colour and timeless glamour. 

What strikes me when reading this book is how strongly health and fitness were embraced and celebrated throughout these 50 years of Vogue Australia – particularly in the decades leading up to the millennium. The women featured exude health; they are often smiling in the photographs, and are captured outdoors taking part in some form of sport or leisurely activity – or at least pretending to in front of the camera. 

The book is filled with fashion spreads embodying everything quintessential of Australian lifestyle at the time. The images are drenched in sunshine, often set by the beach or in the Australian countryside. Freckles adorn the faces of sun kissed beauties, and one can easily be seduced by not just the clothing, but also the lifestyle that these 'characters' lead. 

When describing what made Australian Vogue unique to Australia, Fashion stylist and editor Nancy Pilcher said, "I suppose we worked outside a lot, we had the beautiful sun and the landscapes and the beaches to work with. June (McCallum, former Editor-in-Chief) and Patrick (Russell, former photographer and Creative Director) were on a mission to create something very Australian and different and fresh. Together, we created the spirit of Australian Vogue, getting great looking young Australians, men and women, and making them look energetic whatever they did."

Photographers, both local and international, that contributed over the years to the magazine include the notorious Helmut Newton, Norman Parkinson, Cecil Beaton, Richard Bailey, Patrick Russell, Deborah Turbeville, Karl Lagerfeld, Graham Shearer, and Monty Coles. They all have very different points of view and style - which helps the magazine develop over the years and offer something new/fresh to its readers. 

Something that I think is important to note is Vogue Australia's commitment (and that of many other fashion magazines during these decades) to featuring models on its covers instead of ‘celebrities’. Celebrity culture, whilst still prominent, was nowhere near as saturated as it is now, and famous actresses on the covers were not such a drawcard. Models, in many ways, were considered celebrities in their own right, and there was much greater value placed on professional ‘coat hangers’ showcasing the clothing of prominent designers. 

I wasn’t born until the later chapters of this book, but I am somewhat overwhelmed by nostalgia when turning its pages. This magazine reflects the changes in society and in cultural attitudes, as it is clearly influenced by the developments in politics, sex, money, art, music, film and an array of other significant factors. Not having lived through many of these years, I felt that I learned something about Australian history purely through flicking through these pages. 

This book is a wonderful look at how society has changed and how the 'ideal beauty' has gone through many transformations. It chronicles Australia's love of fashion over five decades, and showcases the evolution of Australian women. If nothing else, it highlights the fact that Vogue is more than just a beauty/fashion magazine - it is a celebration of women and a platform for women to embrace both substance and style.  

TO LOOK INSIDE THE BOOK:

FASHION: THE BIGGER PICTURE.

WORDS BY SIGRID (SIGGI) MCCARTHY.

The other day I watched a brief interview with former editor-in-chief of Vogue Australia, Kirstie Clements. As she was making her way into a show at Australian fashion week, she was asked a question frequently posed by those interested in becoming a part of the fashion industry. 

“What is the biggest tip you can give potential interns and employees?”

Her answer reinforced what I had already suspected, and prompted me to think about the ways in which the fashion industry is about more than just clothing itself. She acknowledged that one “…obviously has to have incredible passion and drive”, but that the desire to work for a fashion magazine should stem from something more than just a love of shopping.

“You have to have a great knowledge of the arts, and of theatre, and of film, and of a lot of things that surround fashion, not just clothes…so I would suggest people study and bring more to it than just ‘I love shopping and fashion’ because it is so much bigger than that.”

Fashion designers, stylists, magazines and photographers all seek inspiration somewhere, and so it’s only natural for the editor-in-chief of a highly regarded fashion magazine to expect her staff to understand fashion as being more than just items of clothing. After all, fashion is not an isolated thing - it is inextricably linked to other facets of life and is both influential and influenced.

Fashion is influenced by all sorts of outside factors - from obvious influences such as film, literature, art, theatre, television, dance, celebrity, and music - to more complicated influences such as politics, history, nostalgia, war, social movements, religion, people and economics.

In terms of the more obvious influences, trends of times past often re-emerge when popular culture puts something back on our radars. Television shows for example have highlighted the influence popular programs can have on the fashion industry, by underlining that they are not just about the narrative and the characters. Styling and costume play an important role in television, as seen in the critically acclaimed HBO series ‘Mad Men’ styled by Janie Bryant. This impeccably styled show has no doubt had an influence on the fashion industry over the past 5 years. The acclaimed show has brought about a strong retro revival and influenced what seems to be a never-ending array of collections and editorials inspired by the late 1950s and early 1960s.

This link between on-screen style and fashion trends can also be seen in feature films. I’m not normally one for predicting trends, but with the upcoming release of ‘The Great Gatsby’ this December, I wouldn't be surprised if we started to see more looks that emulate the opulent fashion styles of the 1920s. This was a decade that saw fashion move away from the rigid Victorian garments / lifestyle, and towards a more liberal way of dress that had not been seen in previous decades. Ralph Lauren originally designed the costumes for the 1974 film adaptation of 'The Great Gatsby' and then revisited the Roaring 20s for his Spring 2012 collection. The era has also inspired many magazine spreads, including this editorial styled by creative director of American Vogue, Grace Coddington.

Kirstie makes a valid point in saying that people wanting to work at Vogue should be well read and aware of what is going on in the world, as each issue of the magazine aims to demonstrate a high level of understanding when it comes to the fashion industry and also aims to uphold its overall relevance within society.

Among other things, a fashion magazine needs to be aware of the story behind a collection, the message designers are trying to convey, the person or time they’re paying homage to, the boundaries they're trying to break, the reactions they're trying to provoke, the market they're trying to appeal to, and even the restraints that are placed upon them during financial hardship.

It is easy for people to over-simplify fashion and to dismiss it for being shallow and exclusive, but in reality there are many elements that engage it with the world as a whole. This engagement has been demonstrated throughout history and will continue to exist for as long as people wear clothing.

The 1960s for example was a time of social and political change both in the US and the UK, and its influence on the fashion industry strongly demonstrates the well-established relationship fashion has with the rest of the world. Social movements throughout the decade heavily influenced a change in fashion, as people were more prepared to take risks with their clothing and lifestyle choices, and used clothing as a way of expressing themselves. The emancipation of women at the time was reflected in innovative fashion styles, most notably through the mini skirt and the bikini, and these women started to see fashion as a tool of empowerment.

As the decade progressed, and the Vietnam War drew more and more negative attention, men and women used fashion as a way of rebelling against authority and highlighting their resistance to conform. Psychedelic prints, tie dyed and hemp clothing, vests, headbands, and unisex garments, among many other fashion styles, were heavily embedded in the hippie / peace movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Fashion helped establish this youth movement as a distinct subculture by giving it a very strong identity – one that was widely recognised and that still influences fashion today.

Rewinding in history slightly, you’ll note that fashion has been heavily influenced by the harsh realities of war and financial hardship. The Great Depression of the 1930s forced people to wear certain fashion styles and materials, as people had limited resources and had to think more about the functionality of clothing. During the World War that followed, certain aspects of fashion were dictated by circumstances outside of the fashion industry's control. An example of this was when the US government demanded all nylon for parachutes and other war uses, leaving only cotton and rayon.

Similarly, the recent financial crisis lead to the industry rethinking how it operates, and designers and retailers were forced to create effective methods to get consumers spending again. This was seen in 2009, when American Vogue and the CFDA sponsored the global initiative Fashion Night Out. This initiative aimed to encourage the public to start shopping again and support the international fashion industry.

There is no doubt that fashion extends beyond items of clothing and that it has a strong connection with the world as a whole. Keeping that in mind, it’s easy to understand why Kirstie emphasised the importance of studying and bringing more to the editorial table than just ‘I love shopping.’

Now then, I better get back to watching 'Mad Men' for the 4th time... All in the name of research!

FASHION MAGAZINES: PRINT VS DIGITAL.

Image VIA www.facebook.com/union.publishing

WORDS BY SIGRID (SIGGI) MCCARTHY.

Print fashion magazines have long been a guilty pleasure of mine. There’s nothing like sitting down, opening a good magazine and becoming lost in its pages. I love the smell of them, the sound of their pages turning, the feel of their paper between my fingers, and the way they look on my coffee table… To me they have all the senses covered!

Whilst I believe there will always be a place for print magazines, I’m closely following the discussion surrounding their future because I’m interested to see how they’ll be affected by the uprising of digital media. My viewpoint in a nutshell is that one is not necessarily better than the other. I appreciate and embrace both print and digital media, but recognise that they offer different reading experiences.  

In a recent interview for The Age, former editor at Russh magazine and now contributing editor at Oyster magazine, Stevie Dance, was asked whether she thought websites, blogs and online publications would eventually overshadow our lust for glossy magazines. She responded by saying:

"I hope not. I think that they serve very different purposes. I think it's the same thing as saying, 'Why do you go to the movies when you can watch it free online at home, why do you go to a concert when you can download the song?' I think that all those different narratives of how we interact with creative forums are valid and I don't think one takes over the other."

The dynamic of the media industry and the ways in which we access information is most definitely changing. We are no longer limited in choice and people are reacting to this change in different ways.

Household publications such as ‘Vogue’ are now concerned with the upkeep of their brand and with maintaining relevance. With so many platforms now available, it's about setting themselves apart from the clutter and offering something unique. What can their print magazine offer readers that other online publications can't?

Former editor-in-chief of Vogue Australia Kirstie Clements touched on this in a recent interview with Pedestrian TV. She spoke of the importance of maintaining credibility and how they use their access and their knowledge to set their magazine apart from blogs and other publications.

She also discussed the ways in which they distinguish Vogue Australia’s magazine from Vogue Australia’s website:

"...from the beginning we had to start to work out what is website news and what is print news...what kind of layers do we put on the stories in print to make them more significant than the things you would pop up online...You just have to sort out the priority of how fast the message goes out and how deep the message needs to be. Obviously deeper in print and more newsy and bitty for spontaneous media."

With Kirstie’s words in mind, the choice between digital and print depends on the value one places on content. Often what you find online are mere regurgitations of press releases and the promptness of updates means they lack analysis, depth, imagination and original point of view. Online blogs and magazines often get caught up in being first and thus pay less attention to detail. It’s more about publishing something before everyone else does than publishing something of a higher quality. In print magazines however, a lot of thought goes into the content, the layout, the voice, and the images. The articles are drafted and then re-drafted and then edited until they are deemed worthy of going to print.

An array of print fashion magazines still exist, many of which have not created online versions (e.g. ‘Lula’, ‘Indie’ and ‘The Gentlewoman’). Print magazines continue to be popular within the fashion industry and are still considered very relevant - even those that are only issued quarterly. Some magazines are now being printed with hard covers, opting to look more like books than traditional magazines. ‘Grey’ and ‘Self Service’ for example come with hard covers and look lovely alongside my coffee table books. Something as simple as a hard cover can make a magazine longer lasting and more special than the digital alternative and as time goes by, I believe it will be more important for print magazines to place this greater emphasis on being something you keep / treasure.

When discussing the relevance of print media, one cannot underestimate the power of nostalgia and the desire for something long-lasting. There are always going to be developments in technology that will influence the media, but this doesn’t mean the old will necessarily become irrelevant. For example, people still see the beauty and purpose of records and choose to buy them over more modern alternatives, even though they’re not as convenient, accessible, or cheap as current technology.

Those with a keen eye and a love of fashion photography will also stand by the fact that photographs cannot be fully appreciated on the computer screen and are worth keeping for future reference and admiration. Fashion photographers such as Paolo Roversi, Tim Walker, and Venetia Scott, among many others, feature regularly in established print magazines and just like art, their work is something people will always refer back to.

This is not to say that I am completely anti-digital. Being anti-digital would mean denying the many advantages that come with digital media. I cannot deny that this digital platform has given me the chance to share this article with people other than my family, and so it would be silly for me to disregard these kinds of benefits.   

Digital is opening up new opportunities for budding writers and journalists (I use these terms loosely, as the blogger VS journalist debate needs a separate article all together) to express themselves and to inform others. People are being given the chance to hone in on their writing skills and develop a real voice online, and the cost of print is no longer stopping people from being published.

Living in Australia means living a great distance from the fashion Meccas of the world and in turn, a great distance from the cities in which many fashion publications are based. Digital media bridges this gap and means we no longer have to wait for access to many international publications. They are only a click away and one’s financial circumstance does not dictate whether they can or can’t have access – well, not yet anyhow.

I have been able to learn a great deal about the fashion industry through having access to digital publications, as they are incredible resources in their own right. Whilst I acknowledge the positive influence digital media is having, I do hope my dear print favourites stand the test of time. In my mind, there’s just no way that print could ever be entirely overshadowed by digital.

With that, I’m going to close the lid on my laptop and lose myself (again) in the latest issue of Lula magazine. My hands, which suffer from self-diagnosed RSI, will definitely thank me for the break.