Former YSL designer and director for Louis Feraud, Per Spook was a Norwegian born, French trained designer who upon going out on his own opted for Haute Couture, keeping 3 ateliers for dresses, tailoring, and “fantasy”.
His graphic humor and bold use of color exemplified the easy side of Paris fashion during the late 70’s and early 80’s purveying a spirit of fun and optimism with his peer Jean Charles De Castelbajac.
The current issue of Encens has a rather insightful and enjoyable interview with the designer.
Next time you’re in Philly stop by Joan Shepp. The store has some of the best curated designer selections in the country showing up even NYC’s most venerable institutions. And if you can’t make it, you can check it out online.
It can be argued that global culture, emerging as communication and travel out pace our own comforts of community, is not the bold new paradigm it is made out to be. With the history of textiles as a record of trade and cultural dissemination and consequently fashion, there has always been a global culture. From the early sailing Phoenician civilization who exposed their Hellenic neighbors to flax fiber, to the Venetians who traded into a taste for Chinese silk and Oriental* decoration, to the couture designs of Paul Poiret — the first in Paris to appropriate in its entirety an Eastern vocabulary for dress, there has always been an exchange of ideas, aesthetics, and cultural symbols through the trade of one of the world’s earliest commodities.
In the 70’s there was a cause for ethnic investigation in fashion, taking a cue from the previous decade that sought answers in Eastern philosophy and practices, hippies they would be called, or just a failed effort to modernize western thought. The 80’s saw any global perspective subject to the trivializing of the traveling wealthy (notably the patronizing tones of YSL’s flair for the exotic, as if he ransacked a Shanghai gift shop for its souvenirs to make a flash of couture). And in the later part of the decade it became a full on mission as artists (Keith Herring and his African inspired art) and designers sought understanding in what was thought to be a simpler and more natural life. Each of these approaches to world culture coming and then inevitably going.
from Sang Bleu, a bi-annual publication about tattoos and more
Imran Ahmed has a great article about Sang Bleu and Some/Things magazines on his blog. He highlights a developing trend for publications inching away from the 12 a year format, printed on poor paper quality, and aimed for the masses; they are no longer a tempting lot for advertisers who are as judicious as ever on where they spend their shrinking budgets. Publishers and editors, especially in niche worlds like fashion and art are favoring to print less, print better, and establish a reliable standard of quality that can be cherished and maintain long term appeal
The idea is to create an object that will be savored and saved, greatly enhancing the value of any advertisement. Advertisers gain access to a magazine’s cult following, greatly raising their esteem by partnering with high quality editorial. And, if it’s a publication revered by the in-the-know, the trickle down and spread of influence extends the ad even more. It’s a set up wholly unique to print and can’t be replicated on the internet to the same effect. Though, it’s not a brand new idea; fashion’s Visionaire and Self-Service have pioneered the “the art book” format. Both publications spoke to the fashionreader who wanted something covetable and unique, a reference book for inspiration rather than a mindless throw away. But now as so much of what has been provided for in magazines moves online the distinction is more noticeable if not appreciated
The September Issue was heavily anticipated as a tell all of the inner workings of Conde Nast’s premiere magazine and its editor-come-celebutante Ann Wintour. But instead, viewers were treated to the fashion genius that is Grace Coddington. As revealed in the documentary, not only does Grace style some of the most amazing couture creations but she modeled them as well.
check out Grace’s profile in the current issue of Lula magazine.
