Monthly Archives: December 2008

Mention the word “crinoline” and feminists will simply laugh at you, happily proclaiming the age of ridiculous and unnecessary constrictions and of waists strangled by voluminous skirts billowing out of fitted bodices, has long gone. But an interesting exhibition at … Continue reading →

During the 60s and throughout the 70s due to rising labour and fabric costs, haute couture kept on losing money in France. The political events of May and June 1968 accentuated the problems the high fashion industry was living and … Continue reading →

In the last few weeks there has been a bit of a debate on a few websites about Academy Award winner costume designer Catherine Martin collaborating with bush outfitter R.M. Williams to create a line of clothing inspired by Baz … Continue reading →

Pastry shops are not usually on the most obsessed and diet-conscious fashionistas’ list. But things were very different in London’s Soho where legendary French patisserie Maison Bertaux hid in its basement a delightful surprise, Max Karie and Pippa Brooks’ ‘SHOP’ … Continue reading →

I like giving at Christmas, and, despite the fact that I like receiving, I usually end up asking my family and friends not to buy me anything, especially when I’m not in desperate need of anything. Despite my requests, though, … Continue reading →

In yesterday’s post I mentioned Scanno, a town in Abruzzo, the region where I was born. Today I would like to continue the "personal blog" thread I launched yesterday rediscovering the tombolo. The Italian word “tombolo” is usually translated as … Continue reading →

1952, L’Italia che esplode was the title of an unpublished work by Irene Brin. In this work the author conjured up a vision of her 1952 self working for a fashion magazine in 1968, the year in which she was … Continue reading →

Most of the Christmas cards I send and receive nowadays are electronic. Apart from the generic and rather impersonal emails and electronic cards I got from various offices and staff of people I worked with throughout the last year, a … Continue reading →

The traditional Christmas aesthetic is based on just a few colours – red, dark green, silver and gold – but with today’s post I’d like to inspire you an alternative palette for this Christmas, dictated by what could be dubbed … Continue reading →

In a previous post I focused on how knitwear has changed and evolved in the last few years. Today I'd like to focus on a young designer who has contributed to the development of this art, Timothy James Andrews.   … Continue reading →