PREVIEW EDITION
MANIERA FROM THE VIRTUAL WORLD TO THE REAL WORLD
IN FASHION SIZE DOES
MATTER A TRIBUTE TO VIVIENNE WESTWOOD
THE BUSINESS OF KEEPING COOL
JULY 2012
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
Thelma Lay. Photo by Monica True
Welcome to MANIERA preview edition. MANIERA has a very unique history, which I think makes us stand out. We started in 2008 as a virtual fashion and lifestyle magazine now known as MANIERA SL in a virtual world. We are now approaching our 4th year in publication 2 | MANIERA | mymaniera.com
with an in-game distribution of 30,000 and online readership that continues to grow. With the launch of MANIERA magazine in September, we will unite both worlds celebrating art, entertainment, travel, fashion, contest and much more!
Thelma Lay CONTENT PREVIEW | JULY 2012
Read our virtual world publication Maniera SL Magazine online at issuu. com/maniera.
Technology is a fickle mistress. Arguably in the last 50 years, more technological advancement has been made at a faster rate than at any time in the history of mankind. Time and time again, it is those bound by passion leading the way to these advancements. Technology is rarely an accident, but in response to a need or a want. Maniera Magazine was born of a virtual environment, and we plan to stay true to those roots. The magazine itself will continue to publish on Issuu.com, particularly as the possibility of a cross compatibility with Apple’s iPad becoming more realistic with its services. As we progress, Maniera will eventually be in your hands on your tablets and at the touch of your fingertips on your phones – both Apple OS and Android - while still being available on computers as we have presented Maniera SL for nearly three and a half years.
THE DAYS OF PRINT ARE GONE. THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION HAS BEGUN.
Maniera Magazine is a fashion and lifestyle publication owned, operated and published by Maniera LLC. Any views, opinions or interpretations expressed in columns are solely those of the author and do not represent those of Maniera LLC and its subsidiaries. Maniera LLC will not accept any responsibility for any views, opinions or interpretations expressed in the pages of Maniera Magazine, MyManiera.com or other communications. Editorial Inquries All editorial inquires including submissions, letters to the editor and ideas are to be sent to editor@mymaniera.com Business and advertising inquires All business inquires are to be sent to our chief operations officer at promotions@mymaniera.com All advertising inquires are to be sent to our sales director at advertising@mymaniera.com. Second Life® and Linden Lab are registered trademarks of Linden Research Inc and Maniera LLC is in no way affiliated or sponsored by the aforementioned party. Visit Us in Second Life® and Online In-World: http://slurl.com/secondlife/The Regis/156/172/22 Online: www.mymaniera.com.
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Contact Thelma Lay at advertising@mymaniera.com to place your ad today for our September 2012 launch of MANIERA Magazine and get your ad in an established 40,000 international distribution pool through MANIERA SL Magazine - free.
THE DAYS OF PRINT ARE GONE. THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION HAS BEGUN. address:
phone:
MANIERA LLC (202) 294-4147 PO BOX 15379 e-mail WASHINGTON D.C., 20003 ADVERTISING@MYMANIERA.COM
4 | MANIERA | mymaniera.com
CONTENT PREVIEW | JULY 2012
CONTENTS
JULY 2012 | PREVIEW
FEATURES
6
MANIERA BACK TO REALITY From virtual world to real world
SIZE MATTERS
Twiggy
22
FIVE DECADES OF FABULOUS FASHION
Iconic fashion designer Vivienne Westwood needs no introductions and still churns out eye-catching pieces after five decades.
ON THE COVER 3-D work and photography by E. Dominic Woods
REGULARS Publisher’s Note Head to Toe Mani Style Man Style
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16
YAYOI KUSAMA
The genius of a dot
A TRIBUTE TO WESTWOOD
The Fashion Icon
2 10 WEAR 38 COOL AT WORK 40 Cool Biz
24 34
Back to Reality
BY JULIETTE LORD
W
elcome to the preview of edition of MANIERA, an exciting new digital magazine with an interesting past. For some of our readers, the name and aesthetic will be familiar because although this edition heralds the launch of something new and unique, the concept originated three years ago in a virtual environment. Launched in June 2003, Second Life速 is a 3-D virtual world owned by Linden Lab, in which all the content is created by the users. This user-created content means that unlike a conventional computer game, the environment can constantly be changed and updated by the participants. As a result Second Life速 has developed its own vibrant economy with trading of user created goods and services be6 | MANIERA | mymaniera.com
tween players. The Second Life速 currency the Linden $ can be exchanged for real life currencies. Currently, $1 USD is worth approximately $250L. Although the idea of a virtual economy may seem somewhat strange, it should not be underestimated. Several Second Life residents have become extremely wealthy from their virtual activity and many more make a real life living from the proceeds of their virtual businesses. The participants in Second Life are represented by an avatar which can be modified to look like almost anything. The vast majority of avatars are human in appearance and behavior, and people will spend considerable time and effort making sure their avatar looks its absolute best. This has led to the development of an extremely active Second Life速 fashion industry, with a multitude of clothing designers, fashion CONTENT PREVIEW | JULY 2012
stores, fashion shows, modeling agencies and the magazines and media which support it. Three years ago, MANIERA CEO Thelma Lay applied for the position of fashion stylist for a soon to be launched Second Life magazine which was come to be known as MANIERA. She was offered instead the job of fashion editor, and although she was inexperienced, decided that this was a challenge she would like to see through. Three months into the planning stages of the magazine, the original CEO left the company, and Lay found herself occupying both the CEO and editor positions. Although the original concept had been to produce an entirely fashion-focused magazine, Lay decided to instead produce something different and opted instead for a themed lifestyle publication. “The two magazines that influenced my decision were Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone,” Lay explains. “I wanted the combination of the style and sophistication of Vanity Fair and the ‘hipness’ of the early Rolling Stone.” Lay is aware the ultra sleek Vanity Fair and the anti-establishment Rolling Stone may seem to be strange bedfellows, but she was aiming for a lifestyle magazine with an edge. Three years later, and MANIERA (now known as MANIERA SL) has developed into a sleek professional publication supported by a dedicated staff. Over the last 18 months, JULY 2012 | CONTENT PREVIEW
there has been an increased focus on real life as opposed to Second Life stories, looking at the real life person behind the avatar and real life businesses operating in Second Life. The December 2010 “Six Degrees of Separation” issue featured successful real life Croatian fashion designers Martina Karapetrić and Morana Saračević , who not only produce exquisite high fashion designs for the runways of Eastern Europe but who also design and sell clothes in their Second Life® store , Vita’s Boudoir. “I must say that because of our popularity in Croatia and because here people consider us celebs, they already know about our new SL platform for designing,” Saračević told MANIERA SL in December, “and that’s a good way of advertising our real life work because people are really stunned with our SL work.” In the same edition Second Life designer Mariska Simons discussed her collaboration with real life British corset makers Vollers. Established in 1899, these traditional corset makers may not have seemed the obvious choice for a virtual business but they already had an established online business and the move to Second Life® was just a further progression. The April 2011 edition featured award winning Quebec-based swimwear designer Chantal Levesque, the creative force behind SHAN, a couture label offering complete bathing wardrobes, lingerie and acces-
June 2012 featured hip-hop artist Kellee Maize.
December 2011 featured Croatian fashion designers Martina Karapetrić and Morana Saračević.
April 2011 featured swimsuit designer Chantal Levesque. mymaniera.com | MANIERA | 7
“
The response and interest from in and outside Second Life has been extremely positive. It will be a challenge to run two consecutive magazines both in Second Life and in real life but the entire MANIERA staff is up for the new challenges. It’s truly a dream come true.”
— THELMA LAY
sories. With a retail presence in over 25 countries worldwide, including the prestigious Saks Fifth Avenue in New York, Printemps in Paris, France and Harrod’s in London, Levesque has become synonymous with luxurious well-fitting beachwear for women of all ages, shapes and sizes. SHAN established a presence in Second Life with a store selling virtual replicas of Levesque’s real life designs. More recently, the June 2012 edition featured hip-hop artist Kellee Maize. Recognizing that behind every avatar has a real life person behind it, the inclusion of features from outside the confines of Second Life proved a hit with the MANIERA SL readership. Recognizing the links and crossovers between the virtual world of Second Life and the real world in both a social and business sense was a major motivation for Lay to do something ground breaking. While other businesses had moved their real life concerns to Second Life, Lay wanted to do the reverse and transfer a successful Second Life magazine into a real life magazine. It was a gradual process with months spent in meetings with lawyers discussing the legalities of running a real life and Second Life business in 8 | MANIERA | mymaniera.com
tandem and considerable time and effort building a management and editorial team with the necessary skills and experience to make the new sister publication MANIERA a viable business proposition. And so here we are in July 2012 with a brand new preview edition of MANIERA magazine. The Second Life® edition continues to publish and will run in tandem with the real life version. MANIERA starts life with several advantages. It has a management and editorial team who have already been working successfully together. It has an established readership base with a distribution of over 30,000 in Second Life. The move to the real life publication has been promoted extensively and has received enormous support from the Second Life® community. “The response and interest from in and outside Second Life has been extremely positive,” Lay said. “It will be a challenge to run two consecutive magazines both in Second Life and in real life but the entire MANIERA staff is up for the new challenges. It’s truly a dream come true.” As well as Washington D.C.-based CEO Lay, the management team includes COO Juliette Lord, a lecturer in media studies based in the UK, and Editor-in-Chief Jessica Luthi, a San Francisco journalist and designer, among other staff making the transition to the digital publication. “This is an exciting venture for all the staff at MANIERA,” Lord said. “We are moving from a virtual platform to a real life digital publication, transferring some of those skills many of us have learned in Second Life to a real life environment. We have an established readership that we intend to carry over to the new MANIERA magazine, and we aim also to introduce the positive aspects of virtual worlds and social networking to the wider public.” We hope that you enjoy our preview edition which gives a taste of what you can expect from MANIERA, which will publish its first full edition in September 2012. CONTENT PREVIEW | JULY 2012
YOUR AD HERE
Contact Thelma Lay at advertising@mymaniera.com to place your ad today for our September 2012 launch of MANIERA Magazine and get your ad in an established 40,000 international distribution pool through MANIERA SL Magazine - free.
THE DAYS OF PRINT ARE GONE. THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION HAS BEGUN. address:
phone:
MANIERA LLC (202) 294-4147 PO BOX 15379 e-mail WASHINGTON D.C., 20003 ADVERTISING@MYMANIERA.COM
JULY 2012 | CONTENT PREVIEW
mymaniera.com | MANIERA | 9
HEALTH & BEAUTY
FEELING GOOD
FROM HEAD TO TOE
BY THELMA LAY Those weekly or monthly facials donít have to be a thing of the past. Just because we have to watch our budgets doesnít mean we have to stop pampering ourselves. Set a special night and time where you can focus on your own do-it-yourself spa session. These are a few all-time favorite spa-like treatments you can do at home so put on your favorite movie or show, have the nice low-calorie, healthy dinner and indulge in some serious pampering.
1. SHOWING FACE - THE MASK Oatmeal. The wonder grain — not only good for our heart but the benefits for our skin is endless. Once a week I make this mask, and my skin just glows. I have oily skin but this can be altered for sensitive and dry skin by adding one or two ingredients.
What you need: 1 cup dry oatmeal 1/3 cup warm water
What to do:
Mix the oatmeal and warm water until you have a nice paste. Apply with your finger tips and then lay down for 30 blissful minutes while the oatmeal does its job. Rinse off with cool water and gently pat dry. Apply your favorite moisturizer and presto! Your skin is soft, clean and glowing. For dry skin, add 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil. For oily skin, add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. It’s a great astringent.
2. OUR LIPS ARE SEALED
How can you go wrong with dark chocolate? Not only does it taste great but itís full of antioxidants. Many are not aware that dark chocolate is also a great moisturizer. Have dry, chapped lips? The following is for you.
Dark chocolate acts as a moisturizer.
What you need:
2 squares of dark chocolate microwave safe bowl
What to do:
Melt some dark chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. For one application two squares for intervals of five seconds, stirring each time until †the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Be careful not to apply too much heat. †Let it sit for a few seconds. It should be warm to the touch. Apply generously on your lips and then let it set for 15-20 minutes. Try to fight the temptation of eating it off, and then, with a warm wet cloth, gently wipe it off. You will instantly notice how soft your lips are, and hey, it ís chocolate. How more decadent can you get?
3. THE FRIZZ BIZ Fighting a battle with the frizzies? Try this remedy and say goodbye to summer frizzy and unruly hair.
What you need: an avocado
What to do:
Mesh up the avocado and apply to clean damp hair. Message thoroughly and let sit for 15 minutes before rinsing with water. You will notice your hair will not frizz or feel greasy. Avocados are a favorite with professional hair experts due to the oils and proteins that smooths and tames unruly hair while giving valuable nutrients. For the best results, it is recommended this treatment be used every two weeks.
Keep in mind if you have or think you may have food allergies always check with your doctor before trying any skincare regime requiring fruits, nuts and/or dairy products. Remember, just because we don’t have a million bucks doesn’t mean we canít feel like it!
Beat frizz with an avocado.
SIZE MATTERS BY JULIETTE LORD
E
ver since a 90lb, 16-year-old Twiggy was photographed in Vogue in 1966, the argument about model body size has shown little sign of going away. In an interview in the British newspaper The Guardian back in 2009, Twiggy herself admitted the unrealistic standard of beauty she helped promote. “The way I looked when I started modeling – I was a skinny schoolgirl, stuffing tissues into my little 32A bra,” Twiggy told The Guardian. “I wasn’t trying to be that thin, I was perfectly healthy, but still – that look is a total impossibility for women over the age of 20. Fashion has a lot to answer for, doesn’t it?” The original supermodel phase in the 1980’s and early 90’s was epitomized by models such as Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell. These models were tall with large breasts and womanly curves. However, in the mid 1990’s the advent of the “heroin chic” look brought body size and fashion back on the media agenda. In 1993, photographer Corinne Day took a set of pictures of a 14-year-old Kate Moss in Moss’ own flat. The photographs show a very slim, pale Moss devoid of makeup and dressed in simple clothing. The intention of the photographer was to show Moss in a natural light but the media latched on to the idea that the images of Moss resembled that of someone with a drug ad-
12 | MANIERA | mymaniera.com
“
I was a skinny schoolgirl stuffing tissues down my 32A bra. —Twiggy
diction and the term “heroin chic” was born. Clearly not everyone agreed that the images had a negative connotation, however, and designer Calvin Klein used Moss, again pale with little makeup and messy hair, in his advertisement for CK underwear and again for his Obsession perfume campaign. Klein argued that he was aiming for a more natural look. Since then the debate has continued to be fuelled by the media. How thin is too thin? What effect do these images have on young girls’ body image? Do these images promote unhealthy CONTENT PREVIEW | JULY 2012
Photo by: Bert Stern for Yves-Saint Laurent. c. 1967
lifestyles? The questions have been endless but almost always the consensus was that this type of look encompassing a super thin body was on balance a “bad thing.” This was supported by evidence of a number of models dying from the eating disorder anorexia nervosa; Ana Carolina Reston (aged 22) and Luisel Ramos (aged 22) in 2006, Eliana Ramos (aged 18) and Hila Elmalich (aged 33) in 2007 and Isabella Caro (aged 28) in 2010. Eventually fashion houses began to take notice of the bad publicity. In 2009 the organisers of the Madrid Fashion Week decided to ban “ultrathin” models from the catwalk, as did Victoria Beckham for her show at New York Fashion JULY 2012 | CONTENT PREVIEW
Week in 2010. Earlier this year the Israeli government became the first to actually legislate against the use of any model with a body mass index (BMI) of less than 18.5, the point at which the United Nation’s World Health Organization defines malnutrition. Effectively this would rule out models like Moss from working in Israel. The government also requires that publications declare any digitally enhancement that would make a model appear thinner. In May of this year Vogue also decided that contrary to Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor’s, assertion that “a woman can’t be too rich or too thin,” they would be promoting mymaniera.com | MANIERA | 13
healthier and more realistic body images. “Vogue believes that good health is beautiful,” Jonathan Newhouse, chairman of Vogue publisher Conde Nast International said in a statement. “Vogue editors around the world want the magazine to reflect their commitment to the health of models who appear on the pages and the wellbeing of their readers.” In addition Vogue decided not to use any models under 16 in their editorial pages. But it still seems that in some fashion circles size as an issue refuses to go away as the recent spat between Chanel Creative Director Karl Lagerfeld and Gossip singer Beth Ditto testifies. Born again skinny Lagerfeld, who dropped 92 lbs in just over a year in 2001, criticised British-born singer Adele. “The thing at the moment is Adele,” Lagerfeld stated. “She is a little too fat, but she has a beautiful face and a divine voice.” Ditto responded by stating that Lagerfeld was not the “be-all-end-all-of what he does” and described how he used to be “a really fat, eccentric dude.” Perhaps what will ultimately decide the debate will be an economic rather than a moralistic or health issue. Back in 2008 research conducted by psychologist Phillippa Diedrichs, of Australia’s University of Queensland, suggested that for the majority of adult women, pictures of super-thin models actually had a negative impact on their desire to purchase clothes, while pictures of plussize models had the opposite effect. New research published in May 2012 by Canadian researcher and model agency owner Ben Barry supports this conclusion. Using a sample of 2,500 women he discovered that women were more likely to purchase cloth14 | MANIERA | mymaniera.com
The “heroin chic” look was made popular by Kate Moss after photographer Corinne Day shot photos of her without make-up in her flat in 1993. The photos drew much controversy as many said she looked like a drug addict because she was so thin and frail looking. The style was picked up by Calvin Klein for his advertisements, stating he wanted to show a “natural” beauty in his advertisements.
ing modeled by women who were of a similar size to themselves. Given that most women are not a size 0, this would suggest that using larger models may ultimately boost sales, and in times of economic recession, it will be a brave designer who refuses to consider the bottom line. The Guardian 19th September 2009 guardian. co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/sep/19/twiggy-at-60interview
CONTENT PREVIEW | JULY 2012
Singer Adele, shown at the 2011 MTV VMAs, has been criticized for fluctuating weight in the past. photo by Joe Seer JULY 2012 | CONTENT PREVIEW
mymaniera.com | MANIERA | 15
DESIGNER FOCUS
YAYOI KUSAMA WHO
Yayoi Kusama is a Japanese conceptual artist born in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture in 1929. She moved to New York City in 1958. She became a leading figure in the avant-garde movement in the USA. She returned to Japan in 1973 due to ill health and now lives in a mental hospital in Tokyo where she continues to produce her art work.
Above: Portrait of Artist Yayoi Kusama. Right: Kusama’s Fireflies on the Water, 2002, Photo courtesy of Robert Miller Gallery. Left: Kusama’s Accumulation (c. 1963 ) photo by Tom Powel.
DESIGN SIGNATURE
RECENT
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
The Obliteration Room, which formed part of Kusama’s retrospective exhibition at the Tate Modern in London. This interactive project featured a plain white room and furniture and an infinite supply of sticky coloured dots, which the public are encouraged to apply in order to “obliterate” the white space.
The polka dot. Her first drawing with dots was done in 1939, when she was just 10-yearsold. She has continued to use the symbol ever since. Prolific but include: • Winner of Fourth Belgium International Short Film Prize 1967. • Exhibitions in Tokyo, New York, Paris, Zurich and London. • French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Officier) 2003. • National Lifetime Achievement Award 2006.
FASHION
In 1968, the Kusama Fashion Company Ltd. was formed selling avant-garde fashion at Bloomingdales. In 1969, she opened her own boutique.
ART
FASHION
A range of lip glosses in collaboration with beauty and make-up producers Lancome. Collaboration with Louis Vitton, with the classic LV bag getting a polka dot make over as well as a full range of matching accessories such as sunglasses, scarves, jewelry, wallets and watches. For more information on Kusama, click the dot:
CAREER RETROSPECTIVE OF YAYOI KUSAMA TO OPEN AT THE WHITNEY July 12-Sept. 30, 2012 Yayoi Kusama—whose work spans more than six decades of intense productivity in Japan and the United States—is the subject of a retrospective opening at the Whitney Museum of American Art July 12, 2012. Legendary, semi-reclusive and still vibrant, Kusama, 83, has created an extensive body of work since the 1940s. Ranging from her earliest explorations in painting to new works made in the past few years, this survey — the artist’s first major exhibition in New York in 15 years — celebrates a career of exceptional duration and distinction, tracing the development of Kusama into one of the most respected and influential artists of her time. On view at the Whitney through Sept. 30, the traveling exhibition is organized in collaboration with Tate Modern and has been seen over the past year in Madrid, Paris, and London; the Whitney is its final stop. It was curated by Frances Morris, Tate’s head of collections, international art. The Whitney installation is overseen by curator David Kiehl. Both Tate and Whitney presentations are supported by Louis Vuitton. In 1989, Kusama was given important solo exhibitions at the Center for International
Contemporary Arts, New York, and the Museum of Modern Art, Oxford, England. In 1993, she participated in the 45th Venice Biennale. “This is the first large-scale museum retrospective of Kusama’s career to be staged in the west since Love Forever: Yayoi Kusama 1958-1968,” Director of Tate Modern Chris Dercon noted in his foreword to the catalogue, “the seminal survey of her work organized by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and The Japan Foundation in 1998. Love Forever focused exclusively on Kusama’s production during her years in the United States. This exhibition, by contrast, seeks to show the full breadth of the artist’s output throughout her lengthy and varied career, contextualizing Kusama’s American sojourn with representations of her early and late career in Japan.” Kusama’s art encompasses an astonishing array of media, including painting, drawing, sculpture, film, performance and immersive installation. It ranges from works on paper featuring semi-abstract imagery, to soft sculptures known as Accumulations, to her Infinity Net paintings, made up of carefully repeated arcs of paint built up into large patterns, to the dense
patterns of polka dots for which she is perhaps best known. Like her near contemporaries Eva Hesse, Louise Bourgeois and Nancy Spero, Kusama’s work has gained over time the recognition it deserves, following periods in which her work was received with acclaim and other periods in which she was almost completely overlooked. The exhibition unfolds chronologically, in a sequence of rooms, each devoted to the emergence of a new artistic phase. Much of Kusama’s art has an almost hallucinatory intensity that reflects her unique vision of the world, whether through obsessively recurring imagery, a teeming accumulation of detail, or the dense patterns of nets and polka dots that have become her signature. Kusama is also renowned for her environments described as immersive, large-scale installations of dazzling power. The Whitney’s installation includes her extraordinary Fireflies on the Water (2002). “The reflective interior environment consists of a small room lined with mirrors on all sides, a pool in the center of the space and 150 small lights hanging from the ceiling, creating a dazzling effect of direct and reflected light emanating from
both the mirrors and the water’s surface,” Christian Rattemeyer stated in the 2004 Biennial catalogue. “Fireflies embodies an almost hallucinatory approach to reality, while shifting the mood from her earlier, more unsettling installations toward a more ethereal, almost spiritual experience.” Kusama was born in Matsumoto, Japan in 1929. In her early career she immersed herself in the study of art, integrating a wide range of Eastern and Western influences, training in traditional Japanese painting while also exploring the European and American avantgarde. Kusama arrived in New York in 1958, where she worked hard to gain recognition. In the 1960s and early 1970s she became a major figure in the New York avant-garde, associated with key developments in pop, minimalism and performance art, and exhibiting alongside artists she came to know well, including Donald Judd (her downtown loft neighbor), Andy Warhol, Joseph Cornell and Claes Oldenburg. The exhibition includes a group of Kusama’s first Infinity Net paintings from her early years in New York, canvases covered in unceasing, scalloped brushstrokes of a single color. Kusama forged her own direction in sculpture and installation, adopting techniques of montage and soft sculpture. The exhibition includes a significant selection of her classic Accumulation Sculptures dating from 196268. As the 1960s progressed,
Kusama moved from painting, sculpture and collage to installations, films, performances and happenings as well as political actions, counter-cultural events, fashion design and publishing. The exhibition includes Kusama’s iconic film Kusama’s Self-Obliteration (1968), capturing this period of performance experimentation, and an extensive selection of archival material revealing the ways in which Kusama’s artistic activity extended beyond the boundaries of the gallery. After achieving fame and a certain prominence in New York through her groundbreaking and prescient art happenings and events, she returned to her country of birth in 1973. The exhibition includes a selection of the vibrant and evocative collages she created on her return, during a period in which she was also forging a parallel career as a poet and novelist. Major sculptural installations include The Clouds (1984), comprising one hundred unique black and white sprayed sewed stuffed cushions, and Heaven and Earth (1991), which features snake-like forms emerging from forty boxes. The exhibition concludes
with a series of works from the last decade. The exhibition is accompanied by a major new catalogue - published by D.A.P. - and the first English translation of Kusama’s autobiography “Infinity Net.” Yayoi Kusama is curated by Frances Morris, head of collections, international art, Tate, with Rachel Taylor, assistant curator, Tate Modern. The exhibition has been organized by Tate Modern in collaboration with the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid; Centre Pompidou, Paris; and the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York. Additional support for The Whitney’s presentation of Yayoi Kusama is provided by Louis Vitton, The Gage Fund, the Juliet Lea Hillman Simonds Foundation and Linda and Andrew Safran. For more information on this exhibit, click the dot:
Five Decades of Fashion
DAME VIVIENNE WESTWOOD
Since the 1970’s Vivienne Westwood has been at the forefront of fashion design. From bondage pants to ball gowns, pirates to brides, this amazing talent, now unbelievably in her 70s, continues to be a major influence on the world of couture. It is difficult to overstate the influence this woman has had on both fashion and popular culture and the sheer diversity of her designs over the last 40 years is staggering. Westwood remains heavily influenced by her British roots, demonstrated by her strong sense of historicism, her classic English tailoring techniques and her use of traditional fabrics such as tweed and her signature tartan.
“
“The only reason I am in fashion is to destroy ‘conformity.’ Nothing’s interesting to me unless it’s got that element.”
— VIVIENNE WESTWOOD
Vivienne Westwood’s Expo at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Photo by metalguru
JULY 2012 | CONTENT PREVIEW
mymaniera.com | MANIERA | 23
VIVIENNE WESTWOOD GOLD LABEL Autumn/Winter 2012/13
Special thanks to Vivienne Westwood’s L.A. Office
C O O L B I Z C O O L B I Z COOLBIZ BY SARA LOVELACE
W
elcome to a place where government offices are populated by polo and Hawaiian shirts, khakis and summer dresses and, yes, even nice jeans. Some still wear slacks and button down shirts, but no ties and jackets. Still classy, but not quite what is expected of a government official. Well, the world is getting hotter. Whether from a natural cycle or human intervention – or maybe both – the cost to cool the masses comes at a higher price each year. As the world becomes more populated, more energy is used every year to regulate temperature. It is consumed at an exponential rate… and one Japanese environment minister came up with a radical idea in 2005: change the fashion and the temperature in government buildings and reap the savings in energy costs while staving off global warming. “When we started Cool Biz in 2005, people said it was un34 | MANIERA | mymaniera.com
UNIQLO carries several types of Cool Biz wear.
dignified and sloppy,” former Japanese Environment Minister Yuriko Koike reportedly said at the government-sponsored Super Cool Biz fashion show held at a Tokyo department store in 2011, “But this is now the sixth year, and people have grown accustomed to it.” In its first year, energy costs went down and carbon dioxide emissions lessened in Japan by about 46 million tons, or about 1 million households, according to a study released by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment.
In the following years since 2005, other Japanese-based businesses would join the government – a little over 13 percent in 2005 with a 29.9 percent increase to 42 percent of 1,200 people surveyed in 2006, according to the Ministry’s annual report, but the entire concept was still slow to catch on as many government employees reported feeling uncomfortable surrounded by private sector employees in suits, while they wore their more summer-oriented outfits. CONTENT PREVIEW | JULY 2012
Several other countries and organizations followed suit – the South Korean Ministry of Environment and the British Trades Union Congress in 2006, and the United Nations with Cool UN in 2008. Even Japan is seeing a revitalization in 2012, as they face a major energy crisis in the wake of the complete and total nuclear plant shutdowns for safety checks earlier this year. These shutdowns and recent natural disasters resulted in a 20 percent annual drop in the amount of electricity produced via nuclear power. So what does the Cool Biz amount to, really? Well, changing the dress code in professional environments and setting building temperatures to a balmy 28 degrees Celsius, or about 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Originally, Cool Biz lasted from the beginning of June to the end of August but with the Super Cool Biz campaign launched in 2011, it now goes from May to the end of September, the Japan Daily Press reported earlier this year. However, although Koike said the initial response to its original JULY 2012 | CONTENT PREVIEW
The “Super Cool Bra” was introduced by Triumph in response to the Super Cool Biz Initiative. Triumph.com.
campaign in 2005 was “undignified and sloppy” and critics of the government-led initiative noted its failure to address the root cause of the energy crisis, designers are nevertheless stepping up and bringing temperature conscious clothing to the forefront. One such designer is lingerie designer Triumph and to say the reactions to its products are mixed would be an understatement. Triumph introduced the “Super Cool bra” recently, a product for women meant to cool the body using all five senses. Some find it ridiculous while others see sensibility beyond the fish tank. Put it in the freezer, and a non-freezing gel will cool in cups designed to simulate a fish tank. It also includes a miniature spoon, a mini-fan and a decorative wind chime attached to the front with a minty smell to “produce a
coolness in sense of smell and hearing,” according to Triumph. The lingerie giant also added in mosquito net skirts and bamboo skirts, but note that neither would meet even the Super Cool Biz standards for the office. Meanwhile, UNIQLO, one of Japan’s largest retailers, is offering something slightly more serious, ranging from under clothing – Silky Dry for men and Sarafine for women – to outer wear such as khaki colored jeans, polos, camisoles and jackets aimed at slicking away sweat and reducing body odor from overheating. But for those that cannot leave the suits at home or have trouble giving up the sharp look, several designers, like business suit maker F-One K. K., are creating cool biz suits with that same trim jacket line achieved by regular suits - and nobody would have to know. mymaniera.com | MANIERA | 35
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36 | MANIERA | mymaniera.com
CONTENT PREVIEW | JULY 2012
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Contact Thelma Lay at advertising@mymaniera.com to place your ad today for our September 2012 launch of MANIERA Magazine and get your ad in an established 40,000 international distribution pool through MANIERA SL Magazine - free.
THE DAYS OF PRINT ARE GONE. THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION HAS BEGUN. address:
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JULY 2012 | CONTENT PREVIEW
mymaniera.com | MANIERA | 37
MANI STYLE
THE STOCKING
BY JULIETTE LORD The mention of stockings immediately conjures up a sexy glamorous image; men adore them and women love the way their legs look in them. You can make any outfit instantly more classy and sophisticated by the use of the correct leg wear, and it is something often overlooked in contemporary styling. Stockings are not only for the boudoir, but can be used to accessorize, add glamour or make a bold fashion statement. Interestingly, the stocking was not always considered to be an exclusively female garment. 38 | MANIERA | mymaniera.com
There is some debate as to who wore the first stockings but certainly in the 16th century following the invention of the knitting machine in 1589, silk and cotton stockings were worn by both men and women. Male fashion of the day meant that it was men who displayed a wellturned stocking enclosed leg under knee-length breeches. Women’s legs remained well and truly covered until the 20th century. In the roaring 20s, the onset of the flapper meant that women’s legs were on display and the CONTENT PREVIEW | JULY 2012
female stocking came into its own. Flappers often refused to wear corsets and rolled their stockings to the knee to enable them to dance more easily. The preference in this era was for pale-coloured stockings made of silk or rayon. Rayon is a cellulose-based fibre that is made from wood pulp or cotton waste and was used as a substitute for silk. It was invented around 1855 by the Swiss chemist Georges Audemars; the process was refined in 1864 by the French chemist and industrialist Count Hilaire Bernigaud de Chardonnet. Rayon was first commercially produced in 1910. Originally called “artificial silk,” the name was changed to rayon in 1924. These fabrics had a light sheen and a tendency to bag slightly at the ankles. Cotton and wool stockings still existed but were not considered fashionable. All stockings had seams, and nylon stockings did not arrive on the market until the 1939 World’s Fair. DuPont built the first full-scale nylon plant in Seaford, Del., and began commercial production in 1939. The first nylon stockings appeared in New York stores May 15, 1940 and over 72,000 pairs were sold in the first day alone. During World War II, American GIs stationed in the UK would woo British women with gifts of “nylons,” which were unavailable in the UK. British women were forced to stain their legs with gravy browning and draw a simulated seam with an eyebrow pencil during war time austerity and so “nylons” were a rare treat. Post-war, the demand for nylon stockings went through the roof. Throughout the ‘40s and ‘50s, stockings were known as “fully-fashioned.” These were knitted flat and made to the shape of the leg. They still had a seam up the back and had reinforced feet, the heels of which were available in a variety of designs, such as point and Cuban. In the early ‘60s, fully-fashioned were replaced by modern reinforced heel and toe seamless stockings. Seamless stockings are made on circular knitting machines and are shaped by tightening the stitches. With ever rising hemlines, the stocking was replaced by panty hose or tights and the golden era of the stocking was over. While there has been a resurge in interest recentJULY 2012 | CONTENT PREVIEW
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The first nylon stockings appeared in New York stores May 15, 1940 and over 72,000 pairs were sold in the first day alone.
ly, the stocking now tends to be associated with sexy lingerie rather than an everyday item. If you want to buy a great pair of authentic fully-fashioned nylons in a vast array of styles and colours then the Touchable website is a fantastic place to start. The site not only contains stockings in every conceivable shade and design but also provides a fascinating insight into the manufacture of the product. Touchable is based in Nottinghamshire, England but has mail order facilities to the USA and Canada. Another fantastic UK-based website is the misleading named uktights. Unlike Touchable who make their own products, uktights supply stockings from a variety of different brands such as Elbeo, Charnos, Gerbe and Levante for UK customers and for the USA and European Union. Another website with an amazing range of stockings is Alexis4U. This site specializes in silk stockings which are 100 percent pure silk with no lycra, set flat knit and boarded the old-fashioned way with heat, just as they were in the 1950s. Free shipping is available to customers in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Orders outside these countries have a $2-5 US shipping charge. If you are interested in finding out more about the history of the stocking then “The Stocking Book” by Victor Arwas is informative and witty. It navigates the history of stockings from their invention until the present. mymaniera.com | MANIERA | 39
MAN STYLE
SHORTS
THE GUYS ARE SHOWING SOME LEG THIS SUMMER BY JULIETTE LORD
Milan Fashion Week saw Giorgio Armani focus on the humble summer shorts as the statement piece in his summer 2013 collection.
For those of us in the northern hemisphere, summer has arrived and it is not only women who will be showing some leg. Shorts are not only practical in warmer weather but are also a big hit with designers this season. Milan Fashion Week saw Giorgio Armani focus on the humble summer shorts as the statement piece in his summer 2013 collection. Teamed with blazers, light weight trench coats and see through sweaters, the shorts ranged from knee skimming to shorter midthigh length. London Men’s Fashion Week produced even more shorts this time in rainbow colors but again often worn as part of a suit with structured jackets. Agi & Sam, also at the London Men’s Fashion Week, used a mixture of prints and color, which they claim were inspired by childhood memories of watching TV at their grandparent’s house. Controversially these out-
fits were worn with the big fashion no-no — sandals with socks. But the question needs to be asked, what should men where on their feet when wearing shorts? For these more dressy shorts outfits, a stylish pair of leather sandals is probably a safe bet. But you need exceptional style to pull off the socks with sandals look without looking like a middle aged British tourist in Benidorm, Spain. For a more casual look, deck shoes work well and are more practical than the flip-flop, which men often choose to wear. Sneakers are best left to the gym and sports field. Wearing shorts means attention needs to be paid to the legs and feet. Make sure legs are well-moisturized and for those whose legs only get an airing on rare occasions, a little fake tan would probably help. Make sure if your feet are on display that cracked heels are tackled and toe nails trimmed and tidy. A pedicure is a good idea. But if you’re too shy to venture into a beauty salon, it can always be done at home. All you require is a container large enough to soak the feet in, some nail clippers, a nail file, orange stick, pumice stone and a
scrub brush. You will also need a moisturizer specifically designed for feet, a wide range of which are available from your local pharmacy. Begin by washing and soaking the feet in the container or foot spa containing warm soapy water. You may wish to add a few drops of aromatherapy oil into the water. Myrrh can be used as an antiseptic wash to keep feet clean and discourage infection or tea tree oil for a powerful antifungal treatment. While the feet are soaking, use the pumice stone to get rid of any hard skin on the feet. For really stubborn hard skin, exfoliate. A very simple and effective homemade option is to mix one cup of granulated sugar with two cups of olive oil. Simply massage the mixture onto dry feet, then rinse and pat dry. Toe nails should be cut straight across to avoid ingrown toe nails and cuticles pushed back with an orange stick and filed to tidy them up. Finally, moisturizer should be massaged into the feet and legs. This is much more fun if you can persuade someone else to do it! All this will make sure your feet and legs are short ready for summer.
Agi & Sam mixed prints and color inspired from childhood at London Men’s Fashion Week.
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