Miscellaneous Style in the Time of - COVID 19

Miscellaneous Style in the Time of
COVID 19
FBS C19 Issue 10:
10.07.20

If the last few months and nine issues of this report has shown us anything, it’s that
fashion and style are made up of many, many different strands. From the top of our
heads and hairstyling through to the soles of our feet and pedicure, it’s all there,
and from underwear to overcoats it’s all fashion. So, the themes which are so
important in our lives are reflected in every single area in different ways.
If key topics are race, culture and ethnicity, gender, trans and gayness, or simply
sustainability and ethical sourcing it’s all included in the top to toe stories of
fashion. The biggest subjects have an influence of everything, and it may be a tiny
whisper or a subtle nod, or it may be a full-on statement and shouted out loud and
clear. Make no mistake that the key business players are aware and take on board
these key topics of concern and include them in planning and forecasting, as much
as the creatives do. It’s obvious that ignoring the world in which you are selling your
product, it’s shifts, problems, concerns and of the moment topics, is stupid.
n this miscellany of pieces from the world we look at everything, from radio to high
street chains, from luxury to price pointed bargains.

If it seems random, so, right now, is much of life. Fashion is trying to stay focussed
on the future simply because we have to; next seasons clothes, and the season
after, have to be in the pipeline to be available.

A collection and its production takes time and even if Inditex can turn things around
fast, to be honest it’s because it based both someone else’s idea, and a prototype
already in their production cycle they can modify.

Enjoyment is essential to fashion, there has to be pleasure in the creative process
from thread to retail. The excitement of creating a beautiful piece at couture or a
best seller on ASOS has to be there; “we got it right” is the signal of success and
then the pleasure of being good at what you do. Within this lies the knowledge and
the expertise of fashion, understanding the pulse, thinking about what and where
and when and how a piece might be worn, and by who. An update detail on a
classic tuxedo or a brilliant variation on a classic ballerina flattie? It’s the result of
instinct, plus knowledge, plus a soupçon of guesswork and some talent.

‘Perfect Timing’ as with all things particularly in business is the greatest trick of all;
too early and the clients aren’t ready; too late and they’ve gone off the idea. Getting
the timing spot on requires foresight, knowledge and a degree of instinct;
Developing both the necessary ‘fashion instinct’ and ‘knowledge base’ comes from
understanding how to read society and the surrounding cultural indicators; from an
unlikely bit of gossip or a Netflix movie (the term ‘bailing the culture’ comes to
mind). Straight lines in creativity and business are unusual, it’s about swerves and
doubling back, and knowing when to turn and which crossroads to take. Decisions
in direction and which route will take you from idea to success. Sometimes is
staggeringly easy and sometimes it’s a slog and convoluted, sometimes it even has
to be abandoned.

Betty Jackson once said back in the early 1980’s…

 “We were going to do the bubble skirt; but by the time we’d threaded up the
               sewing machine, it had gone out of fashion”

Tony Glenville
Fashion Commentator

Forecasting:

I first worked in fashion forecasting, a then new and innovative business in the
1970’s. By the 1980’s everyone could do a ‘mood board’ and many brands and
companies took their forecasting ‘in house’. Nelli Rhodi, Design Intelligence, Nigel
French, Promostyle, Dominique Peclers, Trend Union, Here & There, Tobe Report
(incidentally one of the earliest retail forecasts) there were literally dozens, charging
huge amounts of money to their clients. However, gradually many clients realised
they could do it for themselves and have it totally aligned towards their brand or
label. Of course, predictions, and forecasting the trends, still happens and is for
many a reinterpretation of the top level of creativity for the high street and
commercial brands. It’s a wonderful source of stories for stylist and writers and a
useful form of fashion packaging – Rock Chic, Check Mate, Make it Lace, or
whatever the hot fabric, colour, or item is they’ve pounced upon. It’s also a guide
for those looking for the new to update their wardrobe. As far back as I can
remember I’ve been asked “you’re in fashion, what’s the ‘in’ colour?”

Yet, right now, how useful is predicting the next seasons fashion trends when we’re
in the middle of a global pandemic? How accurate could you be since the dynamics
change with the figures and many countries retail has been devastated by lock
downs and e commerce retail. Unemployed and nowhere to go, food and heating
proves a higher priority than new trainers? Perhaps. These thoughts are prompted
by Dominic Cummings recommendation to read the book below. Is this he answer
to all our problems?

Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction Paperback – 7 April 2016
by Philip Tetlock (Author), Dan Gardner (Author)
   • https://www.amazon.co.uk/Superforecasting-Science-Prediction-Philip-
       Tetlock/dp/1847947158/ref=sr_1_1?crid=F611SAHLODNQ&dchild=1&keywo
       rds=superforecasting+the+art+and+science+of+prediction&qid=1593864418
       &s=books&sprefix=Superfore%2Caps%2C171&sr=1-1

   •   https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jul/01/predictive-text-why-
       superforecasting-is-top-of-dominic-cummings-reading-list

   •   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superforecasting:_The_Art_and_Science_of_Pre
       diction

   •   https://hbr.org/2016/05/superforecasting-how-to-upgrade-your-companys-
       judgment

   •   https://fs.blog/2015/12/ten-commandments-for-superforecasters/

   •   https://www.wgsn.com/en/products/fashion/

The Response to the Appointment of Kanye West to GAP:

Any major fashion announcement is greater with opinions, however when an iconic
global brand, especially one who’ve been going through difficult times, makes a
deal, it’s interesting. In the midst of a global pandemic, shopping malls in free fall

and brands across the world feeling the pinch this was an extraordinary time to
make such a key announcement. Kanye West is a major celebrity, his life has been
an open book through social media in recent years, his views on fashion and his
general involvement in the world of style is major. Music to mules he does ‘stuff’
and he has a vociferous crowd on both the plus and minus side.
Mae West famously once said ‘Better to be looked over, than overlooked’
The publicity and chatter surrounding West does neither him, nor GAP, any harm.
The Big Crunch and test during the coming months will be sales figures, which as
ever with fashion is the bottom line, the facts, the reality and the purpose of a
brand; selling product.

Unpacking Kanye West's YEEZY Collaboration with GAP | The Good & Bad

   •   https://youtu.be/ERUVNvX8v3A

   •   https://www.businessinsider.com/kanye-west-covers-gap-store-celebrating-
       new-partnership-2020-6?IR=T

   •   https://www.forbes.com/sites/pamdanziger/2020/06/28/kanye-west-gives-
       gap-a-ten-year-lifeline-with-yeezy-partnership-and-gets-what-he-always-
       wanted/#5587de223dde

   •   https://www.marketwatch.com/story/gap-hopes-it-can-burnish-its-image-
       with-a-new-kanye-west-clothing-line-repeating-the-rappers-brand-success-
       with-adidas-2020-06-26

   •   https://hypebeast.com/2020/6/kanye-west-yeezy-gap-partnership-
       production-distribution-cody-enterprise-interview

Beauty for Men?

Cary Grant in ‘North by Northwest’ ….. A Fantastic Film by the Way

As gender blurring and gender discussions continue, the classic divide of
masculine/feminine is still a classic story when it comes to cosmetics and skincare.
Do ‘ordinary’ heterosexual men buy these products, do they use them and if so how
does it actually work? How to make money from this client base, for those who
make and sell the products? The rise of the so called ‘Metrosexual’ some years
again pointed to men at ease with skincare and grooming. The idea of cosmetics for
men obviously played a role in this movement, but then things changed with the
sudden appearance of beards and the popularity of very traditional barbers. This
was not metrosexual, but a classic view of masculinity based around an almost 19th
century view of the beard, moustache, shaving, hot towels etc. Often with links to
cultures such as Greek, Turkish or Kurdish the gathering of men at a barbershop
was a step back, not forward, a declaration of masculinity and men’s traditional
grooming, not skincare and cosmetics, not stilling from women’s grooming. Now
again the idea of men’s cosmetics, perhaps linked to Zoom as the selfie most often
seen by men recently, has arisen.

So as with most trends of points of discussion, let’s watch, wait and observe.

Cosmetics for Men; In the new normal, change is cosmetic for American men

Grab your concealer, guys ; make-up for men has gone mainstream | Times2 | The
Times

   •   https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/lockdown-chic-us-men-learn-to-
       experiment-with-make-up-
       8bhm3v77m?shareToken=e5f33555262e29acdb778454934d209b

   •   https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/grab-your-concealer-guys-make-up-for-
       men-has-gone-mainstream-qx5chxdkg

   •   https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-29/men-s-makeup-
       goes-mainstream-with-cvs-offering-in-stores

   •   https://theevolvemag.com/trends-in-mens-cosmetics

Divine:

Divine; and we’re not talking beautiful in the conventional sense.

Back in the day ‘Divine’ was the ultimate drag queen, an inspiration, a true star.
From disco diva to glossy magazine star to Hollywood leading lady. Divine was; well
‘unique’ will do. A star for maverick director John Waters, a star of ‘Lust in the
Dust’, the performer of songs such as ‘Shoot your shot’ and ‘You Think You’re a
Man’. today the tribute to Divine is perfectly timed around Pride and lockdown.
Plus, in case you don’t know……Divine wore Zandra Rhodes, Divine led the way for
Drag Race, and was the original trail blazer.

Find out much more below.

   •   https://nowfashion.com/loewe-releases-divine-inspired-collection-29847

   •   https://www.them.us/story/drag-herstory-divine

   •   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divine_(performer)

   •   https://rupaulsdragrace.fandom.com/wiki/Divine

   •   https://people.com/archive/death-comes-to-a-quiet-man-who-made-drag-
       queen-history-as-divine-vol-29-no-11/

Changes Everywhere:

Vogue.com

Vogue.com

Since its original team and original focus Vogue.com has shifted and morphed and
mutated, a bit like COVID 19, in fact. Strong and an essential at the beginning we
now have Vogue Runway and many specific international editions of Vogue have
their own terrific sites with a wealth of information. The ‘voice’ of Vogue and Condé

Nast is a strong and confident one in terms of the fashion business, but with news
of both this Editor and Suzy Menkes we must wonder what the future of this
stalwart of the business is planning. The new editor will presumably arrive in time for
the next season.

‘In more Condé news, Stuart Emmrich will be stepping down as editor of
Vogue.com at the end of summer. This comes after less than a year in the role,
which was widely criticised due to Emmrich’s lack of experience in the digital
space. According to Business of Fashion, Anna Wintour was informed of Emmrich’s
“desire to return to writing” a few weeks ago. His replacement has not yet been
announced.’

   •   https://www.thecut.com/2020/06/vogue-com-editor-stuart-emmrich-is-
       leaving.html

   •   https://money.yahoo.com/vogue-com-editor-chief-stuart-172047153.html

J W Anderson Resort & Menswear:

Brilliant, groundbreaking, clever, creative, and many other inspiring adjectives can
be applied to JE Anderson and his latest collection. Read Sarah Mower below but
also check out for yourself his images, his ideas and his attitude. This is what
fashion during the time of COVID 19 is all about ideas.

JW Anderson (full name Jonathan William Anderson) is a provocative ready-to-wear
designer, celebrated for his androgynous aesthetic. Since launching his eponymous
menswear collection in 2008 and womenswear in 2010, the designer has continued
to explore the relationship between male and female with his collections. Loyal fans
of his label include Alexa Chung, Pixie Geldof, Rihanna, Rita Ora and, of course, the
Vogue office.

Anderson was born in a small town in Northern Ireland in 1984. He believes his
upbringing in such a small place is why he has such a strong desire for success.
Anderson did not always aspire to be a designer. He had ideas of being an actor,
but the costumes proved to be a distraction, "I became more obsessed with them,"
he told us.

Anderson studied menswear at the London College of Fashion. During this time he
worked as a window dresser at Prada.

His label J.W. Anderson was launched in 2008 with a menswear collection.
In early 2010, he launched a capsule collection for women. "I was already doing
accessories and women were buying them, so it transcribed to doing
womenswear," he told us. The collection quickly achieved critical and commercial
success. Later that year his collection was snapped up by Liberty.
Anderson received business and funding support in June 2010 with the British
Fashion Council's NEWGEN catwalk sponsorship.
Menswear label, Sunspel, named Anderson their creative director in September
2010.

He was awarded the British Fashion Council's NEWGEN MEN's catwalk
sponsorship for Autumn/Winter 2011.

In June 2012 Anderson was nominated for the International Woolmark Prize, losing
out to Christian Wijants.

In September 2012 Anderson's debut collection for Topshop was launched. J.W.
Anderson x Topshop was his first ready-to-wear high-street collection. "I
approached it in the same way I do all my collections. It was unique and has some
really iconic pieces." Anderson told us. "The launch with J.W. Anderson is a new
and exciting approach for Topshop to our collaborations," said Topshop's then
creative director Kate Phelan.

Anderson won the Emerging Talent Award - Ready-To-Wear at the British Fashion
Awards in November 2012. Anderson dislikes, above all, designing dresses. ‘I hate
them,’

JW Anderson - Resort 2021: Review

   •   https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/resort-2021/j-w-anderson#review

   •   https://www.vogue.com.au/fashion/fashion-shows/ready-to-wear/jw-
       anderson-resort-2021/image-gallery/d8ff152795ca69f566f8d62e63834774

   •   https://highxtar.com/jw-anderson-presents-its-ss21/?lang=en

   •   https://showstudio.com/collections/spring-summer-2021/jwanderson-ss-21-
       menswear/lookbook

   •   https://www.voguebusiness.com/companies/how-jw-anderson-harry-styles-
       cardigan-went-viral-on-tiktok

   •   https://www.anothermag.com/fashion-beauty/12641/jw-anderson-show-in-
       a-box-menswear-ss21-womenswear-resort2021

Marine Serre and Y/Project Win ANDAM Prize:

Support for designers during the current economic climate can be make or break.
Prize money, or funding, or a collaboration can mean survival. The fashion business
has many new names which need time to establish and find supporters, often early
orders are small, trying a new name can be risky for shops and stores. This year
obviously things are very difficult uncertain and volatile. Andam has worked hard to
sort out how to support designers and offer financial aid as broadly as possible. So
now, both through it’s April announcement and now in July it is showing what can
be done during difficult times.

In April, ANDAM announced plans to launch a special edition of its annual award in
an effort to support designers who have been former finalists and laureates. This
year’s recipients are Marine Serre and Glenn Martens of Y/Project who have won an
endowment of 200,000 and 1500,000 Euros each. The Pierre Berge prize of 100,000
euros was awarded to ethical label Mossi with Tekyn winning the Innovation Prize of
50,000 euros.

   •   https://www.vogue.fr/fashion/article/marine-serre-glenn-martens-y-project-
       winners-andam-special-edition-fashion-award-2020

   •   https://andam.fr/en/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/andam-cp-2020-en-28-04-
       20.pdf

   •   https://hypebeast.com/2020/7/andam-award-y-project-marine-serre

   •   https://nowfashion.com/y-project-s-eclectic-versatility-29839

Sébastien Meunier Exits Ann Demeulemeester:

After a decade at the helm of Ann Demeulemeester, creative director Sébastien
Meunier has left the brand. Mystery surrounds the circumstances of Meunier’s
departure and what his next move might be; the French designer held roles at Jean
Colonna and Martin Margiela prior to working at Demeulemeester. [WWD]

   •   https://www.vogue.fr/fashion/article/sebastien-meunier-steps-down-as-
       creative-director-of-ann-demeulemeester

   •   https://www.sz-mag.com/news/2020/07/sebastien-meunier-leaves-ann-
       demeulemeester/

Getting it Wrong?

The Archers:

Take a classic and muck it up. How often does this happen in high street fashion?
Or indeed when creatives think they know best and get it totally wrong. The Archers
(see brief description below) decided originally to ignore the global pandemic
sweeping through England, they then decided that monologues were the answer to
continuing. Wrong. The series has had to bow to the listeners, since any group with
the power to tell the BBC what they think, will do so. Firstly, be switching off, and
then by saying why.

   •   https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/what-to-listen-to/covid-ruined-archers/

   •   https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-8355871/LIBBY-PURVES-
       reviews-new-style-broadcast-Archers-Ambridge-time-coronavirus.html

   •   https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/may/30/week-radio-
       podcasts-the-archers-lockdown-episodes-home-recording

   •   https://chartable.com/podcasts/the-archers/reviews

   •   https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/readers-poll-have-you-given-up-on-the-
       archers-788xz0mss

Show Business:

Entrepreneurs don’t wait, when all the live entertainment ensues shut down in the
U.K. the agencies who provide all the casts and performers had simply nothing to
do. As the weeks went by and the revival and opening of theatres, cabarets,
comedy clubs and any sort of fringe festival was vetoed things looked pretty
miserable. Broadway has announced it won’t be opening in 2020 which is a scary
statement when you realise it was made only halfway through the year. However
various ideas and formats are emerging across the world, oddly enough more in
classical music from chamber to pear, however, Show Business is what we need.
This initiative from a team of agencies in the U.K. made headlines in Broadway
world, so congratulations to all concerned. Uniting, joining forces, combining
expertise and simply working together in these difficult times may be what we all
need to consider more and more.

Fashion is especially about a series of skills coming together, shots or collections
are not a one-person process. So as Paris unites for fashion weeks in a digital
format let’s see what other teams and collaborations will emerge.

Simon Mayhew

   •   https://www.broadwayworld.com/westend/article/Agents-Merge-to-Form-
       Brand-New-Agency-Collective-Agents-20200701

   •   https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/agencies-boland-and-reeve-and-oxford-
       adams-merge-to-form-new-company

   •   https://twitter.com/CollectiveAgts

   •   @simonmayhew1

Joe Allen:

For those of you who don’t know Joe Allen it is a theatre and show business legend.
Originally founded in New York with a selected number of branches across the
world it is a pre and post show hang out. The London branch has always been in
the heart of Covent Garden adjacent to the theatre district. Spotting actors,
dancers, singers and performers at Joe Allen’s is too easy a game; they’re always
there. With theatre-land dark and restaurants closed what were they to do? Well
plenty is the answer and consequently the flood of excited responses demonstrated
how you keep your clients happy.

Joe Allen in Covent Garden was first opened in 1977, a sister restaurant to the
original New York site. It was named after its owner and creator, a man dedicated to
delivering fantastic dining experiences. Set in a venue adorned with the best theatre
memorabilia, Joe Allen is the Covent Garden Brasserie for theatregoers, locals and
visitors alike.

Because it was started by actors, producers and directors looking to woo the West
End’s latest and greatest productions, Joe Allen quickly became known as the
‘West End’s Canteen’, with famous faces from all industries often spotted among
the posters. Open seven days a week, Joe Allen guarantees to offer great food and
an even better atmosphere.

   •   https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/joe-allen-restaurant-
       cabaret-evening_51874.html

   •   https://www.joeallen.co.uk/

   •   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Allen_(restaurant)

Business of Fashion:

‘Fashion’s enfant terrible ruffled by business of ‘bias’.’ During recent weeks BoF has
offered many experts discussing possibilities and has been active in announcing
initiatives supporting the difficult times manifesting as a result of the COVID 19
pandemic. However, with few live events, a few exciting stories much has been
both ‘padding’ and conjecture. Remember students and others get access easily,
for many it’s an expensive access all areas expenditure.

I should state my position; I’ve never been a fan, and I’ve never paid.
Anyway, this is the current state of opinion plus some earlier observations on BoF
you may have missed.

   •   https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/the-business-of-fashion

   •   https://www.fashionabc.org/wiki/the-business-of-fashion/

   •   https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/business-of-fashion-ruffled-by-bias-
       allegations-rz7xm3rtg?shareToken=4cb1eb0cf15e5c72032802e4efaa5fd8

   •   https://fashionunited.uk/news/fashion/business-of-fashion-dismisses-
       compromised-editorial-integrity-speculation/2020063049623

   •   https://hypebeast.com/2019/10/kerby-jean-raymond-callouts-business-of-
       fashion-bof500-gala-diversity-gospel-choir

Education, Fashion, and Graduation:

If we are looking forward and we are behaving with optimism, the new and next
generation must be where we pin our hopes. The young are full of energy, they are
media savvy, and they are technically adept. All these things mean that even for a
fashion design student there are ways around a real catwalk show or a major
fashion shoot to communicate. Thee are lots of activities and in recent newsletters
we’ve mentioned some. We continue to see how across the world fashion
education is dealing, and coping, with the end of year, obviously most especially for
those for whom it is their final year. If the initial response was bad, it’s since evolved
into a positive attitude where students on all types of fashion courses and
developing, testing and exploring ways to communicate their work, their personal
signature and their creativity. It’s not about budgets or access, it’s about
imagination and experimentation and getting on with it, it’s about being a final year
student who is ambitious focussed and determined, and there’s simply loads of
them. Merchandising to styling, students and staff and educational establishments
are making it up as they go along. There’s really only one word to sum up the best
and the most positive – brilliant.

   •   https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/01/fashion/who-wants-to-go-to-fashion-
       school-in-a-pandemic.html

   •   https://www.graduatefashionweek.com/class-of-2020

   •   https://www.standard.co.uk/fashion/london-fashion-week/fashion-
       graduates-2020-westminster-digital-london-fashion-week-a4468201.html

   •   https://www.arts.ac.uk/colleges/central-saint-martins/whats-on-at-
       csm/CSM-Graduate-Showcase

   •   https://ashadedviewonfashion.com/category/graduation-show/

Maurizio Galante Haute Couture July 2020:

Haute Couture:

As we go to press with this tenth issue of Fashion in the Time of COVID 19, PARIS
Haute Couture is about to start. From Monday 6th of July through to the evening of
Thursday 8th of July more than thirty designers from the grand establishment
through to the smallest newcomers will be presenting……well to be honest we
don’t really know what yet? Some designers have shared workroom images,
especially those smaller ateliers with just a handful of employees. Films, walk
throughs, images, talks, introductions; we will have to wait and see. The entire event
landscape offers a myriad of possibilities plus access is varied with the Federation
Haute Couture et Mode still asking for registration for access online, but many
designers also using their own online platforms or social media partnerships,
Vogue/Condé Nast, etc.

It’s an exciting moment because although not the same as a physical fashion week
the sheer number of designers taking part is encouraging and indicates a unity and
a strength within the luxury business.
Next week we will examine how it went, the hits and misses, and what it indicates
for the future. We already know that Valentino are saving the real event for later in
July, but developments are shifting and changing everyday due to the ever-evolving
uncertainty and unpredictability of the COVID19 Pandemic and possible second
outbreaks and subsequent reimpose lock downs. Good news, and bad news, facts
and figures and clear statements and loads of confusion mean we cannot guarantee
everything running smoothly. However, optimism is an absolute essential and
couture truly offers it from 10.00 Monday morning.

Now, what shall I wear…?

March:

   •    https://www.wmagazine.com/story/paris-couture-mens-week-shows-
        canceled/

July:

   •    https://www.dn-mag.com/fashion-week-dates-calendar-invitations/

   •    https://www.vogue.com/article/the-paris-haute-couture-shows-will-go-
        digital-this-july

   •    https://stylecaster.com/paris-fashion-week-youtube-july-2020/

Note: Menswear Paris follows immediately afterwards, but more of that soon.

Suzy Menkes:

By Chavie Lieber July 1, 2020 15:29

New York, United States; Veteran fashion journalist and Vogue International editor
Suzy Menkes is stepping down from her position in October. Her work appears in
21 international Vogue editions and has been translated into 15 languages.

“I have enjoyed every moment of my time as Editor, Vogue International, and I
           am proud of everything I have achieved at the company,”

Menkes said in an email to BoF. “The current global situation has given me and all of
us pause for reflection. And so, it is time for a new adventure, which I look forward
to with excitement.”

Menkes added that she will continue to “write, post, record and bring together
the industry” on her own website and via Instagram, where she has more than
500,000 followers.

As a result of Menkes' departure, the annual Condé Nast Luxury Conference, which
she spearheaded when she joined the company in 2014, has been cancelled. She
brought some of the industry’s most important names to its stage, including Karl
Lagerfeld, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Olivier Rousteing and Naomi Campbell. (Menkes
previously played a similar role at the New York Times, which has also disbanded
its luxury conference.)

In a statement posted on Condé Nast International’s website, the publisher
attributed the cancellation of the event to Menkes' departure, but also to the
growing uncertainty around the future of conferences. These live events, which
generate revenue through ticket sales and sponsorships, have, for the most part,
been frozen because of the pandemic.

As one of fashion’s most high profile and independent voices, Menkes was one of
Vogue’s most visible journalists. Previous to Condé Nast International, spent 26
years at the International Herald Tribune, now the International New York Times,
where she rose to become one of the most important reporters and critics covering
the industry. She offers Trib readers verbal snapshots from the world of fashion,
written in a staccato and tough talking journalese-she’s a Fleet Street Diana
Vreeland, John Seabrook wrote in a profile of her in the New Yorker in 2003.

Menkes' commentary in her decades as a fashion critic is legendary. She was
famously banned from LVMH fashion shows in 2001 for her criticism. Contributing
as a columnist to the New York Times’ T Magazine, Menkes also wrote critically
about fashion bloggers in 2013, calling the group a “fashion circus.”

“There is something ridiculous about the self-aggrandisement of some online
arbiters who go against the mantra that I was taught in my earliest days as a fashion
journalist, she wrote.

        "It isn’t good because you like it; you like it because it’s good."

Menkes plans to review the upcoming September shows, physical or digital, before
leaving Vogue. However, the future of the medium is still uncertain. Though many
brands plan to show in Paris in September, it’s not clear what form these shows will
take. Some brands have begun showing collections online or skipping fashion week
entirely.

   •   https://hypebeast.com/2020/7/suzy-menkes-vogue-conde-nast-leave-
       depart-editor

   •   https://runwaymagazines.com/suzy-menkes-leaves-vogue/

•   https://cniluxury.com/a-statement-from-suzy-menkes/

Gossip:

Cover Images have become even more powerful tools since COVID 19 hit. The
images can add to sales, add to prestige, add to the attitude of the entire staff, from
editor to those photographers working on the images. This is now today, a very
delicate balance between ignoring the world around us and just doing right now a
summer cover, or thinking deeply about how a cover might reflect, engage or
inspire.

Below are the two sides of this coin, the successful and the disastrous. If you’ve
missed either or both now is the time to form an opinion.

Vogue Portugal has been criticised for one of its covers for the July/August issue
that has been dubbed the ‘madness issue’.

The cover in question features a photograph of a woman crouched down in a
bathtub with two nurses either side of her.”

   •   https://forums.thefashionspot.com/threads/vogue-portugal-july-august-
       2020-the-madness-issue.398794/

   •   https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2020/jul/03/vogue-portugal-under-fire-
       for-very-bad-taste-mental-health-cover

   •   https://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/brands/vogue-portugal-thinking-
       madness-issue-cover/

   •   https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53294241

   •   @dietprada on the 4th July

Nick Knight’s August Cover Inspires ‘A Moral Rethink into What We’re Doing as A
Species’
   • https://www.vogue.co.uk/news/article/august-2020-issue-editors-letter

   •   https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/british-vogue-david-hockney-
       painting-cover-august-reset-nature-a9592911.html

   •   https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/vogue-cover-east-
       yorkshire-scene-4279706

   •   https://www.designscene.net/2020/07/british-vogue-august-2020.html

Thank you
T.G.