Free Art and Art for Free?

Part of the 'Don't Ignore the Issue' Series 

Free Thoughts on the Matter

1. Books, art and music have been virtually free for generations, all one had to do is go to the library, museum or switch on the wireless. All this 'topical' talk over whether music/books/film/art should be free is an ongoing debate between artists that already have the means and those that would like to pay their (exorbitant) rent for their slum cell but can't afford to.

 2. Food and housing and silk scarves should be free but since they're not and musicians/artists have to pay for them like everyone else, so...

3. The cultural and media industries as a business made billions for their selves using a handful of highly visible artists.Very few artists have ever made a living from their work. Why should the majority suffer for the fake lives of the few?

4. Artists may take an outside point of view of society but they are not outside of it, they are part of it.  Unless everyone does their job and then gets paid according to how pleased their 'customer' is why should artists.

5. When people value things, they pay for them, when things are valuable, they look after them. How many Banksy rats and other paintings were scrubbed-off or covered over before they were worth a fortune?  Now councils, auction houses and private owners fight over them.

6.  Paying only as a donation is paying someone's wages as a 'tip' or gratuity. Basic living, minimum wage first.  Many professions use tips to signify customer appreciation.  Tips should be an optional extra (and go straight to the worker who earned the tip).

7. Historically, there has always been been a division between artist workers and keen amateur.  The amateurs should not be allowed to set the agenda for those who need to work for their living.

8. People have always paid accordingly. Buskers and street performers put their hat outside of busy places like theatres for people to throw coins. Inside theatres, people have paid up-front for something they have traveled miles to see in particular.

9. Artists and writers that do free art, do art that is free. Favours and internships aside (for now) it's just so much clearer to know where one stands from the start.

10 Let's get priorities straight, live for free and pay for art!

NB: This article has been written by me and published on my blog for the purpose of giving to you for free. However, if you publish it elsewhere without my permission or acknowledgment, I may be mortally offended and may well sue your ass off

Kane and Very Able

Christopher Kane Autumn Winter '13

 

Kane's show consisted of mostly (and most strongly) of dresses but otherwise a collection of diverse ideas. Fragmentation is usually a disaster at fashion shows (they're called collection you know ;-)) but not today. I don't always want to know the a designers starting point for his/her collection but rather let the finished pieces 'speak' to me personally. Kane nearly always manages to make 'ugly' work, sometimes ugly is so refreshing in a world of the beautiful ones. Some of the most 'ugly' pieces sang to me whilst the mildly-interesting just muttered. Like Maya, the shapeshifter (from '70s sci fi TV series, Moonbase Alpha) semi-transparent beauty one minute, and semi-alien, warrior-queen the next, Kane (once again) pulled it off. Silhouettes were altered by extreme texture or imposing shape and, then there were dissected bodies, showing the beauty of human nature. Camouflage prints abounded, working best when not adorned by needless 'road-kill' (and I'm not strictly anti-anything except perhaps eating a cow that neighs). Ready for action, these beauties would have blended into the shadows of a dark city-scape, night or cloudy day, not attention grabbing, but passing many fleeting admiring glances as they appeared and disappeared into their surroundings and only occasionally frightening the horses and those of a more conservative, sensitive disposition.

Mulberry Return to Designing for Grown-ups

Mulberry Autumn Winter '13

Mulberry's designer Emma Hill has created a collection for grown-ups at last. A more authentic take on British eccentricity rather than the die-trying-to-be-different efforts that marked past seasons. Tweeds and plaids were quirk -happy together as were the swishy skirts over cropped trousers for that didn't seem the victim of a stylist forcing the issue (well it's cold in the castles we all live in da Kingdom). Colours that recall British racing green to match the Bentley, chestnut-brown to blend into the estate come conker-comp time on a bed of black, birthday-suit pink and off-white with the rare sparks of winter-sunshine yellow. Skirts as outerwear and leather capes looked modern and practical, fur collars and gorgeous gloves entirely essential. For once, luxury prices reflected desirabliity and wearability of Mulberry's accessories too.   No neon tiger-prints or stars on metallic leather but eye-catching nevertheless, the hand-held bags accompanied every outfit sent everyone running to check which model was which for pre-orders. Well done chaps, jolly good show!

Luxury Brands: What We Getting for Our Money?  

Photo Chanel Couture 

With the sales almost over and hopefully all the bills paid, if we have any money left over our minds wander to the new season (if we don't have any money we have our fantasies of what we would buy if we could). Depending on how we shop we can flip through a magazine, browse the Net, window shop, peruse the rails of a department store on the way to meet a friend in the coffee shop. Whether or not we have the money, our usual first thought is check out the big designers, for inspiration and form a check-list for our own forthcoming seasonal fashion-ability, if for nothing else.

However, not all products from major designers are made equal or share the same star status as the final gown on this season's catwalk. We are funny creatures and although we might desire to wear a backless, leather and lace, full-length evening gown to the supermarket on a Saturday morning, what we are more likely to invest our money in, are logo-ed jeans or tee-shirts, or a pair of monogrammed flats or a canvas shopper. That tee might look the same as we could actually buy at the supermarket, along with tins of tomatoes, but in fantasy, it's as far away as pomme frites are from chips. It's as though the tee-shirt announces 'my mega-bucks, evening gown is at the dry cleaners', it says 'I may be in a supermarket but normally I shop in Bond St or on Madison', it says 'I love shopping but not for tomatoes'. Okay it doesn't, it says, 'I went to Bond St as a tourist and bought a souvenir ' or 'my BF went to designer X but all I got was this lousy tee-shirt. I must remember to dig out my Medusa-head, Versace vest sometime and show you all!

Most large brands have different tiers of products. Lifestyle and commercial lines are relatively cheap to produce and tend to 'advertise' the brand, these are usually mass produced with very little to do with artisans, quality control of those products, whether a tee-shirt or a canvas bag, is about the placement of the logo followed by durability (people who buy logos, buy them to wear) but as we all know the mark-up is huge, they are not called the 'commercial' lines for nothing. Then there are the main line classic pieces that are created so that they don't frighten the more shy souls away. Although they are not out of the ordinary in design, they are more labour intensive, as skins and materials are carefully selected, quality control is high and things are often hand-finished and checked many times before hitting the stores, these pieces are not only intended to be worn they are expected to last, these are usually described by your ever-helpful sales-associate as 'classics' or if they're desperate 'investment pieces'. 

Then there are the catwalk, fashion, directional or seasonal pieces that are so scrutinised and written about they have to be able to seduce, and encourage discernible gasps of awe. Quality control is usually stringent but they are created more to put the design in design-er and retrench the mega-profile of the luxury nature of the brand. And then...drum role please... there are the exceptional pieces that have to make even jaded regular customers and fashion insiders gasp, whether by an exceptional exotic skin or decorative aspect, there will be so few examples of these pieces you will be lucky to see one in a flagship store. If you can obtain one of these 'pieces' either the 'only 3 ever made' or 'made to order' backless, leather and lace, full-length evening gown with fresh water pearl and onyx beading or a white crocodile and sterling silver evening minaudiere buy it, these are the real investment pieces, however much it costs is probably how much it cost to produce, and don't bother with the supermarket for a year, food is fattening and tomatoes are so over-rated.

Gucci Gold

Silver and 18K 'Gucci Firenze 2921' bangle, made to celebrate Gucci's 90 anniversary, pic from gucci.com 

There always seem to be a few 14 karat gold pieces for sale

WARNING 

Gucci have NEVER made 14 Karat pieces.

All Gucci gold is 18 Karat

Some beautiful Gucci silver pieces are described as #silver and 18 Karat gold' This means silver and 18 Karat gold plating (as in the gold parts are covered silver and not solid gold) as the one above.

Most 18 Karat gold jewellery is fairly new (post-1990)

If you are looking at gold vintage jewellery it is much rarer. There are 18K pieces throughout Gucci's history, some even adorning bags, but usually made to order or for special projects such as the range of 18K jewellery designed by Patrizia Gucci (nee Patrizia Reggiani, married to Maurizio Gucci, grandson of Guccio Gucci) and was part of a crocodile themed collection from the 1980s.

Gucci's vintage silver (many with enamel) jewellery (and belts) pieces are very collectible. There were many fakes on the market at the time too. Make sure they are silver, make sure they are Gucci or they are worth approx their weight in silver but no more

Blast from Perfect (Gucci) Past

Once upon a time I had ambitions of combining frivolity and seriousness all one blog. Unfortunately, when life gets too serious I feel like lightening the load with escapist fantasies of a truly glamorous days gone by, when the world was free from war, poverty and natural disasters.

History will tell us that the past was punctuated by worse ills that we could ever imagine, but still my romantic notions effervesce into a perfect hideaway from an imperfect present muddle I call life.

To help you dream of a life that never happened, here are some wonderful past illusions from the house that created 'lifestyle'. Gucci

Ahhhh, the Jet Set life... 

...La Dolce Vita indeed 

When women coordinated even with each other...

...and luggage came in sets.

People bought only once so they only bought the very best...

...and leather-wear was synonymous with Italy
(France meant fashion darling)...

...and the Mombasa bag was for men who hunted in the Jungle
and belonged to Gucci and not to YSL
(sorry, Saint Laurent, got to keep up with the times) 

Before Hitting the Shoe Sales

The other day someone asked me what kinds of shoes I liked. For someone who is not particularly a 'shoe-person' I seem to have acquired quite a collection but then don't we all? Plenty of fabulous heels (I can hear the applause - and yes some are clearly for photo-ops only) a few shoes and boots to actually walk in and a couple of pair able to run for a bus should the rare impulse propel me (a bus is a form of public transport for those of you who only do limousines to theatre and shoes to match).

 So, what shoes do I like? I like them all my dears, happily usually more on other people than myself. I had a quiet word with myself a while ago and kept just a few exquisite possible museum pieces more suited to adorn coffee tables than feet and rid myself of many examples of the many pairs of almost fabulous, almost fits, almost the right colour, almost high/low enough. I also let go of the the footwear that have served me well but had had their heyday, been re-heeled, re-soled and patched up until they were no longer the same shoe (tear in eye as a I write).

Never mind the clothes issue it's the wall of shoes that give us guilt (and space) problems. We are now in sale season and nothing tempts more than a shoe sale. With a little preliminary footwear editing and psychological preparation you and I CAN buy shoes we will actually wear. Never mind your feet, shop with your head. These are my rules but they have been fashioned out of years of (bad) practice. Enjoy, but don't forget if a pair of shoes is now half price is does not mean you should buy 2 pairs unless of couse you are a four legged animal. Before buying:

 1. Never buy shoes in the sales that you wouldn't consider normally. They are not a bargain sitting in your wardrobe.

 2. Make sure they fit. Never buy shoes that are even half a size too big or small (or narrow) no matter how much you love them. Your feet won't shrink or (since you are not a child) grow.

 3. Don't buy boots or shoes you can't put on or pull off by yourself or take longer than 5 mins. There is a reason why button-up boots went out of fashion when lady's-maids did.

 4. Don't make do with a colour that you only quite like, brown isn't black no matter how dim the light.

 5. Don't keep choosing styles that don't suit you. Doesn't matter how good your best friend or fave celeb looks in them

 6. Fashion is flippant, if what suits you is 'in' buy, if nothing is out there that makes your heart beat faster or you can walk in don't buy until the fashion changes again.

 7. Don't buy the cheapest designer option just because it's the only pair you can afford from that brand. Don't buy the 'inspired' or diffusion copies either. Wait for the sale, stalk *bay or save up for the pair you really want.

 8. Know your heel limits, even if it breaks your heart it's better than breaking your ankle.

 9. Don't buy shoes you can't wear in the rain, sun, snow, on carpet and on pavements, shoes that precious should beni a museum not in a normal women's closet.

 10. Know your feet, know your next pair of shoes. Write down all the things you need in a shoe and the occasion you need it for - then go shopping.

 Editing your existing shoe wardrobe: Observe the 'rules' 1-10 above and go 'shopping' in your own wardrobe, just change the word 'buy' to 'keep'. Don't worry so much about having lots of similar styles or colours, what will suit you will suit you. Plus, keeping a couple pairs of fantasy shoes just for 'looking at' is OK