Video: The original voice of Ukrainian born in New York active (1917 - 1961) art film pioneer and dancer Maya Deren about film theory, beginning with arguments why the time quality of her work is 'female'. The statements of Maya Deren are mashed-up with other themes which had been of importance for the artist who received a Guggenheim grant for her filmic work in 1947. With this money she traveled to Haiti and studied Voodoo. On occasion of these studies she made the experience that the Haitian female goddess for love (Erzulie Freda Dahomey stands for beauty, dancing, flowers, jewels, love and luxury) is pure luxury because she represents all the things that are not essential for living. For Maya Deren, luxury is typically a characteristic of women because luxury exists only to give more comfort in life; such as "...love which unlike sex is not essential to propagation. ... Now man can live without it but he doesn't live very much as a man." Maya Deren had at her most active time in the 40ies/50ies already a fashion style that pre-empt the 'Flower Power'-hippies in the 60ies: she wore dresses with rural European touch and wild hair. At her time, Maya Deren has worked with female forethinkers such as Anais Nin who became famous with her diaries and erotica. Anais Nin's quotation at the beginning of this article sums up the view from the angle of a gender difference. The book cover 'Delta of Venus' by Anais Nin (written in the 40s, published in the 70s) shows a portrait of Tina Modotti which was taken by her friend Edward Weston.

WOMEN STYLE
spring/summer 2010
fall/winter 2010/11

fashion by Van Cleef & Arpels, Dior, Rakish Heels, Lacoste
beauty by Guerlain
art by Maya Deren, Anais Nin, Tina Modotti, Andres Laracuente
lifestyle by De'Longhi and Nespresso

"We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are."
Anais Nin
(France 1903 - California 1977)


What makes the difference?

The following 'Women Style' with beauty, fashion, jewellery, and lifestyle pieces in vintage design is inspired by three exceptional women who changed the thinking through their visual and literary work during the 20ies to the 50ies. All three had been pioneers. Connections between them can be found online: the avantgarde filmer Maya Deren featured the pre-blogger (diarist) and 'difference feminism'-theorist Anais Nin in the short movie 'Ritual in transfigured time' (1946). The third woman is Tina Modotti, who documented the lifestyle of Mexican women in the 1920s. Her portray can be found on the cover of Anais Nin's published diaries 'Delta of Venus'.

What makes the difference between flaring stars and the burning ideas of these women? It’s the same like with good design: it doesn't come out of fashion.

fig.: beginning with the...

Portrait Tina Modotti, San Francisco, 1921. Photo: Johann Hagemeyer. (C) Galerie Bilderwelt, Berlin.

The photographer Tina Modotti (born 1896 in Italy, died 1942 in Mexico) became known for her documentaries about the life of women in Mexico in the 1920ies, especially the series 'Women of Tehuantepec', and her involvement into the revolutionary movements during the 30ies. You will find many romantic video-biographies and slideshows on YouTube which express the people's adoration for the artist.

The Viennese 'Kunst Haus Wien' exhibits the work of Tina Modotti under the title 'Photographer and Revolutioner' from 1 July until 7 November 2010.

Eyeliner in Métal d’Or, Noir Ébène, and Encre Brune by Guerlain, 2010. The packaging designers had been inspired by the brushes for calligraphy. The result is a very fine brush on a long stick. Tip: begin to draw the line from the middle of the lid near by the lashes.

'Sabre japonais' bracelet, yellow gold and diamonds, from the Van Cleef & Arpels Collection 1958. On 12 May 2010, the bracelet from 1958 was worn by actress Cate Blanchett to a pale pink Armani Privé couture dress during her interviews to introduce her new movie 'Robin Hood' in Cannes. Even Cate Blanchett is a woman who causes romantic videos on YouTube.

Shades 'Bagatelle' in 50s style by Dior, 2010.

Snake/leather boot with indigo 'statement heel' in 1960’s futurism- classic look by Rakish Heels, FW 2010/11. Rakish Heels (launched February 2008) designs under the ethos to avoid producing throwaway, one-season fashion. The pieces are created to have long lasting appeal. Some of the boots are fitted out with heel covers. The covers are not only protecting the heels, they allow to personalise the footwear.

Colorful golf or tennis scarf by Lacoste, SS2010. Photo: (C) Lacoste. In 1933, Lacoste was founded by the French tennis player René Lacoste. The label's heritage influences the signature elegant-sportive design of the scarf on this page.

EN 165.Y CitiZdot New York Edition (limited) by De'Longhi in cooperation with Nespresso, 2010. The retro-American-comics illustration by artist Lo Toth shows a yellow cab and skyscrapers. All CitiZ machines are inspired by international capital cities. The design line with special limited editions (CitiZdot) premiered in 2009.

'Photomodel' by US artist Andres Laracuente (born 1982 in Texas, living in New York) whose work is on show under the title 'The Eyes Have No Cash' from 29 April to 29 May 2010 at the Galerie Yukiko Kawase in Paris. Fashionoffice has received for the exhibition, which focuses on obsessive desires, anxiety, and reflections on the word 'model' in our world, following video invitation.


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