contemporary culture

Seeking Cheerfulness At Milano Design Week

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Fuorisalone & a touch of Brazil in Milan


Cheerfulness was the topic some of the installations explored for the Fuorisalone. However, you could feel a lively atmosphere throughout the town during Milan Design Week.

In fact, the need for cheerfulness seems a necessity in current times. After the pandemic, the war, the energy crisis, and waste overgrowth, uncertainty is the new normal. Of course, this state of permacrisis brings a constant struggle. So we need beauty to elevate our moods and soothe our souls. And in search of beauty, we visited the Milano Design Week with Thami, our little niece and staff member, and some friends.

Fuorisalone: Alcova


We enjoyed Alcova at “Ex-Macello”, where 90 designers, companies and institutions featured their projects, exploring a different and complementary direction of contemporary design practice.

Cheerfulness: Brazil in Milano


Then we went to Università Statale, where the INTERNI Design Re-evolution project took place. Among many other colourful or nature-inspired installations, there was a whole corner featuring Brazilian designers. “The space is meant to be a celebration of the harmony between nature and architecture, combining natural and technological elements in a project that explores new design possibilities through Brazilian natural rocks.”

Also, we visited Rossana Orlandi. The gallery was full of amazing design objects and exquisite furniture elements. There, we entered a tiny multicoloured room which reflected a vibrant energy. Named “Everyday Paradise”, it was a source of bright colours featuring flowers, birds, and people’s portraits, a joy for the eyes.

Cheerfulness
“Everyday Paradise”: arts & crafts from Alagoas, Brazil

Here, we met the curator, Lili Tedde, who developed this project in collaboration with Lidewij Edelkoort. The project, Lili Tedde explained, promoted artists from the Alagoas region, Brazil, who made by hand all the arts & crafts by using different techniques: painting, sculpting, carving, and embroidery. Since Thami has Brazilian origins, they exchanged a little chat in Portuguese. But Thami didn’t expect it, and we saw her feet turning inwards with her cheeks reddened. By the way, the set-up was energising and mood-boosting!

Needless to say, sustainability slogans were everywhere. Most of them pointless. Did companies consider the impact of the enormous structures they set up? Materials, transport? And what will they do after dismantling them?

In conclusion, we appreciated “Everyday Paradise” for the message that tiny room promoted: positivity expressed through arts and crafts. Indeed, rooted in Brazilian culture, cheerfulness brings a positive attitude towards life. And that beautiful art collection was like a breath of fresh air. Beauty will save us!

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Earth Day 2023

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Do we really care about the earth?


Saturday, April 22, we celebrated the Earth Day 2023. Even though it may seem absurd, some brands used this day to release promotions to sell more products. Maybe the purpose of this day is not clear. Or people just don’t care.

Why do we celebrate Earth Day?


Earth Day was established in 1969 when US Senator Gaylord Nelson witnessed a natural disaster caused by the explosion of an oil well next to Santa Barbara, California.

What is the purpose?


For those involved in achieving a sustainable lifestyle, which goes beyond the empty slogan bombarding us at any one time, Earth Day doesn’t mean a celebration. In fact, there is nothing to celebrate. What’s the point of celebrating? The destruction humans bring? Or maybe give it a pause for one day? Surely not.

The purpose is to raise public awareness. Therefore, making people understand we only have one planet, and we must preserve it. Protect it. We need to give mother earth time to heal herself from the mess we massively put out on a daily basis. So the tons of waste which is the byproduct of our economic system. Of our lifestyle. The byproduct of progress: something we cannot renounce.

But if we follow people who promote sustainable growth, green growth, sustainable fashion, and sustainable tourism, we go nowhere. Indeed, as Herman E. Daly said:

We expected any day to hear about “sustainable sustainability.”

Herman E. Daly

Earth Day 2023 & marketing


We received newsletters offering promotions: shop now, and get your discount to celebrate Earth Day! Really, this is it? Another chance for promoting products? For marketing? Is selling more an effective strategy for fighting global warming? Is it the strategy to protect our planet?

Let’s be serious. That is just marketing to sell more. There’s no such thing as sustainable growth. Likewise, there’s no such thing as sustainable fashion or sustainable tourism without a dramatic reduction in consumption.

“What is needed in the first instance are reduced levels of consumption, not just changed patterns.”

Herman E. Daly


In the end, brands can play with marketing to celebrate the Earth Day 2023. So, tourism, fashion, and any other industry can create their sustainable bubbles. But the truth is, we won’t solve any problem unless committ—every single day—to saving the planet by actively reducing our consumption.

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AI Is The Trend: Does It Feel Real?

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When human creativity meets artificial intelligence


Humans, AI is the trend! Indeed, artificial intelligence is taking over the fashion industry, as any other area. But the conversation is all about highlighting how advanced and marvellous it is. Very few consider the possible risks.

And while we are here, waiting to receive the spring-summer orders and be inspired by tangible, real fashion stuff, which we will show you soon, we cannot avoid this trending topic. Indeed, some “artificial creativity” surprised us.

AI: what is it?


Artificial intelligence is a machine’s ability to display human capabilities such as reasoning, learning, planning and creativity. Specifically, the computer receives the data, processes it and responds–as in the case of ChatGPT. AI is crucial for digital transformation and certainly will bring great changes.

Though the perspective of losing the human touch is quite scary, everyone seems to prioritise the positive aspects. Of course, the fields of application are countless, and many of them are not even understandable now. Perhaps in the next future, we’ll reach a point where humans aren’t needed anymore. In fact, you can write blog posts, books, songs or even pass an exam with AI. As a result, many jobs currently performed by humans may disappear.

AI generated content in the fashion industry


Practical applications in the fashion field could be for customer service, stock management or market research. But we have seen beautiful fashion editorials made with ChatGPT. For instance, take a look at the fashion concepts created by Gianluca Traina, an Italian talented artist and fashion designer, with the help of ChatGPT: a collection and a complete fashion editorial inspired to the architecture of Samarkand.

SAMARKAND – Women’s clothing collection by Gianluca Traina

And here’s the men’s clothing collection:


Look at the colours! And the silhouettes! Gianluca Traina’s work is impressive, thought-provoking. In fact, it makes you question everything. Now seriously, do we still need fashion magazines made by professionals? Say hello to fashion editors, photographers, stylists, make-up artists, models, and so on… Well, shut down everything and say hello to humans!

But wait, will AI purchase products, too? Since that is the fashion industry’s biggest issue. And who will have the money to buy fashion items if people will not work anymore?  

Among all the conversation around AI, Nick Cave came up with great insight, a human perspective indeed! A fan asked ChatGPT to write a song in the style of Nick Cave and then requested Cave’s feedback.
His reply, from “The Red Hand Files”, is this:

“Mark, thanks for the song, but with all the love and respect in the world, this song is bullshit, a grotesque mockery of what it is to be human, and, well, I don’t much like it — although, hang on! rereading it, there is a line in there that speaks to me —

‘I’ve got the fire of hell in my eyes’ 

— says the song ‘in the style of Nick Cave’, and that’s kind of true. I have got the fire of hell in my eyes – and it’s ChatGPT.

Love, Nick”

The Red Hand Files – Nick Cave

Will AI replace humans?


In conclusion, AI is undoubtedly the trend, and progress is unstoppable. However, despite our limits and flaws, we remain creative humans. And our creativity is essential for progress. But most importantly, creativity without the heartbeat is nothing.

And you, have you got the fire of hell in your eyes? Love it or hate it?

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Vogue Philippines: The Beauty Of Humanity

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A brave cover story of representation fighting the myth of youth


With its April 2023 issue, Vogue Philippines celebrates the beauty of humanity. Lately, fashion doesn’t provide such a momentum of passionate engagement and genuine enthusiasm. Yet finally, we can say: this is a cover story!

Indeed, this cover goes beyond fashion. Not only is it a story of representation, but also it is a powerful challenge to modern beauty standards and the cult of youth.

A centenarian is the cover story of Vogue Philippines


Vogue Philippines’ April issue made history by featuring the oldest person ever on a cover. The woman, Apo Whang-Od–also known as Maria Oggay, is a 106-year-old tattoo artist from the Philippines. Specifically, she comes from the village of Buscalan – from the Kalinga tribe. And she is considered the oldest mambabatok. Batok is the traditional indigenous tattooing whose symbols signify strength, bravery and beauty. (Read her story here)

Vogue Philippines: the beauty of humanity
Credit: Vogue Philippines

“We believe that the concept of beauty needs to evolve, and include diverse and inclusive faces and forms. What we hope to speak about is the beauty of humanity” said Bea Valdes – Vogue Philippines editor-in-chief.

In our modern society, people are subjugated by the myth of youth, so ageing is considered a curse, something to fight as much as possible. In fact, most people invest in plastic surgery or less invasive techniques to keep their “forever young” illusion alive. But the results are quite sad.

However, this issue doesn’t relate to the fashion and beauty industries only. It’s a matter of culture. Because of patriarchy, men are allowed to age while women are not. Though men, too, enjoy plastic surgery a lot, there is a different attititude towards men’s and women’s ageing. With age, men become interesting while women just get old.
Moreover, women struggle to fit into beauty standards because that’s what men expect from them: plastic dolls in tight-fitting clothes. In fact, women accept the idea of how a woman should look based on a male perspective. And they do not even question it! Which means they are easy to manipulate.

The beauty of humanity: more than a cover of a fashion magazine


We wholeheartedly embrace Vogue Philippines’ choice. This is more than just a cover for a fashion magazine; it’s a game-changer. It tells a story of representation, as Whang-Od is one of the last practitioners of Batok tattooing. But it’s also an ode to defying ageism. This woman embodies powerful elegance. She is strong yet soulful, proud yet delicate. She is a piercing beauty!

And that is what we need to challenge modern beauty standards and embrace our life in all its stages.

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What Happened To Plus-Size Models?

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Inclusion and diversity or just marketing


What happened to plus-size models? We asked each other during the Milano Fashion Week 2023. But New York and London, too! They disappeared from the scene. Almost completely gone. Suggesting the recent novelty smelled so much of marketing.

Plus-size representation in fashion


However, our comment was not because we believe it made sense to represent different body shapes in a fashion show. That is for two reasons:
First, a defilè aims to show the dress, highlighting the details. Not the woman who wears it. Indeed, we believe “anonymous” models accomplish this task much better than supermodels because famous ones catch attention, while the dress becomes of secondary importance. Representation of all sizes has to be in the shops, where people must find different options suitable for their body shape. For instance, in our boutique’s selection, plus sizes never had problems finding beautiful clothes.
Second, it’s one thing to teach self-acceptance, we are unique individuals, so we should cherish our differences. But it’s another thing saying to young girls it’s good to be extremely overweight. Because it is not, but for a matter of health, not to fit in a standard, of course.

Plus-size models


So, apart from Dolce & Gabbana among the tops, there were no plus-sizes on the catwalks. Therefore, what can we argue? Was it a genuine interest in inclusion and diversity? Or was the fashion industry in a state of impasse and needed to jump on a popular trend? The smell of marketing seems clear.

Plus-size models were just a gimmick, an advertising stunt to spread the buzz and make people talk about fashion brands. In fact, in most cases, these women were dressed without any sense of style.

Just like us, many comments on the latest fashion shows wondered what happened to plus-size models. The message of inclusion and diversity, which apparently, provided a sense of liberation from cultural standards, was fake. Just marketing.

One of the most glorious fashion bullshit!

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