Extreme weather: the new normal

/ Leave a Comment

Why people don’t care about climate change

It seems extreme weather bothers people to the degree of the intensity of heat, cold perceived, or devastation suffered. Other than news titles, these dramatic events cause conversations and complaints. However, it stops there.

But now that information is everywhere, why do people not educate themselves? Why is there indifference and no action?

Extreme weather in Europe

A massive storm and hail have devastated Milano. Also, in the Mediterranean, flames are devouring everything. That happens in Sicily, Greece, Croatia, Turkey and Gran Canaria. From droughts to wildfires, these days, Europe is burning. The climate emergency is tangible. And we know what has caused climate change which drives extreme weather because scientists said it clearly decades ago. They said we had to change the way humans impacted the planet. But we kept on abusing nature in the name of money.

Furthermore, instead of listening to those who tried to open our eyes, instead of changing our lifestyle to avoid extinction, we changed the marketing! So now, every product or service is green. Brilliant! But guess what? The world is in flames.

Misleading messages on climate change

Recently, the Italian Prime Minister spoke at the Vox rally in Valencia. She said we need to “stop ultra-ecological fanaticism.” Also: “ecological sustainability must go hand in hand with economic sustainability.”
In other words, according to the Italian government, we need to stop those who take a step to protect nature but do not say a word about oil companies.

These messages on how to handle climate change are disturbing. Besides, this viewpoint goes hand in hand with the fake slogans of green capitalism and sustainability, which are expressions of greenwashing.

Please, stop it all! Stop talking! No more words on sustainability because they are unnerving.
We are fed up with hearing governments and brands talking about growth. We cannot stand hearing about sustainable fashion, organic food, sustainable tourism or net zero! There is no such thing as sustainable growth.

Climate change worsens, but we keep doing what we have done so far! More flights, more cars, more travel, more consumption. Like someone driving a car about to hit a wall but does not care!

Now more than ever, information is available to everyone.
Indeed, there is enough information about climate change to educate ourselves and hold ourselves accountable. Yet most people prefer to credit those who deny it. Either there is a lack of understanding, or we are kidding ourselves.

But one thing is clear: extreme weather is the new normal. And we cannot afford this inconsiderate behaviour anymore.

Extreme weather: the new normal Read More »

Education to value

/ Leave a Comment

How to survive in a world of destructive overproduction

Going from “fashion is dead” to a style rebirth as the reflection of a thoughtful lifestyle involves a renewed education to value. Which, in an era of devastating overproduction and immense confusion, takes time, a lot of time. Also, patience and humble work. By getting rid of pointless stuff. And silence rather than loudness and obsessive presence. Because it can be ok to post on social media, but for instance, if designers’ voices speak louder than their product, they are not for us.

The paradox of sustainability

Paradoxically, because of sustainability, buzz increased, yet no change ever happened. Noise, just a lot of noise. Who’s the greenest one? The show is on, but the conversation is demeaning. Thanks to green capitalism, in fact, many individuals found new job opportunities even though it has nothing to do with being sustainable. It’s about making money, not making change. Apart from climate activists, sustainability and green capitalism turned out to be a profitable bandwagon.

Indeed, green brushstrokes seemed very cool! And what’s absurd is that most people buy into it.

Therefore, from the perspective of searching for value and offering value, favouring interactions in smaller communities seem more effective than social media screaming. More real, more human. Fake conversations lead nowhere.

Education to value: what does it mean?

Start by avoiding mass production, mass tourism and intensive farming.
Specifically, in fashion, rediscovering value is about developing an understanding and appreciation of good design. And, learning about quality and artisanal handiwork.
Respect workers’ rights and human rights, and care if workers get fair wages. Above all, the necessity of working within the means of the planet.

It involves the need to eliminate the garbage brands try to sell, and not wanting to be part of a world that wants to promote it. Rather than buying pointless stuff, buy nothing at all.

Break the moulds.
Escape marketing slogans,
Search for quality, not quantity.
Because education to value means learning that less is more, even if the rest of the world still follows another direction.

Education to value Read More »

Jane Birkin, Farewell

/ Leave a Comment

A style icon: inspiration vs reality

On July 16, Jane Birkin passed away aged 76 in her Parisian home. The British-born singer, actress and muse has shaped the image of the French allure. Indeed, she will represent the symbol of Bohemian cool forever.

Cinema, music and style icon, she also inspired the famous Hermes Birkin bag. Actually, she hadn’t just provided the inspiration, but she had suggested what kind of capable handbag she needed when she had met the French Maison president on a flight.

Of course, everyone knows Jane Birkin. So, the purpose of our exploration is not to revisit her life. In fact, you may watch “Jane by Charlotte,” the documentary released by her daughter, Charlotte Gainsbourg, in 2021. Instead, we want to analyse to what degree Jane Birkin, regarded by other women as a style example, impacted women’s fashion in reality.

Jane Birkin: timeless style

Undoubtedly, her 60s and 70s outfits marked women’s fashion, making her a point of reference for all designers. But, her latest style represented an evolution: white men’s shirts, oversized coats, blazers, boyfriend jeans and white denim, and flat shoes. Yes, in some interviews, she said she started wearing men’s clothes (now fashion marketing has discovered genderless).
Rugged but refined, mannish but feminine, clothes mixed with that touch of nonchalant elegance typical of someone who can say: ‘my clothes are nice, but I look cool because I am so.’ Indeed, style goes beyond clothes: it reflects that inner quid that clothes alone cannot give. And her style reflected her attitude. In the end, people can buy the bag, but reaching that level of coolness is another story.

However, her effortless style passed through time and evolved with a sense of timelessness. Making her an eternal muse.

She could choose to age according to contemporary standards. On the contrary, she left her face to show the signs of time, with no trace of plastic surgery. A woman who aged beautifully. True to herself and always elegant.

Jane Birkin: from inspiration to reality

Now think about women who celebrated her as a style icon. How do these women process their style? What do they wear? And how are they manipulating their image? Swollen faces, bigger and bigger, to the point of losing traces of human features. Smooth but fake. Bodies are an explosion of plastic. Not to mention clothes that have no idea of elegance.

Therefore, from idolising a muse to reality, what goes wrong? If women say: “we love her style” – what happens afterwards?

No woman in our contemporary universe could wear a naked dress as Jane Birkin did. Her timeless, chic, unforgettable style is on the verge of extinction.

Jane Birkin, Farewell Read More »

How to cut fashion waste

/ Leave a Comment

Reuse and repair in the era of fast fashion

In order to cut fashion waste, the French government will pay a repair bonus to help people with their damaged clothes and shoes. An amount from 6€ to 25€ will cover the repairing cost of garments in workshops or cobblers who will be part of the scheme.

Indeed, an alarming amount of clothes end up in landfills. Since fashion brands keep putting out new garments in huge quantities, governments must find solutions.

The point on fashion waste

The news sounds really great! But let’s consider a few things:

Would anyone throw away clothes of value? Of course, not. Or, at least, it is extremely rare. The garments ending up in the garbage bin aren’t pieces made to last but clothing intentionally made for that purpose. Buy, wear and toss. That is mass production: low prices, poor quality and slaves for manufacturing (individuals no one cares about because if they did, they would stop buying certain products).

In fact, over the last twenty years, purchasing fast-fashion clothing and shoes has become popular. Rich and poor people enjoy it. For the rich is a whim, and for the low-income a necessity. But both love purchasing products that last like a bag of chips.

Product longevity is one of the principles that attests to sustainability. What demonstrates product longevity?
Good design
Quality materials
Skilled craftsmanship

What if the repair cost is higher than the average price tag?

Now, it makes sense to put a patch on the bleeding, but common sense should guide human choices. Therefore, can we cut fashion waste without stopping fast fashion? It doesn’t seem likely. In fact, curing the illness without eliminating the cause isn’t a good strategy.

Here comes the second point, if the French government wants to fight fashion waste, why did they allow the Shein runway in Paris? It may sound like a joke, but in the case of ultra-fast fashion, the repair costs would be higher than the price tag! Does it make any sense?

On how to cut fashion waste, there’s no easy solution. But for sure, we need a more radical approach.

How to cut fashion waste Read More »

Learning from Depeche Mode

/ Leave a Comment

What the iconic band can teach us about style

Do you know there’s a lot we can learn from Depeche Mode? We went to see them live on July 14, Memento Mori World Tour. It was amazing! The sound was perfect, so all the fans could really enjoy each song. And it seems unbelievable we started listening to their music in the ’80s when we were at school, and we never stopped. Because they always made great music! That electro-dark, refined goth, intense and melancholic. Inspired to life and which describes humans’ experiences with unique melodies.

The tribute to Andrew Fletcher, the band member who died in May 2022, was particularly moving. However, the whole concert was extraordinary, soulful, song by song. We loved it!

By the way, the Milano concert was sold-out. And the day before it, the band released two more Milano dates for 2024, which probably are sold out, too. So, there’s something we can learn from them.

“We’ve been that band that nobody understood. Then we’ve been the band that everybody tried to imitate, and suddenly we were the band that everybody says, ‘oh we were influenced by.'”

Dave Gahan

What can we learn from Depeche Mode?

“It’s a competitive world” but Depeche Mode became an iconic synth-pop band. So, how did they do it?
First, passion: they started doing what they liked, the music they enjoyed and kept on with that. Even if people didn’t believe they would survive the first years or criticised them.
The most important lesson is about creativity, consistency, and style. Specifically, the band built a very strong identity, precise captivating sound and image, from clothes to haircuts – always recognisable. In fact, they have never changed to fit the current trends. Therefore, another lesson is the ability to evolve, as they did over forty years while being true to themselves.

Over time they engaged with a specific audience who loved – and still loves – their sound. Not with everyone. No tricks to get other genres involved. Their music is for those who resonate with it.
No marketing tricks, no fluff. Just timeless music and style.

Indeed, there’s a lot we learn from Depeche Mode. They did their way.
So, find the place you are ok with.

“My cosmos is mine”

Learning from Depeche Mode Read More »