A Brazilian model on the cover? Check! European ads for French brands? Check! An editorial piece about Sex and the city? Check! Check! Check! Now, what’s missing from this July edition of Vogue Nippon? Sadly, Japanese girls are nowhere to be found…

If it wasn’t for the characters, there was no way to tell this magazine is aiming to please a public in the Far East. Through out 260 pages, I counted 2 Asian faces, drowning in a see of green-eyed blonds. Who’s to blame in this bad, not to say politically incorrect, editing choice? Maybe the editor-in-chief, Mitsuko Watanabe? Maybe the New-York Vogue headquarters? Maybe Japanese girls themselves, known for their admiration of pale skin?

One thing is sure, this is not what we expect from the country that gave us Issey Miyake, Kenzo and the manga.

“Our publication has become something very special – a collector’s item revered by lovers of magazines and books all over the world. It brings me immense joy to see that our editorial idea of weaving the historical with the contemporary through a timeless theme creates a modern picture that resonates on a universal level today”… These are the not very humble words of ACNE PAPER’s editor-in-chief, Thomas Persson, celebrating five years of work in his last editorial.

Personally, Scandinavian’s take on fashion intrigues me, and if we overlook Mr. Persson’s lack of tact, Acne is an interesting case to examine.

The Stockholm based collective started as a “lifestyle brand” in 1996, then became a prêt a- porter label with stores in 10 countries worldwide. Five years ago, the Acne team took a big risk, putting their good reputation in peril, by launching the magazine Acne Paper.

Mixing two related fields of work together, Acne now owns a fashion magazine and a clothing brand. It’s a tricky mission to accomplish respectfully (too tempting to use one product to promote the other), yet the group seems to avoid the trap with success.

Through fashion, art, photography and interviews, every issue covers a “timeless theme”. The 10^th issue, out to the stands recently, is dedicated to parties. From Leonardo’s “Last supper” to the crazy nights in Mali of the ’60, passing through Venice, Paris, New-York and London, this issue makes you want to be a part of high society just to have a reason to wear gowns.

The good scandinavian taste has worked its charm again, I only regret the editorial mishap. A smug manager is a total turn-off.

After banning any use or import of fur in clothing, the Israeli parliament is attacking another fashionable issue – Jerusalem will soon decide whether or not Photoshop is going outlaw. In the name of good health, this subject comes up every now and then in different countries (a similar proposition was rejected in France last year). Up until now, it was the 21 years old software that won the debate.

In an attempt to reduce anorexia, a new bill forbids the use of Photoshop to make models look skinnier. Also, if the law is accepted, model agencies could no longer work with any models, men or women, which are medically underweight (whose body mass index is under 18.5).

“Fashion industry and advertising had created a perverted image of the ideal feminine form, as many of the models featured in campaigns suffer from malnutrition”, as written in the bill,”This image is a roll-model for many young women who are trying to lose weight in an extreme manner”.

Those who oppose the proposition say that anorexia is not a new eating disorder. It was already diagnosed and treated 150 years ago, long before Photoshop conquered the world. Moreover, practically speaking, it’s almost impossible to draw a line separating image’s “touch-ups” from “body deformation”.

What do you think? Can this be the solution to expanding anorexia? Should fashion industry take responsibility over teens self esteem problems all over the world? Or is this only the easy way out of an educational issue?

The last 10-15 years revolutionized the way all of us refer to fashion. Mass production companies took over the world, bloggers enjoy an on-growing input, and figures that traditionally stay behind the scenes (designers and editors) are now overly exposed in the press. These changes made the public more and more interested in the fashion world, and more and more critic about it.

In this new habitat, the first issue of Industrie had just hit the stands. “The world’s first culture of fashion magazine” is trying to export from the web to the print the significant interest in backstage fashion. On the cover appears, evidently, Anna Wintour and inside await Natalie Massenet (founder of Net-A-Porter), Tommy Ton (aka Jak & Jil, fashion blogger), Karl Templer (stylist), and more people from the world of style.

It seams to me like Industrie magazine addresses mostly people working in fashion and those who’d like to do that one day. To avoid any misunderstandings, before taking to hand this well designed issue you need to ask yourself what is fashion to you. If you like to look at magazines in search for inspiration, put it down. Better to save these 10 euros for a new t-shirt. On the other hand, if you’re interested in the rise of fashion titans and the future of fashion in the internet era, go ahead, this is the magazine for you.

Lace, pearls, silk scarves and mini dresses. The atmosphere is very girly at Gimmick, a pretty little shop in the 9^th arrondissement of Paris.

This new address was established by two young women sharing a passion: Belinda, back in France after running her own stores in Camden market, London and Valencia, Spain; and Jessica, a young fashion designer. A few weeks ago, the two of them realized many girls’ wet dream, opening their own Parisian boutique not far from Montmartre.

For the moment, Belinda and Jessica are selling their hand made jewelry and some chosen prêt-a-porter labels, but soon (July?) they’re hoping to launch original collections. No boys are allowed in this universe, with the exception of coming to buy a gift for their girlfriend.

Prices: dresses 45-130 euros, accessories 15-20, jewlery (hand made by the owners) 20-30

Gimmick
40, rue de la Tour d’Auvergne
75009 Paris

Open Monday 14:30-19:30, Tuesday to Thursday 11:00-19:30, Friday and Saturday  11:00-20:00.
Tel : 01 48 78 56 77

Originally, I LIKe my stYLe.net is a social network for fashion lovers, where you can upload photos of you and your wardrobe, comment on other people’s pics and discuss style and other topics. Lately, the people behind it have decided to publish chosen pictures of members in their own magazine, “the first user-generated fashion magazine”, as written on the cover.

When the concept is that innovative, the result is bound to be interesting. Through-out it’s 264 pages, “I LIKe my style Quarterly” brings personal stories, cyber dialogs and a lot of photos taken by young people from all around the world. Diversity, style democracy and raw materials are “I LIKe my style” strongest points. On the other hand, 12 Euros for internet content is a bit too much. Especially for a magazine coming 100% from the street.

More than it’s a fashion magazine, ”I LIKe my style” is a testimony, a fraction of  today’s state of mind. Right now the web is overloaded with these blog-influenced-celebrity-like pictures, which makes this issue a little bit annoying nearing the end. But in 20 or 40 years, when there are no more countries and we all speak Chinese, people could be writing studies about it.

Valerie Trouillard is a costume designer for the cinema and the theater, who decided to share her knowledge and findings with the public. Last September she opened a boutique of vintage clothing in the Batignolles neighborhood in Paris, where you can find some cool and even rare pieces for a very reasonable price.

What makes the difference between this place and a lot of other vintage shops in this city, is the owner’s trained eye for finding treasures. Shoes, bags, hats, sunglasses and, of course, clothing, mostly from 10 to 50 euros (so this is what happiness feels like…).

Gyppo & Glitterati
Men and women’s vintage (new stock every week)
34, rue Nollet
75017 Paris

Metro Place de Clichy
Open Tuesday to Saturday 11:00-19:30, Sunday 14:00-19:30