Diane, A Shaded View on Fashion

DP in April's Crawford Magazine

Dear Shaded Viewers,

Thanks to my friend Filep Motwary of UnNouVEauIDEAL in Athens, Greece, I got to see this. He and Maria Mastori are also in the same issue. Of course I can not read beyond the photo credit: Michael James O'Brien. He took the image just before the interview after our lunch at our favorite Japanese canteen, Toraya. Not really a canteen but a tea salon. Here are a few more credits, the wonderful Monkey coat was lent to me by the my friend Mr. Pearl for my trip to +46 contest and YWITW screening in Stockholm. And the bag that I love is from JAS MB. My snail was created for me by Miguel Villalobos.

April issue of Crawford

THank you Filep for showing it to me.

Later,

Diane

translation:

“I like all the different people.
I like every kind of fair.
In the crowd, you bet I’ll be there!”

The Breeders, Saints

This lyric undoubtedly represents a variety of people related to the domain of fashion. It is not however the case of legendary American «fashion guru» Diane Pernet. Or at least not in a bad way. «I like being with people, I am curious, but at the same time I love being on my own. Besides, I absolutely need it», she declares in her inimitable, husky and hollow, voice. _n inexhaustible explorer of beauty but at the same time evidently a fan of Arthur Cravan’s famous saying («the stupid see beauty only in beautiful things»), she often gives the impression of an omnipresent mobile temple or a black-clad fairy hovering above all sorts of, more or less aglitter, manifestations around the world.

«I try to convince my friends that yes, I do live in Paris, and not out of a suitcase. The truth is I have been traveling quite a lot lately and apparently it is bad for the skin!», she laughs through scarlet lipstick, and behind her black butterfly-shaped sunglasses one can divine a pair of mischievous and sparkling, indisputably black, eyes. While she is talking about the monkey coat a friend gave her so that she wouldn’t be cold during her recent sojourn in Stockholm, and especially when she extends it for caressing, those eyes shine so much that they nearly fracture her famous dark spectacles. It is exactly that childishness, perhaps not suspected by those who do not know her personally, and her taste for the lighter side of things, that complete her delectable personality.

Naturally, that does not mean that she lives in a fairytale, superficial universe, drowned in champagne. She is, for example, one of the pillars of the organization Designers Against Aids. This is a fairly recent team effort gathering people from the fashion world (Bernard Willhelm, Katharine Hamnett, Jade Jagger and even _ & _, among others) and the music industry (Chicks On Speed, Peaches, Timbaland, Sciccors Sisters,Vive La Fête etc.) in order to enhance research and information on the deadly disease. This particular subject touches her personally: «At the end of the ‘80s in New York and the beginning of the ‘90s in Paris, I watched my friends die the one after the other». Besides, it is not the first time she participates in something of the sort. In 1992 she worked intensely during six months to help organize a big Aids-related charity gala called _allade de l’Amour (where artists such as Nina Hagen participated).

For the past few years Diane, along with a team of collaborators around the world, edits the highly popular and much acclaimed blog A Shaded View on Fashion, where, with photographs and text, she covers a wide range of topics mainly from the field of fashion, but also culture in general. «One of my first jobs, back in Philadelphia in the ‘70s, was a reportage photographer. I’m pretty much still doing the same job today. Except that in those days subjects were assigned to me by other people who paid me, whereas now I pick the subject but no-one pays me! I prefer it of course, but I wouldn’t mind having some sponsors…»

Pernet’s eye is sober, apropos and hardly garrulous. Despite what some might think, she never attends events that do not interest her and she doesn’t care in the least about celebrities. «My main concern and interest is to project and support independent creators whose work I admire.» When I ask for names, she mentions up-and-coming designers such as Danish Henrik Vibskov and Austrian Mario Schwab but also London house Boudicca responsible for simple yet opulent creations («wonderful armour-like things») that suit her down to the ground. All of a sudden I realise that in the fashion world, as in every form of creation, there is an underground movement in which Pernet occupies an important and respectable place.

In the years between her time as a reportage photographer and the beginning of her blog, Pernet had the chance to sharpen her fashion claws. During the ‘80s she worked as a fashion designer – her creations, according to herself, were chic, minimal, avant-garde and somewhat dissonant. «The latter part of my designer years coincided with one of the worst periods in New York, the late ‘80s. It was a dark time for the whole city. I’m only glad to have left then. For years I refused to go back. Now it seems to me like a clean, rather neutral place. Even though there are things going on and there is a sense of hospitality, something I haven’t felt in Paris, even if it is my town and I love it».

She moved there in 1990, with hardly any acquaintances. Having abandoned her fashion line, she found herself doing the costumes for an Amos Gitai film. «_t was a good experience, who wouldn’t like to dress Hanna Schygulla [the film’s star], but unfortunately the director was quite intolerable.» She then moved on to journalism, for magazines like Joyce, Vogue and Elle. «At some point I had a column in Elle.com called Dr. Diane, where people wrote to me for advice on the way the looked. I was never cynical with them, on the contrary, even if sometimes I received some pretty hilarious mail!» Today, she’s an editor for _qons in the U.S. and Zoo in the Netherlands, both magazines that do not focus exclusively on fashion, but cover a wide range of interests.

Pernet’s studies included filmmaking. The 7th art bug never left her alone. In the ‘90s she began shooting lo-fi shorts. In the beginning of 2000 she came up with the idea of a touring festival of short films around fashion, beauty and style. In 2006 her idea became a reality called You Wear It Well. Ever since, it has been presented in a multitude of cities and events around the world, even in Athens in the context of fashion week last October. «This project is my pride and joy. The quality of participating films is very high and I never thought we’d be invited by so many countries.» The deadline for the next edition is June 30 and the proposed film duration ranges from 30 seconds to 5 minutes. Spread the word!

www.ashadedviewonfashion.com
www.YouWearItWell.tv

Oltremoda 23h45 March 23 Rai Uno

Thanks to my friend Giorgio Martinoli, I am able to watch Rai Uno...

Dear Shaded Viewers,

Beniamino Marini, Andreina Longhi of Attila and Kai Kuhne and Robb Young and I in Milan March 2008

Beniamino Marini and Robb Young in Milan

Later,

Diane

Blogs in Fashion - April Amica

Dear Shaded Viewers,

I just told you about the Blog-Mode panel at the Metropolitan Museum on the 30th March and today I received a copy of April's Amica with Scott Schuman and I sharing a page on....blogs. One of my favorites, http://stylebubble.typepad.com was on the next page.

Any German speaking Shaded Viewers that would like to translate my paragraph?

Later,

Diane

I love my Shaded Viewers, within no time the actress/artist Andrea Splisgars translated the article for me.

Any clue who Peter Pilotto is? Stine Goya? No?_Diane Pernet will brighten your knowledge!_The American fashion journalist and blogger based in Paris loves to inform about little known but extremely talented designers and artists._For that she travels the world to Sao Paolo, Mumbai or Barcelona._" Fashion is a very exclusive thing -_ thanks to fashion blogs it gets more democratic and gives a chance to designers to get known worldwide," Pernet says._As unconventional as her view on fashion, is her own style:_For the past 25 years she dresses strictly in black, mantilla and a towering hairdo.

(got to say I'm not sure who Stine Goya is either???)

Thank you to Ninette Murk who a few minutes later sent the translation under comments. Like I said, I love my Shaded Viewres.

DP in January Sportswear International

Dear Shaded Viewers,

I just received this in the post today.

The photo with the sheep was taken in New Zealand by Robb Young, the one on the boat was taken during the Gumball Rally with Mark Eley of Eley Kishimoto, I think it was a boat to Dubrovnik, but cannot remember. The portrait by Wiglius de Bie, the illustration by Roger Duncan and the vintage photo by Christine Rodin in NYC 1981.

Later,

Diane

DIANE PERNET IN BILBAO?

Dear Shaded Viewers,

Yesterday Ramon from Neo2 magazine sent me this image, today he explained to me who's s that lady. "What is a fashion event without Diane? Nothing." He found it in Modorra in Bilbao, the organization of the event made this real-size doll because DP was not there...

photo by Inma Varandela,

thank you Diane,

lenfanterrible.

Diane Pernet interview on catalonian TV programme "Silenci?".

Dear Shaded Viewers:

On wednesday I found myself on a sofa recording my t.v. and this is what I saw.

Thank you Diane,

lenfanterrible.

DP on TV3 INTERVIEW:::::SILENCI?::::::12/12/07

Dear Shaded Viewers in Spain,

Tomorrow night

RE: :::TV3 INTERVIEW:::::SILENCI?::::::

Silenci?, chapter 236
Wednesday December 12th at 23.15 h, at 33

Neoartesania ( new young talented designers vindicating a return to the arts & crafts style)
Elena Ballesteros (a popular Spanish actress)
Diane Pernet
Jordi Graupera (interview with this young Catalan writer, essayist and journalist)

Later,

Diane

DP interviewed by Jorge Wakabara - Chic.com.br

Dear Shaded Viewers,

A few nights before I came to Sao Paulo I was interviewed by Jorge Wakabara. For the rest of the article go to www.chic.com.br.

Later,

Diane

photo by Wiglius de Bie

YOU WEAR IT WELL : Tank Volume 4 Issue 10

Dear Shaded Viewers,

The world tour of the first edition of You Wear it Well continues. Last weekend we were in Berlin and next stop is Sao Paolo and the IGUATEMI FILMEFASHION FESTIVAL IN BRAZIL. As you know we've extended the deadline for You Wear it Well 2 - the cut off date is August 15th.

Photo by Ari Versluis text by Isaac Lock

The second edition of You Wear it Well will debut in Los Angeles at the Los Angeles Theatre on October 11th.

Later,

Diane

D Repubblica delle Donne

Dear Shaded Viewers,

This weekend in D magazine

photo by Miguel Villalobos

Later,

Diane

DP in SPEX

Dear Shaded Viewers,

Any of my German speaking Shaded Viewers want to translate the headline and the first two summary paragraphs in the new issue of Spex SPEX? I would appreciate it.

photos by Kai Junemann
text - Jan Kedves

Later,

Diane

DP in Clam by Adam Levin

Later,

Diane

DP interview on Lifever

Dear Shaded Viewrs,

I am a cover girl today on http://www.lifever.coxi.org

Main photo by Wiglius de Bie

If you click Interviews you will find Sandra Backlund and Rafael from IQONS, both good reads.

Later,

Diane

DP in RyukoTsushin May Issue

Dear Shaded Viewers,

A pleasant memory from Tokyo in the May issue of Ryuko Tsushin.

Later,

Diane

DP in Comme un Garcon

Dear Shaded Viewers,

http://www.baroccogiapponese.com/blog/?p=153

I don't read Italian, do you?

Later,

Diane

DP on Flasher.com

Dear Shaded Viewers,

On my last morning in New York I was interviewed by flasher.com, Blake.

http://flasher.com/view_profile.php?profile_id=221

Thank you Blake,

Kisses from Tokyo,

Diane

L A TIMES TODAY

Lady in black, what can't she do?

Paris-based Diane Pernet is a fixture on the fashion scene, with her towering black hair and all-black clothing. A photographer and fashion designer in the 1980s, she's now a talent scout, documentary filmmaker and fashion blogger. She's also the curator, along with photographer-artist Dino Dinco, of "You Wear It Well," a fashion film festival being held Tuesday at Cinespace in Hollywood.

An open call appeared on her website, ashadedviewonfashion.com, in May, and since then more than 25 films have come in, from designers Martin Margiela, Jeremy Scott, Kim Jones, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, Bernard Wilhelm, illustrator Ruben Toledo, photographer Nick Knight and others. One film, shot in an afternoon by Brazilian photographer Marcelo Krasilcic, stars Chloe Sevigny trying on clothes.

"These are not fashion shows," Pernet said. "They are entertaining, from Jeremy Scott's 'Dynasty'-like film with Tori Spelling to Maison Martin Margiela's, which shows 30 cafes in Paris at the same time."

The films will screen continuously from 7 to 10 p.m.

Paper Magazine and L A Beat

on JCReports today

Dear Shaded Viewers,

Today on JCReports:

http://www.jcreport.com/mailer/issue96/index.html

DP in the current issue of OZON

Dear Shaded Viewers,

This appears in the May issue of OZON, type is too small for me to read so I'll wait till Thodoris Colovos sends me a copy. He is a photographer and Natasha Papachristou  wrote the article. We discovered during the course of the interview that both Thodoris and I share the same birthday, October 8th.

Later,

Diane

DP in KULT Magazine, Milan

Dear Shaded Viewers,

I was very happy to see myself in KULT magazine today. If you are in Paris, you can pick it up at Colette,  and after today ....worldwide.http://www.kultmagazine.com.