Robin Givhan reviews Wintour's 20 years at Vogue.

This is quite interesting stuff. Hardly ever do we question the authority of Anna Wintour but we don't really analyse it either. Pulitzer Prize winner Robin Givhan tells us what controversial editor Anna Wintour, is doing right; wrong and effectively. Have a read...

Wintour’s success stems from a balance of stereotypical masculine strength and feminine beauty.

The magazine's circulation is 1.2 million, a Vogue spokesman said, essentially what it was when Wintour took over two decades ago. She came to represent a new archetype for a fashion editor: a master of the universe who wears her power as comfortably and impeccably as Chanel couture. It's an intimidating combination because it implies that she is a woman who is accomplished in the so-called masculine art of war and still knows how to use all the stereotypically feminine wiles. She is a double threat.



Givhan’s stint at Vogue was surprisingly drama-free, though her personal style was upgraded.

I worked at Vogue briefly in 2000, a fact that always elicits the question: What was it like? I'm well aware that the questioner is breathlessly awaiting tales of free clothes, frantic assistants and hissy fits over cerulean blue belts. I hesitate to spoil the fantasy, but during my short stay I never witnessed any toddler-size temper tantrums. My colleagues did improve my standard of dress, although by example, not by mandate or largess.



Vogue attempts diversity in its pages … sort of.

During Wintour's tenure, Vogue has incorporated street trends into its pages. It has put its stamp of approval on what was once called hip-hop style and now is merely urban style. But it does so on its own terms, by, say, including Sean Combs in a couture fashion shoot as a Cary Grant type with a tan. (It struggles with bringing diversity to its pages, as do most fashion magazines.)



Female political figures make for the most compelling Vogue subjects.

The magazine is at its most provocative, though, when it turns its attention to personalities not typically associated with high fashion—Oprah Winfrey, Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Cindy McCain, Condoleezza Rice. The resulting photographs are fascinating not because of any reality they reveal but because of the fantasy they unleash. Vogue sets its sights on an of-the-moment character and transforms her into an impossibly perfect version of herself.

Affordable and loving it.

We have to admit that sometimes we can fall into both designer traps (think spending a few hundreds on one piece) or into the more local cheap-as-cheaps-and-fabulous trap (spending a whole lot more on heaps of goodies) and we have found our latest target. Local Australian company, Sassi Sam has always had some fantabulously girly pieces and we have fallen in love with all of Sassi Sam's girly stuff which make really fabulous gifts and goodies which you can spoil yourself with. Check out our absolute favourite in the new jewellery section. And wait for it...its called "Label Whore" and a mere $42.50. What do you think about that? Check out the lovely sassisam.com to purchase a "Label Whore" necklace. Don't you love it? I know that we do.

Related?

I clicked onto my inbox and I saw the new Chloe dress on the right and it automatically reminded me of something. Something which I owned but it was not really a dress or clothing article of that sort. The verticla lines, the strange sleeve fastenings and I don't know how in the world it came to my mind, but doesn't this dress look suspiciously like the Chloe Bay Bag perhaps? Well, it does to me. Let me know what your thinking. This is quite strange. I am sure that like most unusual dresses, it probably looks better on than off, don't you think?

The Latest Chloe "It" bag.

What do you think? I personally like it because it looks like it will fit in a whole lot more than the kitchen sink into it, even a pair of shoes or two and plus; I'm loving the soft leather which gives it that worn-but-chic look. Do you think it might give the Paddington and the Bay bag a run for the money in Iconic attributes? I'm not too sure but I think it makes a fabulous Nappy or Mother-like handbag and is a very nice statement to take to the beach or something of that sort. It is the Chloe Cyndi tote and retails for $2200 US dollars. Loves it.

Innovated classic.

As you might already know (and if not, well...now you do) Comme des Garcons has collaborated with Louis Vuitton. As a celebratory tribute (perhaps) to Louis Vuitton's 30th year in Tokyo, Comme des Garcons designer Rei Kawakubo has designed a limited edition line of six handbags in the iconic monogram pattern. I'd personally say that these handbags are such art pieces and if I were to be a lucky person who owned one of them, I would never really take it out with me anywhere. There is this classic yet futuristic element to it (and we all know how much designers are in love with futuristic at the moment) and I would rather just leave it sitting in a glass box (where the hell will I find one of those?) than take it around with me. This picture gets enough weird looks as it is, and can you imagine if someone went strolling around with it? Proposterous!

If your loving the look or loving the art (shall I say), this collection wll be available to order at the Tokyo Comme des Garçons store from the 4th of September. Our menswear editor will be there during this period so there is many fashion news to come from Tokyo.

Fun fact of the day.

According to a major daily publication, "Sunglasses are the current "It" bag to women and the new fancy watch to men." Do you agree? I have to say that because it is so cold these days and there is plenty media around all ove, I suppose sunglasses not only appear as the latest 'it-bag' to us women, but also they are fabulous when coming face-to-face with great papaarzzi. Not that this ever happens to us.

L'Oreal Melbourne FashionFestival (LMFF)

If there was a running theme through both of last night's L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival (LMFF) shows, it was ruffles. Barely an outfit went by that didn't have flounces and frills, ruffles and tiers. To compliment, models in L'Oreal Paris Runway 2 sported soft, bouncy waves that flowed and moved with the garments.
Yeojin Bae opened the show with a flowery black and white take on the one-shoulder trend, before Vixen hit the runway in warm paisleys reminiscent of Gucci's Bohemian luxury.