Mother of internet fashion blogging, Diane Pernet, is also fairy Godmother to aspiring young designers. Her fashion blog, ashadedviewonfashion, offers unparalleled news about upcoming fashion and art events. Thanks to her reputation amongst the fashion insider community, ASVOF is also a launching pad for gifted but green talent—a powerful platform for designers whose location or restricted budget limits their access to international audiences.
Instead of local (or online) scouting from her home in Paris, Pernet travels constantly to cherry-pick promising designers whose work she highlights in compelling and supportive personal posts. In addition to her role as a regular judge on competitive juries and reporter from the world’s catwalks, the former designer visits creative sites to screen her extraordinary festival, A Shaded View on Fashion Film (ASVOFF), the only forum exclusively for artists’ films dedicated to fashion. These trips fuel her rare, idiosyncratic yet scholarly appreciation of the world of fashion as it exists away from Paris, New York and the other axis of influence cities.
As a regular writer for ASVOF, it’s been my good fortune to have been befriended by Diane and have the benefit of her knowledge, advice and wit. Here, she shares insights and observations on global fashion, Berlin’s particular place on fashion’s map and the key elements in becoming a bona fide one-to-watch.
Ana Finel Honigman: Do you think emerging fashion communities should focus attention and resources on artistic or commercial brands? What has more long-term potential for areas eager to become significant fashion focal points?
Diane Pernet: I think what is most important are collections with a strong point of view. The commercial brands, for the most part, don’t really need catwalk shows—showrooms will suffice. If you go to India, for example, there is Manish Arora. His impact comes from his more artistic collection although probably most of his income comes from his more commercial brand, Fish Fry. For a long time, Holland had Viktor & Rolf, who basically put the country on the map as far as fashion was concerned, and they did not have a real business for more than five years. In my opinion, an emerging fashion community needs at least one creative star to create an interest. Of course, it is the more commercial brands that will have the real business, but without that one star the country might as well just be happy with a domestic market.
AFH: In your vast experience, what cultural or economic factors make for a fertile, creative environment for design talent?
DP: I sometimes wonder about that. London produces a lot more talent than, say, a country that gives government support to their designers like Austria, Holland or Portugal. Why that is, I’m not quite sure, but I think the struggle is part of the creative process and when life is too easy nothing all that interesting seems to emerge.
AFH: Last season, I interviewed Raf Simons. He said, "I don’t believe that you need money. Name one Belgian who had financial support from the city of Antwerp or any significant institution. I don’t think you could, because it has nothing to do with financial support. Look at Holland. How many Dutch designers do you know who have an internationally important career? Yet they all get so much support from the city." Do you agree? How do programs like awards for emerging designers or government grants really help cultivate talent?
DP: I definitely agree. I know organizations, like Unit F in Vienna, that give out a lot of money to support designers, and the €100,000 is almost expected, as if it is normal. And what do they do with it that is so significant?
Young Belgian designers who are succeeding right now, like Anthony Vaccarello or Jean Paul Lespagnard, did not come from money. In the case of Jean Paul Lespagnard, he did not attend one of the prestigious schools. He did win a contest at Hyères, as did Vaccarello, which boosted both of their careers and helped them to carve a niche in the international scene. Anthony won the ANDAM prize last year, which was huge, and Jean Paul has Anne Chappelle investing in him. It had nothing to do with government support and a lot more to do with hard work and a creative vision that, in time, got recognised.
To be honest, I think the prizes are a bit out of control and are about getting recognition for the country that doles them out more than anything else. The best example is Mango—why would a young designer deserve to win an award of €300,000? Do you really think they are worthy of it?
Years ago when Swiss Textiles—formerly Gwand—offered €100,000, it was only to brands that had survived a minimum of three to five years, and they had to have a business plan with a very clear idea of how they were going to make the prize work for them. Several years later, the CFDA [Council of Fashion Designers of America] did not want to be outdone, so they offered €200,000 or €250,000 prizes so they could be the biggest award. Then Mango offered €300,000 so they could be the biggest. Then ANDAM decided they were losing attention because their prize was €60,000, so then they made it €250,000. When does it stop?
Sandra Fasolini was the first winner of the €300,000 MANGO prize. I’m sure she has invested it well and quit her day job bartending, but how many people internationally even know who she is? Festival d’Hyères offers a small prize—I think €15,000—but it gives a certain credibility and opportunity.
I think it is all a bit out of hand.
AFH: What attributes inspire you to support a designer or aesthetic?
DP: It’s pretty basic: I look for a designer who has his or her own voice and signature. They also have to know their market and how to cut. I think along with originality, there is a strong need for understanding cut and fabrication. I like diversity, so it could be something like the elegant sport/street-wear of someone like Jean Paul Lespagnard, or the signature look of designers like Rick Owens and Haider Ackermann.
AFH: Do you think that Berlin has the potential to be a powerful participant in global fashion?
DP: So far I haven’t seen evidence that Berlin is that developed as a Fashion Week. It’s strong on big brands like Hugo Boss, but not sure how strong the younger designers are. Time will tell I guess. There is no reason why it can’t be.
AFH: Why should Germany want to be taken seriously by the fashion community?
DP: Every emerging Fashion Week wants to be the next Paris, Milan, New York or London. It takes time and talent. Everyone wants to know if there is some secret weapon that will bring them instant success. I just don’t believe there is.
AFH: Do you think the fact that every other place on the planet now has a Fashion Week does anything positive for international style or regional designers?
DP: Potentially it could. It is also a matter of asking whether the country needs to go outside their own boundaries to have a healthy business. Take India or Brazil, they want an international market, but how much do they really need it? They do quite well with their domestic business. I think it is more about prestige.
AFH: What are the most extreme problems and positives you've encountered
through your travels as a guest of various fashion weeks?
DP: Like you, I’ve seen a lot on the catwalks that have no real reason to be there. At any rate, I’m quite tired of catwalk shows and much more into more intimate presentations and installations, and, of course, fashion films.
AFH: What do you think people expect of you when they invite you to these events?
DP: Visibility on an international platform.
AFH: How does your taste as a critic relate to your style as a designer and your extraordinary personal aesthetic?
[Images: Diane Pernet by Miguel Villalobos]
