French, as we speak

WHY!? That is what I keep asking myself. Vogue Paris is causing an internet controversy. Vogue Paris has been promoting it's new website more and more, and then they stated how the website would be available in English. However recently, there are articles going around assuming that Vogue Paris will now be printed in English. This was all due to the tweet from Vogue Paris saying: "France gave the US the Statue of Liberty, now we are taking Vogue.fr to the wider world... get ready for #VogueParisinEnglish". Now this tweet is really vague for me, because it doesn't specify if they are talking about the magazine or the website. I then became especially confused when I saw this tweet: "Karl, Marc or Christopher? #vogueparisinenglish is coming soon to Vogue.fr". The idea of Vogue Paris printing in English really scares me as much as it angers me. I can seem to comprehend why someone would come up with such a horrible idea. Vogue Paris is one of the most prestigious and influential magazines of the fashion industry. In my eyes, Vogue Paris (along with Vogue US and Vogue Italia) is part of the Holy Trinity of fashion magazines. The fact that Vogue Paris is stripping away the French factor of a FRENCH MAGAZINE is the biggest, worst sell out move ever.

I respect the french language so much, and when I would buy Vogue Paris the best part was reading it in French. I mean I really stopped buying Vogue Paris after Carine Roitfeld left the magazine, but I still really admired some of the editorials under Emmanuelle Alt's leadership. Many speculate that this change in Vogue Paris's language is just to become more accessible for the whole world, but mostly for the US. However I don't see how much more money that magazine would bring in once it is printed in English. The magazine is over $15 on the US newsstands, which scares off casual customers, so making it English won't really increase a significant amount sales. Let's face the fact that most people in the US who buy Vogue Paris are working in fashion or fashion fanatics, and have many buy the magazine without being able to understand it.

 I remember back to my sophomore year in high school, when I asked a my friend how he had so much time to read all his Vogues. He told me "Nobody reads Vogue, only old rich ladies that stay at home all day". Now a religious Vogue reader myself, I know that I don't read every single article in Vogue. I only will read 3-4 articles that interest me, but the rest of my time is spent looking at the beautiful images. If I don't even already read all of Vogue US, why would I want to read a magazine about French fashion in English. This transition in language would really make the magazine lose it's distinction from it's British and American counterparts.

 The french language is so beautiful and is a TREMENDOUS part of the French culture. By stripping the magazine of it's native language, we are really just making the French language seem inferior to English. It is beyond disrespectful to the French people.  I am not even French and I am insulted. If the magazine did keep Vogue Paris in French and just translated every issue into English, I would be okay with that...as long as the French edition was still available for sale outside France. However this would just be a huge hassle, and the magazine would probably stop after the first issue...realizing it is such a bad idea.

Since I will be living in NYC, and have greater access to the world's magazine, I will not ever consider buying Vogue Paris if it is in English. I am really proud of my native culture and language and have a lot of respect for people who are the same way. Vogue Paris in English is a disrespectful action towards culture (since it would give other magazines the idea to want to change their language as well), and all in an attempt to make more money. It is so sad, and I predict the downfall of the  magazine if they went through with all of this. I get sick to my stomach when I see people celebrating that they will finally be able to read and understand Vogue Paris, because it just shows cultural unawareness. The magazine should be reaching out to the people in the country, instead of trying to reach out to other countries who have a low percentage of people who actually give a shit.

EDIT: This whole little rant seemed to be pointless since the tweet referred to the website (like the way Vogue.it is in English), just like I had suspected. Whatever, this is my feelings about the magazine printing in English, if that ever happens.

Givenchy Resort 2012

Due to the fact that I am so overwhelmed lately with so much inspiration, I hadn't really been interested in the Resort collections this year. I found them all okay but nothing more than that. Givenchy however, really blew me away! All though many say it's nothing "new", due to the fact that it is similar to the F/W 2011 collection, I was really impressed. I loved the F/W collection so much that I was really happy that Riccardo Tisci decided to incorporate the same idea into the Resort. 

The Bird of Paradise print caught my instantly. It screamed tropical, summer getaway. The Bird of Paradise is one of my favorite flowers, so this collection was going to be an instant favorite. I really like the reflection of the pattern, because it creates such a beautiful illusion.

The fact that Givenchy maintains this edgy aesthetic really captivates me. Even with the floral prints, it still has a certain edge; something that takes punk and makes it beautiful. Riccardo really took florals to a whole new level with this collection. What I love about the sweaters (like the one on the right), is that that they can be very casual, yet they can be pulled off as daytime glamorous.

Some of my favorite pieces from this collection are a little bit simpler. What I love about the white piece on the left (besides the fact that it's white, since I ADORE white) is the the collar of the sweater. It seems to have been styled with beautiful necklaces, and there seems to be a nice intricate design that really dazzles me. The piece on the right has me mesmerized. The pop of color is so beautiful, and it really makes the flower stand out from the other types of printed flowers in the collection. 

I just wanted to point out the use of sheer fabric in the skirts; also the way they are used in the F/W 2011 collection. Also, I really love the way the magenta flowers go with the cargo green. The visors, along with the lanyards, make the collection seem like it is the glamorous twist on a tourist uniform. There has always been that negative connotation that comes with the word "tourist", but I would love to be called a tourist as long as I was able to wear this collection. You can really tell that Tisci was playing with that idea in this collection.

Two things I want to point out from the collection are the shoes and the "two-strip" skirts. The shoes are just so perfect for a Resort collection. They scream summer, without having that tacky flip-flop feel to them. The "two-strip" skirts are so creative, because they create a contradiction with having the sides long, but still allow women to show off those legs. Also, I really love how some outfits can be so simple and punk; while others are really unique and glamorous. 

I would also like to thank Riccardo Tisci for picking Saskia de Brauw to model some of these outfits, because to me she is exactly what Givenchy represents. Her edgy look can also be so soft and beautiful. 

Pictures courtesy of Vogue.