Levi’s: One for the What Took Them So Long file…



I’ve never understood how Levi’s 501s came in different cuts and fits – surely 501 is the style so shouldn’t have variations went my logic. Well, now Levi’s have decided to do a standard cut worldwide which makes perfect sense. The reason cited, according to Levi Strauss CEO John Anderson is that they believe straight-leg jeans are a global fashion trend and now is the right time to establish the 501 as an obvious choice for global consumers. I say, duh, isn’t that a bit obvious? But never mind, at least they’re doing it now. Let’s hope the fit is the same across mens and womens 501s. Please understand Mr Levi’s that some of us girls want what the boys have – a nice lazy-Sunday loose-but-not-falling-down fit.

UPDATE:
To answer my ‘why are there different fits’ question, D has kindly weighed in with the following:
Okay, so the 501 is the model of the brand. The model was then adapted as trends changed, hence the different varieties of 501 over the years, with slight changes in cut: the 1947, ’55, ’63, ’67 etc. It’s similar to the way that Ford have the Fiesta model and give it facelifts to make it more appealing to changing tastes as time passes. The ’47s are quite slim, the ’55s a wider cut, the ’63s have a higher waist and the cut is somewhere between a ’47 and ’55 and the ’67s are very slim, and have a zip fly.

That told me then.



It’s back!



There aren’t many fashion blogs out there that focus (in a non-dry way) on the business side of fashion. Vogue.co.uk‘s daily news, while not strictly a blog, is good for quick snippets and Business of Fashion is definitely a firm favourite. Portfolio.com’s Fashion Inc blog was one of my must-clicks until a few months ago when it came to an abrupt end. Well it’s now returned, minus original blogger Lauren Goldstein Crowe (who has been busy publishing her book on Jimmy Choo). The new Fashion Inc will feature a variety of guest bloggers starting with journalist Lisa Marsh. She’s written a very interesting post about Hermes’ rising sales due to the current vogue for silk scarves…



Too big for your boots?



When I worked on a magazine I used to get endless emails from readers looking for fashionable shoes in big sizes. I would harangue the shoe PRs on a regular basis to find out why their sizes stopped at an 8. ‘No room in the warehouse’ would come the rather unconvincing reply. Even today, when certain brands do trumpet that they go up to size 9, you can guarantee there are only a few styles in that size made and once they’re gone, they’re gone. So it’s nice to discover Angeline Tournier, whose shoes go up to size 10 and are properly fashionable. The range is quite small at the moment but is sure to go on to bigger things.
(PS, they start at size 3.)




New film alert!



Face Addict
A fascinating trip back in time to Downtown Manhattan in the 70s, as lived first-hand by photographer Edo Bertoglio. Adopted by Andy Warhol, Bertoglio became the man responsible for immortalising the scene’s supercool stars in the pages of the Factory house magazine Interview, including the likes of Basquiat and Debbie Harry. Having lost his exalted position following a destructive drug addiction, Bertoglio returns here to his former haunts to offer a unique insider’s perspective on the faces, lives and work that continue to resonate even now.

This review was taken from The ICA website. The ICA is celebrating the launch of this film with Shoot Yr Idols, a two-week season of art documentaries with footage including Ed Ruscha, Robert Mapplethorpe, Patti Smith, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol. The season runs from 15 August 2008 – 31 August 2008.

Pic: ICA