More than meets d I (.)

I just realised that this, 'Happy 200th posting Dstysionist, Yipee!'

Being professionally trained and qualified, I seek inspiration from multiple sources. However, I think there is 'more than meets the eye' on this occasion...Boo... :-O

Indigenous tribe accuses Isabel Marant of plagiarism

Vivian Hendriksz

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Monday, 22 June 2015

London - Isabel Marant may have found inspiration for her collections in numerous tribes from around the world, but now the French designer is accused of taking her sources of inspiration too literally as one indigenous community argues the motifs found on a blouse, dress and skirt in her Spring/Summer 2015 collection is a direct and blatant copy of their traditional dress.

The Mixe community, an indigenous tribe from Santa Maria Tlahuitoltepec, Oaxaca in Mexico are threatening to take legal action against the French designer after noticing the uncanny resemblance between certain items from Marant's Etolie line and their traditional dress. "Isabel Marant is committing a plagiarism because the Etoile spring/summer 2015 collection contains the graphical elements specific to the Tlahuitoltepec blouse, a design which has transcended borders, and is not a novel creation as is affirmed by the designer," said a representative of the community during a press conference held earlier this month. The community is now asking for reparation from the designer for damages and are set to take legal action as they view their traditional dress to be a symbol of their identity. 

Isabel Marant accused of "hijacking a cultural heritage for commercial benefit"

The designer stands accused of "hijacking a cultural heritage for commercial benefit," whilst putting "indigenous communities at risk, as well as the originality of the fashion industry," according to Santa Maria's Tlahuitoltepec mayor Erasmo Hernández González. Accusation first began flying earlier this year, in January when Oaxacan singer Susana Harp shared a photograph of Marant's Vicky blouse in question on Twitter next to a picture of the 600 year old design for the traditional Tlahuitoltepec blouse, which has been produced in the south of the country by the tribe for years. The image went viral and led to national debate concerning cultural influences and the fashion industry.

The dress version of the alleged plagiarized traditional costume is currently on sale for 120 pounds on Net-a-Porter, down from the original retail price of 200 pounds which is equal to 4,500 Mexican pesos. The original blouse from the Mixe community is said to cost roughly 300 pesos in Tlahuitoltepec. "The community also invited [Isabel Marant] to visit and to learn about the community and the artisan women creating the garment for so many generations," said Adriana Aguerrebere, from the NGO Impacto, which aims to reduce poverty and income inequality in South America. "The community also invited civil society and state, federal and even international authorities to work in the legitimisation of the collective heritage of indigenous peoples." Impacto will be working together with the Mixe community in search of more widespread protections for "the knowledge and the patrimony" of its indigenous people.

The case between Isabel Marant and the Mixe community has been further complicated after the Guardian contacted the designer's office and was told that another designer had also accused the designer of stealing their design. Fellow French fashion house Antik Batik has reportedly taken already "summoned" Isabel Marant as they believe they hold the copyright on the design. "Before the district court of Paris, Isabel Marant is fighting to set the record straight: she has presented submissions which expressly point out that these designs come from the village of Santa Maria Tlahuitoltepec in the province of Oaxaca, in Mexico," read a statement from the fashion house.

"Moreover, Ms Isabel Marant, after tracing the true origin of these clothes, officially informed the court: 'For her part, Ms Isabel Marant does not claim to be the author of this tunic and these designs'." As of yet, is seems that the indigenous community is unaware of the claims from Antik Batik and Marant's statement regarding her designs.

Bibliography

Reference Cited

INDIGENOUS TRIBE ACCUSES ISABEL MARANT OF PLAGIARISM (2015) [Online] FashionUnited Available from:https://fashionunited.uk/news/fashion/indigenous-tribe-accuses-isabel-marant-of-plagiarism/2015062216817?utm_source=UK&utm_campaign=d24e1e0e41-UK26B_156_23_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e39a8f8366-d24e1e0e41-148998501

[Accessed: 24 MAY 2015]

Comfort IS Priority

Dstysionist continuously STRESSES comfort. This IS the unfortunate proof. Let us break free from the 'tombstone effect'. Stay safe my fashionistas xoxo

Skinny jeans could turn wearers into unwitting fashion victims

AFP

| 

Tuesday, 23 June 2015

Squatting in super-tight "skinny" jeans may pose a health risk, Australian doctors warned Tuesday, reporting the case of a woman who temporarily lost feeling in her legs from an hours-long squeeze.

The 35-year-old collapsed and had to be hospitalised the day after helping a relative move home, spending hours on her haunches to unpack cupboards. The unusual case was reported in a British specialist publication, the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.

"She had been wearing tight 'skinny' jeans and recalled that these had felt increasingly tight and uncomfortable as the day wore on," the journal said. "Later that evening, she experienced numbness in her feet and found it difficult to walk, which caused her to trip and fall.

"Unable to get up, she spent several hours lying on the ground before she was found." The woman's legs were so swollen that the jeans could only be removed by cutting them off, said the statement. She couldn't move her ankles or toes properly, and had lost feeling in her lower legs and feet.

She was put on a drip, and was able to walk normally again four days later. Doctors at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, South Australia, said the jeans, combined with the squatting, had reduced blood supply to the leg muscles. At the same time, nerve fibres connecting to the lower legs had been damaged by prolonged compression, which explained the numbness and loss of control. 

"The present case represents a new neurological complication of wearing tight jeans," they wrote. (AFP)

Bibliography

Reference Cited

SKINNY JEANS COULD TURN WEARERS INTO UNWITTING FASHION VICTIMS (2015) [Online] FashionUnited. Available from: https://fashionunited.uk/news/fashion/skinny-jeans-could-turn-wearers-into-unwitting-fashion-victims/2015062316820?utm_source=UK&utm_campaign=d24e1e0e41-UK26B_156_23_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e39a8f8366-d24e1e0e41-148998501

[Accessed: 24 JUN 2015]

Jeans 4 U in Full Circle 'O'

Dstysionist says, "Here we are again as we come full circle in the most suitable jeans for you. Fabulous tips in addition to mine. I agree with most tips by Donna Ida except the in the last three sentences. I would not say that they are impractical nor she is wrong. I leave it to my fashionistas to research and verify."

The Denim Revolution: How To Find The Perfect Jeans For You This SS15

We spoke to denim expert Donna Ida to find out what we should investing in for next season – and it turns out 70s flares (and putting your jeans in the freezer) is all the rage…

By Sophia Moir | Yahoo Fashion Blog – Mon, May 4, 2015 16:02 BST

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The high-street is going head-over-heels for denim this SS15.

Fresh from the Stella McCartney, Fendi and Burberry Prorsum Spring / Summer 2015 runways, we’ve seen the humble denim reincarnated from the back of your wardrobe to becoming THE focal point of your outfit.

Crazy for denim on the Stella McCartney, Burberry Prorsum and Fendi SS15 runways [Getty]And with a recent study by Tampax Compak Pearl revealing that 40 per cent of women struggle to find the perfect pair of jeans, we spoke to denim expert Donna Ida to get all our questions answered…

The Next Big Thing In Denim

There’s no denying that jeans are an all-year-round wardrobe staple (and we shall not be parted from our trusty black skinnies come winter), but summer signals a change in style direction for most of us.

Donna, who owns a flagship denim boutique in London’s Chelsea, told us it’s all about white jeans and 70s-inspired flares in terms of next season’s trends.

Donna Ida - aka the Queen of Denim - spoke to us to promote the launch of Tampax Compak Pearl“White jeans are an absolute summer essential and SS15 is no different! Wearing white jeans is all about confidence,” said Donna.

“I think the flare will continue through to next season but there will be a more glamorous take, with a focus on denim fabric finishes.”

70s-style flares are all the rage for SS15 - just team with cork wedges [Topshop]And for those days where it’s too hot for actual trouser-wearing (let’s hope we get some of those soon, eh?), we’ll be sporting the ubiquitous denim mini-dress, with Donna telling us we should let the dress do the talking by keeping styling simple.

“I would keep it quite clean and chic, and add a waist cinching belt and a cute pair of strappy sandals,” she said of styling a denim-dress. 

How we'd style our denim mini-dress... [Yahoo Lifestyle]From L-R: Blue Denim Patch Pocket Front Tunic Dress - £24.99 – New Look, Annalese Necklace - £18.00 - Avon, Lareani Sandal - £50.00 - Aldo

And double-denim? Donna told us it’s all about not looking too matchy-matchy – instead clashing your washes for a stylish effect. 

“Wear different washes together, for example a dark wash jean and a light wash shirt,” she said. 

“Also play around with sizing - you could try a looser shirt over skinny jeans.”

Choosing The Right Denim For Your Body Shape

We all know there’s no point succumbing to styles that don’t suit your body shape, which is the number one fashion faux pas.

In fact, confidence is key – and finding the right pair of jeans will have a massive impact on your self-confidence, so we got down to the nitty-gritty with Donna.

AKA we found out which jeans we should all be wearing! (you can thank us later…)

Pear – A higher-waist style will cinch you in and draw the eye towards your small waist, whilst a bootcut or wide leg style will skim over your hips, balancing out your body proportions with the kick at the bottom of the leg.

Curvy - A straight-leg jean is a must as it will elongate your pins. You should also stick to a heavy-weighted denim with a minimal amount of stretch; a lighter weight with too much give will not provide the structure that you need. 

Kim Kardashian's high-waisted jeans flatter her curvy figure [Rex]Apple - There should be plenty of stretch in the apple girl’s jeans; typically you will look best in a stretchy straight leg style, with a mid or low rise waist. Apple shapes should also be wary of choosing the right wash; darker styles tend to be more flattering.

Boyish – Luckily, boyish types look good in most styles of denim, but a low-rise skinny jean will provide more shape and definition than most other fits. As a boyish body shape, you can get away with detailing such as zips and hardware; adding detail to the seat, like back pockets. 

Boyish figures like Cara Delevingne can get away with added extras on jeans [Rex]Tall - If you’ve got long legs then one key point is to keep the waist at the right height; too high and it the jeans will elongate your legs even further and shorten your torso. Stick to mid and low rise styles, in a longer length.

Petite - A petite girl’s gentle curves look great in skinny or straight leg jeans, particularly if the style has fading or detailing to add shape. High-rise styles will elongate your legs and cinch-in your waist to show off your perfect proportions, whilst cropped styles really suit your smaller frame.

Finding Your Perfect Pair

So you’re in the shops, you’ve found the right jeans for your body shape and they’re bang-on-trend for next season – but how do you know whether they’re the right size?

Well, if they go on with ease, they’re actually a size too BIG – and if you have to jump up and down to get ‘em on, that’s a good thing…

“If they go on easily, go down a size,” she said. 

“Premium denim jeans will always have 2 per cent stretch and so you should have to wriggle to get into them because they will give when they warm up with your body's heat. 

“Even if you have to jump up and down to get into them, that's fine.”

Trying on jeans needn't be a struggle... [Rex]And it terms of washing the beauties, you might be causing them damage if you’re regularly chucking them in with your darks on a 30 degree wash…

“You should wash your jeans but it does not need to be as often as people think,” said Donna.

“Denim is best washed on a cold wash, never hotter than 30 degrees, then laid out to dry naturally.

“You can put your jeans in the freezer - just put them in a zip lock bag and this kills the bacteria, this is also good for leather or coated jeans.”


Bibliography

Reference Cited

THE DENIM REVOLUTION: HOW TO FIND THE PERFECT JEANS FOR YOU THIS SS15 (2015) [Online] Yahoo Lifestyles Network. Available from: https://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/blogs/fashion-blog/the-denim-revolution--how-to-find-the-perfect-jeans-for-you-this-ss15-150215417.html

[Accessed: 8 MAY 2015]