Because you can't have depths without surfaces.
Linda Grant, thinking about clothes, books and other matters.
Pure Collection Ltd.
Net-a-porter UK

Monday 9 June 2008

I wouldn't do this but it does sound like fun

A few mates go to Manchester for a spot of shopping.

Ronke (pronounced Ron-kay) sweeps into the room in a riot of colour - from her draping orange and pink dress to her long tan leather coat tied with a green scarf at the back. I have a suspicion she's wearing a 1970s curtain but decide she must know what she's talking about.

We, her 'patients', line up on the sofa ready to be transformed into fashion-conscious divas; eager to discover our own style. We are four women in a city, contemplating a weekend of shopping. But this is Manchester not Manhattan and we haven't done our hair. Rather, we have booked a personal styling weekend to spruce up tired looks and get insider's tips on the latest trends. Our home from home will be a designer riverside apartment stocked with the latest Apple gadgets and a fridge full of organic treats.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a great present for someone!

Geri

Badaude said...

completely terrifying.

Anonymous said...

Note that this excursion centres on sweatshop-produced clothes.

Manchester is a vibrant city, but I'll quote Lenin dreadfully out of context: "Better fewer but better".

I was so pleased to find two different shops here (not size zero) where all the clothing was locally made. Bought three camisole tops in a silky viscose material, one the loveliest grey.

And a black gore skirt, just below the knee, that I can cycle in.

Manchester et Liverpool (French yéyé)...

sung by Marie Laforêt lyrics by Eddy Marnay (she was actually of Armenian origin, he of Algerian Sephardi origin... vive la France des couleurs).

Manchester et Liverpool
Je me revois flânant le long des rues
Au milieu de cette foule
Parmi ces milliers d'inconnus

Manchester et Liverpool
Je m'en allais dans tous les coins perdus
En cherchant ce bel amour
Que près de toi j'avais connu

Je t'aime, je t'aime
Que j'aime ta voix qui me disait
Je t'aime, je t'aime
Et moi j'y croyais tant et plus

Manchester est devenu triste
Et Liverpool vient pleurer sur la mer
Je ne sais plus si j'existe
Les bateaux blancs craignent l'hiver

Manchester est sous la pluie
Et Liverpool ne se retrouve plus
Dans la brume d'aujourd'hui
L'amour lui aussi s'est perdu

Je t'aime, je t'aime,
J'écoute ta voix qui me disait
Je t'aime, je t'aime
Et je n'y croirais jamais plus

Anonymous said...

H&M have a good ethical policy and do not produce their clothes in sweatshops. Indeed, they are spearheading initiatives on worker's rights - see http://www.litegreen.com/brands/H%2526M/

Litegreen is a useful resource for finding out which high street shops have reasonable ethical policies - it really annoys me when people like the writer of this article assume all cheap clothes are ethically equivalent, because it's untrue!

Cathy

Anonymous said...

Thanks for that Cathy! Important to know, as some of us can't possibly afford couture. I'll definitely study that site.

Conversely, one can't assume that expensive items are ethically made.

Anonymous said...

ronke

is

pronounced ron keh

not ron kay

yoruba name... nigerian...

i have visions of my mom sighing... u young people cant even pronounce your own names properly...