The Soapbox | Where South Africans Speak Out

The Size Zero debate continues. The Guardian is reporting that Germany’s most popular women’s magazine is banning professional models from its pages. They will be replaced by “real” women instead. This is an attempt by  the bestselling German magazine with a distribution of 700 000 to meet the reader’s expectations of womanhood. Apparently the readers of Brigitte felt no connection to the skinny women featured in the fashion features. Additionally editor-in-chief Andreas Lebert claimed that the magazine was tired about having to fatten up underweight models to resemble normal people. In the future, the magazine will be looking for woman with their own identity to represent their readers. The full article can be read here.

While the rest of us know we’re in a recession, luxury label Hermés has decided to ignore it. According to Vogue UK’s website, the fashion house will not go the way of other labels and produce mass prestige goods. CEO Patrick Thomas believes the key to weathering the economic storms lies in preserving the quality and style synonymous with  Hermés’ history. The brand does not grow as fast as they could because they do not want to tarnish the  six hundred year heritage of the company with short-term money. The brand employs 2,000 artisans who all require years of training to reduce those infamous waiting lists. While Thomas agrees that it is appalling having to wait two to three years for your very own Birkin, it is worth it. “If people buy an Hermés bag, they know it’s going to last them for 40 years…it is very different from buying a bag that you are going to throw away at the end of the season.”

Condé Nast, home to Vogue, Glamour, GQ and about a gazillion other magazine titles recently closed some magazines. Some employees heard the news whilst they were in Europe for the shows, working. That should have been the big fashion news. The news that really caught my attention was the launch of Condé Nast’ new online dating site TrulyMadlyDating.com. Fashionista.com is reporting that the online website is meant to unite stylish girls with fashion-conscious GQ-reading boys to, and this is a direct quote, “create matches made in style heaven”. As much as I dream about a guy who is fashion-conscious, I doubt I will find him on this website. It’s hardly the place stylish, single men will be gravitating to, is it? Further to that I have met a lot of lovely people who work in fashion. I have also met a lot of not so lovely people. But the men I keep on meeting, lovely or not,  are clearly not interested in me as a woman (by the way, as a person I’m amazing). It remains to be seen if this venture (part of Condé Nast’s plan to dive in the internet in a big way) will succeed. But  then maybe there are tons of people who are dreaming of a match made in style heaven.

When it comes to diamonds, I think they belong around your neck, on your fingers and on your ears. I am not a fan of bejeweled underwear, strips of diamonds in hair and iPods covered in bling. Luckily for Gucci, I am not their target market. The Posh Review is reporting that Gucci, alongside Stuart Hughes, have designed arguably the world’s most expensive belt. The belt is diamond emblazed and has the Gucci logo shaped out of platinum. In terms of numbers, the belt boasts thirty carats of diamonds encrusted on the platinum double G logo buckle. There are only two of these belts in existence. Considering they retail at $250,000, it’s no surprise. If your style is meant to show the world who you are, what does the belt say about you? You wasted a quarter of a million accessorizing!

Our fashion columnist, the incognito Green Eyes, blogs about life, love and fabulous fashion at her must-read blog: Skinny Bitches – In The Making.