Wednesday, March 22, 2006

More on Women's Work

In the New York Times Style Magazine for Spring 2006 there were 3 things which caught my eye. The first is a full page Lace script "T" in white and ecru. It is labeled "Lace Me Up, Lace Me Down: a Woman's Handiwork is Never Done". It was designed by Oscar de la Renta.

Also in the same magazine was a full page ad with a purple (excuse me there is no more purple - blue violet) crochet oval purse. There is a wicker and brass closure and brass chain handle. 9 crocheted tassel bits are across the bottom of the bag. It was labeled "Pretty Crafty" and was by Salvatore Ferragamo. The price tage was $990. 

So let me see -- women and their crafts being designed by men and so are fashionable?? Are we back in the middle ages, where men embroiderers were permitted in the Guilds, but women were considered needleworkers and thus not allowed in the Embroidery Guilds? Some things never change.

The last item that caught my eye was an article about typeface becoming "fashionable". It seems that typography is a world unto itself - with uncrowned designer kings and queens. While I knew that Helvetica and Verdana were good screen typefaces, Arial is just toooo declasse for words. [full article on page 176 by Alice Rawsthorn "About Typeface: Why Guardian Egyptian is the Lanvin fo the Print World."]

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