Notebook Pages

Here are my latest finds and news from fashion, style, film, photography and beautiful living.

 
Last week two of my readers expressed their interest in the location where this photograph was taken. The inspiration behind it is so interesting that I wanted to share it with you all and elaborate a little on the subject. The work of Peruvian photographer Martín Chambi, which documented the Peruvian society at the turn of the 20th century, was the influence behind the beautiful fashion story imagined by Carine Roitfeld and Mario Testino. In fact, Mario Testino, a Peruvian himself, has often referenced Chambi’s photography and his Alta Moda exhibition partially reinterpreted Chambi’s style and his iconic images. Martín Chambi’s photography style is considered to be singular and unique, and is renowned for its profound social, historical and ethnical content. Martin Chambi: Photographs, 1920-50 is one of the books that showcase Chambi’s works.

“I have read that in Chile it is thought that Indians have no culture, that they are uncivilized, that they are intellectually and artistically inferior when compared to whites and Europeans. More eloquent than my opinion, however, are graphic testimonies. It is my hope that impartial and objective witnesses will examine this evidence. I feel that I am a representative of my race; my people speak through my photographs.” Martín Chambi
 

 
• My film recommendation this week: American Beauty (1999), directed by Sam Mendes, is one of my favourite films of the last decades. Its dark wit puts it into the satire and dark comedy rather than in the drama category. American Beauty catches the life behind things and appearances in the suburban American society, something Hollywood usually fails to deliver. Superb performances, crowned by Annette Bening and Kevin Spacey. I don’t think any other actor than him could have played Lester Burnham, his character who is going through a liberating mid-life crisis, determined to peel away the superficial and untruths in his life.
• In my last week’s article on the costumes in The Two Faces of January, I was telling you about some of director Hossein Amini’s key influences for the film. Here is the more complete selection of past masterpieces drawn on to help find the look, style and tone of his first feature film. Very interesting.
• Tips for making your denim last.
• The summer sales are on and Reiss is a favourite destination.
• Florence’s famous Baptistry is covered in Emilio Pucci’s Battistero print while it undergoes restoration work. It is the first building to be covered in art, instead of advertising. Hear, hear!
• This is what I call summer bliss.

PS: During summer, the Notebook Pages are going to be a bi-monthly feature.

photos: Martín Chambi, via Martín Chambi