Thoughts on Editorial
My entire career has been in fashion editorial. From casting fashion editorials for Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, to sharing my thoughts on fashion and style via keep it chic, editorial is what I do. I love magazines, yet, these days, I find fewer and fewer stories and articles to highlight. Indie magazines are my go-tos for inspiration and Konfekt is in the top three. The editor’s letter, which frequently touches on something that’s been thrumming in my thoughts, is the first thing I read.
In Marcela Palek’s opinion piece in the Issue 93 newsletter, she talks about packing her favorite items for a recent holiday, and her controlled panic when her luggage was lost. Ms. Palek confirms why this is one of my biggest fears when she says “(a)ren’t certain items of clothing almost like trusty companions in life? Such good friends are hard to come by: it takes time to find them, to recognise their value. Then the friendship has to stand the test of time.”
Fortunately, the luggage was located and I am thankful to have her thoughtful story to share.
Dorothy’s comment gave me pause. I, too, have mostly beloved items that I’ve worn for decades, and would be crushed if they were lost. My biggest dilemma when packing for our month-long trips to Paris is deciding, which items go in a carry-on, and which items I am willing to lose. A hard choice, always. I think this is why I challenge myself to take pieces that I rarely wear, i.e. the least precious and most dispensable.
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Great indie magazine! Thank you for the tip.
I definitely agree about Konfekt- it’s my favourite magazine right now. I think it helps that it isn’t published that often so there’s always something to look forward to…
Thank you for this. There’s nothing quite like a physical magazine, especially on a summer road trip or lounging on the beach. May I ask where/how you purchase? Marcheline Isabelle
What are the two other indie magazines you subscribe to? I do subscribe to Konfekt and think it’s great.
I love Konfekt too!
Marcheline- When not in Paris, I buy at Iconic Magazines on Mulberry Street and have subscribed directly to Konfekt.
My favorite indie magazines are Self Service, Holiday, Konfekt, The Gentlewoman, and I would add Harper’s Bazaar France to the list even though it is a Hearst title.
That’s so true about clothes as trusted companions. I lost almost my entire wardrobe in December, and every once in a while I see something in shop and think “oh, I used to have an x just like that” (and can’t bring myself to buy the ‘new’ version of the bag or corset belt)… but worse is the things I know I will never find again, like my old Phoebe Philo for Chloe classic with a twist dresses, which I still wore regularly almost 20 years on.
Keep it Chic is wonderful
and important information!
Thank u…
Dorothy, your story inspired me to add a bit to the post.
The last time I ever checked a bag was on a long trip to Paris where a strike at the airport resulted in my bag being lost for 3 weeks. “You can just buy new clothes” I was told, “you’re in Paris.” I remember feeling not only the devastation in thinking my treasured uniform items were lost forever (and with it, my identity — but an even deeper devastation in feeling that no one could understand my loss. Thank you for this post!! It captures the significance so poignantly.
Oh dear … the irony is that with trips I’ve often packed half older clothes I would be happy to leave behind (ie for a quick hand luggage trip to Pisa, this time last year for an academic conference, I returned with half a bag because I had left behind because they were at the end of their lifecycle, and regularly do the same for back of beyond Morocco). This was my wardrobe in London that ‘vanished’ and I was only ‘saved’ because I had packed some nicer clothes for work and meetings in Paris which needed them.
I’ve done work for a lot of fashion people who collect art, and everything they ever gave me went. But to be honest, it’s actually, after the initial shock, been quite refreshing re-visiting what my actual tastes now were at 50 having restarted from scratch – and quite liberating having just 82 cm of wardrobe, [not quite yet] filled with clothes I like and wear regularly.
You have style, and you’d easily surmount a similar disaster. Pack what you love for Paris, and enjoy your wardrobe!
Thank you for this post. I, too, value my clothing and think of it as very personally connected to who I am (my shoes in particular, as I tend to dress fairly classic). I don’t consider myself materialistic – or at least not “hyper” materialistic – to the point that I value clothing or shoes over what I know to be the most important gifts and blessings in my life – too many to enumerate here but nothing that has a monetary value. But I can’t deny that I am attached to shoes and clothes, and it’s fine with me if I consider them a part – albeit a small part — of who I am.
Thank you for the magazine recommendations…I will definitely look at them. I used to be a magazine “junkie” going back to high school days…over 50 years! Now I only have 2 subscriptions…Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar…and I wonder each month why I renewed.
It seems the fashion magazines are not what they used to be. I only subscribe to Vogue so that I have access to Vogue Runway online. I tend to look at Net-a-Porter and Moda Operandi and the runway shows, rather than the magazines. Like Sharon, I used to be a magazine junkie, but now I take advantage of the library digital access via Libby and other digital subscriptions-more for interior design, travel, food and intellectual commentary.
I do get personally attached to my favorites clothes and shoes. Fortunately, I have never lost anything traveling. While my carry on is a Rimowa, I only check an ugly low end bag because no one will be tempted to take it!
So much to dig into here! I’m just returning from 9 days in Scandinavia with just a carry-on. Although I packed some “special” pieces, I found I was most comfortable – and fit in best – in my usual summer uniform of off-white jeans, a luxurious knit of some kind, modern sneakers, and the Loro Piana traveler jacket that was discussed in a previous KIC post. It would be devastating to lose any of these trusted travel companions. Just subscribed to Konfekt – like Sharon and Rebecca I used to be a magazine junkie but now they just don’t seem relevant – to me or to my daughter.
Lisa Mac, I am so excited for you! I may be the guilty party singing the praises of LP’s Traveler Jacket! I think it’s a winner in every way, and I rarely travel anywhere without it during any coat season (exceptions being Chicago and Boston in the dead of winter). 🙂 It’s so darn understated . . . tailored-yet-chic-lady! The shell repels moisture and the lining feels soft and warm on a cold flight. The pockets are perfect, designed to be secure, and a must for travel! However, I’ve never checked it on a flight ~ the replacement cost has become prohibitive ~ worthy of a homeowner’s insurance claim. Last summer, preparing for a voyage, I bought their little bomber jacket, which is reversible. It’s another winner! I love the simplicity, utility, and style; but the prices have become jaw dropping.