Q & A with Alexandra Shulman
There are few among us that haven't heard of Vogue- and even if we haven't ever bought a copy of the magazine- we've at least seen 'The Devil Wears Prada', or know a little about its high-brow, ruthless reputation. But to be able to spend the morning with Alexandra Shulman, former editor of the magazine, gave me an insight beyond anything I knew (or thought I knew) about the fashion industry. Thanks to #StyledByMailbox, a weekend-long fashion festival at the Mailbox in the city centre, I was able to listen to Shulman offer some interesting, and arguably controversial, responses on a range of topics.
Before questions began, presenter Beccy Wood explained that Shulman is the longest-serving British Vogue Editor to date, taking on the position back in 1992 and stepping down just a couple of years ago. Shulman admitted that whilst she had a background in journalism, such as editing for GQ, she had never worked for a fashion magazine before. She initially found the industry quite daunting, such as having to meet big names like Ralph Lauren and Giorgio Armani for the first time, but soon settled into the fast-paced environment. Describing a typical day in the office, she listed judging clothes rails ready to be featured in photo-shoots and answering queries as typical daily tasks, in addition to spending at least 2 months a year attending fashion shows.
As she began to take questions from the audience, I found many of her responses refreshingly positive, particularly in her attitude to self-image. Her number-one piece of advice was to be true to yourself, and not attempt to look a certain way that you aren't comfortable with. She explained that there is huge pressure within such an appearance-related industry as fashion to behave in a certain way, but the best way to cope with this is to wear your own style with confidence. She echoed this message when answering a question concerning ageism within fashion, arguing that clothes should not have a certain 'age'- and it should be more about having the confidence to wear a certain trend, rather than shying away from clothes that you perceive to be 'too young'.
However, this innovative stance did not shine through within all of Shulman's responses. Answering a question regarding whether disabled models will ever be considered mainstream, she suggested that they do not have a place within a catwalk environment. Whilst acknowledging the importance of diversity, she stated- 'catwalks are for models, and models are a rare-breed', suggesting that the run-way is a place exclusively for slender, size-8 women. She demonstrated a similarly close-minded attitude on the subject of plus-size models, arguing that a size 16 model appears 'out of context' when placed on a catwalk with other 'normal' models. To even use the word 'normal' in reference to one specific body type was something that I found difficult to hear, particularly coming from somebody so powerful, and with such (wasted) potential to create positive change.
As if to justify her stance to the catwalk, Shulman argued that we are sold a certain idea of 'perfection' within fashion magazines and advertisements, which encourages us to invest in the products. While I understand this concept, is it not surely better to aspire towards something that is actually realistic and attainable, rather than a standard of beauty that only leaves us deeply insecure? If the catwalk can be thought of as representing a kind of fashion community- and one that excludes almost every body type in the country- then that community needs to change.
Moving on to speaking about fast fashion, Shulman acknowledged the important role of high-street brands in providing fashionable wardrobes for those who cannot afford designer prices. She suggested, however, that the world is currently 'pivoting backwards', and people now have an appreciation for quality- choosing local produce over mass-production. She praised vintage shopping as a great way to find good-quality pieces and argued that it should be made easier to facilitate vintage within mainstream shopping areas. Nonetheless, she maintained that the fashion industry relies on people constantly desiring new clothes, and therefore we need to work on the issues surrounding fast fashion (such as working conditions and environmental impact), rather than demonising it altogether.
Whilst I believe that she offered an honest and realistic response to this issue, her solutions are perhaps not radical enough given the dire state of the climate at the moment. Her responses to basic fashion queries, for example pinpointing velvet jackets as a key piece for all-year-round, appeared trivial in comparison, as if she was shying away from more important affairs. She was able to throw in a few fun facts, such as meeting Michelle Obama and overseeing a tropical-island shoot with Kate Moss, yet I still left the Q&A feeling slightly disappointed. This was a great opportunity to learn more about fashion from a true insider, but a saddening reminder of how far we still have to go in evoking change.
Before questions began, presenter Beccy Wood explained that Shulman is the longest-serving British Vogue Editor to date, taking on the position back in 1992 and stepping down just a couple of years ago. Shulman admitted that whilst she had a background in journalism, such as editing for GQ, she had never worked for a fashion magazine before. She initially found the industry quite daunting, such as having to meet big names like Ralph Lauren and Giorgio Armani for the first time, but soon settled into the fast-paced environment. Describing a typical day in the office, she listed judging clothes rails ready to be featured in photo-shoots and answering queries as typical daily tasks, in addition to spending at least 2 months a year attending fashion shows.
As she began to take questions from the audience, I found many of her responses refreshingly positive, particularly in her attitude to self-image. Her number-one piece of advice was to be true to yourself, and not attempt to look a certain way that you aren't comfortable with. She explained that there is huge pressure within such an appearance-related industry as fashion to behave in a certain way, but the best way to cope with this is to wear your own style with confidence. She echoed this message when answering a question concerning ageism within fashion, arguing that clothes should not have a certain 'age'- and it should be more about having the confidence to wear a certain trend, rather than shying away from clothes that you perceive to be 'too young'.
However, this innovative stance did not shine through within all of Shulman's responses. Answering a question regarding whether disabled models will ever be considered mainstream, she suggested that they do not have a place within a catwalk environment. Whilst acknowledging the importance of diversity, she stated- 'catwalks are for models, and models are a rare-breed', suggesting that the run-way is a place exclusively for slender, size-8 women. She demonstrated a similarly close-minded attitude on the subject of plus-size models, arguing that a size 16 model appears 'out of context' when placed on a catwalk with other 'normal' models. To even use the word 'normal' in reference to one specific body type was something that I found difficult to hear, particularly coming from somebody so powerful, and with such (wasted) potential to create positive change.
As if to justify her stance to the catwalk, Shulman argued that we are sold a certain idea of 'perfection' within fashion magazines and advertisements, which encourages us to invest in the products. While I understand this concept, is it not surely better to aspire towards something that is actually realistic and attainable, rather than a standard of beauty that only leaves us deeply insecure? If the catwalk can be thought of as representing a kind of fashion community- and one that excludes almost every body type in the country- then that community needs to change.
Moving on to speaking about fast fashion, Shulman acknowledged the important role of high-street brands in providing fashionable wardrobes for those who cannot afford designer prices. She suggested, however, that the world is currently 'pivoting backwards', and people now have an appreciation for quality- choosing local produce over mass-production. She praised vintage shopping as a great way to find good-quality pieces and argued that it should be made easier to facilitate vintage within mainstream shopping areas. Nonetheless, she maintained that the fashion industry relies on people constantly desiring new clothes, and therefore we need to work on the issues surrounding fast fashion (such as working conditions and environmental impact), rather than demonising it altogether.
Whilst I believe that she offered an honest and realistic response to this issue, her solutions are perhaps not radical enough given the dire state of the climate at the moment. Her responses to basic fashion queries, for example pinpointing velvet jackets as a key piece for all-year-round, appeared trivial in comparison, as if she was shying away from more important affairs. She was able to throw in a few fun facts, such as meeting Michelle Obama and overseeing a tropical-island shoot with Kate Moss, yet I still left the Q&A feeling slightly disappointed. This was a great opportunity to learn more about fashion from a true insider, but a saddening reminder of how far we still have to go in evoking change.
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