There’s a certain aspect of the internet that drives me nuts. Its when the mob goes mental over the most minute, mundane things as if Great Revelations of Terrible Injustice are being made. A great example of this phenomenon in fashion blogland is Photoshop Phreakouts.

Examples of bad photoshop jobs are everywhere and are not exactly news stories, except that they are. Sites like Jezebel have popularized this genre of blog posts, always delivered with an accusatory tone. The posts always generate a ton of comments. Something about them usually bothers me, whether the accusation of “photochopping” seems justified, or not.  This post has been a long time on the back burner, because its taken me a while to tease out what it is that really gets to me when people get so indignant about this subject. Lets break it down.

1. The Photoshopping is so Glaringly Ridiculous it is Obviously Accidental

Examples: Ralph Lauren’s lollipop-head model, Bloomingdale’s razor-elbowed model

This stuff is genuine AHA “journalism”, even though it shouldn’t be, because all it takes to uncover something wrong with the image is the sense of sight.  Because bloggers are perfect people who never screw up ever, they’ve been endowed with the right to shame mere mortals who make mistakes. No creative director allows this kind of stuff to see the light of day on purpose, its not a conspiracy to make people feel like their elbows are not acute enough. It is just the result of human error, and there’s something about gleefully, self-righteously shaming people for making honest mistakes, whether caused by omission or inexperience, that bothers me. It is bullying.

2. The Photoshopping is so Tastefully Done, People Mistake Real Incongruity for Bad Retouching

Examples: Demi Moore’s angled hip on the W cover, Nordstrom’s skinny polo shirt model

This one drives me crazy, because its often seized upon by otherwise intelligent people who should know better. One thing that I’ve learned as someone who draws, is that when you really pay very close attention to the way things actually look in real life, they often look really weird. Often when I’m using reference material, I have to make changes to the way something is folded or change the angle of an arm or a hand, because if I don’t, the drawing looks awkward or “unnatural”. Even though I’m using a real model or an un-retouched photograph as a subject.

My ex, who works in special effects explained it to me really well once, he observed that real snow often creates unusual looking formations that don’t conform to our expectations of how snow should look. When he dressed a set to look snow-covered, it was more important to do it the way that people expect snow to look like rather than imitating actual nature. Otherwise, the eye gets drawn to unimportant details instead of focusing on what’s important in the scene.

Really tasteful photoshop jobs are incredibly subtle – if you look at the Demi Moore photo in question above, you can see that a few minor changes were made, to the angle of the ring, the saturation of the colours, the fold on the waist. But mostly, the photo was left alone. The paradox is that for a sharp-eyed audience tuned to spot “photochops”, the focus was on the sharp angle of her hip, obscured by the swag of fabric on the bodysuit. Looked at in isolation, the line seems too straight and looks wrong, however when I traced the outline of Demi’s body, the proportion and angles all seem to be in the right place. The irony here is that the real mistake might have not enough photoshopping, because if a slight curve was introduced by the retoucher nobody would have “noticed” anything wrong.

3. The Photoshopping isn’t Recognized for the Art it Is

Examples: David LaChappelle’s portrait of Sophie Dahl, Madonna for Louis Vuitton

Photoshop isn’t just a totalitarian tool to turn people into idealized robot versions of themselves – its an incredible tool that allows artists to transcend reality to create fantastic visions and impossible scenarios. Accusing LaChappelle of using Photoshop is like blaming the rain for being wet – this is what LaChappelle does! Madonna has been creating over-the-top, fantastic identities for herself for her entire career, using every weapon in her considerable arsenal – why should she be barred from using photoshop too?

Marlene Dietrich continued her career as an icon of style and glamour with a stage show well into her sixties and even seventies. She did this with lighting, makeup, restrictive garments, every artifice she could get her hands on. She would have loved the possibilities of Photoshop. There’s an anecdote I read in this book that I am reminded of – at one stage show a member of the audience brought out a pair of binoculars. Dietrich stopped the show to call him out. “No,” she said, “don’t ruin the illusion.”.

For those who want unimaginative reality, you have it surrounding you every day of your life. Some of us want to create and enjoy fantasy and beauty that transcends the ordinary, that is exceptional, even impossible. If you don’t like it, don’t buy fashion magazines, go to movies, or consume any other type of art or media, and please, stop spoiling it for the rest of us.

4. The Photoshopping is Overdone

Examples: Kelly Clarkson on the SELF Magazine cover, Faith Hill on the Redbook cover.

This is the one flavour of photoshop outrage I don’t have a problem with. Photoshopping people to appear a different size or age than they actually are is patronizing, distasteful, and insulting to both the subject and the audience.

]]> http://finalfashion.ca/just-a-thought-photoshop-police-state/feed/ 1 http://finalfashion.ca/tearsheets-nylon-2001-selections/ http://finalfashion.ca/tearsheets-nylon-2001-selections/#comments Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:39:53 +0000 Danielle http://finalfashion.ca/?p=4635

In 2001, I lived in rural Ontario near a small town of around 2400 people. I knew that my clothes weren’t right and that I was in the wrong place, but I didn’t know anything about what the right clothes and the right place for me was. I was 18 going on 19. I would go to the Jug City next door to the health food store where I worked, and I would look at the magazines. When I discovered NYLON I became totally transfixed.

I didn’t understand almost all of the music references. I didn’t really like many of the editorials. But what I did like was the idea of being a city girl in New York or London, of being surrounded by variety and ideas, the possibilities of doing something creative as a career. And I liked how the DIY, deliberately unslick proto-hipster style was so easily mimicked with my limited resources. I bought each issue and examined it exhaustively. Around this time I shook a strong leaning towards apathy and applied to fashion school.

In the spirit of labour day and returning to school, I was inspired to dig into my back issues of NYLON.

Below are two stories which I want to preserve in scanned form, just because they were so incredibly crucial in creating the idea of what I could become. You can click the scans to see them larger. The first, from JUNE/JULY 2001 is a story about designer Mark Kroeker (New York Magazine tells me his label lasted from 1993-2006) which included DIY instructions for a tube dress, which I adapted, inelegantly, in unforgiving stretch denim to create the dress I wore to my high school graduation. I hope I can find a picture, when I do I’ll post it.

Second, from AUGUST 2001, an illustrated editorial by Tayashi Miyazawa which unabashedly influenced the slightly anime-esque illustration style I had in my early years of fashion school.

Were there any stories from magazines you had as a teen that were similarly pivotal in your formation as an adult?

Ever since I put the word out there that I was into clothes, I’ve become a lot better dressed.  Thanks to all the publicists who’ve responded so generously. The latest opportunity came courtesy of the good people at GAP Canada.  They’ve just launched gapcanada.ca, offering online shopping, free shipping and returns to Canadian customers and they invited the media, and me, to give it a spin.

I ordered a pair of black pants off the site in 5 minutes because that’s my shopping style (just want to get it over with), and they shipped to my door within 3 days which is pretty amazing, GAP built a whole new distribution centre just to be able to make magic like that happen. But here’s the thing with shopping online – pants are tricky to fit, and they never look quite the same on you as they do on the supermodel in the picture. So I got to test out another gapcanada.ca promise, that items from the site can also be exchanged in a bricks and mortar store.

I took it to the GAP store in the Eaton Centre where I was enthusiastically greeted as the first ever .ca exchanger.  The computer didn’t quite know what to make of it but the sales clerks made the switch happen anyway. Great service from start to finish. I picked a new tank top and cardigan which feels nice and cozy on the first cool day of September.

It is such a pleasure to see major retailers like GAP making efforts to deliver a great online shopping experience to Canadians. Especially as someone who grew up in a rural part of Canada, the ability to have easy access to the same stores as urban dwellers would have been a dream come true. Access to fashion regardless of location is a trend I whole heartedly support.  Thanks GAP.

Welcome to click click, the sporadic review of what I find worth clicking on the internet.

A bunch of friends recently got together to produce a Studio 54 inspired photoshoot to promote the upcoming Boobyball fundraiser (which I hear is almost totally sold out already). This photo is by the incomparable Caitlin Cronenberg.  Reminds me of another fun Studio 54 inspired shoot I once took part in.

• Fake designer labels “good for industry” – fashion is counterintuitive in many ways, in this article the UK Home Office suggests that knockoffs may not be the scourge the luxury industry says they are.
• The Costs of Ownership: Why Copyright Protection Will Hurt the Fashion Industry – a very common sense essay laying out the argument against copyright protection in fashion. “The last thing that fashion designers need is to become dependent on the same crutch that has crippled the media industries.”
• Killing Us Softly 3: Advertising’s Image of Women – an interesting lecture that studies the way that advertising – and especially fashion and beauty advertising – reinforces the status quo when it comes to traditional gender roles and society’s unreasonable expectations of women.
• Frankie is Australia’s fastest growing magazine – proving that great content can find a niche even in a shrinking market, it appears that people are still starting up print fashion mags and making them grow. (Relatively, growth is 31.6% from an unspecified starting point, presumably a modest one). Hat tip @gin_ev_ra for the link.
• The Fall of the House of Ungaro – a cautionary tale for all of those with more money than sense who want to resurrect a dormant fashion house – it is almost always best to let sleeping couture lines lie.

Plus +++ shoutouts and karma for shoutouts and comment karma.

• So Posh it Hurts – “My name’s Reese and I’m 27 and live in Montréal, Québec. I’m a multi-hyphenate too! a designer/writer/entrepreneur.”
• a resurrection of romance – “Jessica Rose creates tailored semi-formal dresses and knit accessories in a style that combines a romantic spirit with a modern edge.”
• FashCity – “your #1 destination for Toronto fashion”

Boa sells cute, flirty and affordable fashions, and has three boutiques, one in north Toronto, on by the gorgeous Beaches area in east Toronto, and one in Oakville. Ofra, one of the owners, contacted me about sponsorship to coincide with the launch of their new website and online boutique.

This summer I had a dream come true – I got to work on a project that brought my paper dolls to life, thanks to a dream client, Bloomingdale’s!

Pippa is a line of chic, career-girl-friendly separates, and the paper doll is a fun way to show how easy it is to mix and match.  Visit the site and click on Mix & Match to play.

Thanks so much to the team at Bloomingdale’s, I think the site looks amazing and I am so proud to be a part of it.

One of my favourite aspects of the fashion industry is what passes for small talk. Small talk is usually nobody’s favourite activity, however in the fashion industry, instead of talking about the weather or the traffic, it is traditional to observe something that you like about the other person’s appearance, and compliment them on it. It is flattering, it is fun, it is positive, and sure, it can be back-handed, but as far as small talk goes it doesn’t get any better than that.

Considering that giving compliments costs absolutely nothing, and totally makes everyone’s day, they can be surprisingly rare in regular life. Not only are they a great way to show appreciation to people, they are a wonderful way to introduce yourself.  Looking for opportunities to give compliments encourages you to listen and observe others more closely and signals that you are a generous, open person.  Here are my thoughts on the best ways to offer compliments:

• Be sincere! Don’t give compliments you don’t mean, it devalues the act of complimenting.  Don’t give half-hearted compliments, if there really isn’t anything nice you want to say to someone, why are you even talking to them?
• Pay attention to details – if they have flaming red hair or are wearing a giant fur coat, they will always receive compliments about that thing.  Look for the less obvious flare and you will be remembered for your keen eye, and for being different.
• What is different? If you can pick out a new haircut, manicure, glasses frames, or shoes on a familiar friend, it not only shows you appreciate them, it demonstrates how well you know them.
• Listen instead of look. Its easy to take a look at someone and tell them what you like, but the next level is engaging them in conversation long enough that you can compliment them on their character.  Do they tell delightful anecdotes, do they have a great memory, are they considerate, do they have a fascinating life story, do they have impressive expertise, a way with words, or a devastating sense of humour? Why not let them know you noticed?
• Follow through – don’t just give a compliment, try to use it as an icebreaker to open up a conversation about something real – take it from small talk to real talk.

Further to that, receiving compliments also has its own set of best practices:

• Say thank you! Always receive a compliment in the same good spirit it was given.
• Never contradict a compliment. Don’t put yourself down. Negative self-talk is toxic stuff and it is a total turn off. Treat yourself with the same social grace you would extend to anyone – that means no put downs or name calling, ever.
• Reciprocate! Return the favour.

There aren’t very many pitfalls to complimenting – I guess if you do it too much it would seem weird, and making observations about people’s bodies can be awkward, tricky territory, but those things are just common sense.

Love getting compliments? Adorn yourself with interesting and unusual accessories and garments that make you feel confident and powerful, especially ones that have a story behind them. Be brave and get statement hair. Take good care of your skin and health. Smile and have a good time, dance if you feel like dancing, be social and daring, adventurous and open, and above all, generous with yourself and your words.

What is the greatest compliment you’ve ever received?

Taking place at Nuit Blanche in Toronto, the Art of Fashion competition is a chance for Canadian fashion designers to raise the bar when it comes to being audaciously creative.  From the press release:

TORONTO, ON, August 17, 2010 – Designers across Canada are invited to enter the 12th annual Art of Fashion design competition and trunk show in Toronto, where the winner will be awarded a minimum cash prize of $1000, a complimentary professional photo shoot with model, hair and makeup, street-level exposure in the window display of one of Toronto’s top fashion outlets, and more.  Entry deadline for this career-launching opportunity is Tuesday, August 31^st, 2010.

The design competition and trunk show will take place at King West Fitness in Liberty Village during Nuit Blanche on Saturday, October 2^nd, 2010.  To apply, designers should visit www.artoffashion.org/labelleepoque and fill out the submission form before Tuesday, August 31^st, 2010.

A word from… is a monthly news post contributed by the incredible sponsors who support Final Fashion. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please get in touch.

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Nina from the Toronto Fashion Incubator says…

tfi Press & Buyers Breakfast – spring 2011

Apply to participate to meet KEY media & retailers ONE-ON-ONE at the best and brightest event of the season! - October 5th

NEW! Pop-up shop too! Make direct sales to the consumer & earn CASH – October 4th

It’s easy to apply! Just email tfi@fashionincubator.com requesting an application.

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Ashley from rock-it promotions says…

Everyone loves a good deal. If you’re ever online, you’ve probably noticed ads, blog posts and news articles about the online group-buying explosion. With lots of daily deal sites to choose from, we’re focusing on Canada’s trend-leading, group-buying phenom, TeamBuy.ca.

TeamBuy.ca is an amazing group-buying site and city guide founded, built and managed by young Canadian entrepreneurs (and pals) Edward Yao, Andrew Hutchings and Ghassan Halazon. ??The site offers up a daily deal of 50 to 90 per cent off at hundreds of restaurants, events, spas, yoga, theatre, and more in your city. A daily deal is delivered to your inbox each morning to give direct access to the deal and if enough people sign up for the deal, everyone benefits from the mega discounts!

TeamBuy.ca is live in Toronto, Vancouver, Halifax and Montreal, and will launch soon in Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton and other cities across Canada.

They’ve offered up great deals like $10 for a $20-gift card to Z-Teca Gourmet Burritos (more than 1,400 Torontonians scooped this one up), $40 for a $67 wine tasting experience at Crush on Niagara wine tours, and $20 for a $57 hot bedrock bathing and yoga session at Iyashi Spa (purchased by 596 Torontonians). These are *seriously* good deals.

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Vanessa from 18Karat says…

Over the summer our shop has been stocking up on beautiful and unusual jewellery pieces made by local artists. From the fun and vibrant coconut shell earrings by Lara Bazant, the Turkish inspired mosaic and cameo pieces by Murat Tunc, and the hand forged stainless steel and gold necklaces by Meredith Robb – all pieces are hand-made in Toronto. These designers are unstoppable – new pieces arrive weekly! And when we are not busy showcasing local artists and hosting juried shows, 18Karat is still imagining, designing, and creating beautiful custom jewellery.

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Paige from Bicyclette says…

I am pleased to announce that Bicyclette Boutique has officially launched! On August 11, the “doors” to the online store were opened, showcasing a finely curated assortment of pieces, from brands such as Wildfox Couture, Seneca Rising, Dolce Vita, Trash & Luxury, Central Park West, Soos Rocks and Oh Dina. Selected summer merchandise is now on sale, and fall is beginning to trickle in, including the addition of Biko, Mink Pink, Funktional, Splendid, and James Jeans to the roster. Lots of exciting things to come from the Bicyclette studio.

Welcome to click click, the sporadic review of what I find worth clicking on the internet.

Until August 30 at the flagship location of Holt Renfrew at Bay and Bloor in Toronto, there is an exhibition of some of Tommy Ton‘s photographs in the shoe department, appropriately celebrating a favourite subject. Well worth checking out – Tommy is an international photo blogger who pursues his passion with tremendous enthusiasm, skill and style.

• What Is It About 20-Somethings? – a long article about a subject… well, if you are blogging or reading blogs, it is probably about you.
• Russia in color – a century ago – incredible photographs from Russia a century ago, that look so vivid they almost seem contemporary, if it weren’t for the clothes.
• New York Regains Fashion Capital Crown from Milan – calculated based on media and google algorithms, the Global Language Monitor has ranked cities according to fashion influence.  Toronto ranks #38.
• “The Canadian School” – speaking of ranking, this Walrus article is sort of a state-of-the-union assessment of Canadian fashion’s current reputation.
• Fashion Tries on Zero Waste Design – terrific press for a somewhat abstract, avant-garde pattern design method which is beginning to be thoughtfully considered as a way of reducing waste on an industrial scale.
• How to hire an artist – an interesting article which gives a client’s side of the story when it comes to working with creative freelancers. Though there is no such thing as a typical client, this piece is a great reminder that all clients have their own considerations and ways of doing business that influence whether an artist will get – or even want – the gig.

Karma for incoming linkers and commenters -

• Another Word for Pink – “You can get custom made dresses for prices comparable to retail. How great is that?”
• Wendy Brandes Jewelry – “I blog about fashion, medieval history, feminism, dogs and other things that inspire or annoy me.”
• Salon52 – “Is ’statement hair’ something you strive for in your salon? Are you known for your hair?”
• Seven Dollar Pants – “We created Seven Dollar Pants after endless conversations about shopping deals and living a fabulous life on a budget.”
• 100 to Draw – “One student’s goal to draw 100 sketches per week until the week of graduation.”