All misfortune has its bright side and the current economic climate is no exception because it is forcing us to rethink many concepts that we have taken for granted. So far high levels of consumption seemed reasonable because, -among other things- it was one of the legs that held western economies. However, for some time now, slow movements are emerging suggesting a change in our unstoppable spending pace.

Fashion is probably the best reflection of our consumerist excesses. Nowadays we do not buy based on the quality and utility of the things we can get, but on quantity and the amount of social status it will provide.

Being more aware of the way we shop is easy if we make the effort, and there are two tips that always work: not buying impulsively and making lists by eliminating those things that we deem unnecessary. Also, be selective with your wardrobe; worshiping each of the pieces it contains is more satisfying, making the ritual of wearing something much more simple and fun.

The resources of the Earth and the human race are not infinite, therefore sensible spending is vital to ensure the continuity of the planet. We must change our mentality being aware of this fact: consuming more does not necessarily mean a better life.

Source : Allure-Allure & El Fasionista (drawing)

After 15 double espressos, everything still seems slow to me…Says Max on seesmic. Follow the discussion here

In the last few months, the adjective “economic” has almost always been followed by the word “crisis.” Apart from the economic aspect, however, a period of crisis also brings about far-ranging changes in society. For instance, economists refer to The Kondratiev Cycle.
For some time now, we’ve been seeing signs that attitudes are changing and the Slow Manifesto is a good example.

At the inauguration of the Slow Gallery spotlighting the Nissan Cube (a.k.a. “the slow car”), we could not help but notice the variety of trends on display. The most important insight here is probably that that the slow trend is not only big on the fashion scene (slow wear / slow fashion) but in design (slow design) and art (slow art, slow music and slow photographie) as well.

Suddenly from Magnus Engsfors on Vimeo.

A sign of the times or economic necessity?

The fact remains that brand communication is always changing.

In the 1980s, an automobile was desirable because it could go fast.

In the 1990s, automotive comfort and safety were selling points.

The late 2000s are seeing some advertisers tailor their communication to fit the slow trend, the concept of sustainable development or simply our awareness that the world’s resources are not unlimited.
On the fashion scene, a rejection of fast fashion is coming through loud and clear in articles by bloggers like Julie or Florence.

In a way, slow fashion is a declaration of independence from the seasonal cycle imposed by fashion brands. Some people just don’t get it: you don’t have to throw out half of your wardrobe because yellow is the colour this spring! What about you? What are you waiting for? It’s time to sign the Slow Manifesto!

Read this post in french original version on enmodefashion.com

Max Vinall, our special Reporter at the Geneva Motorshow, will post videos throughout the next three days from the Cube itself. He’ll be talking to the press and to the public about this unique car to find out more about what they think of it. Will they love it? Will they hate it? He’ll be there to find out. Got a question for Max? Join the discussion on Seesmic Cubed TV

About Seesmic :

Well known European entrepreneur and LeWeb conference organiser, Loic Le Meur, is the founder of seesmic, a video service mimicking and aggregating your favorite web products. Seesmic hits the video scene trying to take advantage of past successes by initially building off their networks rather than building a community and content from the ground up. Currently the service could be described as a Video Twitter. Users can upload video directly from their webcam and post it to a personal page like with Twitter. Additionally, videos that users create can be automatically linked to in twitter (potentially other platforms) and uploaded to YouTube.

Jerome Dreyfuss talks about ‘agricouture’ and Slow Fashion in an exclusive interview by the French Fashion blogger ‘Le Modalogue’.

Here is the complete transcript of the discussion, part #1. Part #2 will be published tomorow.

Christian Poulot: Tell us about agricouture. What is it exactly?

Jérôme Dreyfuss: It is a little complicated. Agricouture is an engagement I have taken for my clients. I give the guarantee to my clients that the animals we are using are coming from land where they live free, which is something really important. They don’t live inside. They are outside running, eating normally. I’m giving the guarantee to my clients that we try as much as we can, not to use any chemical products when tanning the skin. We are also giving the guarantee that the water we use to tan the skin is recycled, which is very important. When I began - things have changed in ten years - but when I began with my leather, all the factories were not recycling the water. In 2012, I think they will all be obliged to do it. At the beginning none of them were doing it and it was hard to find somebody who would recycle the water and not put the pollution outside of the factories. Basically that is the guarantee that I give to my clients.

CP: Where do you make your bags? In a small factory, in an “atelier”?

JD: Yes, I only work in really small factories in Belgium, in Morocco, in Tunisia, in Portugal and in Spain. Unfortunately for us all those industries are dead in France. I work with small “ateliers” and - I as like to say - with little old guys who really know the work. That’s why I’m interested in working with those people because I’m learning a lot with them. It’s important to keep working those kind of small companies in order to learn from them, and to transmit their knowledge to other people. That’s really what makes French luxury, so I think it is my role to work with those people as well.

CP: Do you know why premium brands (except some) or even mass market brands do not communicate on bio (organic)? Do you think it would have a serious impact if some big names showed the way, lead the path.

-          JD: I think they will. I’m not sure they will communicate on it, but I’m sure they will do it because one day they will be obliged to do it. We are going to have laws to oblige people to work with clean products. So everybody is coming to it really slowly. Everyone keeps talking to me about agricouture, apparently I was one of the first to use those materials and those techniques. Now what I see when I’m travelling is other labels using those kinds of products, which is good. I don’t want to be the only one doing it. I hope everybody will. I’m sure big companies will do it, but for big companies it takes a lot to organize and to change factories, it takes time for them. It is easy for me because I am small.

CP: About creation, when we are talking about bio attitude, people are still thinking of something boring: poor colours, poor shapes, etc. But it is certainly not your case, all of your bags have many details, and seem to be very thoughtful. How do you create a new bag, where do you find inspiration?

JD: I find the inspiration by watching my wife and my friends. I’m interested in architecture from the 30s to the 60s. I’m amazed by people like Noguchi, George Nelson, or Jean Prouvé. People who were trying to make furniture for the mass market. They were trying to make everything practical and easy, it was kind of the first slow furniture. Meaning it had to be practical, it had to be cheap. I’m amazed by those designers. When I’m designing a bag, I’m always thinking of what my wife and my friends need to put inside it. I’m designing the bag around what they need to put inside. That’s why there are so many pockets or always a little lamp inside. I’m trying to make a woman’s life easier, which is really hard!

CP: You don’t seem to be under the influence of trends.

JD: No, I am not really interested in fashion. I used to be more than interested in fashion, I used to dream about fashion. But I don’t think fashion is that creative today. I don’t think that things are happening in the fashion world. Fashion became a big business and I’m not interested in Madonna, in Mariah Carey and in all those things.

CP: Not anymore

JD: Not anymore. I was when I was 20, but I’m 30 and I’m not amazed by those people. They are not real people, everything is fake, their boobs are fake, their mouths are fake, their voices are fake. I’m more interested in real things. I’m working a lot with young artists. I have a whole crew of friends who are painters, all kinds of artists. They are more creative than anybody in the fashion business, and they inspire me very much. They don’t have the pressure we have in the fashion business, where we all need to be in the trend, bla bla bla, and all those stupid things. I don’t care about that. I’m more interested in what I feel and just trying to seduce women.

Read the french version on his blog : www.lemodalogue.fr

Samon Takahashi explains us his work and the vision he has of Slow music. His goal is to create an atmosphere and to hide the speakers behind the Cube’s wheels.

In an undisclosed location in Paris, the Cube Slow Gallery is dedicated to key players of the slow culture, a movement that has been gradually emerging over the past years and that is here to stay. Coolhunters, fashion designers, visual artists, musicians, designers, and bloggers have been invited for the opening of an exhibition that is launched in Paris and that will travel to Geneva.

The avant-garde slow exhibition was curated by Jenny Mannerheim and Philippe Combres of the Nuke Galerie in Paris. Featuring Jérôme Dreyfuss (slow fashion / L’agricouture), Marcus Kreiss (slow movie / Souvenirs from earth), Scarlett Hooft Graaftland (slow photography), Christophe Vialle (Slow design / Racine carré), Samon Takahashi (Slow music), La fratrie (Slow art) and François Bancon (Slow car / Nissan Cube advanced product department)