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c
o v e r s t o r y
Pursuing
the Femme Identity
by
Andrea Spoehrer
f e a t u r
e s
Revealing
the "psuedo-invert"
Una, Lady Troubridge
by
Alison Phipps
Ashes
in the Paint
by
Michelle Bancroft
c o l u m n
s
Health
by
Dr. Lipstick
Wealth
by
Ms. Moneygrrl
Sex
by
SexySuzi
Advice
by
Victoria
Fashion
by
Dara
Femme
Perspective
by
Kenya
Butch
Perspective
by
D
Publisher's
Note
Letter
from the Editor
Contribute
to Femme
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Fashion for the Femme
Fatale
Dateline:
Paris, Winter 1999 for the Spring/Summer 2000 Fashion Shows
by
Dara Paris
continued
page 2
All
you femme fashion devotees who want to be in fashion but have
no desire to model or design, listen up now. You see, he didn't
go to school for his vocation at all. Architecture? Lighting and
Design? No, neither. He was an accountant and decided "enough
of this!" and produced a show with a friend in Biarritz.
Anyway
my darling femmes, let's get back to the main event-the shows!
Morganne and I attended the shows of Stella Cadente, Ines de la
Fressange, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac (one of my favorites),
Cerruti, Balmain, and the renovated line of Carven. What was to
see at each? Breathtaking clothes, glamour, uninteresting clothes,
glamour, super models, glamour, unknown models, glamour, papparazzi
and the chaotic order that screams fashion.
We
arrived a tiny bit late (fashionably late of course) at Ines.
Instead of going backstage, we had seats. Ah how exciting it was
but how shockingly normal! I was born to belong in this world!
(Of that I came to be sure by attending the shows). The beautiful
women passed by wearing clothes, I am sure, but I have to admit
I sometimes forgot about the clothes. Pretty women, half-naked,
in front of me. Backstage, they are often completely naked. How
was a girl to concentrate on the story with all of these treasures
teasing her eyes? But I am, sniff, a professional and did try
to remember the clothes every once in awhile.
After
reading pages and pages about how all models throw tantrums constantly,
are drugged, and argue over the most daring outfits, I discovered,
to my surprise, that they were completely the opposite. At the
big show of Balmain, where I was backstage the whole time, I heard
girls complain about the transparency of their outfits. Apparently
they don't mind undressing backstage, but to broadcast their breasts
to millions on TV and in magazines? That is something different.
I wouldn't want that either.
The
models appeared quite sober, with perhaps one exception, although
tired. (I don't blame them for we were exhausted after that week,
too.) One model did confide in me that she doesn't talk to the
big girls because they teach you how to fight with your agent,
starve and throw tantrums to get the best jobs and most money.
She's a beautiful, healthy looking girl to whom I wish the best
of luck. She absolutely loves modeling, just finished high school,
and though young seems to have a good head on her shoulders, a
must in this not-as-glamorous-as-you-would-think business.
The
women are stunning. But then, I only saw them after they sat through
3 hours of makeup and hair styling. And, at some shows, while
they are beautiful you wouldn't necessarily identify them as models
in another context. We should all stop worrying about ourselves.
We are all beautiful enough! Trust me I've seen the ultimate beauties
and I still prefer the women on the streets.
continued
on page 3
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