Tuesday, December 11, 2007

A different colour and cut of dress and less eye make up will expose the subjective perception of fashion writers everywhere. Keira Knightley's collarbone, the top of her chest, jaw and arms are exactly the same size but when she puts on a dress with a full skirt that doesn't expose her rib cage the credulous will happily believe that she's healthier than she was a few months ago. That's not to say that I think she's unhealthy, I'm aware that if I stopped eating meat, cake and other sweets, the odd roast dinner and fried breakfast and exercised regularly I could probably be the size of Keira Knightley within a couple of months and I would be healthier than I am now. All media is fickle and a little ignorant of clothes.

Sunday, December 09, 2007

The University of Southampton has decided to close the Textile Conservation Centre. "It is understood that an endowment of £5 million could still save the centre". Read about the situation on Times Online and please sign this petition if you are a British citizen. As The Guardian points out The only comparable centre in Europe is in Switzerland.

The official website for the TCC is here and as it points out the Textile Conservation Centre is the leading international organisation in the field of textile conservation research, education and practice, it should be saved because our clothing and an incredible amount of textile design is not simply comparable to art but is art. Who will restore William Morris patterns, the Bayeux tapestry, the textiles of the royal palaces if no one has the skill to do so, should we just let every artistic industry die?