“there’s only one very good life to live, and that’s the life you know you want, and you make it yourself” diana vreeland
i find it very important as a creative type to keep inspired and to create, wether it is painting reading, styling. it helps ignite the flame and feeds the passion. my favorite book that i continue to re-read that exceptionally inspiring is D.V by diana vreeland. i read it 8 years ago and still go back and read it every now and then. with the new film out “the eye has to travel”, a documentary on the life and work of the brilliant and electrifyingly influential fashion editor diana vreeland, dark haired imaginative genius fashion editor in chief of Vogue and then at Harpers Bazaar, who reinvented the job of the fashion editor and defined it as what we know today. vreeland changed “fashion” and invented story telling through photographs and style in magazines. creating eye catching stories and reflecting personalities juxtaposed by beautiful clothing, models, eccentric or not hair and makeup, and exotic and ordinary locations, depending on the mood or theme.
vreeland pushed the boundries of fashion and beauty. celebrating the quirks of various fascinating characters and showing people around the world, and in the industry how powerful and interesting personality is and exploring character through fashion ,art, music, design,film, travel. threading all these elements in to beautiful editorials. making twiggy the next it model, when in that time her waify look was considered odd and undesirable.
vreeland was a personality and her work shows her passionately throbbing creativity imagination and interest in cultures and art, the image of veruschka in the desert is one that come’s to mind ..i believe there was never a dull moment in her life, and the writing of the book is just as vivacious.
I recall a quote from the book that i think really represents vreeland’s constant need for excitement and her opposition to the regular or norm , vreeland say’s “never fear being vulgar, just boring”.
she worked with other geniuses like cecil beaton, richard avedon, norman parkinson and david bailey (to name a few).
her column at harpers bazaar “why don’t you?” provided women an opportunity to see the world differently and brighter. sharing new ideas of ways to live, what to wear, and gave them possibilities for them explore and reinvent themselves, an escape from the dreary days of the depression.
so today is my day to say; why dont you purchase the dv diana vreeland book and become inspired? why don’t you celebrate the odd ? why don’t you read it and let me know your thoughts?.the book is just as interesting as her life, as it is told by vreeland herself. i reccomend you purchase it. you can download it on itunes. also i found this list below for those of you who are creative like types (or not) to stay inspired and focused..which i know at times is hard for me to do as well.
images via tumblr and harpers bazaar