There is massive contemporary interest in Darwin and ethics. I have finished the book I mentioned a few posts back (http://www.ethicsoffashion.com/courting-birds-huizinga-right/). The author’s argument is that evolution develops along two fronts, and one of these is aesthetic. Though Darwin himself argued this, contemporary Darwinism does not agree. It is scientific orthodoxy that biological…
Anyone who follows the fashion pages knows that since Brexit it has become axiomatic that fashion is global and that means fashion is on the side of the angels. For this axiom fully on display, see: https://i-d.vice.com/en_uk/article/wjjjay/an-interview-with-maria-grazia-chiuri-dior. Of course, I have seen no fashion page defending this idea philosophically. In an earlier post, I point…
A little while ago over at the Law & Liberty website, I published a moral analysis of trusts. In the background was a wish to flesh out the moral character of high fashion. I do not know the percentage but I presume almost all haute couture is bought with monies disbursed from offshore trusts. Alta…
*It is with great delight that I introduce readers to Chris Wojtulewicz. Chris is a Catholic theologian, living in England and interested in post-modernism. It’s my hope that Chris will be a regular contributor. Chris is the author of monographs on medieval mysticism, especially Meister Eckhart, and is currently at work on a book about…
A professor of ornithology at Yale has penned a fantastic book which I plan on writing a bit about. The book is by Richard Prum and is called The Evolution of Beauty (Doubleday, 2017). The book argues that beauty is sui generis and an independent driver of evolution unable to be reduced to natural selection.…
Is there a moral obligation to buy the more expensive offering on the American Apparel website? A Canadian clothing company purchased AA when it failed. Gildan is soon to launch a fresh AA website with the novel idea of offering two near-identical options: buy cheaper AA clothing derived from the savings that come from…
What sort of business issue is it when a company has lost its `cool’? A recent WSJ article gives us a tantalizing scenario of executives meeting to discuss how their firm can regain its `cool.’ The article chronicles the troubled leadership of Frederic Cumenal, recently fired as CEO of Tiffany & Co. (https://www.wsj.com/articles/tiffany-hunts-for-path-to-regain-cool-1499621248). Attention…
This weekend I was in Philadelphia and visited an excellent British gastropub in the city. The graphic above is the cover of the pub’s menu. As per my previous post, such a visual and play on words is possible because of the long standing ideal of the English gentleman. A similar play on the Dutch…
Ever since Brexit there has been a constant drumbeat in fashion commentary about the pernicious character of national consciousness. I have delayed writing about the topic, yet in over a year I have not come across a thoughtful reflection on fashion and nation. Though undeveloped, a recent Chinese graduate of Central Saint Martin’s makes a…
In a very charming article on the role flowers play in fashion, someone observes, “flowers and fashion seem effortlessly entwined; the perfect fit; an obvious match” (https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/intelligence/how-floristry-became-a-fashion-business?utm_source=Subscribers&utm_campaign=861a23aef9-sat-nl-draft&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d2191372b3-861a23aef9-417297929). There is no industry where more flowers are exchanged amongst parties than fashion. The claim above says more, though: fashion and flowers are “the perfect fit.” The article…