High Fashion and the Kindle

I just discovered that Diane von Furstenberg, who - in case you don't know - is one of leading American fashion designers, now makes a line of Kindle cases. You can see one of them in the picture on the left.

In my opinion, this is a great sign. Even though the Kindle has many functions, it is first and foremost a reading device. If a leading fashion label think it makes sense to create a line that caters exclusively to the owners of electronic readers, this means that there are enough people out there who see reading as cool and fashionable.

American entertainment industry consistently markets reading as frumpy, unattractive and old-fashioned. In order to make people see brainless TV shows and stupid Hollywood movies as the only valid form of entertainment, mass media have done their best to present reading in this unflattering way. Now, extra efforts will need to be made to convince young people that there is nothing shameful and uncool about reading. This is especially challenging for young women. I spent years learning to be comfortable with being publicly bookish. So if a designer Kindle clutch makes it easier for young women to accept their inner reader, then that's definitely a great thing.

I'll Never Understand Americans

I'm watching the most recent episode of Project Runway and the challenge is to design an outfit honoring the style of an American icon of fashion and style. . . Jackie Kennedy Onassis.

Seriously?

A person who had the great taste to marry this?

And who walked around dressed like this? Who had all the money in the world and chose to don a cheap stewardess outfit?

I mean, just look at this embarrassing monstrosity. Not every mail-order bride would stoop this low in her hunt for riches.

I don't want to offend anybody's ultra-patriotic American sensibilities but has there ever been anything more vulgar that the entire Kennedy clan?

And if you are about to break into a rant about J. F. Kennedy's progressive views, please don't. The guy was so pig-headed that if the Soviet Union's Nikita Khrushev hadn't backed down, there would have been a full-fledged nuclear conflict between the Soviet Union and the US. And one obviously has to work hard to be even more stupid and pig-headed than Khrushev.

I understand that every culture is in need of its icons but this is too sad, people. Bailouts to Goldman Sachs and Co demonstrated that Americans do, indeed, find it fashionable to get screwed by filthy rich disgusting old farts. Is it in that sense that Jackie Kennedy is considered "a fashion icon"?