Isn't this just what the British Economy needs!?

This week, it has been announced that from October 4th 2008 a 50kg SOLID GOLD STATUE OF KATE MOSS
is to be unveiled and showcased as part of the British Museum's 'Statuephilia' exhibition... (more info. here)
Now, I'm sorry... Kate's a pretty girl and all that, but how much did this damn thing cost!? And why the heck do we need it!?

This is the year of THE CREDIT CRUNCH, the BOTTOM HAS FALLEN OUT OF THE PROPERTY MARKET, and many UK BANK'S have been in CRISIS! Aside from all that, we have an aging population with a DEBT CULTURE, this years many, many graduates have no pensions to look forward to and can see no real way of paying for any of live's big expenses...

Don't you think that this vast amount of public money could have been better spent in the current economic state!?

Looking for Love Notes...

Hey guys... sorry I've been quite for so long... busy busy bee that I am...

So what I'm working on at the moment (and what I'd really like your help with) is a new online/print project, a follow on from the success of 'I lick my cheese - and other notes from the forefront of flat-sharing' ('I needed that ham. Really needed it.' - 'I pay the rent. What do you do?' - 'I hate you more than life itself.') Oonagh O'Hagan is currently developing her second book, featuring love notes... be part of it! Submit your evil, awful and lovely love notes for her new book... photos texts and emails accepted too!(blank out names if you must) and watch your declaration of love go global!


Images/notes can be submitted at http://flatmatesanonymous.com/, emailed to thelandlord@flatmatesanonymous.com or sent to:

NOTES
Po Box 59277
London
NW3 9JD

Please include a stamped address envelope if you want the note sent back.

Any notes you submit, we have the right to use... however identities and handwriting can be changed.

Remember to add any background info, set the images in context... let us know the full story!

This is the kind of thing we're looking for... how great are these!?

Childhood crushes... (there's an answer box and everything!)


Ghetto Love...


If you'd like to know a little more about Oonagh, check out her little promo vid here!

Dictation Manipulation is spreading...

So here's where you all are...

... isn't it exciting!

What is that vile smell?

Whatever your thoughts on her might be... the shinier, newer, prettier, less drunk and less chavy Lily Allen made an interesting fashion observation recently.

 

Discussed on her latest show 'Lily Allen and Friends' she speaks about her recent experiences at London Fashion Week:

Sitting front row (as you do when your a superstar like Miss Allen) Lily noticed a pungent smell as the show began, remarking to her friend/stylist, 'What is that vile smell?' only to evoke the beautiful response:

 'That is the putrid smell of vomit emanating from the models' breath.'

Isn't fashion glamourous!? 

(Now I'm quite glad I don't sit front row... and no wonder they always hand out perfume!)

Oh look and Irelands got in on the action too!

Cheers lads!

[Don't forget to get in contact with DictationManipulation and let us know a little bit about you - dictationmanipulation@gmail.com]

Lets have a little chin wag...

Running up to the completion of Dictation Manipulation's first quarter, I thought it would be rather nice for us all to find out where we're all from... Oooooh and look at this clever little map I found! Yes that's us - all over five countries in two continents: USA, UK, Germany, Sweden and Romania. Isn't it thrilling!


During this time we've been looking a selection of different takes and opinions on the fashion industry, little idiosyncrasies within it and the wheels and cogs keeping the whole machine running... We've been interviewing Ella and Kate, collaborating with FUTV (A lot more to come!) and attempting to spark many a debate with the odd controversial quote!

What I'd like find out, if you would kind enough to oblige (Thank-you, Please) is a little bit about all of you!

Please drop me a line at dictationmanipulation@gmail.com, giving me a little bit of news about you: First Name, Where you are from, profession, age and interests...

Fat versus thin...

'Being Size Zero is as unhealthy as being size twenty.'

Aren't you proud?

'We are a generation of over indulgence.
Everything in excess - We have no limits!'

No way out?!

'With so much fashion product coming as us from everywhere,
you would have to go a long way to completely remove yourself from
it's sphere of influence.'

- Jane Andas

Size Zero - thoughts?

'We (the fashion industry) are not solely responsible for Size Zero,
but we do have a definite influence.'

- and this is an influence that we must take responsibility for!

So why do we all keep doing it?

Iconic 80's New York Fashion Reporter, Bill Cunningham is credited to have said:

'Creativity is the highway to Bankruptcy.'

Well we all know he wasn't wrong... what with fabrics, printing costs, hiring or purchasing equipment and paying people to give you hand it can end up a very costly experience. So what I pose to you is - Why do we all keep going? What is it that drives our hands into our own pockets, putting ourselves into more and more debt? And for what?

Join the protest!

Starts tonight, 9pm on MTV One - Join the protest!

What an industry!

'Even if I did look at magazines, I never realised what a machine existed behind the industry until I was working in it.'

- Panos Yiapanis: Stylist

A late one...

Ok, so a late entry I know, but just to draw your attention to an intriguing show on Channel 5 tonight: The Kate Moss Years... (Love her or hate her!)


Thats all.

Reaching for the stars...

In the words of the talented Miss Katie Melua:

'We were always reaching for the stars,
And they can still be ours...'

- Go on people, push yourselves! Do the things you've always wanted to!

A good kick!

So yesterday we looked at the fashion industry from the outside, however I do feel that often we need a good kick on the inside.

What makes the fashion industry do interesting is the level of commitment within it. A feeling of passion and a real need within its most dedicated members, to work until perfection is reached - no matter how long it takes!


However, there is an extremely broad range within this intriguing industry. And sadly a lot to who are just here for the ride - It's not all about air kisses and calling people dahling, you know! Don't worry though, reassurance is here... no matter how much press and attention these air kissers get, we can rest safe in the knowledge that they don't have a clue what they are doing, and this time next year they will be dead in the scene because people will have seen right through them and all their chat.

These are the ones that drop out, not able to cope with all the knock-back and the lack of ass-kissing. They simply can't understand why they only got two spreads of editorial for a shoot that they spent two weeks (ahem) preparing for!

But for the rest of us, keep going. We are the ones that are excited about the possibilities of a shoot (or whatever aspect of the industry you work at) before it's even happened, pouring over one image until it's close to perfection, until we have got the best we possibly can - even if that means staying up for days on end. It's cool to rip your hair out with frustration because you don't know how to make 'this shoot' work and it's all right to feel a little smug because your shoot turned out great.

The fashion industry is not for the weak hearted - no matter how much it might look like it from the outside!

Tell it how it is, and don't be shy with your ideas!

Fashion from the inside...

Why is it that when you mention to anybody outside of the fashion world that you, in fact, do work inside the industries' constraints, you get that... 'Oh.' and then an almost disappointed look from anyone mildy academic (in their own minds)?

This is an issue I felt needed addressing after having to explain myself at many a party of so called 'intellects' and am sick of defending our highly competitive, demanding field of work. I believe the below quote satisfies any queries:

'Whatever it takes. If it takes me 30 hours of studying a week,
that's what it takes, and if it takes me 40,
I'm going to have to find time to do it.'

Dictation Manipulation spends the day on set with FUTV!

So I spent all day yesterday, sitting eagerly on side-lines (and probably sticking my little nose in where it wasn't really required! Tee hee!) of the FUTV pilot shoot. [What do you think of their new logo by the way?] Where those clever things had arranged an in depth, poignant discussion on Size Zero.


This debate was directed by FUTV's extremely engaging presenters Beki and Ore (Profiles coming!) and was attended by Lynn Crilly of National Charity B-eat, James, Fashion Designer at CSM and Eleny Renton model booker at Quintessentially Models... who from each of their individual industry stances - attempted to explore this highly controversial subject - and rather professionally done I might add! But don't worry guys, you won't have to wait until the release date on SUB.TV, because those lovely people at FUTV have agreed to showcase snippets from the show, exclusively, right here on Dictation Manipulation!

Aren't we lucky!

[ps. If you liked this image - and I certainly did! Check out Tony's Flickr Profile.]

Britney hits back at the media...

Britney SpearsPiece Of Me

'Don’t matter if I step on the scene,
Or shrink away to the Philippines,
They still gone put pictures of my derrière in the magazine...'

Fair do's I say!

Catwalk to highstreet -The modern day 'trickle down' theory!