The Bizarre Reason Scarlett Johannson Was Disqualified For A Golden Globe Nod

Let me preface the forthcoming body-positive rant with two important caveats: Hollywood is obsessed with traditional archetypes of beauty, and Scarlett Johanssen is almost a living study in what Hollywood finds attractive. I know this. You know this. The internet knows this. Now let’s take that in stride, and move on to said rant: Scarlett’s latest movie, Her, has been making waves with the critics, and has been spotted as a potential Oscar candidate. In case you haven’t seen the recently-released Spike Jonze film, it centers on a man, played by Joaquin Phoenix, who is in love with his computer’s voice, brought to life by Johanssen’s smoky alto. It examines our relationship with artificially-smart technology in a touching way, often flip-flopping between despair and euphoria at the possibility of true artificial intelligence in the near future.

It seems fitting, then, that the normative, oppressive hand of the Golden Globes would disqualify Scarlett as a candidate for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Clearly, awards organizations need to forbid non-male voiceover actors, whose plight was thoughtfully examined by Lake Bell in In a World earlier this year, from winning anything. How could Seth McFarlane possibly craft a song about seeing their boobs if they do not appear on camera. Oh the horror.

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Allow me to temper my disillusionment by saying that, as In a World pointed out, voice acting is fraught with its own gender expectations and heteronormative problems. Scarlett’s voice, like the rest of her, is very traditionally bombshell (not to disparage her for any of this, since I think she seems like a lovely person), so we aren’t out of the sexist woods yet. However, the fact that the Golden Globes’ controlling organization feels that a voice performance that shows nuance and range does not qualify as “acting” is simply ridiculous, as are any accusations that her role counts as “half a performance.”

I realize that acting also involves a range of physical and non-verbal factors, and that we wouldn’t have film without the ability of silent actors who used these to convey a message. However, Hollywood and its worshippers has gotten out of control in its objectification of women it finds beautiful, and its mockery of those it doesn’t. Why else would we have a plethora of articles about the weight loss plans and post-baby bodies of the stars. Powerful plus-sized actors like Gabourey Sidibe and Queen Latifah have shown us that size does not determine your ability to give a powerful performance.

Now that the Golden Globes have shown their penchant for terrible decisions, it’s time for the other awards to step up and allow Scarlett Johannson to participate. Maybe one day we can even let actors portraying female astronauts wear head-to-toe jumpsuits on camera.

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Expert tips to deal with excessive sweating

Do you sweat a lot? Excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis is a common problem faced by many individuals and can be quite distressing. It is commonly seen in palms, armpits and soles. But this condition is treatable. Dr Shefali Trasi Nerurkar ,a skin specialist, tells us more.

First things first, sweating is necessary to help keep one’s body temperature steady especially in conditions like hot weather, fever, workouts, etc. In hyperhidrosis, a person sweats more than normal even when they aren’t feeling hot.

In order to treat this condition, one needs to know which type of hyperhidrosis they suffer from. It can be classified into 3 types:

Primary (idiopathic) focal hyperhidrosis

The word idiopathic means of unknown cause. In this type, sweating occurs in one or more focal places such as both palms, both soles, both armpits, face, scalp, etc. This happens as the sweat glands in these areas are overactive than others. Both men and women can be affected by it and the severity can vary from time to time. The sweating can aggravate by triggers such as heat, anxiety, spicy food, etc but sometimes no obvious cause triggers sweating. This type is more common than the rest.

Secondary focal hyperhidrosis

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This type is quite uncommon. Here, the sweating occurs in a particular area like one palm, one armpit, etc and the likely causes are known. For example, a spinal disease or injury can cause sweating in one leg.

Generalised hyperhidrosis

In this type, one sweats more than the normal levels but there is overall sweating and not just at one or two areas. This is less common than primary focal hyperhidrosis and is mainly caused by an underlying medical condition. These can be side-effects of certain medicines, hormonal problems like an overactive thyroid gland, infections, certain cancers, anxiety disorders, etc. The actual cause will have to be diagnosed before it can be treated.

Tips to curb excessive sweating

Start using an anti-bacterial soap containing triclosan which will help prevent infection in that area.

Try to avoid common triggers of sweat like eating spicy food, going out in the heat, etc.

If your armpits are your problem areas, use antiperspirants regularly and avoid wearing clothes made of synthetic fibres like nylon, etc. You can also use sweat shields that absorb sweat and prevent sweat marks to show up on your dress.

If you have sweaty feet, wear fresh socks every day, or even change them twice a day if required. Also, use an anti-fungal foot powder which can absorb the sweat. Closed shoes are less breathable and can lead to a stink so wear open sandals. If your work demands wearing closed footwear, alternate them every day to allow them to dry completely.

A more extreme solution for excessive sweating is using an antiperspirant that contains aluminium chloride which blocks the openings of sweat ducts. Though these work best in the armpits, they also work on soles and palms. Apply it at night as the glands are less active that time and clean the area with soap when bathing. Do not shave the area for up to 24 hours before or after using it or on broken/inflamed skin. Even after the condition improves, apply it weekly once to keep blocking the sweat glands.

If your problem still persists, visit a skin specialist who can analyse the problem and suggest medications or treatments to rectify it.

Lady Gaga Shows Some Skin In A Sheer Dress In NYC

Lady Gaga is busy these days! Not only is she promoting her latest album, Art Pop, but she also appeared on Saturday Night Live on Nov. 16 in NYC. While heading to rehearsals the star showed off one jaw-dropping look after another — but nothing was quite like the sheer Versace number she rocked on Nov. 15. It doesn’t even surprise us anymore when Gaga wears an abnormal outfit…BUT this one had us shaking our heads! What do you guys think of Gaga’s NYC look?

Lady Gaga’s Sheer Dress In NYC:

The star chose an Atelier Versace strapless black cocktail dress that featured a sheer, wraparound panel that was lined with silver. A pair of pumps, from the Versace S/S 2014 collection, finished off the ensemble, as she also rocked black gloves.

The 27-year-old turned the sidewalk into her own personal runway in the form-fitting frock — and we couldn’t take our eyes off the flesh-colored cutouts! As to avoid a wardrobe malfunction, the star’s nude underwear was totally visible in the silhouette. The flesh-colored panel exposed Gaga’s stomach and butt and was lined in silver sparkles. Now that’s one way to make a statement.

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Honestly, this is not one of Gaga’s best looks — although had she worn it to a red carpet event and styled it differently we might have said otherwise! This look was just a little too much for a day out in NYC. Sure, we get that she likes to make a statement and create ‘art’ through fashion, however, she did not accomplish that with this look. The sultry dress doesn’t look as amazing as it is on this occasion.

Aside from the fact that she wore the dress during the day, we don’t love the way she accessorized the ensemble. From the gloves to the hat, the whole thing was more costume-like than chic. There’s just too much going on. Had she rocked the dress on a red carpet with a sleek ‘do, we probably would’ve loved the look. What do you think?

Feast On This: Organic Avenue’s Fall Menu

With the social blitz of the holidays almost upon us, it’s an apropos time to think about purifying your diet. But if you’d rather not cleanse—or exist on fumes and liquids alone—Organic Avenue’s new autumnal food menu is an appealing alternative. Made from wholesome, local, and seasonal ingredients, the raw dishes are loaded with beneficial nutrients to help detox the body and aid digestion, but thankfully, not at the expense of taste or food-y pleasure. After munching my way through the new arrivals, a few palette-boosting winners emerged: the Roasted Squash and Beet Salad is a generous portion of beta-carotene-rich (and deliciously sweet) kabocha squash along with roasted shallots and earthy fennel. It made for a surprisingly hearty meal that sustained me through the afternoon without sugary, hunger-spiking candy. The side of Roasted Brussels Sprouts was cooked to perfection (not to firm or falling apart) and packed with skin-brightening vitamins C and antioxidants for a burst of energy later in the day. But I could write a love letter to the Japanese Sweet Potatoes: they were delicately whipped and flavored with fermented chickpea miso, chives to boost circulation and Nigella seeds to eliminate toxins. Afterward, I felt entirely satiated but without an ounce of heaviness. For someone who has never been much of a whiz in the kitchen, O.A.’s menu was a vast improvement over take-out or Seamless delivery, and opened my eyes to flavors I didn’t know existed. It’s a holiday temptation worth giving into.

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Lady Gaga's Glamour December 2013 Cover Sparks Photoshop Debate at Women of the Year Awards

Lady Gaga loves a bold statement, and the singer made several of them last night at Glamour’s Women of the Year Awards. From a double-take-inducing ensemble to an impassioned speech on the evils of Photoshop, Gaga took the event as an occasion to reiterate why, exactly, she loves to bend the confines of fashion, and in doing so, encouraged viewers to remember why imperfection is so darn important.

The performer arrived at the awards ceremony outfitted in a pearl-emblazoned Thom Browne skirt suit, white gloves and towering custom-designed platform sandals, but her hair and makeup was the real shocker of the look. With a teased, powdered, white-blond wig, white eyeliner, and lurid spots of blush on her cheeks, Gaga could easily have been mistaken for an extra in Amadeus. While onstage accepting her Woman of the Year award, Gaga said “I don’t even look like this”. We’re glad she admitted it.

One of the stranger moments of Gaga’s acceptance speech, however, was her decision to criticize Glamour for Photoshopping her December cover and the corresponding photo spread, reminding viewers that she values peculiarity over perfection. Gaga took the award ceremony as an opportunity to reiterate her famous “Born This Way” credo in reference to the December issue, saying “I do not look like this when I wake up in the morning.” In addition to a seemingly slenderized nose and a more angular frame in the article’s accompanying photos, Gaga said “I felt my skin looked too perfect. I felt my hair looked too soft.”

Airbrushing is certainly a hot button issue for fashion publications and readers alike, and Gaga’s statements are in keeping with her trailblazing, chameleon-like approach to fashion. To date, Gaga’s most visually conventional beauty look appeared in her early work including music videos for 2008 dance hits “Poker Face” and “Just Dance”, in which she dons a pin straight blond hairdo, heavy black eyeliner, and thick lashes. The look hearkens back to ’90s pop princesses from Baby Spice to Britney Spears, whose appearances were meant to look sleek, perfect, and soft in an attempt to sell albums. Gaga’s ode to the ordinary was short lived, and she returned to rejecting style standards at every possible opportunity.

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After the The Fame achieved notoriety, Gaga immediately dove into more challenging material both musically and stylistically, including “Bad Romance” and “Telephone,” and effectively ditched any associations she may have had to a traditional pop icon image. Gaga took the advent of fame to encourage her Little Monsters to both celebrate their innate beauty and express it, instead of viewing their individuality as a misfortune. Gaga has since run the gamut with her fashion choices, utilizing her stardom to experiment with avant-garde couture looks and technologically advanced designs. Recent winners include a mustache and fur coat ensemble in Berlin and a black, textured Philip Treacy hat which looks like it obstructs vision in addition to sunlight. From the looks of it, the only style statement Gaga isn’t willing to embrace is conformity.

Gaga’s problem with the Glamour cover, therefore, has less to do with conventional beauty and more to do with the fashion industry’s means of imposing conformity. Gaga once again illuminates the disparity between magazines who claim to celebrate unique style, and their digital enhancement of even the most prolific tastemakers to fit an ideal of beauty. The one consistent message we can glean from Gaga’s many manifestations is that style has no single definition, and as such, we should “fight back against the forces that say you have to be beautiful,” especially when beautiful means erasing imperfections. Glamour’s transgression, it seems, was attempting to refine the image of a woman who pledges allegiance to her outré and individualistic style, flaws and all.

Turquoise Bridesmaid Dresses Add Romantic Touches to Your Wedding

For years, girls don’t stop to seek for dresses that seem rather simple, but sophisticated. These desires are certainly recognized by fashion elites. They remove complicated accessories away from those blue and green gowns for bridesmaids. The big impact aroused by turquoise bridesmaid dresses is exactly convincing evidence for this. Turquoise bridesmaid dresses are favored by lots of modern girls because it is perfect for a lovely cool wedding.

Today extremely simple styles are shown by turquoise bridesmaid gowns. You can choose empire waist, sweetheart or one shoulder they will definitely hold sway over tendencies on the neckline patterns. These dresses are usually made to be tea-length to ideally match with the princess-like sense on the bride. Like them or not, they always make females incredibly glamorous and of course add aristocratic and romantic spices to your wearers' overall appearances!

Since the turquoise is ideally matched with the blue sky and the blue sea. It’s perfect to have a beach wedding which is obviously very romantic. And we have some general suggestions for your perfect wedding: you should select a turquoise bridesmaid dress that has an illusion neckline because it is perfect to provide some sheer coverage and to wear for weddings taking place during a candle light ceremony. For another suggestion is to select an A-line silhouette to ensure a complementary fit on nearly every member of your female bridal party and allow them to choose their own neck line based on their individual style and needs. Then about the hairstyle, if your wedding hairstyles for bridesmaids are long, loose, and flowing, then the turquoise bridesmaid dresses should be embellished with layers of ruffles to complement this hairstyle.

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Another occasion, if you are holding a beach wedding, here are the detailed suggestions: the pockets in turquoise bridesmaid dresses will keep the look casual and carefree, perfect for a simple beach wedding at an all-inclusive resort. And you should select chiffon bridesmaid dresses which will move in the ocean’s breeze or a turquoise dress that has a contrasting print, turquoise and pink or turquoise and white are two color combinations that will enhance beach turquoise wedding decorations and create unique designs throughout the dress. And not to forget about the accessories like coral jewelry that makes the ocean blue color pop because turquoise dresses will complement grey beach wedding suits.

Blush for tanned skin

I’M an Indian girl with tanned skin. I love using blushers but after applying, it disappears within an hour. Is there a way to make it last longer? Which blush colour or tone is suitable for my skin colour? I also have oily eyelids.

My whole face tends to be pretty oily generally, but my eyelids are the worst! I sometimes feel I can’t wear any eyeshadow or eyeliner because they will just slide right off or smudge. It gets into my eyes and causes a stinging sensation, because the oil (I think) gets into them. Is there any solution for this problem? – Suzana

It important to choose the right blusher colours for your skin. Each person should have at least two shades to pick from, a peach and a pink, says Joyce Lee, chief make-up artist for Estee Lauder. This way you have a colour to choose from regardless of the look you are going for.

For tanned skin, choose colours from mauve to plum, or rose to deep oranges. Choosing a shade that’s too light will make your skin appear washed out and pale.

And then, you need to get a blusher that will last through the day. Powder is typically the best for oily and combo skin. Cream is great for dry skin. Liquid and gel are great for oily skin. For better results, combine cream and powder together.

To apply a long wearing blush, use a liquid gel blusher and dap onto cheeks with your fingers with Estee Lauder Pure Color Cheek Rush. Apply powder blush, Pure Color Blush, on top of the liquid gel blusher. If you’ve gone a bit heavy on the powder blush, brushing Lucidity Translucent Loose Powder lightly over it will calm it down.

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For those with extremely oily eyelids, these steps will help reduce smudging.

At Estee Lauder, we have a technique called “Simple Smudge”. Prep your eyelids by using Estee Lauder’s Double Wear concealer on your eyelids. Next, use a setting powder which will help your eyeshadow to last.

Apply Estee Lauder Double Wear eyeliner that lasts up to eight hours. Smudge the liner using the smudger, and then apply your eyeshadow. Avoid using cream eyeshadows. Use the Double Wear Gel Eyeliner on top of the pencil liner. And then, set your eyeliner by applying a powder eyeshadow in a similar colour on top of your eyeliner.

Don’t worry about having oily eyelids. Think about it, when the skin stops producing oil, it becomes dry and dehydrated, and that’s when wrinkles start to creep in!

I’M 54 and have dark patches around my cheeks. Also, how do I get rid of eyebags? I noticed that my laugh lines are getting longer and deeper. I have tried some products but so far they haven’t yielded any results. – Deel

According to La Prairie trainer Rebecca Ong, dark patches, skin pigmentation, sun and age spots are due to increased pigment at the bottom layer of the skin.

Skin pigmentation may be induced by hormones, such as birth-control pills and estrogen therapies, or triggered by UV light. Other causes could be skin inflammation, acne marks and certain types of medication. which can make the skin become sun sensitive.

Whilst dark patches are worrying, firming and conditioning the skin are also important. Cleanse twice a day with a hydrating face wash, exfoliate three times a week and use sunscreen with SPF protection daily. Use La Prairie White Caviar Illuminating Système collection which will treat the dark patches, and enhance skin firming and promote skin hydration.

La Prairie White Caviar collection uses advance formulas for treating pigmentation without bleaching agents or harsh ingredients that irritate the skin. Using the system together helps control discoloration before, during and after pigmentation sets in, as the formula works to reduce tyrosinase, the enzyme responsible for melanin production. This results in less clustering of melanin, a more even skin texture and lightened dark patches.

The White Caviar collection contains high caviar extract, antioxidants and anti-wrinkle peptides that can help reduce the depth of laugh lines. Start with White Caviar Illuminating Clarifying Lotion day and night. This pre-treatment lotion helps to condition, clarify, gently exfoliate and prepare the skin for the brightening process. Golden caviar and edelweiss extracts help to lift, firm and refresh the skin.

Follow up with White Caviar Spot Treatment two times a day, applied only on the dark patches. This formula contains the highest level of brighteners developed to focus on stubborn spots and prevents new spots from forming.

Lastly, use White Caviar Illuminating Serum and White Caviar Illuminating Cream day and night. The formula has licorice extract, vitamin C and high antioxidants that will help interrupt melanin production, lift and firm with nutritious golden caviar extract and anti-wrinkle peptides. Apply La Prairie Sun Protection Emulsion Face SPF 30 during the day for protection and prevent moisture loss.

Eyebags are common sign of ageing as the skin membrane tends to break down. It could also be fluid retention under the eyes. Use White Caviar Illuminating Eye Serum and Eye Cream after cleansing. The brightening and other anti-ageing effects will be seen on the deeper and outer layer of the skin on the eye areas. Enhanced blood circulation will give you firmer and smoother skin texture around the eyes.

Michael Kors Holiday 2013 Campaign

The Michael Kors holiday 2013 campaign shot in New York by talented photographer Mario Testino is based on the idea that the holiday season is the best season of all. With that in mind, the renowned designer created a series of looks that would be modern yet festive: "When I was designing holiday, I kept thinking about how can you have it all. I love the idea of this rock-and-roll, denim and diamonds Christmas. It’s cozy but glamorous—the perfect combination for the holidays."

For the new Michael Kors holiday 2013 ads, the luxury brand enlisted the help of models Corey Baptiste, Ji Hye Park, Julia Frauche, Karmen Pedaru, Lais Ribeiro, Simon Nessman and Victor Nylander, to create the perfect holiday party atmosphere and unveil the potential of the gorgeous pieces. A single glance at the new set of ads is enough to prove that the pieces are versatile indeed, something that can't usually be said about most holiday offerings.

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Among the cool pieces from the new Michael Kors campaign for holiday 2013 are tank tops, gorgeous metallic pants and jeans, fluffy jackets, animal printed dresses and jumpsuits and sparkly tops. The pieces are combined simply yet cleverly to create an effortlessly cool allure every single time. Though the looks seem fairly simple, the accessories add a special, luxurious touch. Practical handbags, eye-catching bracelets, classy rings, modern classy watches and many more make these cool looks inspirational and memorable.

Taking a few style cues from the new campaign is definitely helpful if you're looking for modern outfit ideas to make a statement without sacrificing completely functionality. Modern, cozy, glamorous and sexy is usually a rare style combination but is one that instantly impresses when all done right, so the new ads definitely fit the criteria.

Private No More: Giancarlo Giammetti on Life With Valentino, Elizabeth Taylor’s Expensive Taste, and Lauren Hutton’s Tantrums

Many of fashion’s great performers have benefited from great showrunners—those unsung partners who protect and guide from offstage. The line you hear about Giancarlo Giammetti, then, is that he allows Valentino to be Valentino. What that means exactly can be hard to explain. Suffice it to say that what began as a mutual attraction turned into one of the most fruitful collaborations the fashion world has ever seen. In helping to build up the legendary label, Giammetti also laid the groundwork for the industry as it is today. His relationship with his partner is as moving as it is complicated—or so it appears in Valentino: The Last Emperor, the acclaimed documentary that ushered Valentino vividly back into the spotlight in 2008, at a time when the pair behind the famous name might have retreated into relative (but impossibly opulent) obscurity. Now, with Private: Giancarlo Giammetti, Giammetti offers another peek into the Valentino world. Published by Assouline, the twelve-pound tome is a compendium of reflections and photos, nearly all of them snapped by Giammetti himself, of the long, enviable life he’s led—one that has contained so many royals, Hollywood idols, and pharaonic fashion types that it more or less functions as an illustrated social history of the latter half of the twentieth century. Giammetti spoke about fashion then and now, the glamorous “tribe” with which he’s always traveled, and the “diva fits” he’s come to take in stride.

In his foreword to the book, Valentino writes that he learned some things about you that he did not know before. Is that even possible?

It’s true. Everybody has secrets, no? It was easier to tell them to the book than to him! He would have reacted, probably. At least the book was silent.

The Last Emperor made your life public in a way that it never had been before. Could you have done this book without that movie?

No.

You’d always guarded your privacy. Tell me about how the movie changed that.

The movie was a surprise. The first time we went to see it, we came out of the room so shocked that I called the lawyers. I felt so violated. I expected a documentary about fashion, the beautiful girls, the runways, the parties. I didn’t expect to feel so naked.

But eventually you came around.

We got eight minutes of standing ovation in Venice, and everybody started to say how great it was to see a different aspect of our lives. I remember that Matt [Tyrnauer, the director] said, “This is not a movie about the rich and famous. This is about love, and the end of an era.” And it seems that people were attracted to this. Also it helped people—I’m talking about gay people, probably—to see there are people that can build a relationship and a life together.

How did this book come about, then?

There was this enormous collection of photos I did all my life, and my diaries. The pictures were glued in albums, so three or four years ago I called an archiving company that specialized in this kind of thing—the same one that did all the Vatican’s documents. I started to look at these pictures inside my computer, and I had an offer from Assouline already, so I said, “Why not?” We went from 57,000 archived [images] to 500 or 600.

Drama, or mini-drama, seems to be a recurring fact of life. You write about Lauren Hutton throwing a “diva fit,” and mention the “tantrums” of Naomi Campbell. How have you learned to deal with it?

Fashion is full of drama people, and [you see that] some problems are more important than others. If Naomi wants to go out first and not second, you let her do it, because it’s not worth it, and because despite being a difficult character she is a great person and an amazing friend. Lauren’s tantrum made me more upset because it was in the middle of an event. But yes, I have quite a tough skin now.

In one sense—as romantic partners—you and Valentino broke up in 1972. In another sense, you never did. It’s an unorthodox business arrangement. Did you ever have any doubts it would work?

Of course it’s never easy. But I am somebody who hates to lose track of people that are important to me—the construction of this “tribe” is because of that. And don’t forget, we [had been] in business for twelve years. You don’t leave everything [behind] just because something doesn’t work anymore.

Valentino is sometimes considered the first house really to embrace celebrities. Was that plan or accident?

A bit of both. It’s interesting to see people who are successful, and even then it was important to have them wearing your clothes in front of a camera. I remember in ’61 Elizabeth Taylor was in Rome for Cleopatra and went to an opening of Spartacus, the movie with Kirk Douglas. She wore this pleated white chiffon Valentino dress with ostrich at the end, and it was in every paper. The day after, she came to the fashion house and wanted seven outfits. She said, “Oh, you have so much publicity with me today—I deserves this, this, this, this.” In a certain way she was like an animal, she wanted things, and when she wanted something, she’d use any means.

Did you give her all the dresses she asked for?

Of course. And they were the most expensive [ones]. I remember one in embroidered velvet with a sable collar. She chose that first, of course. But she was also an amazing woman. Anyway, we understood that this was a good way to promote the brand, and it was fascinating to be sitting with Elizabeth Taylor.

Is it harder to work with celebrities now?

Very much so. In the beginning, Valentino was really the person involved. You had Elizabeth Taylor or Jackie Kennedy coming to your office and choosing the dress. You’d discuss, and fight or not fight. But now stylists decide which dresses will be in the room. The most famous dress for Valentino, for example, is the Julia Roberts [the vintage Valentino she wore to the Academy Awards in 2001]—and we didn’t know anything about it. It was there in a room with twenty-five other dresses from twenty-five designers. She went out in another dress and her niece, Emma, said, “I don’t like this dress—why don’t you wear the Valentino?” And she changed at the last moment. It was a huge success, and I absolutely thank Julia. But it was not something personal.

Despite all that, you and Valentino still have personal relationships with lots of celebrities.

But it has nothing to do with wearing our clothes, thank God. We had an accident with Anne Hathaway during the Oscars—she didn’t wear a dress that we made with a lot of care and love. But it doesn’t mean that she is not one of our best friends.

This book is very much about the dolce vita. There is a section in there about work, but it isn’t exactly represented in images.

Fashion is not people playing with dolls, you know? It’s a very tough business, very competitive. And wherever there’s competition there’s a lot of pressure and anxiety and sleepless nights. If there were pictures [of this], I wouldn’t mind publishing them. But there are no photos.

Yves Saint Laurent versus Valentino is considered one of the great rivalries, but you’ve said that Valentino did not feel personally that competitive toward other designers. Was it more of a rivalry between you and Pierre Bergé, then?

No, it was more of a complex of Mr. Bergé. I think Yves Saint Laurent is an amazing designer—there was nothing to say. It was not a real rivalry for me. I don’t have the greatest admiration for Mr. Bergé. I don’t think the way that he handled the relationship with Yves was right. And even now, I don’t like what is happening to that company. The cancellation of Yves in the name, I thought it was really something horrible.

You write that there is no training for the job you’ve done. But nowadays people get trained for every job, don’t you think?

The difference is that I was doing it by myself. Today five or six people would do this job together. And it was dictated by feelings. I was also owning the company, so there was the ambition to make it bigger, not just to save my chair or title. It was a different moment, suddenly not just couture anymore. You had dresses on racks, publicity, advertising, magazines—so many things.

And fashion did not have the cachet it has now, when everyone wants to be in the business.

I remember just to get an accountant in Rome in the sixties, you couldn’t get a man. They were ashamed to work for a designer! And today we could have the president of United Airlines come in and work for any fashion company. There is an appeal in fashion today that is amazing. There is also a lot of money involved. I don’t think that the business has the same salaries [anymore].

If the fashion business has gotten more glamorous, some people would say that you and Valentino are, to an extent, responsible.

I don’t know if the money was my fault! But the cachet we brought to life.

Is this book the last time you’ll share so much of your memories and archives publicly?

I don’t know. Maybe there will be another book with less pictures and more text—something that you can take to bed.

Sounds like a memoir.

Why not?

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