s fia

volume 1
editor’s letter

sofia  is a magazine that

explores the relationship
between fashion and phi-
losophy—which, simply, is
the relationship between
the way we dress and the
way we view the world.
through our  intellectual-
ly triggering content, our
goal is make you reflect,
and ultimately,  inspire
you to dress in a way that
satisfies your soul. by get-
ting you to question your
choices and the philoso-
phy behind your fashion,
and offering ideas that
may just help reveal the
essence of your identity—
fluid, free and divorced the magazine is founded by mallika, dunia and
from any externally im- yan at the polimada international institute of
posed limitations. fashion design. and marketing in firenze.
 can fashion be seen through the lens of
philosophy ?
“our wardrobes contain some of the most carefully written
lines of our autobiography” -the school of life

the french philosopher, roland barthes once said; “clothing concerns all of the human per-
son, all of the body, all of the relationships of man to body, as well as the relationships of
the body to society” - clothing essentially “makes the man” -mark twain. fashion is a give-
and-take between necessary and unnecessary, protection and embellishment, it’s the way we
choose to project ourselves to others.

fashion is either believed to be; one of the culminating achievements of society, or confirma-
tion of consumer culture’s frivolous compulsions. it could be an “art”, empowering individu-
als and societies to articulate their inner feelings and personalities, or it could be immoral,
encouraging individuals to work and spend more in a never-ending cycle. the air of fashion
could be a form of expression, individuality, but could also be orange suits that bind us to
our place in society; a “badge of slavery” -mary walton. it can confound us, make us uncom-
fortable, and surprise us. the questions raised about aesthetics are stimulating, and inform-
ing about ourselves, values and society as a whole. it’s a dialogue about who we are and
who we are not. a manifestation and assertion of ourselves. with “pick-me-ups” and a way of
escapism, fashion has the ability to alter our moods and emotions, and display our thoughts
and emotions.

fashion is often dismissed as a frivolous and superficial industry, making no contribution, if

not a bad one, to the world we live in. despite many fashion designers striving to bring dig-
nity to the art form. we love to hate it and hate to love it. it is a reflection of our human psy-
che which we wish to ignore, minimising its messages and importance by lowering its status
to a mere ornamental one. socrates believed that; “a true philosopher would not value such
things as the possession of smart clothes and shoes and other bodily adornments. a phi-
losopher should be free of bodily and ephemeral preoccupations.” it’s of no wonder then,
that with some of the most respected minds throughout our history holding it in contempt,
we have a collectively troubled relationship with this world of frocks and jewels. However,
Virginia Woolf, one of the foremost modernists of the twentieth century, advocates fashion;
“vain trifles as they seem, clothes have more important offices than to merely keep us warm.
they change our view of the world and the world’s view of us”. vivienne westwood affirms
this; fashion is a “philosophy of life”, a practice.

the constant battle between intellect and our instinctive nature to reflect the world through
a creative outlet, despite its bad-reputation, fashion runs through the fabric of our society,
some would even argue it plays a direct role in shaping it. initially, trends allow individuals
to remain updated and connected with society, then are adapted accordingly - a platform
from which your identity and personality could develop. so we could argue that fashion does
matter. to the church of fashion, we flock in numbers to worship, confess and be liberated -
its gospel songs ring through fabrics, draping them over our bodies as we shout amen!
polinas interview
is there beauty in chaos ?
jhvjhv
 rish”
he
“c

it
do we
w e
if

l o s i t ?
e
 fashion

is something that

you can attach to

yourself, put on, and

through the

interaction, the

meaning of it is

born

- rei kawakubo
“philosophy begins in wonder.”-plato
Are we presenting ourselves in a way we are

completely comfortable with?

?
??
?
you could be anywhere in the world. you could
be walking along the ganges in calcutta, you
could be at a beachside café in rio de janeiro,
you could be lounging in hyde park, london on
a sunny day, and no matter where you were, the
sight of three specifically colored stripes would
bring one vivid image into your mind — bob mar-
ley. as far as aligning fashion with legacy, there
are few examples in history as ubiquitous as the
rastafarian icon. his role in introducing and se-
ducing an entire planet towards reggae Music
and its corresponding red, green and yellow
stripes is an irreversible achievement that has
sustained beyond his death, and will continue
to be recognized, perhaps, forever. just as bob
marley’s fashion legacy was the ‘rasta’ colors,
mahatma gandhi’s was his ivory colored, hand-
spun shawl. mother teresa’s fashion legacy was
her starched catholic robes, decorated with a
memorable blue line that is associated, almost
exclusively, with the saint herself. when football
fans think of maradona they remember the blue
and white stripped kit of argentina, and pele is
only ever thought of in his yellow brazil Jersey.
for fashion followers around the world, legacy
could be as simple and understated as a chanel
tweed jacket. however, while we can all appre-
ciate how fashion has served as a primary visual
tool for identifying and immortalizing our idols
beyond their being, we have to ask ourselves, is
humanity’s obsession with legacy a worthy tar-
get, or simply a limitation for fashion’s creative
impulse, as a functional art-form that touches
lives around the world.
rei kawakubo, the legendary comme des
garçons creative director, who’s distinctive and
unapologetically original approach to design,
both as a craft, and as a form of theatre, has
challenged the world’s conceptions of identity,
femininity, and fashion itself. while her works
have been displayed in the metropolitan mu-
seum of modern art and she has completely
broken the traditional mould of what what a
fashion “show” should entail, rei herself, al-
beit unknowingly, encourages us to question
our views on the side-effects of a culture that next time you are about to
overanalyzes fashion in its insatiable lust for adorn dark-rimmed glass-
legacy. in an interview with the famed fashion es. next time you contem-
critic bolton, rei once said, “i was never going plate buying your boy-
to be comfortable with your interpretation [of friend calvin klein boxers.
my work] irrespective of its perspective. noth- next time you consider
ing you could have come up with would have owning a céline bag or
made me happy. basically, I’ve never wanted an hermes scarf, ask your-
my work to be understandable.” this intriguing self…are you a sheep who
response to bolton forces us to ponder whether thinks the legacy of these
rei’s reaction applies to humanity’s approach brands will make you
to clothing and design as a whole. in want- stand out—a shiner sheep
ing to be interpreted, in wanting to be known, in the flock. or do buying
in wanting to build “brands” who’s logos are the products born out of
manufactured into belt buckles and adorned legacies, in a way, sup-
by varying waist-sized jeans around the world, press the desire your soul
do we sacrifice the very creative soul of fash- has… to adorn the body
ion? is the carbon-copy mentality associated with fabrics, colors and
with legacy, the repetition it enforces, and the designs that reflect who
commercial interests it demands, inhibiting you really are.
fashion from going beyond a culture of myopic
fad-obsession and mass produced runway uni-
forms by zara. uniforms, because don’t we all
look ridiculous wearing matching distressed
denim jackets from last season’s collection?
does wearing bob marley’s colors mean that
you like smoking weed— a connotation that has
rendered this palate unusable for many, and
created a cheap, masturbatory sort of victory
for others—who seek to capitalize on young ras-
ta-wannabe adolescents from around the world
by selling them tricolored t-shirts, sweatshirts
and socks.
 i
like
simple lines,
stripes, and a touch
of texture. from dreamy
to street, i find all styles fab-
ulous. i choose the minimal style
which also suits myself best. i like my
timeless pieces.
‘comfort makes you look comfortable’ is my
philosophy of dressing. comfort doesn’t
mean casual but means the pieces
you really love. i believe when
you are with the things
you love, you look
the best.
Everyday human beings across the world go
through the act of wearing clothes. For some, this
act is a meaningless exercise, one that deserves
neither time nor attention nor effort. For others,
this simple act of dawning fabrics to cover our
bodies is a sacred ritual, one that invokes the ut-
most attention to detail, from color, to cut, to fit, to
texture and more. For me, fashion is an expressive
art form, a way to stay connected to my roots, and
in doing so, share my identity with the world. My
wardrobe, thus, is simply an extension of my Self,
and my Home. Whether I’m wearing traditional
paisleys and Jaipur florals on fluid maxis, or ikat
prints on shift dresses, or blending graphic tees
with illustrations of Hindu deities—my clothing is
a reflection of who I am…a strong and expressive
nouveau Indian woman. While I am not immune to
the epidemic of shopping trips to H&M and Zara,
indulging in occasional purchases of run-of-the-
mill basics, my clothing will always be associated
with a sense of belonging. By using my wardrobe
as an anchor to my heritage, but consciously cu-
rating it with myriad inspirations from travels, na-
ture and music, my style will always be a fearless
display of my freedom—my Being.
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are wealth and status still connected to clothes ?
 is fashion a form of social conformity
and obedience ?

if you’ve ever been to a crowded pedestrian intersection in hong kong, you would definitely remember having witnessed a sea of asian men all dressed in impeccably tailored black
suits and each marching in oxfords to their destination with a hard-leather briefcase in hand. the only thing that distinguishes one man from next is the color of his tie. otherwise,
they’re all dressed exactly the same—soldiers in a corporate army, falling in line and following commands. whether we’ve followed a dress-code at work, worn a uniform in school, or
dawned a matching jersey for a sports team, at some point, every single human being has used clothing as a means to “fit in”, or should we say, every single human being has been
used by clothing to conform.

in the book dressed to impress, william keenan digs in to the anthropological origins of fashion. when commenting on the question of conformity, he says, “dress styles unite and di-
vide us into different taste ‘classes.’ our clothes mark us out in social and cultural terms. to ‘look the part’ is to fit into a definable social niche.” william’s analysis points us to the fact
that, consciously or not, we all use our dress and sense of style to conform to a specific segment of society— as a way to identify ourselves and have others be able to identify us. the
doctor’s iconic white robe, the referee’s black and white stripes, the businessman and lawyer’s suits, the wealthy house wife’s jewelry, and the cheerleader’s short dress and glittered
leggings…all of these are examples, albeit professionally oriented, of how we use fashion to conform to social standards. But all of them exude a quality of ignorant acquiescence—
human beings following fashion trends, following instagram profiles and following, blindly, the fashion dictates of runways and magazines.

today, there is still a traditionally inclined audience, which prefers the order of uniformity and standardized dress codes, however, there is also a growing segment of consumers
who willingly abscond from the culture of conformity. In a scathing rant against the the use of suits and ties at work, journalist alan tyers says “the suit’s days are numbered, at least
according to a recent survey that found 34% of professionals only wear one [a suit] for a big meeting, conference or other special occasion. for the rest of the time, more and more
of us are happy to busk along in something vaguely presentable that may have at least been near an iron recently and that doesn’t have any noticeable rips, stains or references to
cannabis enthusiasm on the front.” the research points to a growing trend among young professionals, to opt out of conformity, and opt in for comfort and individuality. this genera-
tion of rebels believes that “if everyone dresses the same, it’s easier to dehumanize them and move them around like numbers on a spreadsheet” (tyers).

while the practicality of societally agreed-upon standards of professional dress codes will never fully evaporate, we will continue to see doctors in white robes, and we are not going
to be seeing neon dresses at funerals anytime soon, the world is going through a changing social narrative around the necessity and importance of confirming to aged social norms
around fashion. especially since more and more, human beings recognize that clothing is a primary form of our identity. so, will we simply use it to confirm — to rules, regulations,
and the trends dictated by celebrities and paid placements in publications, or will we transcend the era of obedience and replace it with a new culture of conscious self expression
through the fabrics that adorn our bodies.
miss schiaparelli, mr socrates, welcome to our symposium.
call me schiap darling.
about love.
do I need a man? no. do I want a man? yes. i suppose we all want to be loved. i sup-
pose love comes with a lot of heartbreak and whilst we can all do without the pain of
loss, the pain of indifference is, in it’s own way rather fatal don’t you think?
love and pain are the spice of life and i don’t eat bland food.
---
well thats rather glass half full for a philosopher don’t you think?
---
your goal in life?
well my dear, i choose to educate, liberate and enlighten using gorgeous threads and
silhouettes. a woman can better ponder the meaning of life in a dress that is, itself,
pondering the meaning of life. they work together almost as a team and in that case,
we both provide ammunition, you for the mind and me for the body.
---
define a strong woman.
many men admire strong women but they don’t love them. some women succeed at
being strong and also tender, but most of those who have intended to walk alone,
making their own way, have lost their happiness. i guess that is what a strong woman
is, or at least what we allow her to be in our society.
i suppose we need enlightened men like you Sir to elevate your genders mind, as a
result, emancipating my gender.
---
what is beautiful for you? (about beauty on inside and outside. imperfections. How to
deal with them? )
remember, 20 percent of women have inferiority complexes, 70 percent have illusions.
i don’t know why really. the essence of beauty is the surreal and unpolished quirks of
life and when we embrace them we find freedom and joy. as for those are thinking
‘alright elsa, but look at my hips!’, well to them i say, embrace it because eating well
gives a spectacular joy to life and contributes immensely to goodwill.
---
i see we finally agree on something. one should never ever fit a dress to the body but
train the body to fit the dress.
---
but a nice dress never hurts.
---
personal style
fashion is born by small facts, trends, or even politics, never by trying to make little
pleats and furbelows, by trinkets, by clothes easy to copy, or by the shortening or
lengthening of a skirt. there is also the element of fun. a splash of surrealism to an el-
egant dress is what makes it a piece of art, an animate object rather than mere fabric
and thread.
---
your biggest achievement to date.
i gave to pink, the nerve of the red, a neon pink, an unreal pink!
and what about you sir, what are your views on love?
marry or marry not, in any case you will regret it.
---
don’t be angry with me if i tell you the truth.
---
your goal in life?
when i was young, i believed that life might unfold in an orderly way, according to
my hopes and expectations. but now i understand that the way winds like a river,
always changing, ever onward.. my journeys revealed that the way itself creates the
warrior; that every path leads to peace, every choice to wisdom. and that life has al-
ways been, and will always be, arising in mystery.
no one can teach, if by teaching we mean the transmission of knowledge, in any me-
chanical fashion, from one person to another. the most that can be done is that one
person who is more knowledgeable than another can, by asking a series of ques-
tions, stimulate the other to think, and so cause him to learn for himself.
---
define a strong woman.
when a woman is allowed to become a man’s equal, she becomes his superior.
that is all i will say.
---
what is beautiful for you? (about beauty on inside and outside. Imperfections. how to
deal with them? )
the years wrinkle our skin, but lack of enthusiasm wrinkles our soul. however, i do
see value in looking after our physical bodies. no citizen has a right to be an amateur
in the matter of physical training... what a disgrace it is for a man to grow old without
ever seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable. and i guess, de-
spite disagreeing with the principle of fashion design, it does have a value in that it
creates enthusiasm for perusing ones physic in order to fit your dresses for example
schiap.
---
the secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the
capacity to enjoy less.
---
personal style
---
your biggest achievement to date.
he who has lived as a true philosopher has reason to be of good cheer when he is
about to die, and that after death he may hope to receive the greatest good in the
other world.
“I gave to pink, the nerve of the red,
a neon pink, an unreal pink”

- elsa schiaparelli

“I gave to pink, the nerve of the red,

a neon pink, an unreal pink”

- socrates
 procope - paris

petersham cafe - richmond

les deux

polidor - paris

la closerie del - paris

books @ cafe - amman

book worm - beiging