Manic Metallic

“Who really holds power when it comes to creative professions?

Is it the artists, with all of their trial-and-error over countless years to see what styles, media, and forms work best for the type of art they want to produce and the vision they wish to execute?

Is it the persons or entities who control the purse strings, making the achievement of the artist’s vision wholly dependent on their backer’s financial cooperation?

These are a couple of questions that I’m left with after attending the Alexey Brodovitch: Astonish Me exhibit at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, PA, and referencing the finely detailed guide accompanying the exhibit.”

“The fact, however, that this is the first major – and let us define “major” by “well-known”, in this instance – national exhibit of Alexey Brodovitch’s work leaves one to wonder how someone who held so much authority in the arts, fashion, culture, and publishing spheres in New York has not been honored by any of that city’s illustrious arts institutions.

This would, for example, have seemed prime territory for the Museum of Modern Art or the Jewish Museum. That the Barnes Foundation took the initiative to honor Brodovitch’s work in Philadelphia – the city where he first made his mark in the United States – has a ring of poetry to it.”

Read the article at our bio link.

“In viewing Brandy Hellville & the Cult of Fast Fashion, one is hit with the soul-crushing realization that we have been down this road again. And again. And again. And again.

More photos of the mounds of discarded clothing from Western society forced into the hands of Ghana’s citizens – after all, why should we Westerners have to deal with our own issues? Why not make third-world countries figure it out for us? A sordid tale – one as old as time.

More stories of workers who were exploited and abused. Mostly women, but that seems to be standard procedure throughout the supply chains of a number of companies in the fashion industry.

More moments of reckoning for the bad corporate actors, followed by a canceling of their cancellation and a return to profitability.”

“It all feels like an unfortunate rerun that we’re doomed to watch, over and over again.

And, as a film from the great Stephen King once noted, “Hell is repetition”.

Read the full article at our bio link.

We had the chance this evening to attend the “Breaking The Mold”: Unusual Journeys In Fashion Entrepreneurship conversation hosted by Dr. Kimberly McGlonn ( ) at Drexel University.

We got to hear from two excellent Philadelphia creative forces - and . Both had fascinating stories and inspired everyone in attendance.

Drexel University’s fashion program is truly a treasure to the fashion community in Philadelphia and to the national & global scene as well.

Episode 48 of The Manic Metallic Podcast is a masterclass in branding and visibility, courtesy of multifaceted St. Louis-based fashionpreneur AK Brown ( ).

We discuss such topics as:

- Why we are stronger together in fashion rather than constantly working against each other - AKA, why we need to set our egos aside to achieve positive results for fashion

- The concept of a “fraudscape” - and how it has made its way into both the fashion and media landscape

- Why we really, REALLY need to double down on creating websites and newsletters for our businesses - and how to get newsletter subscribers

- An argument for counterfeiting and dupes that you would not expect

- Meta/Facebook’s blue check mark monetization initiative

- How to get media visibility - and why it isn’t always necessary to have a large audience in order to build partnerships

- And more!

The podcast is available currently on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, Google Podcasts and RadioPublic, and wherever else that you get your podcasts.

FOLLOW  and  to see fashion as it should be seen: artful, respectful towards the discipline, and aiming for positive societal impact!