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The motto became a
part of the cult of Coco Chanel; it echoes Oscar Wilde’s
famous statement “Fashion is ephemeral”. If fashion is
associated with the idea of trends, considered as a
changing, temporary, even perishable phenomenon, many
literary works testify to the importance of the latter
in our Western societies and cultures.
What is fashion,
if not a second skin that one presents to others, subtly
revealing social status, embodying luxury? Would clothes
be important symbols recharged with meaning by writers
if they weren’t so intertwined, thread with pen?
This year, the
Franco-Irish Literary Festival will address these themes
through a varied programme, including several round
tables carefully moderated by highly qualified experts
in their fields.
The testimony of
an era, a society and cultural traditions, fashion is
also an object of study of predilection for many
historians, contemporary researchers and professors. The
sequence “Weaving Words” will deal with stories and the
history of clothing in society.
Opening the debate
on the practices, ethics and politics that shape the
world of haute couture, important figures in the fashion
industry will take a critical look at current polemics.
The round table “Forging Fashion” will focus
specifically on the relationship between writers,
fashion designers and the fashion world, shows and
luxury, in terms of power and possible dangers.
Whether it is
embodied in travel accessories or in the mythical
Parisian wardrobe, fashion in literature is an
initiatory journey leading its readers to the discovery
of countries, cultures and unknown stories. With
“Narratives of Fashion” we will look at the relationship
between literature, style and appearance.
What will we wear
tomorrow? The closing session “Tomorrow’s Wardrobe” will
turn to the clothing of the future, smart clothing,
eco-clothing, casual clothing. This closing literary
Brunch will allow you to discover the completely
renovated spaces of the Alliance Française Médiathèque,
unique in Dublin’s cultural network due to its size and
its modular and innovative design.
This 2017 edition
is officially registered in the Grand Tour 2017, a
cultural itinerary organised by the French Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and International Development which aims
to reveal and enhance the French cultural actions taking
place around the world.
Jointly organised
by the Alliance Française de Dublin and the cultural
department of the French Embassy, the festival owes its
success and its longevity to valuable partners and
sponsors and whose generosity we cannot understate. We
sincerely thank Poetry Ireland, the Irish Writers Center,
Literature Ireland, the Arts Council, Foras na Gaeilge,
the Embassy of Switzerland in Ireland, Brown Thomas,
French and Irish companies, with special mention to
French laboratories Servier Monde and the CRH company.
We are also very grateful to the medias, who are present
every year and ensure that it is spoken about to the
people all over the country.
We eagerly wait
for you to join us on March 31st, April 1st and 2nd to
share what has become an essential event on Dublin’s
cultural calendar. 15 writers of different languages and
cultures will invite you to share their passion for
fashion and clothing. There will be something for
everyone! |
