The chances are that if you are reading my blog
then you know who Joan Didion is.
then you know who Joan Didion is.
I was reading
this article on the Guardian from Hadley Freeman
( please read if you can) about the latest ads for
Celine featuring Joan Didion.
I was scratching my head and verbally disagreeing with her out loud like an old man who hasn't left his armchair in 3 days.
Mind you,
it's my fault because reading an article
about a luxury brand in fashion on the Guardian is like
reading a hard hitting article about politics in US Vogue.
Righty oh.
*rubbing hands*
There were the usual words that feature heavily in the Guardian on a regular basis such as "exploit".
I normally don't mind the whole being contrary thing.
That basically sums up my youth.
I was one of the many advocate players of the devil
but in this case I could not join the opposing case.
If you haven't read the article the author feels Joan Didion,
one of the authors that feature mightily in the modern anthology of American literature,
might have lessened her strength in the "artistic roll call".
She should not have lowered herself to peddle sunglasses for a fashion conglomerate.
No, no, the North Londonmafia intelligentsia say.
A true artist is underrated and known by the select few
to be dissected and fawned over on dinner tables
that serve chardonnay with irony.
Well one can never please everybody.
I couldn't believe a Guardian columnist was complaining about replacing an otherwise safe, formulaic, young and slim woman with an older, accomplished woman who was celebrated for her intellect.
Shock horror!
this article on the Guardian from Hadley Freeman
( please read if you can) about the latest ads for
Celine featuring Joan Didion.
 |
| Via |
Mind you,
it's my fault because reading an article
about a luxury brand in fashion on the Guardian is like
reading a hard hitting article about politics in US Vogue.
Righty oh.
*rubbing hands*
There were the usual words that feature heavily in the Guardian on a regular basis such as "exploit".
I normally don't mind the whole being contrary thing.
That basically sums up my youth.
I was one of the many advocate players of the devil
but in this case I could not join the opposing case.
 |
| Via |
one of the authors that feature mightily in the modern anthology of American literature,
might have lessened her strength in the "artistic roll call".
She should not have lowered herself to peddle sunglasses for a fashion conglomerate.
No, no, the North London
A true artist is underrated and known by the select few
to be dissected and fawned over on dinner tables
that serve chardonnay with irony.
Well one can never please everybody.
I couldn't believe a Guardian columnist was complaining about replacing an otherwise safe, formulaic, young and slim woman with an older, accomplished woman who was celebrated for her intellect.
 |
| Via |
Some Chinese teenage fashionista in Shanghai,
a fashion blogger in Brazil,
and a real housewife in a suburb of Detroit
is probably googling who Joan Didion is instead of taking another selfie right now.
They might even get her book.
I can't see a down side.
To spread the word of Joan Didion literally in this case to an audience that would otherwise not know who she is or her work through a Celine ad is akin to spreading literacy.
Bravo I say.
I hope a cosmetic company poaches her next!
I love her and the ad, as frankly some of the other ads with older people are not particularly good in my opinion as it is so clear that the person has had a tremendous amount of work. Now, live and let live and all that, but frankly, if you are showing me an older model, it's because I want to feel some kinship with them. If I want wrinkle-free I prefer a 20 year old. Nothing scares me more now that a woman 50+ whose face doesn't move. Joan Didion is amazing and she has earned those looks and that cool! Well said!
ReplyDeleteI love her and she was and is very attractive. Plus in fashion terms - thin!
DeleteI think it's so difficult these days to tell if the media is writing actual opinions, or just saying stuff for the buzz. Sigh. Love Didion and Cèline, match made in heaven.
ReplyDeleteI think the guardian shouldn't really do fashion!
Deleteand I hope they paid her lots and lots of money - up front!
ReplyDeleteshe's had much sadness in her life and I'm glad to see her doing something frivolous and getting paid for it. and I love your comments.
I hope she whoops it up and enjoys some populist fun with people stopping snd chatting to her. She deserves a but of frivolous!
DeleteSo agree. I loved it, and perhaps that's the point? That the people who do know Joan Didion and who get the ad are the people that Celine wants as customers long term, rather than the shallow trend types who will just think about the coveted handbag, don't buy anything else and leave the brand alone altogether if it doesn't come up with something else similarly coveted by the 20 year old bloggers in the Midwest/ Russia/ Sydney etc etc…
ReplyDeleteAnd what's wrong with doing something frivolous? Why does she have to be serious? Who wants to be known only amongst a certain set, who are pretentious and will drop you if you're seen to be commercial?
Yes I am now going to check out these sunglasses even though I tend to get them free with my summer magazine purchase. Am tired of the starving artist thing. Hope she has fun with this bc she had been thru such a rough time of late.
Deletebravo to you and celine and joan. bah humbug on anyone who would complain, this woman deserves a bit of frivolity
ReplyDeletedebra
Bah hambug indeed!
DeleteBoy have I been out of the loop these days. Bravo to Celine for using a wonderful woman in their ad. Bravo to Joan for making some easy money and setting a great example to advertisers and marketers...can most 20year olds afford Celine anyway?
ReplyDeleteYes many young uns parade around with them...I hope people realise that a mature and smart demographic want varied visuals and cues and it's a slight path change for marketers.
DeleteIn my opinion Joan Didion can do whatever the hell she likes. She doesn't lessen her place in literature by appearing in a Celine ad. Is that Guardian writer kidding me? Plenty of these outfit bloggers who don't know who she is could use a few of her books in their life, let me tell you. Her memoir 'The Year of Magical Thinking' is one of the best things I have ever read in my life (and I was an English lit major!) and should be required reading for everyone! If Joan wants to appear in fashion ads every season she should get on with her own bad self. She has nothing else to prove as a writer and being in a fashion ad does not diminish the strength of her work! Great post Naomi, you are one of the best, my dear. XO, Jill
ReplyDeleteYes the year of magical thinking will be a classic and studied in the future. I don't like the clichéd view that one has to be so niche to be a credible artist either! I hope some people might be encouraged to read as you say! X
DeleteSpeaking of "Magical Thinking", how could appearing in a commercial ad possibly diminish her literary and personal accomplishments. Some people just need to get over themselves.
ReplyDeleteYes, I think art is rather detached from the artist anyway in many cases and know the journalist wrote about this ages ago but now contradicts herself!
DeleteLoved the campaign and your arguments.
ReplyDeleteSSG xxx
Thanks SSG x
DeleteSo agree, Naomi! And do you think Germaine might be next? (Couldn't resist!) Pammie
ReplyDeleteI love Germaine! She's very attractive too. But I see her more jil sander!
DeleteAgree she is attractive x
DeleteShe is what I call a cute older person. Older people have more interesting faces, and are in a great position to model sunnies.
ReplyDeleteFrom a marketing view older people wear more sunglasses so this might spike sales for certain sections. She was always quite lithe and boho chic.
DeleteSo just because someone is an intellectual they shouldn't be interested in fashion. That's kind of messed up, don't you think? It's about time older women are getting attention in the style department. We're all going to be older some day.....if we're lucky.
ReplyDeleteYes bc people can't be layered or overlap right? It's so close minded and 80's when jocks were only jocks and nerds had to be geeky. Keep up with the times!
DeleteWhy did she?
ReplyDeleteDon't know why and would love to know but from articles from after all the deaths it seems that there were many bills to pay and I hope she retires with ease and writes some more without any financial stress.
DeleteLove Joan Didion, love Celine ...... Hadley Freeman less so. SHouting at the newspaper is definitely a (healthy) sign of old age!!
ReplyDeleteI am on schedule then!
DeleteGood post. I agree that being part of a Celine campaign in no way tarnishes Joan's reputation as a writer. Perhaps she's just having fun. Joan and her daughter were in a Gap ad in the 1980s. Did anyone raise these objections then?
ReplyDeleteAlso, about your last post: Did you see that there's a Noam Chomsky gnome? It's billed as Gnome Chomsky: The Essential Ornament for the Thinking Person’s Garden.
I need to see those gap ads! I love that - gnome Chomsky!
DeleteFrantic, quick comment but I'm in the other camp, this is just beyond the pale for me, both for Celine and JD - I'm starting to see this warm hug around older 'models' as exploitation by companies quick to jump on the bandwagon of the current zeitgeist. I'd love to think of it as a long over due in the West cultural embracement of age but I don't think it is for a minute.
ReplyDeleteRead the comments - yep, I'm the only cynic!
ReplyDeleteNormally I am the biggest cynic and frankly I stopped following a lot of the older woman for the sake of it blogs bc I find it patronising tokenism the majority of the time...but I think Joan is like that classic older Parisian woman but American of course. Plus I genuinely think her and celine suit each other. But I wish the notion of selling out would apply to her I mean she's not doing pirates of the Caribbean 5 for crying out loud! Hehe
DeleteLove the post...and the comments. I agree with Connie. Smart women can love fashion...just read Linda Grant's The Thoughtful Dresser...literary writer writes memoir about clothes. Love it!
ReplyDeleteYes I love all the comments too. Never read that book so will google thanks for the tip!
Deletethoughtful dresser is practically my favourite book.
DeletePlease don't take this the wrong way, but I can see it a bit from HF's point of view. JD is the sort of person people, who don't think they idolise other people, quite like to feel is their special person. And, the ad campaign does make her very visible to all.
ReplyDeleteOh Sue I love all sorts of opinions! That's what makes it fun:) I love how you put it though!!! It's soooo true that I had to laugh!
DeleteI agree with you. Brava!!
ReplyDeleteHear, hear.
ReplyDeleteTa Jen and HIH
DeleteWell, many of us older ones were patronized and served as tokens back in the day; I recall being the only woman in the room. So, if it starts that way, I am willing to bear it. I didn't realize it was a sunglasses ad! I was hunting for the bag in the photo...
ReplyDeleteI hope they have had a huge spike in sales and am toying with getting some even though it is my policy to get those free sunnies with summer tatler!
DeleteYes! You've perfectly articulated what I was thinking when I read that article! I remember rolling my eyes and thinking, well that's just typical Guardianista bs when I read that article. I think it was Michelle Obama who said that it's possible to be a strong woman yet still like so called 'frivolous' stuff like fashion.
ReplyDeleteYes I think women can be layered and have different aspects and interests. Just bc you watch real housewives doesn't mean you have a low IQ etc. right?
DeleteAs I said elsewhere, this would bother me if it were a writer I loved such as Alice McDermott, or Hilary Mantel. I've never read anything by JD but financial hardship is a valid reason for a serious writer only after selling the vacation home and reverse mortgaging future royalties to stave off the debtor's prison warden from one's family.
ReplyDeleteI only just found out JD was a Vogue editor, and apparently was a style influence on Vogue's current editrix so why would anyone be surprised at this...just like those grey locks, she's staying true to her roots.
Hi, just wondering where you found the information that she is having financial problems.
Delete@Anon There was an article backin VFair when her book the year of magical thinking. It seemed that there were lots of medical bills which can be notoriously high in the states. Of course we cant play other people's accountant but there were several articles hinting at possible financial issues.
Delete@GSL there is a picture of her looking very lithe reclining like a diva that stuck with me. She was always fashion slim.
I assume you follow Joan Didion's insta?
ReplyDeleteWhen will the world learn that an interest in fashion can coexist with weightier more cerebral affairs?
Luff this post so MUCH! Might go and source year of magical thinking now x
Shes on insta??! will check now. Yes when will the world know that we are not all one dimensional characters they want to pigeon us all in like sex and the city?! xx
DeleteThose who criticize obviously don't know Joan Didion well enough. I remember my first year university English lecturer did his Ph.D. work on some of Joan Didion's writings and he was telling us that she, unexpectedly, (at that time) drives a Ferrari (or something of that sort, I've forgotten now). She has always had a taste for the 'finer' things in life! :-) Emily
ReplyDeleteSo right Emily - and let's not forget her links to Hollywood through her in law - the late and venerable vanity fair writer Dominick Dunne! I figure she must edit stories so much because she knows so much real life gossip!!
DeleteWell I must say I'm afraid I'm one of those who knows very little about this lady but interestingly if this is who Celine wants as their muse or to promote their brand, they must be quite saddened by the people carrying their handbags because they don't reflect her at all - I would count myself among those people if I was fortunate to have one of Celine's bags. The clothes however seem to escape the young and twenty something fashion led though xx
ReplyDeleteCeline does have a demographic that is slightly more "trendy" than say Chanel. But Joan is quite "cool" and she might lend the geek chic quality. But I do love Celine so much myself and if I had to wear just one brand if I had the choice - it would be Celine RTW! xx
DeleteInteresting. She admires Didion and has read her and, yet, seems to think that Didion let herself be duped by the advertising industry.... "but I cock my snoot at the fashion industry for reducing these brilliant human beings to mere statements about an aspirational lifestyle. No one reduces Joan Didion on my watch, y’hear?" I very much doubt that Didion, if she is as wonderful and intelligent as everyone says, would allow anyone to reduce her. She is not a fool. Her appearance for Celine would have been every bit as well considered as her writing, I would say. She had something to say and this is the way she chose to say it, this time.
ReplyDeleteI know! As if she's some 16 year old to be taken advantage of - I am sure she is very much on her own terms. She is a fashionista anyway but it's not what she's know for.
DeleteTotally agree with you. I did not recognise Joan Didion from that photo, think its wonderful they've opted for her and no doubt she had a say too in whether she did it.
ReplyDeleteFunnily enough she's known as the quintessential Calfiornia and i have yet to read her.
Wow, couldn't agree more! Let's have more literary heroes as models, or any strong female role models. Much preferable and yes more young people will get a chance to know her work and perhaps look up to her vs. Kim Kardashian, etc.
ReplyDelete