Highlights from AnOther's Words & Fashion evening at the Design Museum this week
Alexander Fury is fashion editor of The Independent. Fury began his career at Nick Knight's website SHOWstudio, where he went onto become fashion director before moving to Condé Nast biannual LOVE as editor. In 2013, he joined The Independent, replacing Susannah Frankel. He has just surrendered his second bedroom to an ever-expanding wardrobe.
On his writing style...
"I would describe my writing style as passionate. I think that’s because I actually appreciate dispassion and distance in other people’s writing, and I can never do that. I can never separate the fact that I really love what I do, and I really love fashion. I can never really look at things objectively. I'm always trying to spark an interest in the reader. I think I’m a chronological writer – once I have the start, I can possibly write it in ten minutes."
On his first experience of fashion...
"I grew up in the Pennines. I bought my first issue of Vogue in June 1996 when we were on holiday. Before that I actually thought Vogue was like an expensive designer dress which I couldn't afford. And then I used to buy magazines every month, and when the shows were on I used to buy newspapers every day. I’d always liked clothes, but then I started to get into fashion. I originally wanted to be a fashion designer, and then I realised I didn’t want to be a fashion designer; I wanted to be John Galliano. I knew that wasn't possible so I enrolled on the Fashion History & Theory course at Central Saint Martins. I always knew that there wasn’t anything else I wanted to do."
On his favourite fashion journalists...
"I’ve always loved what Cathy Horyn's writing. I think Cathy is quite a cold fashion writer, she writes very personally, but she’s not in love with fashion. I appreciate that she can really look at it with an objective eye. It’s the same in the way that Vanessa Friedman writes – she's coming from a very business viewpoint. But on the flip side, I love the way that Susannah Frankel and Suzy Menkes write – they write with a much more passionate voice. I love the contrast of these different types of writing and it's interesting to see how they all interpret different shows. I love people like Ingrid Sischy. In fact, I love Vanity Fair – it's quite gossipy and intimate; like a very high-class version of Heat magazine."
"I love Vanity Fair – it's quite gossipy and intimate; like a very high-class version of Heat magazine"
On writing show reviews...
"I've learnt to formulate an opinion quickly, and not to overthink something. I've learnt to go with my gut – if you like it, don’t listen to other people telling you it’s great. I do find writing about things that I hate much easier than writing about things that I love. It's much easier to be funny if you’re being nasty about something. I think honesty is really important, because ultimately I want to look back at something and think that that’s my honest opinion, whether I now think it’s right or wrong, because I do reconsider what I originally wrote about things, and I will remember not liking collections, and then buying them because later on I grow to love them. But at least what I wrote was honest. You don’t really have the time to formulate something fake – it’s much easier to write from the heart and be honest, and get onto the next thing.
"My favourite word is no. I think there’s a purity and a directness to it"
On using a notebook during fashion shows...
"I write notes in my notebook at shows and never ever look back at them. It's funny really. Occasionally I might think of something really nasty and will write it down, or think of a start, and write that down. But that’s the only time I look at my notes. I can't be bothered with making sketches – but I know that's how Sarah Mower works. Mine is all words – my handwriting is awful!"
On his favourite word...
"My favourite word is no. I think there’s a purity and a directness to it. I think it’s succinct, and it's precise. I hear it a lot, I wish I could say it more. I think it’s kind of the perfect word. You can’t misinterpret it as anything else. No means no."
Text by Laura Bradley
