Originally published in

Image by Miguel Villalobos

Renowned for her uncompromising monochromatic style, Diane Pernet is not only a true individual but also a true pioneer, influencing and garnering respect for the world of online fashion editorial through her innovative blog, A Shaded View on Fashion, and revolutionizing fashion in film with her annual film festival, A Shaded View on Fashion Film. Pernet uses these forums to present a unique and informed point of view shaped by a diversified background, which includes stints as a prominent designer and editor. Her current incarnation as a multimedia industry innovator defies definition and, like all significant work, challenges traditional boundaries, redefining the way in which fashion is consumed, interpreted, shared, seen, and even created.

Sarah Perpich: Can you tell me a little about your early work as a designer?

Diane Pernet: I designed my own collection of elegant, sensual, minimal designs for 13 years. Five of those years, in addition to my signature line, I had a license with Seibu in Tokyo. I was the founder and the designer. The only collaborators were my team of sample and pattern makers, then people that helped with my shows.

Sarah: How does your previous work, both designing and working in fashion editorial at Joyce magazine, Vogueparis.com, Fashion Files, Elle.com, etc., influence your blog today?

Diane: All of one’s experiences come in handy. I was a designer in New York with a license in Tokyo. That was my first introduction to Japan. The fact that I was a designer is a strong motivation for wanting to help [designers] now. I was the women’s fashion editor for Joyce Ma’s magazine, Joyce, for four and a half years. I worked with the stylists, photographers and the magazine team. Elle.com and Vogueparis.com were interesting and a good presence on the Internet. At Elle I had my own styling advice column called Dr. Diane. For Fashion Files, it was assisting the producer—and [it was] my first job in Paris after costume designing. It’s funny how life goes; the producer of Fashion Files had two of her films featured in A Shaded View On Fashion Film first edition, and she was thrilled. So everything is valuable today on my blog.

Sarah: How is the second edition of ASVOFF different from the first?

Diane: The second edition was the first with a sponsor, SAMSUNG, which allowed us to do more things. We had an installation, a concert and a party, along with the three days of films. We had the awards ceremony at the Centre Pompidou with Rick Owens as the president of my jury this year.

Sarah: Of all your various roles, which have you enjoyed the most?

Diane: I loved being a fashion designer. It was my life and my passion. I love being the founder and director of ASVOFF.

Sarah: Tell me a little about You Wear it Well?

Diane: I created You Wear it Well in 2006, and it was the first yearly fashion film festival. I believe Fashion in Film, which is quite different—much more academic, was created at the same time, but it was biannual. I had my Bernhard Willhelm film in that at the same time as YWIW first edition. There were two editions [of YWIW] with a collaborator from Los Angeles. In 2008 I launched ASVOFF at the Jeu de Paume as a three-day festival. YWIW was a 90-minute curated program. Calling it a festival was a bit of an exaggeration.

Sarah: How do you balance your love of fashion with your love of film?

Diane: Like Josephine Baker, I have two loves: fashion and film. By organizing a fashion film festival, I feel that I’ve come full circle. Now my interest is directed a bit more toward film and promoting young directors, who in turn are promoting designers and film. It is a perfect balance…and I’m a Libra; balance is everything.

Sarah: What’s your earliest memory of influential fashion or film?

Diane: Aside from Disney, as a child the first film that really impressed me was The Rose Tattoo with Anna Magnani and Burt Lancaster. Anna Magnani is such an amazing and passionate actress, and she looked great in a black slip with the just-rolled-out-of-bed-hair. And Simone Signoret in Les Diaboliques. Both films I saw when I was quite young, under ten, and they made a big impression on me.

Sarah: What made you realize that there was a gap in fashion editorial that you could fill online and thus start ASVOF?

Diane: I had something called Diane’s Diaries on a website called Disciple Films. We worked together on different fashion film projects like Fashioned Out for Galeries Lafayette, Hyères festival, etc. In February 2005, after working for Elle.com and Vogueparis.com, I launched A Shaded View on Fashion. I used to live blog from the shows and wherever I was. I did that for a few years until I decided it was a bit of a gimmick and I started taking photos with a digital camera instead of my phone. I wasn’t looking to fill any holes. I was just enjoying what I was doing, and I’d already been on the Internet for quite some time—just not with my own blog.

Sarah: Why is the fashion world currently so enamored with Tavi, Bryan Boy and other young bloggers? Are you a fan?

Diane: I think they are refreshing—also quite different, one from the other. I know Bryan Boy, but I have never met Tavi. I’m very interested in the generation [aged] 10-20. I think that there are really some amazingly wise people that are the new power. I think they are the generation that is going to actually make a difference with how the world is going at the moment. I would not call myself a fan, but…respect.

Sarah: Where do you see the future of print fashion magazines and newspapers? Do you read anything in print?

Diane: Every week I receive the New Yorker in the mail. I read ZOO. I am the co-Editor-in-Chief. I read magazines. But it is true; most of my information is on the net. What is the future? More reflection coming from magazines and less time-based info, since they will never be the first with any news.

Sarah: And the future of fashion shows?

Diane: More installations and films, less shows. I would like to see spectacular shows continue—like McQueen, Galliano, Undercover, Haider, Rick Owens, Comme des Garçons and the rest—as installations and films. I think watching girls and guys just walking up and down the catwalk is feeling, for the most part, very last century.

Sarah: Who is exciting and innovative for you right now in fashion and film? Are you always scouting upcoming stars?

Diane: I am always looking for emerging talent wherever I go. Sometimes it is in design and sometimes in film or music. I’m very interested to see the development of my friend Graham Tabor and Melanie Ward’s new collection called Blouson Noir. I just wrote about them in the new issue of ZOO and posted it a few days ago on my site. I always love Boudicca, Rick Owens, Givenchy, Undercover, Sandra Backlund, Jean Paul Lespagnard…many, many more.

Sarah: Which designers do you wear?

Diane: Boudicca, Lutz, Aganovich and David Szeto for clothes; Givenchy and Comme des Garçons for bags.