Mallarmé on Fashion: A Translation of the Fashion Magazine La Dernière Mode, with Commentary

by A. M. Cain, P.N. Furbank

In the later months of 1874, the great French poet, Stephane Mallarme, undertook a highly idiosyncratic project - the publication of a fashion magazine (La Derniere Mode) that he almost single-handedly wrote and edited. Using a variety of feminine and masculine pseudonyms to theorize about the concept of fashion and to report and advise on womens clothing, popular vacation destinations, home furnishings and entertainment, Mallarme created a spectacularly original work that lies somewhere between Baudelaires seminal treatment of fashion in his essay on modernity, The Painter of Modern Life, and The Fashion System, Barthes brilliant semiology of clothing in the latter twentieth century. But the distinguishing feature of Mallarms magazine, and what differentiates it from the writing of Baudelaire and Barthes, is that it explores the nature of fashion from the inside. It is a genuine fashion magazine aspiring to lead fashion, though at the same time, by ingenious and appealing ironies, subtly satirizing this whole genre of writing. Various theories have been entertained about the work in the past, such as its being a prose poem, or alternatively a hoax or a mere money-making venture, but the present translators, in their commentary, argue that such guesses are hopelessly off the mark. Complete with the original artwork and a contextualizing introduction and commentary, Furbank and Cains definitive translation of one of French literatures greatest puzzles and surprises represents a major contribution to students, critics, theoreticians, and intellectual historians alike.

Genres: Fashion

232 pages, Hardcover

First published July 2, 2004

Reviews

[Tosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only reason I would be reading a book about a French fashion magazine that existed in 1874, is if there is something odd about the magazine and its editor. In two words: Stéphane Mallarmé. Whatever mysterious reason, Mallarmé, who is without a doubt one of the great poets that came from France, had a job where he not only edited, but also wrote the entire magazine, using various alias. He managed to produce eight copies of "La Dernière Mode." "Mallarmé on Fashion" is a pretty interesting book on multi-levels. One, is the thought of such an avant-garde poet of his time and place, working on a fashion magazine in such complete control, as well as a bit of fashion history, but also the importance of fashion in French culture. Especially in the 19th century.

Mallarmé writes as a woman as well as a man in this magazine. The magazine is very formalized in its format. As "Madame de Ponty" she writes about contemporary fashion trends in Paris, and elsewhere. As "Ix" (now that is a mysterious name) he's a stuffy theater and book critic, and mostly has a certain amount of anger about music taking over text on the Parisian stage, and then there a food section, where they have elaborated menus and recipes. There is also a correspondence section, whereas the editor, he gives fashion advice, and also a travel section as well, recommending travel points and where to stay on vacation. At the end of the issue, Mallarmé offerer what is best in Parisian entertainment for that month or season. He covers everything from music hall entertainment, opera to city parks. It is very much like Time Out or Los Angeles Weekly directory.

Mallarmé was known to be interested in the decorative arts, so it's not a huge surprise that he would write about interior design of rooms, but his intense knowledge of fashion is totally new to me. In an odd way, Mallarmé is actually critiquing the fashion world, but even more so, the fashion magazine. I think he sees it as a window to what is happening culture wise - so readers now, get a unique portrait of Paris 1874, through the eyes of Mallarmé, but him using various identities to convey that world. Again, it is clearly not known why he did this. It could have been for a paycheck, but it is interesting that he did so, by not just writing one column, or as editor - but doing it all! In many ways, it was an upscale zine of its time. He wanted to do more than eight issues, but the publisher (not him) pulled the plug on the project.

"Mallarmé on Fashion" is very much a scholarly text book, and is geared for the lit-crit lunatic, but it is also an essential book on anyone studying Parisian culture of the 19th century as well as what 'pop culture' was like in those days. Editors and translators P.N. Burbank and A.M. Cain do a great job in presenting Mallarmé in the hard (not delicate) world of high and low fashion. Fascinating book.