Photo by: Akiko Hamaoka during Diane’s recent trip to Tokyo

Diane Pernet, known for her site, A Shaded View On Fashion (ASVOF), is far from a one-note woman. Elegantly dipped in black, hair beautifully coiffed underneath a mantilla veil, sporting a red lip and dark sunglasses, she travels around the world documenting her trips and conversations with creative people in fashion. Pernet has (and has had) her hands in all facets of the fashion industry, from designing to writing, and has a deep passion for film. Being well-versed in the languages of fashion and film, and having had more than enough experience in both realms, she started A Shaded View on Fashion Film (ASVOFF), which serves as the lovechild of both her primary interests. Seemingly reserved, Pernet openly invites you into her world through personal photos, videos, and interviews. She manages to update her site daily, while juggling all of her many responsibilities effortlessly. She is the woman who never sleeps (ok, she goes to bed really late). Completing her tasks is a reflection of her passion and dedication to what she does, what inspires her, and the people who support her. 

I have been following Diane’s blog for quite some time and I have been a fan from the first time I started reading it. She has always intrigued me, everything from her style to her many endeavors. I always thought “I would love to sit and chat with her over pain avec du confiture.” I recently had the opportunity to interview the lovely Diane (sadly, sans le pain avec du confiture). She filled me in on what it is really like in the life of Diane Pernet, her favorite designers, her future endeavors and so much more.

Amy: Diane, you are like a renaissance woman. You have A Shaded View on Fashion, A Shaded View on Fashion Film, Zoo Magazine… if you had to pick one of these to commit to full time, which would it be?

Diane: It would be my fashion film festival because I have two loves - fashion and film and ASVOFF combines the two. I think it is the medium that is the future. I know that films have been around for a long time but it is only in the past few years that the intersection of the two are having a real impact on our industry. I love my blog, ASVOFF is an extension of that and if I had the possibility to commit to only one thing full time there is no doubt in my mind that it would be ASVOFF.

A: How do you keep your style so consistent? Are you ever swayed to change/alter your style?

D: I used to change my look on a daily basis. I used to wear colors. Now I live in colors but only feel comfortable in black. I don’t really have any strong desire to change it. I know it could be boring for my friends but it is how I feel the best.

A: What is the significance of the color black, and why is it so dominant in your wardrobe?

D: For me the color black signifies elegance and strength. I started wearing black when I was a designer because I wanted to be like a blank canvas in front of my creations. Some people like MMM or Givenchy chose white lab coats, I chose black.  I stopped designing in the end of 1990 but I never gave up my uniform.

A: What made you start A Shaded View On Fashion?

D: I used to write a column for Disciple Films called Diane’s Diaries but it basically only covered events like fashion festivals, shows, etc. I worked as an editor for 3 1/2 years at Elle.com, their international site and had a column called Dr. Diane, then I worked for Vogueparis.fr for about the same amount of time. Finally I decided to start my own blog and report on a daily basis. I focus on anything that interests me anywhere in the world. I also have quite a few contributors from all around the planet. I wanted to give a platform for creative people that I believe in and wish to support with no constraints from advertisers and the like. I would love to have a sponsor for my site but not someone that would dictate the content.

A: What drew you to Paris?

D: I was a designer in NYC for 13 years for my own brand. In the end of the 80’s NYC was not a great place to live. Between the crime and the homeless and the aids epidemic I was not feeling very comfortable living there. Since fashion is important to me I thought that there were a few options: London, Milan or Paris. I chose Paris because I think that it is and most likely always will be the center of fashion. I knew one person here when I moved, it was not easy but 18 years later I am still here.

A: Who are some of your favorite designers?

D: Haider Ackermann, Sandra Backlund, Boudicca, Raf Simons, Marjan Pejoski, Alexander McQueen, Gareth Pugh, Christopher Kane, Marios Schwab….

A: What is your view on the depletion of print/magazines? Do you think that it is inevitable that the internet will be the only outlet to get a fashion fix?

D: I don’t know if the internet will be the only outlet for fashion but I think it is the one that makes the most sense. Print magazines are suffering a loss of advertisers and let’s face it, the internet has a much larger reach. It is not possible for a magazine to be the first to discover anyone or anything however a magazine is a good place to take the time to reflect on a subject that is not really the main draw of the internet. Hopefully they will both survive and support each other but my interest is primarily in film and the internet and it has been for quite some time now.

A: What is a typical day like for you?

D: I travel a lot and do many things so there is no typical day. I get up early, go to bed too late…because I’m always feeding my blog. I take images with my digital camera and lately have been having a lot of fun with my FLIP, it is super low fi way of taking videos. I edit on final cut pro. I spend a lot of time on the internet , writing, researching, filling my blog. When I have the time I like to meet a friend for a cup of tea. I work on films, I do consulting for the White Club, I am a talent scout for the festival d’Hyeres. I spend a lot of time working with my two collaborators, for ASVOFF- Antoine Asseraf and David Herman, on my film festival. There is a lot of work to do with planning the 2nd edition and also a lot of work for each of the different venues where we show the films. June alone will have ASVOFF travelling  to Vienna, Arnheim for the Biennale, Sao Paulo and also Poland. I am a bit of a loner so it is necessary for me to have a fair amount of time spent alone

A: Where is Diane Pernet 10 years from now?

D: I would like to be able to concentrate only on my  film festival, to have great sponsors and great films and to be able to  to feed and be fed  out of the festival . My dream is that my festival will continue to grow over the next 50 years, that is what I would like to leave as my legacy.