Fifty years of professional experiences of one of the most recognised figures in international fashion education. A book by Linda Loppa could not simply be an autobiography. It becomes an “object”. White on black, small format like a box to open with care. Black pages and white words to recount the discovery of a life philosophy, a method of working or thoughts written at special moments during her life. Her language is simple, fresh and direct. It reflects her moods and character and is supported by imagery, diagrams and captions. Restless, enquiring and progressive, she writes while waiting in airports or sitting on trains, she writes when she is angry or disappointed, but also to inspire and to motivate people. Fifty years of professional experiences live alongside images of childhood and the teenager discovering and learning, instinctively finding a world and a niche within it; the result is serendipitous, a kind of zapping around one’s private life, a voyage of discovery like navigating the internet. Private and social moments mingle with cultural experiences, blending to create a personal story. Architecture, art and curating fashion are leitmotifs in Linda’s life and these pages, but so too are memorable encounters with great people who inspired her. Architecture houses and reflects our lives; pavilions are shelter, but unique and uninhibited; laboratories house experimentation and offer a concept that could become the new learning process for the next generation. Sharing snippets, insights, knowledge and doubts can stimulate and inspire; sometimes a timeline is respected, sometimes not, because every day is a new beginning and a learning process without rules. With the rare combination of passion, experience and an open mind, Linda communicates the urgency of inspiring and transmitting knowledge. Free of dogma and preconceptions, her book can help to understand the difficult process of never giving up, believing in yourself and in others. Her words in white on black are pointers to living in a non-linear, fluctuating world and reveal the importance of curiosity and intuition for a leader of thought for the younger generation.
