As the so-called
"social graph" upon which Facebook was built yields to a more filtered "taste graph" that bases peoples' online connections on their personal preferences, the confluence of heretofore disparate interests like
food and music are producing compelling new platforms. And while food isn't necessarily a component of every taste-driven social mash-up, culinary content does seem to travel well, as seen in a number of new initiatives that marry it with, counterintuitively,
high fashion.
The Food Life: When it comes to their relationship with food, fashion insiders have a stronger reputation for avoiding it than for celebrating it. Lauren Levinger and Michael King set out to break that stereotype with their blog, The Food Life. For example, one common misconception they attack is that
tastemakers place a premium on being seen in chic restaurants, yet the site, which launched last summer, reveals their talents for cooking—and eating—in their own kitchens. Content is largely comprised of
“food stories” that transcend the standard favorite recipes with tales of culinary creativity, such as
one designer’s knack for sculpting beautifully macabre sugar skulls.
Lookbook Cookbook: Kate Moss once proffered
her philosophy that “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels,” a misguided motto that was met with justifiably brutal criticism. Illustrating how far we've come, Lookbook Cookbook, a blog by photographer/vegan baker
Jessica Milan, shows that delicious food and svelte physiques are not mutually exclusive. Sharing both Milan’s carefully practiced desserts—all free of animal products, soy, and gluten—and her shutterbug prowess, the blog pairs each recipe with models straight out of an Urban Outfitters casting call. Their ensembles are editorial-ready, but they still wear the desserts better than any halter top.