Posts Tagged ‘industry’

Image Source: fashionindie.com

As you may have already heard, one of the decade’s most awe-inspiring designers has died, aged just 40 years old. Alexander McQueen completely obliterated the runway with his 2009 “The Origins of the Species”-inspired collection, embracing a whole wave of new fans whilst simultaneously satisfying the old.

Like anyone, I am immensely shocked. Especially since it was only recently I was raving about the depressing nature of the industry. It saddens me to think that when I light-heartedly wrote “seems like everyone in the industry is suffering from some form of clinical depression” I had no idea that this would relate directly to one of the world’s best-loved designers.

Being a bit of a sentimental thing at heart, I can only hope Alexander is with his mummy right now, and enjoying designing a nice range of creamy-white collections for his fellow angels.

Personally, I wasn’t at all affected by or even aware of McQueen’s talent until his most recent collection. When those crazy heels and fabrics breezed down the runway last October, all I could feel was a tingly sense of wonder and love. Usually cynical about weird and wonderful runway pieces, I finally allowed my imagination to run riot with the beastly elements of the collection. It was then I realised that predictable draped dresses and tailored suits were no longer going to fulfill my fashion tastebuds as far as any designer was concerned.

In a weird way, McQueen seems to be a bit of a Michael Jackson of the fashion world. He might not have touched so many hearts or reined long enough to show off his full goodness, but he certainly received the respect and admiration that he deserved.

Question Time: Have you been affected by the death of Alexander McQueen? What were your greatest McQueen fashion moments?

A recent thread over at the Lookbook forums alerted me to one of the most recent controversies in the fashion blogging network:
“Why I hate fashion” by Tanya Gold. Honestly, if you’ve got a spare minute, I suggest you read it. It’s interesting.

Now, being involved in the fashion blogging sector means I’m obviously inclined to disagree with a lot of Gold’s points and beliefs. I don’t think fashion is to blame when one is flattened by a train and I can’t help but feel saddened by the fact Gold’s personal insecurities clearly lay the outline for much of her pent-up hatred.

Then again, despite some of the ignorant hilarities which pop up throughout the main body of the article, I am inclined to agree with Gold’s attitude to some of the ideals of the Industry.

I mean, in some ways fashion is pretty inconvenient. If I had it my way, we’d all be donning Shakespearian ruffs and wear our underwear on the outside of our jeans. But hey, fashion says this is all a big no no and that we must instead listen to the big wise words and amusing accents of Mr. Karl Lagerfeld and Jean Paul bloody Gaultier. Fair enough.

And of course, there is no doubting that modern fashion does only exist with the barely-pubescent size -4 girl in mind. But that’s OK, because us insanely obese Size 8/10s and above have managed to work ways around this.

What annoys me most about fashion, though, is not so much the whole famine-is-fashion controversy but rather the sheer moodiness that the industry emits. Sulks, rows, tantrums and turmoil are notorious behind the big names of the industry – BUT WHERE ARE THE SMILES? Everyone from the models to the writers to the big name brands appear to be suffering from the most acute form of clinical depression. Seems like being draped in all the latest Haute Couture just doesn’t cut it then. Sigh.

So in retrospect, fashion is a pretty annoying thing if you choose to perceive it that way. You could even say the roundabout of trends is a mere ploy to test our stupidity as the human race.

But why take fashion seriously? Who said the designers are always right and the consumers always listen? Who says we can’t laugh at Alexander McQueen and revel in last year’s stuff? Fashion, dear friends, is thus: the more seriously you take it, the more it hates you. The more you scorn it and play with it, the more it wants to love you. Man that was deep.

Now, if you don’t mind Ms. Gold, me and my Jimmy Choos have a train to catch.

There’s no doubt that the brains behind Topshop are good ones. Sir Philip Green and his empire have worked incredibly hard to provide us (the average everyday consumer) with high fashion pieces at affordable high street prices. And now, with Green’s favourite high street retailer making itself known stateside as well as over here, more and more of us fashion-conscious people are immersing ourselves in the greatness that is the Topshop brand.

But whilst I have very few negative comments to make with regards to Topshop and its endless collections, I can’t help but feel that its infectious spread on the consumer nation has resulted in the rise of the “Topshop Tabitha”s.

“Topshop Tabitha” is a young girl, probably between the ages of 16-23, usually still financially dependant and scrounging off her parental guardians, though she may be partial to a little part-time work in the customer service department of a well-known superstore. Tabitha is fashion-conscious, but not necessarily fashion-savvy. She reads well-known fash trash such as Look and More, yet she could never tell her Balenciaga from her Bottega Vaneta.
As the name might suggest, Topshop Tabitha spends what little money she has on… well, you guessed it… Topshop. Everything she wears is Topshop. The skirt, the shoes, the jeans and the tops. All. Bloody. Topshop. When Topshop Tabitha goes to flaunt her latest trendy finds at yet another college friend’s party, she finds herself surrounded by similarly-clad Tabithas. Sound somewhat familiar?

I think I was a bit of a Topshop Tabby at one point. Scratch it, I was. I mean, there’s nothing wrong with proving your loyalty to your favourite retailer sometimes. And believe me, I’m in no way making a mockery of the Topshop Tabithas out there – better to be fashion conscious than completely fashion indifferent, no?!
But when it comes to originality, us ladies can never win with the big brand names, no matter how lovely they are. There’s only one way to avoid wearing those same damned key pieces as everyone else – and that’s to vary where you shop. Vary vary vary. Oh, and throw in a bit of vintage too, that’s always original.

So, I admit, with this very lacy, very ruffly outfit all courtesy of Topshop, I was a little worried I might be joining a whole host of other Tabithas as I handed over my debit card. Thankfully though, I made sure the pieces were selected from the “Last chance to buy” rail, which hopefully might mean they’re somewhat limited edition…?! Or maybe I just need to stop worrying about everyone else having the same clothes. If I was really that bothered, I’d stick to my mother’s hand-me-downs or something. I hope you like the outfit by the way – I’m planning to wear this with patent black heels and black opaque tights for mine and Julius’ first year together.

Question time: How do you feel about Topshop? Are you a fellow Topshop Tabitha, or are you far more varied in your wardrobe choices?

Fashion: the right industry in which to work?

Of all the many hundreds of fashion blogs out there, I always wonder how many of those blogs’ bloggers have a direct link to l’industrie de Mode.

The answer, it seems, is probably a lot. Yet there are also probably a lot of bloggers in the same community who blog for the sake of pure label love, as opposed to work.

Personally, I’ve always enjoyed frolicking in fashion, and I’ve always enjoyed the art that is writing. Combining the two has resulted in my ambition for fashion journalism, yet I can’t help but be left with a few niggling doubts.

See, it’s all very nice blogging about those tried and tested outfit posts and slagging off those edgy, boxy, bubble-hemmed trends that never quite seemed to work, but is fashion journalism really like that? Isn’t fashion journalism more about agreeing with absolutely everything, then admitting the awfulness of those gut-wrenching trends some months later? Isn’t fashion journalism more about celebrity sycophancies and excessive portion control and serial dressing competitiveness, a la Devil Wears Prada?

See, one piece of advice that has stuck with me over the years is that working with what you love will inevitably result in hating that thing you love. Which could, inevitably, mean fashion. Could you imagine hating fashion? As I write this, nightmareish images of myself draped in mossy-coloured flannel tops and Grandma’s favourite floral patterns come creeping into my cerebal cortex. Hating fashion? Who me? What? Never.

So there’s a little piece of philosophy to see you through this snowy, snowy day. To work in fashion or not to work in fashion? What do you think? Do you currently work in any part of the fashion industry? If so, why? If not, why not?