Is Fashion self-destructive?

Is Fashion self-destructive? Oddly enough, it is a phrase that has never much been used much in conjunction with Style and Creation, but is arguably fitting. Anything else which completely broke itself down to its core every season, or every couple of seasons, for no apparent straight-forward reason would be considered unhealthy and non-viable for good business. In any other field, when something works, you push it until sales stop dwindling to a economically unsure level. Somehow, fashion is a bubble which has missed out on this area of good business in a most spectacular way for, in Fashion, if you don't re-create yourself constantly, you don't sell. In some ways, it is an anomaly.

It isn't so much the fact that the Chanel Resort 2012 plastic shoes made even the most experienced model's feet bleed, that Sisley scrawled 'Fashion Junkie' (In other words, fashion victim) across their clothing adverts or that openly provocative practises are linked with fashion in self-made adverts.

 Fashion has a funny way of embracing those who actively, whether ironically or not, seek to destroy it. It is a sort of dark glamour that the fashion crowd keep begging for - Punk and anti-fashion taken to the forefront. Take, for example, Moschino. His designs were very innovative and unusual, parroting things such as a quilted black denim miniskirt with plastic fried eggs decorating the hemline, quilted jacket decorated with bottle tops, plug-socket drop earrings, and bodices made out of safety pins. He was dubbed the Jean-Paul Gaultier of Italian fashion but their styles are different; while Gaultier experiments with different fabrics and shapes, Moschino used basic forms and traditional methods. What makes his rise to prominence in Fashion interesting is his apparent disregard for it. He spoofed high fashion lines through his clothes. For example, "Expensive Jacket" was embroidered in gold across the back of a cashmere jacket, and "Bull Chic" on a matador-styled outfit. He also mocked the fashion classics such as the Chanel jacket with garish trimmings and details. Ironically, many rushed to wear his clothes, thus becoming successful and famous in the industry he satirized.

On the other hand, it's possible that, quite the opposite, IT IS JUST IRONY. Let's not forget that Moschino was made rich on the back of fashion. Let's not forget either that disturbing or even counter-productive advertising (Shockvertising) is a very effective way of selling clothing. After all, United Colours of Benetton is famous for it and Sisley is rather prone to using it too. If Jean Paul Gaultier made him name as an 'enfant terrible', it was not by sitting around, calmly accepting fashion. It was by getting up, wanting to change it and, yes, maybe throwing in a few inflammatory and paradoxical phrases on the subject of fashion now and then.

If Moschino campaigned to "Stop the Fashion System." Vivienne Westwood promoted Punk, essentially anti-fashion. How strange that these should both become recognised and beloved brands!

PUNK?

"A style or movement characterized by the adoption of aggressively unconventional and often bizarre or shocking clothing, hairstyles, makeup, etc., and the defiance of social norms of behaviour, usually associated with punk rock musicians and fans."

FASHION?
 

"Conventional usage in dress, manners, etc., especially of polite society, or conformity to it: the dictates of fashion; to be out of fashion."


 

PARADOX? You'd think so... What if Fashion adopts that which seeks to destroy it as a means of neutralising it, and any danger it may cause the system? If that be the case, I must apologise to Punk because Fashion would then have won one over it. Punk has been assimilated and turned into another branch of high end and high street fashion. Trying to destroy fashion has been turned into a part of fashion... and if any more proof of this is needed, take the way that at the London 2012 Olympics closing ceremony, a tribute to British Fashion involving Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell was paired with David Bowie's song 'Fashion', which is far from reverential on the subject of 'La Mode'. Take a listen if you don't remember.

"It's loud and tasteless
And I've heard it before."

(Or was it the other way around? Did Punk win by forcing its way into the mainstream and thus changing it? Ideas, anyone?)

 

 

THANK YOU FOR READING! IF YOU ENJOYED, WHY NOT FOLLOW? ;)

 

Oh, and I know there are many other areas of this subject which I could have explored and didn't when constructing a conclusive argument. However, there are too many of them right now. I might re-do this argument from a different perspective on a future post.

 

The coup de force of Paris Fashion Week...

It has been rather a while now, has it not?  I must say that that is all wholly my fault and a mixture of acute laziness and the burgeoning of the new school year with its ensuing stress, mainly about the state of my future, are the key reasons. How are you all? I have missed my target 250 followers by the end of September, but I am still very happy and full of bright ideas.
So, I did a few posts of collections presented at New York Fashion Week, and one from London with none from Milan and none from Paris so far. From this, you might have come to the conclusion that I have the largest interest in New York Fashion Week and, from there, the three that follow can't match up - nothing could be further from the truth! Not that I don't like New York Fashion Week, but the ones I keep an eye on most avidly are Paris and London.
With that in mind, I am doing a quick update on five of the collections - Nina Ricci, Viktor&Rolf, Vivienne Westwood, Christian Dior and Jean Paul Gaultier. The analysis is not very in depth, but this is more to whet your appetite for next Spring's fashions than a deep and meaningful critical look at the collections... I hope you enjoy!




Nina Ricci

This is the most traditionally 'Pretty' of the collections here presented, even with the bondage harnesses, dark make-up, svere hairstyles, fishnets and leather trousers. Alongside this, some sassy, delicious pieces (including a fuschia satin dress with brightly coloured polkadots, a silver cocktail dress with flapper-style fringing, a pretty sequined slip dress and a more simple black crepe gown) and that usual Nina Ricci dose of parisian chic. There were some great elements and a strong sense of wearability that is lacking in many designer collections. The sheer elements used on many of the dresses was perfect to add texture and, in some cases, the perfect mixture of refined and sexy. 

 

 

 

 

Viktor&Rolf

 

This Viktor&Rolf collection is a surprise favourite for me. Not a surprise in terms of the theatrical nature which is usually there, but the lack of it, the regularity and the ability to cross the wide divide between runway and the wardrobes of the fashionable female population. One felt a sense of old Hollywood and grecian-style whimsicality with delicious pleats. Did I mention that I love Pleats? As in floor-length dresses pleats? As in, a LOT? There is not a lot more perfect than floaty, pleated skirts, stylishly cut. Well, apart from floaty, floor-length, pleated skirts with broad shoulders and small waists, as on display in this collection. Alongside this, think large bows, roses and pretty tulle embroideries - bref, eveningwear to die for. I also found, to my surprise since I generally feel that silver is a colour I should best avoid, that I am now wishing to buy a floor-length, pleated, silver lamé skirt from somewhere.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vivienne Westwood

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christian Dior

So, if you've been with this blog for a bit, you may have remembered that I said I was rather cynical about how Raf Simons would progress at Dior, bearing in mind that Dior fashion is a staple of luxury femininity and Raf Simons had been at Jil Sander before, where minimalism and simplicity is the order of the day. With this collection, I feel my fears were proved once and for all to be completely unfounded. There were elements which were not completely to my taste but, by and large, I could not have asked for anything better. The discipline created a sensible restrained sensuality, very different to pre-Raf Simons collections which we had seen recently. It was sharp glamour with some beautifully cut pieces and surprising bright colours. I loved the sophisticated dresses with pretty gauze, the two tone tops with simple black shorts creating a beautifully coloured statement and the four final pieces of simple black cashmere tops with iridescent balloon skirts of floral-printed satin duchesse. I have more than accepted the idea of designing seasonal collections to present a woman with ideas and apparel options which are actually wearable and not just show pieces for the satisfaction of fashion lovers. I'll know by Raf's next couture collection for sure what I think of his posting at Dior and if I think that this brand of wearability is enough to make up for the lack of breathtaking pieces so far - those who don't like it need to understand it's a new Dior, a new age, a New Look... *Winking Face*
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jean Paul Gaultier

 

Where at Paris Fashion Week can one find Grace Jones, Annie Lennox, Madonna, Boy George, Michael Jackson, Abba and Ziggy Stardust-era David Bowie (or something that looks very reminiscent of them) all in the same room? At Jean Paul Gaultier, of course. Where else? Hitting off with some sharp, beautiful tailoring and angular hair, then finishing with the euro-disco star Amanda Lear in a pink Leotard. It descended into a collection of pure Jean Paul Gaultier spectacle. Okay, so there are not many people I know who would take the leotards to the streets, but there were some great elements and, in many cases, perfectly catching the essence of the performers. It was the eighties, pure and simple and, you know what? I liked it.

 

 

 Because it's a great, iconic song and it was the first thing I wanted to listen to after seeing the Jean Paul Gaultier collection. I hoped you might too:

 

 

So, that was not a great comeback and each review was rather short and sweet without analysing key trends, but I really don't have the time or energy for much more right now. Hopefully, I'll be back on form with a little more time on my hands soon. :)

 

 Thank you for reading, do comment and please follow!