What is your take on this?
as always thx!
xo
8/12/10
The Disposable Fashion Era
On many counts, I am a huge fan of companies like H&M, TopShop, Zara and Uniqlo for making peoples fashionable style choices more attainable and affordable. I know that this disposable fashion craze has become almost as fashionable as the major design house collections. Collaborations like: Thakoon for Target, Jean Paul Gaultier for Target, Sonia Rykiel for H&M, Karl Lagerfeld for H&M, Proenza Schouler for Target,Viktor & Rolf for H&M and Jil Sander for Uniqlo (just to name a few) have tried to combine Designer artistry with lower quality materials. I love the idea of it but I am just not sure that it really does anything for the brand image of these designers. Has it cheapened the passion, the hard work and dedication to fashion that these designers have spent years working on? I guess I just haven't seen any of these collective works blow me away. It really hasn't made much sense to me. Michael Kors said it best when he mentioned to the designers and viewers of Project Runway that a designer should never put their name on a t-shirt. When it comes to the designs of clothing, really...anyone can design clothes. It is not rocket science. However, there is an art to creating masterpieces that will stand the test of time. Look at Alexander McQueen, what an amazingly genius mind. The pieces that come waltzing down the runway season after season were like Degas paintings come to life. I truly believe that this 'genius' needs to stay in the place where it was meant to be. Luxury means something so different then it used to. Is it the same if I purchase a Rodarte piece from Barneys NY and a Rodarte collaboration piece from Target? I think that disposable clothing should be what it is...disposable and luxury should remain luxurious. Having said that, I want to make it clear that I really am a fan of places like TopShop, H&M and Uniqlo, as I am a fan of places like Banana Republic and J Crew. I cannot tell you how many times I have gone up to someone and said "Wow, I really love that dress"... and they reply, "Oh, I got it at Forever 21"!!!! There is definitely a place in this world for all types of fashion. I just think they should remain what they are. If you ask me, if these major Fashion Houses want to continue doing collaborations, maybe they should stick together. How about a Jean Paul Gaultier/Jil Sander collection? Or Burberry Prorsum/Vivienne Westwood collaboration? Just keeping it real :)
What is your take on this?
What is your take on this?
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9 comments:
Totally understand where you are coming from. I never really realized this little issue until i read this well worded and entertaining post.
I have to say I'm split in decision, on one hand it's nice to pick up a designer (well...) bargain but on the other hand it's not so great seeing everybody else wearing it. One thing that rattles me is JPG and Paul Smith Evian water - what is that all about!?
Oh my! i live in austria, my nearly only choice for cloths they`re in my means (vintage is an other story) is hm.
but there it`s hard to find nice and good fabric.
i just want to find long life cloths. but i hate to suffer a loss the quality.
and i don`t want to talk about shoes_
permanent collaboration - no, from time to time - yes :D
thank you for passing by and leaving your sweet comment! don't hesitate to turn back soon and become my follower on fb or bloglovin! :D
xoxo from rome
K.
http://kcomekarolina.blogspot.com/
loveee this, awesome blog
xx
www.mysterybruises.blogspot.com
Hmmm...Oh Jay I couldn't agree more. In fact, I personally have a lot of opinion about and have been wishing to blog about this for some time. What a sordid topic of talk. Sure, there is a certain appeal and accreditation that companies like H&M and TopShop have. Like you said, it's affordable and separates that can be mixed and matched are easily obtained. However, this is a huge problem for the fashion designing industry. I have been married to a beautiful, crazy and brilliant fashion designer for over six years. Maybe it's just a testament to his abilities but the process of designing from start to finish can be maddening and quite draining. I agree too that at the end of the day, yes, it's just clothing. But look at what fashion does for our societies. It's a culmination of art and the epicenter of style. My ranting leads up to this point, which I have strong feelings on. But these places like H&M, target, TopShop are merely the fast food chains; a proverbial American-commercialization of fashion. If it's cheap to make, can be off-shored to produce, quick, and accessible, it's good old fashioned mass marketing
Please don't think of me as some sort of fashion snob or, worse yet, a label whore. I don't come from a place that the Europeans to agree with most. I would rather eat Ramen noodles and chic peas for a month and buy that Prada blazer.
Keep being fabulous...I'd love to hear more.
~Mac
http://Macstheman78.blogspot.com
***CORRECTION***I'm sorry, I meant I DO come from a place that Europeans do. Spend on the luxury and you have a piece for life.
~Mac
I have no qualms with supplementing my wardrobe with additions from Target, H&M, American Apparel, etc. especially for basic things like plain tanks or leggings and things of that sort. In short, I love my designers, but I am not a label whore.
This being said, I appreciate designer collaborations with mass market vendors because they create a buzz and get people excited about accessible, affordable clothing that pushes the average person's style boudaries. Commes des Garcon for H&M, Vivienne Westwood for Nine West, Alexander Plokhov for Uniqlo, etc. etc. Let's face it. The average person had never heard these names until their collaboratons......
HOWEVER. When designers do these mass market collections, the clothing tends to be a watered down diffusion of what the design house really stands for. Lesser quality fabric and workmanship. Designs that are more appealing to the "every-man".
My conclusion, they have their place but will never be as special as the "real thing".
My current wardrobe is a hodge podge of fahion. I have clothing from target and a select few expensive vintage and designer pieces. I honestly don't think price tag or designer status should be the sole reason for slapping something on your body. There's a lot of disgusting pieces that cost 10's of thousands of dollars and great pieces that cost $20. What kills me are the folks that spend the equivalent of a mortgage payment on wildly expensive garbage just because it's a Helmut Lang or Betsey Johnson...and in my humble opinion, looks like crap. While my opinion seems highly critical, I truly do appreciate the clear variety of fashion decisions people make on a daily basis. In short, clothing/fashion is only as good as the thought you put into it, not the money you spend on it.
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