The Politics of Fashion Week
The lead up to Fashion Week had me worried for people’s sanity. The Week itself had me convinced that people would have seizures and start foaming at the mouth. Hype, hype and more hype. Who’s going to which show? Do you have tickets? Where do you get tickets? Can you get in? What will you wear? I like fashion more than you! Listen people, it’s time we all took a breath and tried to remember what Fashion Week is all about: Mainly, not you.
I arrived at Somerset House on the first day of Fashion Week and was almost immediately approached by a few photographers to take pics of the badass Wolford tights I was wearing that day. All very flattering. I went and collected my press pass and waited for my friend. It was then that I noticed an unprecidented level of douchebaggery. I love me a street style blog, don’t get me wrong, but what I don’t love is the try hards who appear to have slaved over an outfit choice and rocked up to Fashion Week with the sole intention of making it onto every street style blog ever known. I’m not saying to roll up in a pair of sweatpants – it’s great that you made an effort – but there is such a thing as trying too hard, you know?
For many of these people I wondered if they even had any intention of checking out the exhibition (where you can get up close and personal with the wears and accessories of some really cool new and independent designers) or going to a show at all. Or was it just about loitering outside Somerset House hoping The Sartorialist would notice you?
Then of course there’s the shows themselves where near epic levels of pretentious twattery are out on top form. Everyone milling around outside trying to make out as though they’re more important than the person next to them. There’s so much looking down noses going on it’s a miracle anyone can see where they’re going and all anyone seems to give a shit about is which celebrity is going to be seated front row. And let’s face it, what classes as celebrity these days is becoming more blurry by the day (I mean, Janice Dickenson, really?). And you’re standing in the middle of this scrum just thinking ‘this is exactly the kind of cliched, stereotypical bollocks that everyone hates the fashion industry for’ and you’re a part of it. Congratulations.
I just went to one show. That was quite enough. And it was the Look Magazine Show that showcased all the high street stores. I actually found it pretty enjoyable. But I wasn’t in any hurry to go to the big designer shows – most likely there would’ve been swarms of PRs and glossy magazine girls ensuring I knew just how far down the totem pole I come. I have neither the energy nor the patience for such nonsense.
I love style. I love a good catwalk show. But truthfully, I could give two craps about what’s ‘in’ this season, I just appreciate good design and it seems that that, good design, the very essence of what Fashion Week is all about, has been all but forgotten in favour of all the fluff and faff that surrounds it. And it’s a damn shame.
Related posts:
Tags: London Fashion Week, street style, The Look Magazine Show, The Sartorialist
I love the visuals of fashion shows, but I’m less concerned with what is actually considered ‘in’!!
