On what feels like forever in blogging timeline, I am thrilled and feel obliged to do a post as the big month a.k.a fashion week is approaching.
September and March are two holy months in fashion industry, for the a la mode capitals of New York, London, Milan, and Paris--in that order, celebrate the upcoming season that seems like a million year later but already so salivating with shows and parties. Not to be seconded, the street style will also undoubtedly be an essential part of the fashion weeks, where the right clothes (that is autumn/winter collection) are worn at the right seasons, and we can cheer upon it.
Hoard of editors and buyers and bloggers--the last one mentioned is still a highly debatable subject (or object?) up until today, in which people and the industry as a whole are weighing their influence and importance for sitting up in the same row as the journalists and what themselves consider as industry insiders, will fly across the world to the cities, fitting all the statement pieces into their trunks (monogram or not) and charging their gadget batteries full all the time so they can take pictures and later instagram them all. Designers and models--used to be the only subjects worth talking about during the weeks, will still rush to get the show done, oftentimes being rewarded with the big headlines and endless mentions after satisfying the hunger of the fashion eyes.
And what is the main point of it all?
Years before (fashion historian can calculate), people like ME--a.k.a. no one, cannot give this kind of elaboration because everything happened in fashion weeks is basically untouched, away from the reach of the mundane. Shows are exclusive, invitations are given to the most influential, clients, buyers, and editors are the only pairs of vision who see. So with all the access we have to whatever happens behind-the-scene and plenty photos that tell stories, how will the fashion week change?
One, everything will get stale so easily. Suzy Menkes has articulated it in T Magazine just right regarding the confusing season of fashion, where the fashion weeks are showing six months in advance and being stocked just for around a month. As everything has been reviewed and seen before, when the season comes, it will no longer be viewed as new, but rather, outdated.
Two, the line between the insiders and outsiders is blurry. We witness it all, we have access to it all; so who to say that we are outsiders? Journalists, for once, get all the invitations. But now, the bloggers, even those who only showcase what they wear each and every day without any insight and commentary pieces can get into the show, taking beautiful photos, and (probably) walking away with goodies. I really appreciate those who really put out great piece of writing accompanied by photos, thus enabling me to understand the collection from different point of view and helping me to reach the exclusivity. But those who perhaps hashtag their post with #ootd each and every time? I still don't get it.
Three, overflowing information. I have once stopped following certain twitter accounts as they constantly update everything happens and somehow it bugs the hell out of me. Call me old-school but that is really what I feel, that people require some time to digest all the updates of fashion week. At least, a thoughtful commentary and decent photo are sufficient to feed us all, rather than constantly updating meaningless low quality photos on everything you see on the runway (which is later uploaded by style.com anyway). And that is just one case, probably in relation with how fast everything turns old is that we see similar outtakes everywhere and cannot help but getting tired of it.
Still, I am excited about fashion weeks and wish to one day join the merciless, fashionably on-time crowd.
What say you?
image: STREETFSN
