The New Look, a collection that revolutionized the fashion world. After years of fabric rationing during and after War World 2, clothing conditions were based on functionality, practicality. In 1947 a French designer broke away from the past by setting a new course. Christian Dior introduced a collection based on long skirts flowing from tiny waists. Apple TV+ will stream an original show based on Dior’s pieces as well as examining the creative rivalry with fashion designers Coco Chanel and Balmain. “Wearing clothes by a man who doesn’t know a women, never had one, and dreams of being one”, Chanel’s infamous quote on The New Look.
Starring Ben Mendelsohn and Juliette Binoche, The New Look from Todd A. Kessler streams February 14, 2024. I am looking forward to it.
The film American Fiction depicts a writer fed up with racial tropes. Frustrated novelist Monk writes a book with outlandish African American characters. Too his horror, the work is a bestseller. Why would I sympathise with Monk? Because I understand his bewilderment. Life is stranger than fiction.
Being a person of color in any business has challenges. Being a LGBTQ person of color adds more weight to those challenges. The pervasive thinking is the fashion world is tolerant. This is according to how “tolerant” is defined. I had a person of color colleague was approached by a major television channel to become a cast member of a reality series based on the fashion business. One catch, he had to be flamboyant or the snap his fingers, sassy, black male. That was not his character. Calling me for advice, asking what to do?
Reality shows are tricky. Good reality tv viewing is messy, a guilty pleasure of relishing bad temperament on the screen. However, a non script program can offer a lucrative brand building platform. I asked, “ Would you be comfortable playing that role?” Plus, once penciled in as the sassy stylist, there will be no escape from this persona. He replied, “NO” because that was not him. My response, “decline the offer.”. I understood my friend’s conflicted position because similar opportunities to up my brand presence came to me.
The ultimate “I made it bag”.
As a gay person of color in fashion there seems to be a role to play. Does this performance have a a place? Canned behavior comes with the territory in any field. The fashion business is about exaggeration. I look over certain LGBTQ P.O.C colleagues IG pages. I am not knocking their hustle, certainly these guys deserve respect for working hard to get where they are today. Yet, these modern mannerisms could be from a dictionary entry on prototypical sass, wearing certain clothes, unrestrained personality, while having a “hyper see me” hairstyle. Is this a new stereotype? Could this level of modern sassiness be a new form of gaining acceptance in an upperclass space, continuing to play the racial gender role written by others.
Years ago I was advised to enact the sassy characterization, not my cup of tea to play a high spirited character for greater acceptance and success. Reinforce the feel good stereotype of a black man in the creative industry with fashion buffoonery: carry a flashy accessory to show “Yes, I have cash”, such as a Hermes bag, wear borderline garish clothing, veer away from a series conversation, victimize myself to the liberal class, carry a little nose candy box to help me overcome my all emotional traumas. As I wrote, “Life is stranger than fiction”.
The Hollywood Strikes are over. Awards Season has started. New episodes of Chat Cinema Podcast are in the pipeline with global filmmakers who may make the final cut for the Oscars this year.
African stories are front and center from a Guardian story on untapped stories from the continent. African filmmakers have had success on the film festival circuit, now thanks to Netflix and other streaming services, there is wider distribution of works by Africa’s cinema creative community reaching global audiences.
“Luxury bags make your life more pleasant, make you dream, give you confidence, and show your neighbors you’re doing well.” Karl Lagerfeld
Luxury fashion brands decided going up is better than going down. Prices have increased on aspirational pieces. Chanel bags are now twenty percent more. The controversial Speedy Bag from Louis Vuitton menswear head Pharrell now goes for $1 million. Is this too much? Have the labels lost touched with aspirational clients? Recently there have been many articles and social media posts on an industry that is feeling more and more out of touch.
Instagram gave the world an entitled make believe reality of imaginary wealth, generating demand for high priced goods. In business, when there is increased desire, rise the prices, the Chanel Hobo Bag is now 6350 euros. However, consumers are now balking at forking over more a prized item. The biggest luxury corporations LVMH, Kering and Richemont have been caught off guard, reporting lower sales figures. As the economy slows, inflation bites, buyers have put off buying the latest expensive offerings. Is this only a trend or a new normal of shoppers thinking twice about trading upward? Dreaming keeps the spirits high, but during these times, customers feel money in bank is more secure.
Yet again, this time around 5% or around 300 people will get pink slips from Conde Nast’s 5,500 employees. As the New York based publishing house takes “death by a 1,000 cuts” road to profitability, I am starting to get the feeling perhaps it is not the patient but the doctors in charge of treatment. Round after round of lay offs and high profile exits seems to have yielded less than good results. In a letter from company head Roger Lynch, there were hints of more head count cuts to come along with a smaller office space footprint.
Twentieth century aspirational titles are becoming less relevant in the digital landscape. Platforms are algorithm centric where guys with no shirts, puppies and comedic irony rules. The parent company of Vogue, GQ and Vanity Fair continues to struggle with declining ad revenue along as readers flock to short videos on TIKTOK and Instagram.
It begs some questions about the current centralised approach strategy for all magazines, one template fits all. How long can Conde Nast keep trying to “reduce costs” its way into the black column? Why is Fashion Empress Anna Wintour, still sitting on the thrown of a plush, yet continuing shrinking kingdom? Sooner or later the royal court will have to face reality.
The fashion world’s Internet has been buzzing with the return of Phoebe Philo to the design realm with her eponymous brand. The British born designer, former head of Celine comes at the best time as buyers shift to quiet luxury. My first reaction, “yes!” Phoebe has made sexy chic with a big dose of class. The pieces are not cheap but never the less sell out fast.
Scavengers Reign, the new animated science fiction series on Max, goes the extra mile depicting life and survival on another planet. Creators Joseph Bennett and Charles Heuttner crafted an artwork of images bridged with guess the next moment storytelling.
After their space cargo ship is destroyed, three sets of survivors must figure out how to survive on an uncharted yet beautiful planet filled with perils.
Luxury fashion buyers are forsaking flash for quiet luxury. I call this trend “the wink cause we know the cost of a piece.” Brunello Cucinelli continues to reap the benefits of the consumer shift to luxurious quality. According to business site Bloomberg, the Corciano, Italy based fashion house upgraded its sales forecasts after outpacing Gucci and other pricey labels.
Cucinelli has been about rich fabrics over classic design reinvention, a traditional approach relying more on style endurance than fashion for the moment. The brand appeals to wearers who are there, not trying to fake it.
