Fashion and music playing the gender bender or gender free game is not new. Let’s look back at David Bowie and Grace Jones, these two originals broke all the rules. Today, Harry Styles, the first solo man on the cover of Vogue USA has the right conservative movement up in arms. The always oozing appeal Mr. Styles would look great wearing a paper sack.
I have to admit, Vogue could have done a better more original production. The pictures are a bit on the dull side.
Jil Sander collaborated with fast fashion brand Uniqlo. The Japanese clothing corporation turned to the Queen of Minimalism to boast sales this season. Judging by the sale outs in the Berlin stores. Success! I went to 4 local stores many pieces sold out. Asking the sales people, the same story, “lines before the openings” on Thursday.
I liked the jackets with the high collar. Turtle neck sweaters looked smart. There was an upgrade in overall materials.
It is hard for me to give a concrete opinion on the pieces because most items were sold.
Anna Wintour hit the headlines of the New York Times yet once again for the wrong reasons. The proclaimed most powerful woman in the fashion world has been under heavy criticism for Vogue’s lack of diversity. Black voices sidelined at the publication were the norm. Fashion magazines were or less country clubs for the elite. Slim white women from well to do families had the best positions. A place were rich wives “worked” telling other rich wives what to wear for the season. I attended a public state school, a person of color. I knew Vogue as a place closed to my type.
Vogue's September issue celebrated Black culture and contributors. But some current and former employees say Anna Wintour, the magazine’s powerful editor, fostered a workplace that sidelined women of color, especially Black women. https://t.co/2WmLjbclWD
— The New York Times (@nytimes) October 24, 2020
Read my fast response to the NYT
The question raised again: Should Anna Leave?
News from the runway in Paris. The catwalk returned to the city for this season.
France 24 pays tribute to icon Kenzo. A trailblazer designer who brought a new aesthetic to the fashion world. Colours mixed with prints were his staples.
Sadden to read about the passing of famed Japanese-French Designer Kenzo Takada. His self name fashion house “Kenzo” made the most of colors and prints for the wearers. In the 70’s he arrived in Paris with a vision of bringing vibrant Oriental flair to the west.
Kenzo died of complications related to Covid-19 at age 81.
I had a conversation with Magazine Editor Alexander Popov from Effect Magazine. Are fashion weeks needed in theses times? Travel restrictions, publications squeezed, brands under pressure, returning to the normality of fashion seasons looks far off. From empty chairs at shows to buying things we may or may not need. We had a fun discussion on theses topics and more.
Click below to watch the webcast.
Who needs the latest Gucci Bag these days?
Alexander Popov is Editor in Chief of Effect Magazine. He regularly attends fashion weeks, but this year viewed the shows remotely. Hopefully next year life will be different.
Eagerly awaited, yet, what happened? In February there was an announcement of a collaboration. Raf Simons’ first collection at Prada with Miuccia Prada. Looking back, were my expectations too high? Taking into account the circumstances, an audience free presentation during a social distancing fashion week in Milan. Perhaps the lockdown combined with the global somber mood took its toll on creative energy of the Belgium Designer. The debut collection resembled alien lifeforms uniforms straight from a “Star Trek The Next Generation” episode. The fast recap: The Enterprise comes across another space vessel manned by a society practicing an unusual fashion caste system.
I found nothing uplifting or inspiring from the 40 looks. The Spring 21 work comes across as a rush job. Downbeat! If there was central collective focus, I missed it cause my mouth fell open.
The Prada logo, front and centre on the neck for the fashionista selfie to alert everyone what she is wearing. Awkward! The prints, cut outs, and outerwear, and clutch jackets, minimalistic styles. All these elements combined gave off a sense of several ideals too many.
I have no clue how they collaborated, either in person or via Zoom. However, for a debut collection of two heavy hitters in the fashion world, this was let down in some ways. My question: Is this a case study of how two strong chefs can spoil a soup?
Is there a need for fashion week? Being fashion enthusiasts we have to ponder this question. I recently spoke to a TV editor. He said, “No way will I attend a fashion show”. As the world continues reeling from Covid 19 the need for a new wardrobe, questionable. September is fashion month. Normally this time of you, packing, invites, calling colleagues about where to meet. Not this time. I got a few live invites, but did not expect many.
The First of the Big Four Fashion Weeks starts today.
As the numbers of infections increase in France, Italy, and UK, sitting in front row feels a bit oblivious. Bags, shoes, and complete looks to wear in front for a Zoom. The style effect gets lost from the neck down.
So many fashion related business face challenges. Models are no longer booked. Their agencies face closing. Magazines struggle to fill ad pages. Retailers attached to life support. Customers fearful of loosing jobs, have less discretionary income.
The future is not clear for all. One certaninty: the fashion industry’s day of reckoinig has arrived.
Stay Tuned for more on this subject. And of course, Black and Paper will cover the fashion weeks.