Well, in case you've been under a rock, or super busy (hey, that's my excuse!) the Paris Fashion Week for Spring 2006 has just ended, and "The State of the Fashion Union" have spoken.
What is the Fashion Union? It's a group of fashion bloggers, commenting and posting their views and comments about Fashion Week, fashion designs, designers and the concept of fashion as it happens. In real time. No more waiting endless months to see the latest in fashion in the magazines. No more waiting for a quick 30 second glimpse on your nightly news. It's fast, it's now. It's a new concept in reporting the fashion hits & misses. It's as we see it. And isn't that what the fashion designers want? Our opinion? Our thoughts?
Because isn't fashion changing? It is you know. From the "here's how you gotta wear it or you're out of style" camp from years ago, to the now "here's a bunch of ideas, take it, mix it and make it your own" view from the fashion world. As FashionTribes comments, "At The Fashionable Kiffen, word is that while print media will always be important to fashion - the editorials, stories, advertising - the internet & bloggers will not only force the traditional media to change the way it operates, but speed up the fashion cycle as well." Want to catch up? Read on.....
The cool part about it? It's a new concept in getting the fashion and beauty news to you. And I can see it going to soooo much more. Is the fashion and beauty world ready for it?
How about this?
How about instead of fashion designers staging million dollar production shows to the haute couture of the fashion press, (which sooo many talented designers can't even afford to do!) instead presenting or blogging their fashion shows to us? How about first, posting a small preview of the collection? A design drawn out before being committed to fabric and letting US, the buyer comment on it? Do we like it? Would we buy it? Will it get in the collection? Months later, blog and post your fashion show. We see, we like, we click, we buy. Same with the hair and makeup. See a lipstick you like in the show? Click to buy. But truth in advertising guys. The EXACT lipstick brand and color. Click. I just bought it. And the best part? It's items bought WHEN we need it. As in a winter coat in WINTER! A bathing suit in the SUMMER. No more seeing summer clothes in the cold of February.
And no more waiting months to see how it's presented and preached about in Vogue and Bazaar. We get the news and goods straight from the brand. Wouldn't that be cool? But then, where would that leave the fashion magazines? No more advertising dollars dictating who gets the coveted editorial or mention. More than not, it's that crazy, insane fashion show that's "artsy, creative, genius!"
For example, see John Galliano's for Dior. See? Hugely creative, different, amazing. Would I wear it? No. Will it get press? It already has. His show is just to WOW the press, not us. Because he KNOWS the wow factor is what gets him written about. Sitting through your 20th fashion show of the day? Bored? Yep, it's the insanely crazy fashion presentation that gets your attention. Press likes it? They write.
But wait. Isn't the bottom line that it's US who decide? It's our dollars that make or break a designer. Because as magazines complain, no one buys them anymore. No one listens or cares as to what the must have item is of the season. We don't like it? We don't buy it. No more designers going out of business because the fashion press decides it's not "in", it's "out". Hence the UnZipped saga of Issac Mizrahi, a collection that was gorgeous didn't make the fashion press cut and he was out of business. Ummm, let that be OUR decision. Not the fashion press. LET designers present their creativity,their designs. We'll be the judge of whether it's "in" or "out". Believe me, we'll tell you!
So where does that leave fashion? Well, like everything else in life, things change. I think fashion is ready for a change. We sure are. Is the fashion industry ready for a change?
Just my 'state of the fashion union' thought.