Fast Fashion Meets High Fashion: Gifts From The Fashion Gods or The Beginning of the End of Quality?

Christian Siriano Spring 2010 

So, I'm sure for most of you fashionistas, you've become immensely aware of the ever growing popularity of fashion collaborations between high end designers and mass market producers such as Donatella Versace and H&M or Missoni and Target. I spent some time yesterday looking through the lookbook for Jason Wu's line for Target, and though I adore his aesthetic, I did not find myself drooling over this new marriage. Watching this pandemonium unfold over these luxury brands hitting the mass market machine is more so disturbing to me than it is entertaining. I, being a monetarily challenged fashionista myself, would normally delight in the idea of having such prestigious names wrapping around my shoulders as I strut around Chicago in a Sex and  the City-like fashion. The idea that it could be possible with my limited funds would sound almost too good to be true, so why not jump on it, right? You can't beat that! But as the true fashion student in me began to ponder this phenomenom, I have to say, I became more concerned than excited.

Christian Siriano Spring 2010 translated from the runway

When you're such a high-end designer, does going to the mass market compromise your brand? When I think Lanvin, Versace, Karl Lagerfeld, I think of luxury goods. High. End. Luxury. Expensive with second-to-none quality of which I can say "when I grow up, I want to be able to buy that". But how important are these brands when your average suburbanite teen can go to H&M and score a Versace outfit complete with Jimmy Choo shoes? It is marketing gold for such stores as Target, H&M and Kohl's (I mean Vera Wang?? Come on!) Even Payless has gotten a piece of the action with Project Runway winner, Christian Siriano. Personally, I absolutely adored his shoes that graced the runway back in '09. These babies were sky-high, had talon-shaped heels paired with wild, colorful and exotic textures and prints. To hear that these haute shoes were coming to Payless via the Oprah show, made me melt. I hated Payless Shoe Source, but if they were going to introduce high-fashion like that to their line up, then I was more than ready to show my support. To my utmost dismay, the commercial line up looked nothing like the runway versions. I understand that there are some modifications to the design in order for it to translate commercially, but geesh! Needless to say, Payless Shoe Source did not end up with a new customer.

With the recent economic downturn, I can understand the sudden outburst of designers reaching out to mass market opportunities, but isn't the magic, the allure, the temptation of the luxury market is the fact that it is somewhat inaccessible? To see celebrities and people of a specific wealth and station parade around with these labels, in all of our minds, whether you admit to it or not, gives you something to want to upgrade to. Would the obsession over the Birkin bag still be there if they did a line of made-in-China purses for Sears? How exclusive are the red bottoms if you can get them from Macy's?

Another concern I have is about the quality. When you have such mass produced items are you sacrificing quality? Honestly, I do not want to spend $180.00 on a pleather jacket just because Donatella slapped a label on it and called it fashion. In a recent interview, Domenico Dolce of Dolce and Gabbana firmly stated that they had absolutely no interest in joining the fast fashion craze. He called it "cheap" and said that there's "no quality" and that these fast fashion companies just churn out looks. The duo had even recently offed their fusion line, D&G.

Now, I don't know about you, but I am not a lover of fashion just for a look. I hold these designers in high esteem, not because of their looks, but because of the attention and love each of them dedicate to their craft. In designing collections, they wield thread and needle like a paintbrush; creating pieces of art to be beloved by all. Whether you believe in the trickle up or trickle down theory, our top designers serve as mirrors of the cultural zeitgeist; compasses that point to the future of how we express ourselves. So are the designers telling us that cheap chic is the future? Are they expressing a "high fashion for all" mentality? If this true, then that's great, but in no way do I want to sacrifice quality for a label. I want to be able to invest, one day, in a Chanel suit that won't unravel on me once it's worn 2 or 3 times because I bought it from Forever 21. The luxury market is too precious to let it go to the dumps for quick cash. Let's preserve it. I almost made myself sick at the idea of throwing a Chanel-esque suit in the trash. But alas, the almighty dollar speaks louder than I ever could, and from the looks of it, fast fashion collabs are here to stay. What do you think? Let me know.

Love,
Ty

Au Revoir: Trends That I'm So Glad Are Gone

Fashionistas, you know it and I know it. Some trends just need to be burned and salted. They are the reflections of the zeitgeist (remember?), little fashion faux pas made cool by a song or a movie (or a drunken celebrity). Every year there's at least one trend that drives me crazy, or one that I, too, have indulged in. Here's a list of the worst of the worst! 

1. Low Low Rider Jeans





    Popularized in the early 2000's by a little song by Sisqo worshipping the female derriere sporting a ridiculous piece of underwear, the thong, this became a fashion staple to show the top of the thong and tramp stamp (a tattoo on the lower middle region on the back). The funniest thing about the low rider was that women actually put belts on. I am guilty of having my fair share of low rise jeans back in the day. That paired with a scandalous belly top made the guys go wild back in the day. In retrospect, maybe they were going wild with disbelief that someone with my stature and little behind actually had the nerve to put that crap on.

2. The Bob

    I am not a musical fan of Rihanna. What I am a fan of, however, are her fearless hairstyles. She dropped a hit ("Umbrella"), but even more impressive than the ringtone sales, were the droves of people flocking to the nearest beauty salons gleefully chopping their locks just to try to mimic her style. To the chagrin of most, the hairstyle didn't really work on folks, especially on naturally kinky hair and your were left with a style that didn't sit quite right. I, too, fell into the trap. In retrospect, I would have just bought the wig, but nooooo, I chopped my hair off all to eagerly to be left with a hot, uneven mess when it came time for it to grow back. Eventually, Miss Rihanna moved on to another hairstyle and we soon followed, leaving the overworked trend in pop culture oblivion. Hmmm....on second thought, maybe I can go get that wig now. :-)

3. Sneaker Gymshoes

    This trend is one that I can proudly raise my hand and shout, (in my Bill Clinton voice) No! I did not take part in this trend, sneaker gymshoes. J-Lo made some music video and was sporting this killer pair of Manolos that resembled the Timberland boots with a heel. OMG! Who would have ever thought to put a stiletto heel on a hiking boot! Praise the fashion gods, right? After that video, we saw all types of knockoffs and they didn't stop at the Tims. They started sticking a stilletto on every type of shoe possible: Chuck Taylors, Nike Dunks, Crocs. Well, maybe not Crocs, but I wouldn't be surprised if they did. All I have to say is, Thank God this trend went back to black.

4. Jersey Dresses
    Accompanying the sneaker gymshoes, while I was in highschool, was the jersey dress. The guys were rocking the jerseys and matching gymshoes and the girls were doing the same. At some point, some "genius" said Hey, a girl needs to feel like a girl when she's rooting for her team! Let's produce shapeless, unflattering, elongated versions of the male jersey to them! And they snatched them up like hot cakes. And to make matters worse, you had a bunch of knock off jerseys sans the team and just a pitiful, lonely number on the back. (23? But for which team? Is it Jordan or James?) I am glad to say, that after a year of popularity, the fad waned and we evolved to....

5. The Rock Star Overload
    Skinny jeans, pocket chains, mohawks, star tattoos, the song "Party Like A Rockstar" (whatever happened to them?).  Now, I am a fan of edgy, rock-inspired pieces, but the overkill? Everybody started wearing black nail enamel and cutting their hair into mohawks. I personally know about six people who added stars to their bodies. Ask them why, and they'll say, "Because I'm a rock star". Um....yeah. Straight-face. That trend hasn't fully gone away, but it definitely isn't on overkill mode like it used to be.

What are some fashion fads that had you reeling in ecstacy or pure agony? Let me know!



   

Boy Meets Girl: Menswear On Trend...STILL

I must say this is one of my most favorite trends. Since Coco started it, designers have mated the masculine tailoring and hard lines of menswear with feminine apparel. Much to my delight, Fall 2011 will not disappoint as we see our favorite designers updating heavy shouldered blazers and classic button downs. Pair that with a great pair of camel-colored trousers or cropped shorts and marry these to a great pair of platformed penny loafers. You will find yourself becoming that on-trend fashion baby, that everyone will admire! I myself, am doing a little recycling. I have a pair of "old faithful" loafs that I will be making sure to get plenty of wear out of this fall.

Also, dear fashionistas, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT discard your colored jeans! (You know the pairs you bought when Black Eyed Peas came out with that E.N.D. album and everybody started dressing like hipster robots? Yeah, those.) Color blocking is in! Match your bright red skinny jeans that you were just scratching your head about with a slouchy oversized orange pullover, and voila! You're still on!


Michael Antonio "Mercer"



This season's shoes still don't disappoint. I have been a long time lover of the 70's style platform heel, which isn't going anywhere anytime soon. I have recently purchased the Michael Antonio "Mercer" bootie, which sports a 6 inch wedge heel, that will have your feet screaming for mercy if you're planning on strolling around Chicago. In true Tyla style, I will be pairing this with a cute 70's style printed sundress and a simple cardigan: my way of transitioning from summer to fall. What I'm taking away from this upcoming season's trends, something that everyone can take away from it, whether you're being recession chic and recycling last year's garments or buying new stuff, the play on hard and soft is a prominent factor this year. Hard, tailored lines paired with feminine flowing silk scarves or playfully feminine dresses with a chunky 70's inspired shoe are THE rage right now, so govern yourselves accordingly, ladies!

Happy shopping, dears! 

Me making it work!



You Go Girl?: The Evolution of Androgyny in the Fashion World



Lea T

The wonderful thing about art is that you can get inspiration and see beauty in almost anything. Through the years fashion and androgyny has gone hand-in-hand. Androgyny, class, means not fitting into neither the female nor male gender. Our pop icons, from Grace Jones and Boy George to Michael Jackson and Prince have made this style popular. Designers have clamored over to female and male models who have looked as if they could be either/or to model their creations. Call it edgy. Call it progressive. There are those that believe that fitting into traditional gender roles inhibits a person. There are actual survey polls and statistics to support the theory. In the fashion world, androgyny gets you noticed. Twiggy revolutionized fashion with her pixie cut and bright eyes (a cut that I think is still hot). Fast forward to today and you have featured on "Real Housewives of Atlanta", men sporting skinny jeans and pumps. Is it cross dressing? Is it drag? Everyone I know has a certain idea of people in the fashion industry. A common perception is that the male models are gay, uber-handsome figures that send men and women into a frenzy when they see them. Thats the problem with stereotypes. You put one face on everything and forget about the rest. Allow me to introduce another aspect of the model: the transgender model. Transgender identity has been a relevant part of society for years and across many cultures around the world. It was said that Bagoas, a eunuch, was a favorite of Alexander the Great because of his feminine beauty. Models like Lea T have become a new phenom Born, Leo, Lea always identified with being female. Since "making the switch", the Brazilian beauty has caused quite a stir being featured in a Givenchy campaign and posing nude in Italian Vogue ( I'll leave that imagery to your imagination...just because I can show it doesn't mean that I will). She was even able to grab Oprah's attention and appeared on her show for an extensive interview. Lea T is not the only one, Tyra Banks made a few heads turn a couple of years ago by accepting a transgender model wannabe, Isis, onto her show: a first for the America's Next Top Model franchise. Isis did pretty well through the show until her personal barriers got in the way of her performance and she was kicked off. Another interesting face I've been seeing is that of Andrej Pejic. Who? You ask. This young man was seen strutting the runway for Jean Paul Gaultier in Paris and had everyone thinking who is that beautiful blond bombshell? Surprise! She is a he, a very beautiful he and has made his name sporting both women's and menswear. With more and more people expressing their uncoventional sexuality, it leaves me thinking. The lines that have separated male from female have become blurred. Long gone are the gay or straight; male or female identification cards. Remember when a male/female model was just a RuPaul? Whoever said art imitates life was revolutionary. This world isn't just filled with gay or straight; male or female. This world is filled with all sorts of variations and alternatives to "conventional" thinking. This is not just in fashion, but its in every other aspect of the human condition. Who are we to put a label on it or shun it by calling it freakish or weird? Open up your minds and see the beauty beyond conventional. There's nothing more beautiful than a human being able to express his or her or whatever's own truth.

What's your take on trangender beauty?

Andrej Pejic: no those are not breasts, thats his chest. He's a man.

Shoe Shopping: Quality Vs. Quantity

Anyone that knows me knows I love shoes. Along with that love and adoration comes a closet full of them. My husband will tell you that he knew we were meant to be when I told him that he came second only to my shoes on our wedding night. If you delve further into my closet (my second home) you will notice that most of my shoes come from 3 major retailers. Of course, there are more expensive, high end, and low end pairs sprinkled in between. But the majority of the shoes that dwell within the "Candy Shoppe" come with price tags between $60 and $100. I can remember back to when I scored my first paying job, swearing to myself to spoil myself with tons of shoes: an insatiable thirst passed down from my beloved grandmother (though she won't admit it is her fault I'm a shoeaholic). Well, to my delight at that time, there happened to be a new inexpensive shoe store opening up right in my neighborhood! Their famous jingle advertising sexy, high-heeled shoes all for $9.99 a pop made my heart sing. $100 would equal 10 new pairs of shiny new shoes lined up against my wall (due to lack of closet space at that time). It would be those same 10 pairs, not even a full season later, going into the garbage. Frayed straps, eroded heel caps, unbearable scuffs and torn fake suede all made their solemn trip to shoe heaven; $100 down the drain (whomp, whomp). On the other hand, take one pair of shoes purchased from one of my choice stores, 3 years later, they are still in good shape. And don't discount the lifetime repair guarantee should the heel break or cap wear down too fast. So, now look closer into my closet. Instead of slapping down $20 every week for a pair of poorly made, but trendy steppers, I'd rather wait, save my money and invest in a quality item that won't be the equivalent to "hammer pants" once the trends decide to change up. I can look at staple items in my wardrobe and though I've owned some of them for three years plus, they still look current and on trend. Don't get me wrong, I'll never knock a cute pair of $30 shoes, especially if they are well made. A shoe's quality in not contingent upon the price you pay. You can easily pay $500 on a poorly constructed pair. Take time to inspect the shoe before you buy it, like you would any other significant purchase. Pay attention to the materials. Man made leather, if not constructed properly, can get really ugly after a few wears. Pay attention to any stitching seeming to fray or a platform that is chipped. If there are any discrepancies in the construction, prepare to be throwing away a badly broken down pair of shoes by the end of the season. Ladies, during this time of economic peril, I know the cheap shiny thing is more appealing. However, I'd rather have one flawless diamond than a jewelry box filled with clouded cubic zirconia on any day. It would end up being way more expensive to keep replacing these cheapy things than it would be to invest in a good pair that will serve you well for years. It's time we fashionistas get smart about our money, because there's nothing worse than a broke diva.

When you know better, you buy better!

What Is Fashion?

In my short stint at Ai, I was asked by a remarkably profound teacher, "What is fashion?" Now the first thought is, "What do you mean what is fashion?" You think clothes. You think runway, skinny girls, big sunglasses, New York Fashion Week, you think celebrities. And the first few hands to pop in the air said the exact same thing. The teacher paused in thought, her eyes, her thoughts, her emotions unreadable as everyone waited for her to give her approval. She didn't give it to us. Instead she paced. She stopped. She paced, before the clank of her bangles could be heard as she wrote the words "Fashion Is..." is on the board. She asked us again..."What is fashion?" It is at this very moment that I began to feel the wheels in my head turning; going past thinking of what conventional fashion is. Sure, you can say fashion is....art. Then the question begs to be asked, what is art? What makes it art? What makes it not art? Who designates an abstract entity to become what it is not? If it is without definition, who, then, defines it? Deep right? I felt myself stepping out of the box and really thinking. Fashion is life. Now, for you doubtful naysayers, I offer up to you a challenge. Fashion is how we want people to percieve us. If we feel that we are sophisticated and educated, there tends to be a certain way that we carry ourselves. We show our status (or percieved status) by the clothes that we wear, the cars we drive, the homes we live in. All of that is fashion. My clinical definition of fashion can go as far as saying, "Fashion is the human response to the cultural zeitgeist". What does it mean? It means, that fashion, is the outward representation of how we feel on the inside about the world around us. For example: are you one of those people determined not to follow trends and fall in line with what the media says is en vogue for a particular season, so you dress all off? That itself is a representation of fashion. For the record, let me inform my fellow fashionistas that trends do not equal fashion. Trends are a reflection of the zeitgiest, personal style is your reaction to to it. Wanna go a little deeper? Did you know that there is a Mount Olympus of anonymous fashion gods who determine what colours and trends will be happening for each season? They are just responding to the all-mighty zeitgeist. Ever noticed that when folks started going back to being "green" and eco-friendly, the colours in our garments, our accessories, our kitchen and homegoods, turned to that of earthy colours and patterns? With the recent breakthrough in advanced technology, you will notice that there emerged a sudden trend in futuristic-looking clothing and accessories. Of course, everyone longs for the good ole' days, a much simpler time, which is why vintage and retro styles will never go out of style. People that eschew fashion and say they don't want any part of the circus are choosing to follow many others that want to do their own thing. So can you then say that its truly original? They're just following a whole 'nother way of expressing oneself. So by the end of class, we were able to conclude, that fashion goes way deeper than lipstick, clothes and high heels. Fashion is wrong, its right, its different. Fashion is boho chic; hobo chic. Fashion is original and repeated. Fashion is the world's most attractive paradox. Fashion is what you say it is.

Hood Livin': Its Not Cute

I can say that growing up in a black neighborhood, watching black tv and listening to black music, at a certain point and time, I held a soft spot in my heart for what the folks outside of this little microcosm would call the ghetto lifestyle. I couldn't wait to buy my own car with the big rims on them, with my fake designer shades on and my lipgloss poppin, sending all other people driving in the opposite direction skidding off of the road. I longed to step out of my car with my Baby Phat outfit (back then it would've been the one piece jumpsuit) that fit too tight on my body, some Air Force 1 high heeled boots, and a nice brand new set of gel (not acrylic, chile) nails, with the nail art in 7 different colors and toes to match. I laugh looking back at how my folks put that up on such a pedastal. That was considered living "the life". An absolute shame that your status, as insignificant as it is now, was completely dependent upon who's knock off Louis Vuitton looked better. By the time I was sixteen-years-old, I had read a few Vogues and had started emerging myself in the "outside" world. I was a lucky one. Highschool was nothing but a parade of urban branded clothing. Not that there's anything wrong with them (I own a few pair), but to have my peers try to give me advice on what to wear to get the guys to like me, just made me sad for them. I once had a girl ask me if I knew anything at all about fashion whilst looking at my Levi jeans, no name tank top and blazer with an eye of disgust. She, with all of her Rocawear on and her "designer" Baby Phat purse, was left completely dumbfounded when I commenced naming designers left and right: Vera Wang, Coco Chanel, Adrian Gilbert, Marc Jacobs, Cynthia Rowley, Alexander McQueen, Isaac Mizrahi (yes Isaac), and so on. I walked away feeling sorry for her and less sorry for my new label as SNOB. I was told I dressed like a white girl. I didn't know that fashion was divided into race. I wasn't "down" because I didn't care to look like I just "chicken-headed" out of a Nelly video. After exploring a whole new world of clothing, art, and what it all really meant, I must say I experienced my own personal renaissance. Fashion, then became way more valuable to me than a pair of $100 gymshoes (even if I do drop $300 from time to time on a pair of good designer shoes). It became true self expression, and not self expression through the eyes of BET. No super models will be seen off runways rocking 3 inch long nails calling it cute. You're not seeing Michelle Obama with pink and yellow streaks in her hair. I feel sorry for these girls, many whom I personally know that will never understand that there is more to living a prosperous life than "name brand" clothes and riding around in a kool-aid colored car. But they don't know any better, and probably never will.