Featured

Are collab’s the new licensing? – LV, don’t forget what happed to Pierre Cardin

As I read the High Snobiety report about the Louis Vuitton menswear creative director Pharrell Williams collaborating with Timberland boots, I realized that collab’s are the new licensing. I was telling my students the other day how radically innovative and cool Pierre Cardin was in the 60s and 70s and how by licensing to the max by the 90s the brand was associated with 7-piece luggage sets for $95 and men’s shirts sold at outlets… leading to a complete disregard for the brand today.

Moncler took a strategic approach with their Genius division – a clear way to keep the luxury focus with the collaborations; more brining other designers to the brand, than a mix of brands and price-points. .

Collab’s are a way to reach a different brand’s audience and to increase publicity, but will too many collab’s start to taint a high-fashion brand’s image? … time will tell how this pursuit of sales will play out next to luxury branding.

Featured

Fashion matters in many ways

The fashion industry is fascinating and diverse. Fashion matters from various economic, social, and aesthetic points of view are the topic of this blog. Join me on a quest to document, analyze, and comment on this industry that touches everyone. This blog will examine matters related to fashion and why fashion matters.

Fashion is about desire and need … or is it?

I need a new pair of sneakers. At least in terms of a middle-class North American professional’s needs.

I bought black mesh sneakers with a thick white sole and my big toe blew out the mesh on three pair. I embroidered over the holes, but that is now looking tired and I am ready for a change. So “need” is kind of true, BUT I would not go barefoot if I didn’t buy a new pair of sneakers. Thus the qualifier in the second sentence.

Probably more correctly I just DESIRE a new pair of sneakers. AND I MOST CERTAINLY desire these: Yohji Yamamato Y-3 X Adidas. Just look at how cool they are. The dripping threads. The designer’s name whom I admire and whom inspires me immensely discretely printed on the side… heaven.

I want them so very much it hurts (!) BUT they cost $330, and “This product is excluded from all promotional discounts and offers.” That’s a LOT in my world to spend on a pair of sneakers. Take the plunge, or go for a less expensive sneaker???? Will I regret off-white? But these look the best. What to do??

https://www.adidas.com/us/y-3-gazelle/FZ6404.html

The word aesthetic

This morning my students were were synthesizing and presenting about information from a professional fashion trend report. And the topic of aesthetic came up, as a “goth revival aesthetic” for childrenswear. One of the students described aesthetic in this sense as a lifestyle or choices that you make that affect the visual aspects of your environment. Being of a certain age and able to provide perspective, I explained that up until 5 to 7 years ago we would’ve called that a style.

Stop the war in Ukraine – fashion for the greater good.

Sometimes it seems that fashion is insignificant when we consider such horrible life events like the war happening right now in Ukraine. I’m a firm believer that clothing and the fashion industry can influence the world for good, even in times of war. from digital fashion to the power of clothing symbolism, we are seeing fashion for the greater good today.

I just learned that the company Dressx, that I’ve been admiring for a while now in the Digital Fashion space, is based in Ukraine. Here are some digital fashion pieces they recently published to help support Ukraine.

With digital fashion collection, Ukrainian company DressX calls on international industry for local support

This article about the fashion of military leaders impacts the world in time of war is also very interesting.

https://www.npr.org/2022/03/22/1087983743/putin-coat-zelenskyy-shirts-fashion-statement-russia-ukraine-war

Do we need a new word for Fashion?

I have been thinking about how the term Fashion has gotten a bad rap, with all the focus on the detrimental aspects of clothing production and consumption. Another aspect of the word I hadn’t thought about was the elitist and segregational aspects of the Fashion concept, reinforced in an essay my nephew recently sent me titled, “The New and Fashion” from “On The New” by Boris Groys.

In this intense time of re-assessment, perhaps we need a new word that describes the making and wearing of clothes?

“The New and Fashion” is a fascinating analysis of fashion in the largest sense of the word, tracing the concept from perspectives ranging from the sociological to historical memory related to theoretical and artistic production. The essay does a great job of discussing individual freedom and homogeneity, inequality, elitism, and values. These concepts really resonate with my thoughts about how we need to get back to the essence of clothing, return to quality and self-expression, rather than mindlessly following the overpriced, cheaply made clothing that the media feeds us.

Let’s seek a culturally significant new in terms of dress and adornment that is more focused on recognizing very special effort, meaning and purpose.

If we get there, what will we call it?

Augmented reality and fashion: Trying on Gucci shoes from the comfort of my couch

Augmented reality is bringing virtual images into your real world through the lens of your phone. There’s a lot of talk right now about digital fashion and ways of enhancing the online buying experience through technology.

I recently discovered the app Wanna Kicks, and had fun trying on shoes from my couch with augmented reality. A new experience… My feet even felt different. Which pair is your favorite?

Gucci

Artificial intelligence and the future of sustainable fashion event

I’m attending Understanding AI: The Future of Sustainable Fashion. Would you like to attend?
https://www.linkedin.com/events/understandingai-thefutureofsust6777550518412681216/

Issey Miyake and a piece of cloth

One of the most interesting fashion designers of all time is Issey Miyake. He is a deep thinker who has carved his place in fashon history through focused research with one guiding principle: a piece of cloth. After rewatching this video from 2006 this morning, feel the need to share some of his statements that ring true still today:

“I want to develop the concept of “a piece of cloth” over as long a period as possible. When I grow weary about where I’m going, or when I stumble, I’ll return to the theme, “a piece of cloth.” I feel happy about that because it gives me another direction to go in.

I feel there is a difference between an individual designer and what we can achieve when we talk to designers or others.

Design work should certainly not be a matter of designing something, turning it into a product and simply introducing changes or modifications. A new approach will be the basis of design in the future, I think. We must think more about society, living, and enjoyment or happiness. Otherwise our work will become boring and extremely different.

In my opinion it’s essential for different kinds of people to get together to work, and for people sharing the same world to think and talk to each other about a variety of things.”

https://youtu.be/JVY5p-SHnko

The hands behind the brands

I have had the great honor and pleasure to meet and learn from some of the women who worked in the French Haute Couture ateliers: Mme. Picot, Mme. Ivagnes, Mme. Lenoir. They are talented, driven, and highly skilled. Their criteria and quest for quality is unparalleled. Not being able to travel to the Paris American Academy, where they share their knowledge, has been frustrating! This video brought me back to that world. I highly recommend watching!

#chanel #paris #fashion #craft #fashion design #draping #patternmaking #parisamericanacademy #hands #skill #making

I have been in a pandemic-induced silence, and today I am motivated to speak. Interestingly, what motivated me is the fact that Vogue magazine has commissioned artists for the cover of the September 2020 issue. As I have been preparing to teach the talented fashion design class of 2021, the Art/Design relationship has been in the forefront of my thoughts – and voila! Vogue not only gave credence to my direction, but the sublime and intense result is visually and intellectually stimulating. Enjoy and please comment.

https://www.vogue.com/article/september-issue-cover-2020-global-hope?utm_source=nl&utm_brand=vogue&utm_mailing=VOG_Runway_Cover_Launch_082520&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_medium=email&bxid=5cc9e1eb3f92a477a0e93174&cndid=55784124&hasha=9ac070c8c317ddfa19bdbb8074e738ef&hashb=7ab9257c079c708147b9ff8a47f0b23d26351784&hashc=8006e6e534e003b452e3066e8f59448cbbfbfbb9a61a522e8418d2ad096732ca&esrc=&utm_term=VOG_Runway_Exclude_Daily
Alchemy

Raku pottery, vases, and gifts

A Stairway To Fashion

imagination is the key

Moda-Creative thinking

Moda-Creative thinking

Fashion Matters II

Unpacking Meaning

WordPress.com News

The latest news on WordPress.com and the WordPress community.