Happy Tuesday! I hope everyone had a great day! I made it out to London fashion week today! This morning I woke up early enough to do my makeup in my flat, not on the tube on my way to Somerset House (fancy, I know). I didn't don anything outrageous or too bold because I was going as an onlooker to one of the most respected, tasteful events in the fashion industry- or so I believed. I wore a dark raspberry lip gloss with long black lashes, my hair pulled back in a pony tail, a black and navy dress, grey tights, and black pointed BCBG wedges. I carried my Issa bag (big enough to fit my walking shoes, wallet, and all the other rubbish I keep with me) and wore my grey NorthFace overtop, but unzipped so you could see my dress. I felt that my outfit was classic with a twist, but really didn't over think what I was wearing, as I'm not important to the people at fashion week.
Anyhow, I arrived around 2:20pm to swarms of people, as it was between two shows. I had journeyed there bursting with excitement, as I have always dreamed of going to fashion week! I met up with one of my colleagues from Upper Street and began taking a closer look at the people around me, but with great disappointment.
The people standing in the courtyard of Somerset House fell mostly into 3 categories:
1. The Desperate Fashion Blogger
These are the people in completely outrageous clothes without access to the shows. They act so nonchalant about being photographed, but obviously revel in every bit of attention they get. They were seen posing on fences, by Billboards, and on stairs, all in very amateur poses and trying too hard. I'm a blogger and I didn't even know who these people were. When asked if I was a blogger, I initially responded "Yes. My blog is The Fascinator." I soon realized the connotations with being a "blogger", and since I don't consider myself a true fashion blogger, I didn't speak of my blog anymore.
2. The Desperate Blogger's Friend
These poor, unfortunate souls are the people plagued with the job of trying to help make their friend appear famous. They are equipped with a point and shoot camera and try to act like random photographers. In very fake voices they say "Oh my god! It's (insert random name no one has ever heard of here)! May I take your photo?" in order to attract the attention of other photographers. Sadly, it often worked. The blogger then assumes the standard look book pose: chin down, trying to "smize" at the photogs while crossing their ankles to make them look slimmer, but it actually cut out the angles of their shoes.
3. "Photographers"
There were two types of "photographers" at fashion week. There were people with DSLR cameras that cost more than my car with amazing lenses and photographers passes for fashion week- authentic photographers there for press. There were also people with very basic DSLR* or point and shoot cameras than swarmed to no-name fashion bloggers, tricked into believing they were of importance.
*I'm not suggesting that the camera you have decides whether or not you are a photographer, as I was shooting with a very basic (and ancient) DSLR until two months ago. It just happens to be an observation.
I soon realized that the A-listers and influential people in the fashion industry weren't out and about, but rather they walked quickly and unassumingly to and from the show then disappeared. They don't need to stand around at fashion week and talk to people about who they are or what they do- everyone who needs to know already knows. For example, Natalie Massenet, founder of Net-A-Porter, buzzed through the crowd without a single person taking notice of her besides my colleague. She passed by so quickly I didn't even see her! Everyone was so preoccupied trying to be seen with some non-famous fashion blogger, they didn't notice the few A-listers buzzing past!
The longer I stayed at fashion week, the more I began to realize that the idea of fashion week has become a perversion of it's purpose. Fashion week is an important week because it allows the decision makers in the industry a very specific opportunity to make multiple decisions about the upcoming season. Designers are given the opportunity to show the community their new collections, which they put on the runway using models. Buyers source from these collections, thus deciding what is accessible to consumers. The press also has access to fashion week to cover what is going on during this crucial week to the fashion industry. I feel that this crucial decision-making process should be far more private for these people so that they don't have to deal with swarms of people who don't really have any need to be there. I would happily yield this right, and actually plan to never again attend fashion week unless invited or needed for a specific purpose.
Today, I witnessed a fashion week littered with people who wanted one thing: attention. These people are consumers of fashion, not decision makers. They wore one of two uniforms:
1. Over-done designer pieces
Anyone wearing any of the following items: Louboutin heels, Chanel 2.55 bag, Prada sunglasses, anything Louis Vuitton Monogram, T-shirts with the names of the designer on them (Chanel, Marc Jacobs, etc.), or any designer pieces smothered in the name of the designer. I find it sad that people find it necessary to wear recognizable brands to feel fashionable. I, as a lover of fashion, do not carry (or own) a designer bag or don famous names. Everyone can be beautiful and fashionable without paying a fortune.
2. Aliens
These people came from another planet, one where there is either no taste or Lady Gaga is their leader. I'm not in the slightest bothered to figure it out, because these people cheapen "fashion" and endanger the prestige of the fashion industry. When people see fashion week and see people dressed in outrageous, tasteless garb, people turn away from fashion when they should be turning to fashion and away from this gaudy, fashion-forsaken mess. My problem with these looks aren't the choices, but rather that the people seemed unnatural and uncomfortable in what they were wearing. Fashion is an important form of self-expression and should be a source of confidence, which I feel was confused with attention at fashion week.
To prove my point, here are some of my favourite photos from today! I didn't photograph the most avant garde looks, as I didn't want to draw any more attention to them. I know that sounds like a silly form of protest, but I wasn't going to flock towards these people, make them feel important, and then criticize them this harshly on my blog.
Leather pants were very common
They fell multiple times, always a good look
Loud chatting amongst bloggers
Blonde ombre and a Chanel bag- a bit overdone
No Comment
Posing, but no photographing. Notice the glances from people on her right and left.
A model! Notice: She was on her 3rd cigarette (watched her smoke half a pack). If you ever want to kill multiple organs at a time, just pick up smoking. Also, note her hair. Your low ponytail will never look as good as the ones in Vogue because your's didn't set for two hours. Now you know.
Here we have someone doing the "Oh I didn't know I was being photographed" side-eye. The tension in her eyebrows and unnatural hand positioning gives it away that she did know, though.
Excuse me, sir, I believe you have a bit of swag drippage from your nasal cavity. Also, this woman has stick-on rhinestones under her eyes. I did this in the early 90's and my mother almost had a stroke.
What they attempted
'
What happened
Finally, I would like to address my presence at fashion week. Doesn't me being there as a no name blogger just litter the Somerset House Courtyard, too? Well, no. Firstly, I was there for work to photograph on-trend shoes for work, though I was hard pressed to find many. I would also gladly yield this right in order to make fashion week more private. Secondly, I didn't arrive dressed like a five-year-old playing dress up in Madonna's closet. Thirdly, I didn't want the attention. When I saw one man taking my photo, I was actually very alarmed and stared at him blankly, which ruined his candid photo. Finally, I refuse to be a passive onlooker in fashion; I want to be a driving force in changing the industry. I'm tired of what I'm seeing, so I'm going to change it.
xo
BJordan
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