fashionweek

Fashion week frontier

Which medium will survive

General Fashion Week Playbook
Over several decades, the fashion industry has evolved in so many ways.
The female silhouette has transformed from lung crushing corsets and 19th-century victorian buns to genderless streetstyle and avant-garde designs.

Brands have progressed in their method of garment innovation. Yet since the first catwalk show by Lady Duff Gordon in 1901, runway innovations have only advanced in the context of event design. Designers and brands had decided to keep the mediums of runway shows and video promotions completely separate.

Runway shows are so 2019

If we normalize sustainability, why is the mass waste of a fashion show not considered as a drastic factor taking part in unnecessary waste?

After seeing most daily activities turn to the remote medium, why is a runway show one of the only things left behind for deep discussion and debate?

Just because something from the past was so universally enjoyed, doesn’t mean it’s required to remain the same and be the exception to a painfully corrupted system.

The new Fashion Week medium

Fashion premiered through short films

As a matter of fact, we are in a society where creative innovation is crucial. And not only for progressing as a population but for general survival.
Aside from the world of technology, the fashion industry hosts some of the most innovative and open-minded thinkers of our lifetime.
There is no satisfaction in sedimentary and placid thinking. Consistent change is expected and embraced.
So why have we suddenly decided to halt our experiments here? At a time when it is most vital for the progression of an industry.

We are now entering a new industry era of fashion trailers. Short films, produced to showcase a designer’s newest collection in a way that emphasizes the brand image and what future they’d like the consumer to expect.

Of course, many are hesitant about this idea.
This era will be the test that determines who are the true lovers of design and creativity. And who participate just to gain social media followers and views.

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A piece written by Gavriel Ewart. An American girl studying fashion and communication at Cattolica university in Milan and interning for suite123

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Prada / Simons: What went wrong?

FW 22-23 men’s fashion show – Consistency “did not report”

Consistency is a fundamental value in designing a product. And also in contributing to keeping it alive over time, shaping a recognisable aesthetic. Which evolves, but its DNA is always perceivable.

Some brands become a one-hit-wonder, a flash in the pan. But it takes hard work to remain on the market (and a lot of money too).

For this purpose, as a strategy, brands follow what’s popular, doing what other designers already did. In this way, they hope to sell more and thrive. But, doing so, they lose their core image, their identity. They lose their face.
Therefore, the message sent will lack that fundamental value – consistency.

We saw the Prada Fall-Winter 22/23 men’s fashion show. And we were very, very surprised. Though not in a good way.
The silhouette recalled Balenciaga so much that the point of the direction wasn’t clear. Also, underlining – “we do luxury, they do Slavic thrift shop” sounds like an excuse.

What went wrong?

There’s no evolution in terms of style. The runway was just a reproduction of things already seen.
And not that we do not appreciate oversize clothing. On the contrary, baggy was part of our selection long before it became popular.
We just gave up trying to understand Balenciaga’s nonsensical extremization. But we cannot see why the lady who has launched the ‘aesthetics of the ugly’ – now carried over by everyone, undoubtedly not with the same refinement – could ever take the decision to follow the mainstream.
That is a surprise! The biggest news! Instead of making a trend, Prada follows the trend.

Where’s the Pradaness?

If the presence of Raf Simons was supposed to bring fresh air in co-designing the brand, it was better when she was doing by-herself-herself-alone-her-own-brand.

With hindsight, Mrs Prada searching for support in co-designing sounds like ‘Hey, I cannot cope with the new trends.’
Did she have to cope with the new trends? No. She simply had to be herself. Be consistent by giving her own vision of ‘the new.’

But this is the love for fashion that speaks. What really counts are numbers. So, let’s finance rule the game. And say goodbye to consistency.

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‘Overconsumption = Extinction’

Overproduction is devastating our culture, and it’s directly connected to the way we consume. Indeed we discussed this topic in many of our previous posts. We recognize that it’s deeply rooted in our social context.

October 5, Louvre Art Gallery. When the Louis Vuitton fashion show started, an activist broke in, carrying a sign reading:
“Overconsumption = Extinction.”

The protestor represented ‘Amis de la Terre France’, ‘Youth for Climate’ and ‘Extinction Rebellion’. She marched down the runway along with the models until a security guard forced her to leave.

Overproduction protest at Louis Vuitton show
Photo credit: Amis De La Terre FR

The reason for the protest? It was stated on the banner clearly.
Why LVMH? It’s understandable since LVMH is a luxury conglomerate. So to say, a profit-oriented corporation.

It’s known that corporations make profits by exploiting the market, squeezing the lemon to the max.

Luxury conglomerates & overproduction

Overproduction is the way corporations thrive. They run ever faster, renewing the range of products nonstop. Doesn’t it sound familiar with the market of mobile phones too? And in order to be able to sell all the tons of goods they produce, they push people to consume more and more – to the point of brainwashing them by playing with marketing tricks.

This protest went on after a pandemic, precisely during a fashion week in which some shifts were awaited. Even more, ‘rewiring fashion’ seemed a subject so dear to many major industry players.

If not radical changes, at least, we expected to see a little sign. Despite this, the only news was the protester disrupting a fashion show.

Is there another way to do fashion? As to do business in general?
Of course. But, it’s not mainstream. Also, two more facts are striking: first, people talk – a lot – but still buy fast fashion. Second, none talks about the impact of technology, which perhaps sells more than fashion.

What we consume and how we consume makes the difference. Obviously, it’s not related to fashion only. It’s about all industries. It’s a matter of lifestyle.

Shifting your habits is the only way to avoid extinction. Hear the protest if you care enough for the future!

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