WORDS BY SIGRID (SIGGI) MCCARTHY.
In many ways, I have a romanticised view of the fashion industry, and whilst I know it isn't all just authentic wools, clean lines and lovely raw silks, I see it as being a world filled with artists and the beauty of which they create.
There is so much to love about the exquisite and stimulating world of high fashion, that I will be the first to admit that I look to runways for inspiration. I often admire the colours, the textures, the innovative designs, the stories, the materials, and the different interpretations seen on runways, but I’m starting to feel that certain fashion labels are relying too heavily on their well-established name(s), and focusing less on producing clothing actually worthy of our desire.
With this in mind, it's important for you to note that I am not writing this piece as a harsh critic of the industry per se, but more as someone perplexed by our somewhat absurd consumption habits, and our inability to see things for what they really are.
At the Jil Sander Menswear Fall/Winter 2012-13 runway show, Raf Simons showcased the ‘Vasari’ bag.
This brown paper bag (as seen in the above image) retails at an incredible $290, and is made of brown paper laminated with a protective coating. Essentially, the only details that make it different to the bag used to store your lunch back in primary school are the gold eyelets and brown thread at the sides. And of course, the well recognised 'Jil Sander' logo, which is stamped on the front.
I have a huge amount of respect for Raf Simons as a designer, but I'm just not sure I can get behind this one. Surely it's some kind of joke, intended to be at the expense of label hungry consumers? The fact that this ‘chic’ paper bag completely sold out within days highlights the ridiculous obsession some people have with brands, and leads me to question the overwhelming allure of a label.
This brown paper bag (as seen in the above image) retails at an incredible $290, and is made of brown paper laminated with a protective coating. Essentially, the only details that make it different to the bag used to store your lunch back in primary school are the gold eyelets and brown thread at the sides. And of course, the well recognised 'Jil Sander' logo, which is stamped on the front.
I have a huge amount of respect for Raf Simons as a designer, but I'm just not sure I can get behind this one. Surely it's some kind of joke, intended to be at the expense of label hungry consumers? The fact that this ‘chic’ paper bag completely sold out within days highlights the ridiculous obsession some people have with brands, and leads me to question the overwhelming allure of a label.
Undoubtedly, a lot of time, money and effort go into establishing a label and upkeeping its allure. Teams of people work towards building a brand, and to ensuring that the masses lust for its products.
Many designers in the past have founded a label and then left it in the hands of another designer once retiring, passing away, or simply moving on in life. The label most often survives, because it has already established itself as a household name and people continue wanting to buy it - even if it is something no longer designed by the original artist.
This has been the case for an array of celebrated fashion houses, including the obvious - Chanel, Dior, Valentino, Versace, and Yves Saint Laurent - all of which now have different head designers but continue to dominate the international stage.
For most people, including myself, high-end fashion is largely inaccessible and only seen in the editorials and advertisements featured in magazines. Whether it is a well known international magazine such as Vogue, or a less known (yet equally as beautiful) magazine such as Grey or Lula, the pages are filled with designers' latest offerings.
Looks are drilled into us by editorials that all use the same pieces from recent runway shows and we are told through these images that ‘X and Y’ will be the latest trends. We are seduced by these images and an aura is created around the clothing on show. Soon enough, these trends trickle down into chain stores, and are bought by mere mortals that cannot afford the genuine product.
Let’s say for argument's sake that the quality of all high-end garments is incredibly high and worthy of one's desire... If this were true, why would somebody buy a fake Louis Vuitton bag from the back of someone's truck, or from a dodgy market stall? Surely it has not been made with the same level of craftsmanship as the original, so why carry one?
Knockoffs are testament to the fact that some people do not want high-end labels because they are necessarily of a higher quality. Designer knockoffs, more than anything, highlight the bizarre relationship people have with labels and merely reinforce my argument - that many people are blinded by the allure of a label.
A woman I know bought an authentic Louis Vuitton handbag a few years ago, but has now resorted to keeping it in her wardrobe instead of wearing it, because she has become "tired of people assuming it was fake." Surely this is ludicrous behaviour?!
A perfect example of a fashion house using its name to sell a completely fashion-irrelevant product is Prada partnering with LG to produce a 'chic' mobile phone.
Even though I have established a small list of favourite
designers that I often reference, I still distance myself from a designer's label and always judge an item of
clothing based on merit. I have never loved every single piece from a designer's collection, and in my eyes, a particular label has never made up for a garment's poor construction, uninspired design, or lack of taste all together.
For most people, including myself, high-end fashion is largely inaccessible and only seen in the editorials and advertisements featured in magazines. Whether it is a well known international magazine such as Vogue, or a less known (yet equally as beautiful) magazine such as Grey or Lula, the pages are filled with designers' latest offerings.
Looks are drilled into us by editorials that all use the same pieces from recent runway shows and we are told through these images that ‘X and Y’ will be the latest trends. We are seduced by these images and an aura is created around the clothing on show. Soon enough, these trends trickle down into chain stores, and are bought by mere mortals that cannot afford the genuine product.
Let’s say for argument's sake that the quality of all high-end garments is incredibly high and worthy of one's desire... If this were true, why would somebody buy a fake Louis Vuitton bag from the back of someone's truck, or from a dodgy market stall? Surely it has not been made with the same level of craftsmanship as the original, so why carry one?
Knockoffs are testament to the fact that some people do not want high-end labels because they are necessarily of a higher quality. Designer knockoffs, more than anything, highlight the bizarre relationship people have with labels and merely reinforce my argument - that many people are blinded by the allure of a label.
A woman I know bought an authentic Louis Vuitton handbag a few years ago, but has now resorted to keeping it in her wardrobe instead of wearing it, because she has become "tired of people assuming it was fake." Surely this is ludicrous behaviour?!
Throughout time, fashion labels have caught on to this susceptibility and these houses have become about more than just clothing itself. Labels
continue to expand, using their well-established names to sell an array of
different products, and we continue to support this obvious marketing scheme.
A perfect example of a fashion house using its name to sell a completely fashion-irrelevant product is Prada partnering with LG to produce a 'chic' mobile phone.
It's important to note that this
fixation with labels goes far beyond the designer. One just has to look at people's
obsession with the sizing on a label to realise there is something bigger at play here. With no national, standardised sizing in
Australia, why are some people so adamant on wearing a certain size? People often squeeze themselves into a size they deem acceptable, or refuse to buy an item altogether if their normal size does not fit. What does this
tell us about the power of a label and how it influences people's purchases?
Our daily lives are filled with expectations and people are often defined by labels. You're not just living your life - you're unemployed, or single, or an Arts graduate, or god forbid all of the above. No matter how much I ponder this allure of a label, I cannot seem to understand it.
I could sit here and criticise Raf Simons for selling a paper bag for such an exorbitant price, but the reality is the jokes on us. Power to him.
Our daily lives are filled with expectations and people are often defined by labels. You're not just living your life - you're unemployed, or single, or an Arts graduate, or god forbid all of the above. No matter how much I ponder this allure of a label, I cannot seem to understand it.
I could sit here and criticise Raf Simons for selling a paper bag for such an exorbitant price, but the reality is the jokes on us. Power to him.
