There are many things I love about the fashion industry, but I really struggle with other things. What I like is art-fashion, the conceptual, the pure escapist thrill of a Galliano or Viktor&Rolf show that lifts the imagination. Basically, unwearable, totally impractical clothing.
The sacking of Galliano and Phoebe Philo's takeover at Celine, amongst many other things, meant the fashion world went minimalist mad. I moaned about it for a long time, and now I have reached a point where resistence seems futile. I have long since bagged up my eccentric, second-hand wardrobe and have replaced mismatching granny cardigans with denim. (I tried out a slinky grey blazer for a while but I felt like I was betraying myself. ) And now, although my 'style' sense is still a haphazard mess, I can appreciate simplicity.
I remember how my love for costume design spurred me to take GCSE Textiles, and how niche and alternative I felt, designing bright green corsets and enormous skirts while the rest of the class worked on deadpan LBDs. I decided then that simple, well-made, flattering clothes were boring. Even when I failed the class I didn't take the hint.
Coming to a fashion university, I realised the style stakes were high, and wearing shoulder-pads and bright coloured tights would just make me look a bit silly. I suppose I've grown up. I still secretly wish everyone could dress in couture, and minimalist designers could charge FAR less for their clothes, but I can also understand why we can't all go around wearing pieces of art. Even Gareth Pugh's stuff is looking pretty commercial these days. It would appear that Celine and Calvin Klein are the second fashion coming; saving us from unwearable clothes, just as Chanel and Vionnet saved us from corsets and Edwardian rags back in the 1920's. And I shall simply have to put up with that.
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