Pre-Fashion Week Thoughts

Fashion week(s) is technically the biggest and most crucial part of the year for designers, bloggers, fashion photographers, and fashion spectators alike. Its where designers eventually show their collections which they have been working on for months, and finally find out what the industry thinks. It's when bloggers are eagerly watching in real life or online for the shows, and are writing reviews on their blogs and social media. It's when fashion photographers wait outside shows for models and famous watchers to take a quick snap of their outfits, and it's when the whole fashion industry, from every corner of the planet are united in watching the next season's collections. 

Fashion week isn't popular with everyone, however. Many people think it is a very vain, put-on time of the year when a lot of people gather to watch meaningless drivel - but high fashion is rarely favoured by the outside world anyway.

New York  

This Thursday, which is the 4th September 2014, New York Fashion Week starts off with a Nicholas K show. And so follows a whole eight days of shows, presentations, meet and greets, and backstage parties. New York has a few shows which I am excited for, but not half as many as London and Paris, but of course that is personal preference. The few shows in which I look forward to coming out are Lacoste, DKNY's, and a couple smaller brands such as Tome and VivienneTam. 

London 

London Fashion Week which starts on Friday, September 12th, is only five days long. The 'week' is kicked off by J.JS Lee's show at 10:00 am that Friday morning. I have high hopes for London, as on the Sunday (14th) has some very strong shows which I can't wait for, such as: Mulberry, Topshop Unique, Paul Smith, Margaret Howell  as well as the big name Vivienne Westword, and some smaller shows such as Toga, David Koma and Belstaff. I think this could be a big one, so keep your eyes peeled. 

Milan 

Milan out of the big 4, has to be my least favourite. Despite this, I will not go in pessimistically. Milan's fashion week which starts on the 17th of September until the 22nd, has a few big headline runners. I can't say there are even any shows which I am anxiously champing at the bit to see, but I'm sure they will pull it out of the bag, as per usual. 

Paris 

Because Paris for some reason still is 'home' for haute couture in my eyes, this is my favourite show which I genuinely cannot wait for. Paris Fashion Week which starts on Tuesday 23rd right up until the 1st of October, has some huge names showing, as usual. Celine, Dries Van Noten, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Sain Laurent, Stella McCartney, Lavin, and the list goes on and on. I am indeed most excited for Paris, and I reckon we are going to have some simply amazing shows this year.

So here we have, a month jam packed with fashion in all its fullness. I think this year is going to be simply stunning, but when is it not? I will write a review in a months time. Here goes. 

Is or when is fashion vain?

Over the years, I have become only to use the the frowns and sighs of disappointment and confusion when being asked what I want to do when I'm older. When simply replying 'fashion' suddenly throws the person into a state of tiresome annoyance at me. It's funny, actually. I've heard it said time and time again ''That's a hard world to get into, who says you'll make it?'' This immediately lets me know their lack of knowledge about me as a person, as I haven't and will not ever set out to 'make it' in the fashion world. Another thing I have not heard, but more sensed is people always think I can do better. Even though I believe I have the capabilities of doing a job that would take more academic skill, fashion is what I want to do, and it's so strange that so many people don't like that. I suppose most haters most likely think ''You want to design clothes'' and think that is all there is too it. They may as well say ''You're vain''.

The famous quote by John Lennon seems rather apt, "Don't hate what you don't understand''. Even though we're talking about something a lot less important than world peace, it does seem to connect with the responses I get on a seemingly regular basis about my aims as a career when I leave school.

 So many people who know so little about the industry simply believe it is this vain world that is simply in existence because people care too much about their appearance, or what people think of them. It's an argument only few fashion lovers answer, or even care to think about. Personally, an argument I am only too tired of answering.

Recently I was at Girls Brigade (a somewhat similar club to Girl Guides) and I was asked by my leader about what I wanted to do when I was older. I replied something along the lines of "In the fashion industry, somewhere". I'm not too sure if it was my lack of specification when answering, or if it was the question itself that chucked a whirlwind of questions to her lips, which did eventually seem like a complete pick at me. ''Why do you want to do that?", "That's a horrid industry" are just a few of the things I got thrown in a sarcastic voice, and I must admit, I did come home that night feeling rather deflated.

I know that the instance above is just one example of people's misconceptions of the fashion industry as a whole. Branding us all as following sheep or fish simply going with the flow. A person with enough designer gear to dress an army, or a girl so caught up on her looks and appearance, that fashion has only become a vain obsession to keep up with trends, than a genuine fascination with the thought, aesthetic and process of how clothes are made, bought and worn. 

 Designers and big bloggers and often said that they are often asked ''Don't you think you could be doing something more important with you life?''. Personally, this question angers me more than the rest. Of course, the answer is yes. Yes. We could be out there trying to cure cancer, or building homes for the poor, or teaching orphans and just be generally helping society in a more obvious way. But couldn't everyone? An architect for example could be, but isn't, labelled vain simply because he is designing houses, which of course would be to appeal to human desire. It's petty, I realise, but something that is so often chucked at fashion lovers as oppose to every other human being living in a first or second world country. 

To get to the actual question, is or when is fashion vain? I must now confess that parts of it is. The whole feud about size 0 models and the racism. That I understandably label vain, but it seems that to most people, that is the one of the only things they see in fashion, and simply don't want to look much beyond. I must add I am talking about fashion as one whole. Thus including high-street shops, the catwalks, the fashion weeks, the factories, the journalism, and all that fashion entails. Music is something many, if not, all people enjoy in one form or another. Yet people don't pick on people with musical aspirations, simply because everyone loves music. I understand not everyone loves fashion or clothes, yet everyone wears it, and just doesn't realise that the thing they are wearing now has been thought about, designed, then manufactured, all within the fashion industry, and all by fashion designers and creative people.

This whole argument angers me, simply because people don't realise the enormity and the importance of fashion in society, and in the economy. So many of the world's government rave about the lack of awareness and resources to recycle. They don't realise that the fashion industry is one of the only industries that are working very hard to make more green, eco-friendly, recycled, bio-degradable fabrics to help with the over exhaustion of textile factories. There are many charities within the fashion world who raise money at events such as fashion week to go towards communities, and some of which go towards poor workers in fabric factories. Not all of it vain, as many may think.

Now I must speak for myself. I love fashion for what it is. When I look online at clothes, I'm more fascinated with it, as oppose to wanting it now to enhance other people's views on me. I don't want to grow up and design clothes to make people show off and look good, although this is part of it, that's not its entirety. I want to grow up and take in as much as I can about such a creative, versatile and interesting thing such as fashion, that is always in society, just not everyone sees.

I know that a fashion hater won't be reading this. But, if you have ever found yourself in a similar situation or state-of-mind, I hope this rant has become helpful. To give an answer to the initial question, Is and when is fashion vain?, my answer is; when the rest of the world is vain, too.

Chanel's latest Appearence

Obviously, I don't write about every fashion show at all four of the fashion weeks. Not only would that be a long and tiresome task, I'm not sure my writing of blog would come out any wiser, and I'm almost certain that would retract from the posts I do write. But, when Chanel, what some people may call the brand at the top of the fashion chain, brings out a new collection, I can't pass the offer to write about it when the subject is hot on the press.  Most people in the industry will bow the head and hale Chanel as a very influencing, and a real core part of the nowadays fashion brands and companies, and there is very few who done right hates or despises the brand at all. Chanel, because of its history and heritage, could get away with nearly anything without being controversial, just because it's Chanel.

The thing I love about Chanel's style, Chanel's shows and Karl, is that they're flash, new and innovative, without be brash and borderline gimmicky. It would be a lie if I said this show was any different. The last show SS14 was in that empty white room with the many Chanel influenced pieces  of art with plenty of logos scattered around. As always, I knew this show would be completely different to the last one, but grocery store was not on the top of my guessing list. All I can say about the set is that it's probably the most plush supermarket I've ever seen. Apparently, over 500 brands of groceries were made and labelled with the famous Chanel logo, ranging from things such as juice to detergent. The models strutted through the aisles of the supermarket pushing trolleys and holding basket-like handbags like they were on a mission to find beans at the local Tesco, but just in the most high-quality, luxury clothes that probably cost more that your car. As you know, this is a fashion blog, and as much as I'd love to write about the set all day long, I must restrain myself.

The clothes themselves held the history and heritage of Chanel, y'know, the tweed jackets with the pockets and the frayed trims, but in the pale shades of lilac and baby pink, thrown in with crop tops (sported by the lovely Cara Delevingne) and long felt coats. But, as with most AW collections, black was a prominent colour, but mixed with geometric patterns and well woven, thick fabrics. Yet again, sport trainers and tennis shoes made their appearance, similar to the ones in the Chanel 2013 Couture show. Not only those, but long, knee length boots with crisscross laces up the front was also included in the collection. Ninety's gear such a pink sweat pants and ridiculously shiny leggings were also in the collection, which weren't my favourite pieces, but still nice and definitely in keeping with the theme.With bold prints, bobble sweaters,and more kinds of tweed than at the local shooting meet, this show impressed, as usual.

I don't think there was a theme as such, but the 'Queen visits the gym' luxe seems to fit the bill. The combination of the sporty leggings, structured jackets, and plenty of bright patterns and textures were pulled together by the Chanel Shopping Center store, made a collection that although Chanel-esque, different in its own right.

Photos via MarieClaire

Photos Via Fashion156

MIYAKE

It's funny how all four of the fashion weeks are different. Anybody not interested in fashion would be tempted to say they're all the same, but how wrong can they be? Each has their own flare, their own twist, their own taste; their own style. Paris seems to offer the most history based week caked in heritage and tradition while still staying modern and dare I say edgey.

Issey Miyake's new AW14 collection was shown at Paris fashion week, and I was surprised, and I'm still trying to figure out why. The collection in itself is not out of the brands usual characteristics. You know, geometric patterns, flouncy cuts, oversized, the regulars, But I've never really been a fan, and have always found Miyake in the 'okay' realm in my opinion. I'm certain that's down to my taste, but this time something changed. I'm not sure if that's because my taste has changed, I've opened my eyes, or they just brought out a spectacular collection, either which, one of them has persuaded me to love that company from now on.

I'm all for one for mixing and matching styles. One combination I love is matching the huge world of high-end of luxury with a more light-hearted theme of fun. I think Miyake's newest collection did that, and I think they did it well. The fun prints with the cropped coat in outfit four worked well as it was mixing patterns, textures, styles and colours. I also love the texture of that aqua top, I just want to feel it, and see what it's made of. It, and the whole collection for that matter, was so crisp. I love it when it looks crisp, but not in the obvious white with plenty of sharp lines. I prefer it when it's subtle, and this collection showed that. As for my 'okay realm', that's changed. It's leaped into my 'love' category, and that's isn't done easy for me. The whole collection impressed me, and normally theirs as least something I don't like in a collection, but not this time. I loved it all.

Images: Style.com (via Fashion156)