Have you ever wondered about the purpose of fashion week? Have you ever looked at some of the fashion trends on the runway in pure confusion? You’re not alone. For some, fashion week is the culmination of hours and hours of work, sketching and sewing. For others, it is simply a time to admire. For you, it might be a pointless event that makes no sense at all. I’m here to tell you four reasons why fashion week isn’t just attractive models strutting down the catwalk; it’s so much more.
- It Influences Your Closet
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Think about your closet and all the clothes in it. Each and every one of those pieces was determined by the trends shown during fashion week. Employees of major brands and editors of famous magazines attend the shows of couture designers. From the collection on the runway, they carefully select certain pieces, details, colors, or overall trends to incorporate into their products or to showcase in their publications. There are several jobs in the fashion industry that focus solely on adapting couture to prêt-à-porter. This means that what you purchase at the mall from Forever 21 or H&M has been loosely based off a piece that was originally modeled on the runway. Cool, huh?
- It’s Art
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When most people think of art, they think of paintings or sculptures by renowned artists such as Van Gogh or Michelangelo. Instead of a paintbrush or pencils, fashion designers use fabric, needles, and thread to create their masterpieces. Think of a runway show like an exhibit in a museum. Just as people flock to see the greatest Andy Warhol paintings, people do the same for designers like Karl Lagerfeld (Chanel) and Nicolas Ghesquière (Louis Vuitton)
- It Can Address Social Issues
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Many people wouldn’t think fashion relates to social activism, but often times, fashion makes a powerful statement. A perfect example would be Maria Grazia Chiuri’s debut collection for Dior. She is the first female director for the fashion house and used that to her advantage. Her collection features a graphic tee promoting feminism, a very prominent topic at the time of its release. Fashion is another form of expression.
- It’s a BIG Deal
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Every fashion week, New York’s in particular, is an extravaganza. A-list celebrities make appearances donning beautiful dresses and stylish ensembles. Anna Wintour, the editor of Vogue, is always spotted in the front row, eyes hidden by her famous black sunglasses. Photographers try to catch every angle of the runway in hopes of capturing that perfect shot. The event is splashed on the covers of tabloid magazines and newspapers. In the fashion world, fashion week is what you work towards. It is not only the spectacle of the season, but also the year.
Hope this helped you appreciate fashion week a little more! Stay chic readers!
HCXO,
Dana
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