It's no secret that the market, after this latest recession, has changed. It has made some seemingly untouchable people or roles more vulnerable than they thought they may ever be and more importantly made us stop and think about what is really important and (for me at least) WHO is really important- or as I usually like to say- "what makes YOU so special?"
Now more than ever it's time to be able to back it up. Being famous for being famous isn't enough. There was even an article recently about blogs which discussed that some well known blogs weren't even the most read. Well, I guess that's ok, we blog to share, not usually to make money but fashion is very, very different. Making clothes takes money- a LOT of money. TV reality shows don't really capture this and the explosion of newly “famous” designers must make more than me question- where did they go? Every month the fashion magazines run columns of the newest, hottest designers which always makes me wonder where last year’s designers who were on this page now are.
Having read this article in the NY Times recently I was happy to see it raised some of the very points I’ve been thinking about for a while and it seems Paper Magazine founder Kim Hastreiter in particular may have ruffled some sensitive feathers by speaking some truths (quel horreur!) although it seems she voiced what more than a few had been thinking.
For example: “I am in complete agreement with her,” Mr. (Prabal) Gurung said. “Talent should not be instantaneously celebrated, but rather nurtured and grown steadily.”
There have been some famous people who have been designers (both successful and not) as well as talented designers who just haven’t been able to stay in business. With the youth of today (and especially all of those recently graduated fashion students!) wanting to be famous maybe even more than wanting to be respected for their talent or work ethic we run the possibility of having yet more unprepared designers wanting to break out on their own instead of taking time to learn from the pros.
As everyone gets more careful with their money and needs to believe in what they buy more than ever before, we can ask:
- just because someone is recognizable, does it mean they can have a fashion collection? And if so, is it guaranteed success?
- does fame build the business or raise expectations to an unrealistic (and unattainable) level
- what does it take to be successful in fashion?
- should fashion design come with a residency or apprenticeship program to help make the designers appreciate and learn the industry as a whole? I mean after school, like Med school requires full time in a hospital- not a semester of an internship while studying.
- should fashion school teach more business classes? Including lessons on getting financing?
What do you think will help the Emperor stay clothed?
