Fashion, Haute Couture, One Word: Boring

July 3rd, 2008 by A.D. Odom | Filed under Fashion. | 89 views

A few years ago, some friends and I got together to critique some of the designs we saw that year from the various Fashion Weeks. Our conclusion: designers hate women. The clothes were anything but wearable, haute couture translated into “hate culture” and the shoes were God awful.

I understand the desire to have a model look, walk and act like a moving mannequin but oh please, do we really need them to look like drones? A dress hanging from a robot has no appeal whatsoever and again, I return to the belief some of these designers must really hate women.

This year’s many Fashion Weeks have left me hollow. The designs were not what I would call wearable fashion and men’s clothing this year looks more gay, gay, gay than ever before. As if it wasn’t enough to see women’s fashion going to the poodles, to see men dressed in hot pink and see through this and that was appalling.

I cannot say the clothing lacked imagination, quite the contrary, I would say these clothes had too much imagination, as in theatrical, to be worn when you really want to be seen, heard and smelled.

While everyone is jabber jawing about Anna Wintour’s, Vogue America’s editor-in-cheif, fashon faux pas of wearing the same dress three times, I would venture to say Ms. Wintour is having as difficult a time finding actual wearable fashion as the rest of us and, as a result, had no choice but to wear the same dress three times. Basically, there’s nothing out there.

Wintour has an eye for style and the dress she wore — three times — is from Herrera’s resort collection, which was modified especially for her. It’s a beautiful dress and perhaps what she is trying to tell us is what she saw during Fashion Week was horrid and ladies, recycle that closet and spend your money on accessories.

First, note the black model who appeared on the catwalk for Jean-Paul Gaultier’s haute couture show (Photograph above: Pierre Verdy/AFP). I was pleased to see her and the dress, though a bit showy, was one of the nicer and perhaps wearable dresses in the show.

Elie Saab’s haute couture show had some beautiful dresses that were actually — gasp — wearable and drama was left for the model’s face, not her back. (Photograph above: Jamal Saidi/Reuters)

Armani did not disappoint as I found a few items most intriguing and Karl Lagerfeld for Channel was equally nice to see. However, Calvin Klein, WTF! Neons? Vibrant limes, yellows and magenta? Apparently, responses from those in the audience were audible gasps, followed by applause. The emperor experienced the same when those in attendance first noticed his nakeness before applauding and cheering. Where’s that little boy when you need him to say “he’s naked.”

Thankfully, I have not the money for haute couture. If I did, I would be out bankrolling new designers.

Though I found a few items that were enjoyable, overall, the shows, the designs, the shoes, ugh! What are women to do? I suggest a worldwide novena, some sort of prayer or perhaps we need a Patron Saint for fashion. Trust me, if one already exists we need to fire him or her immediately. I would love to be excited about these shows but mostly, I found myself yawning. Thank God for Giorgio Armani.

Till next time.