The Age of Exposure: Is Fashion's Mystique Gone? - WWD.com

The Age of Exposure: Is Fashion's Mystique Gone? - WWD.com

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This is a very interesting article. The title pretty much explains the content. I go back and forth on the topic and it is something that I have been thinking about on and off for the last few years. I was delighted to finally see someone take a stab at it.

Personally, I do feel that fashion has lost its mystique. It seems as though it has become "just another trade," a very big and valuable trade to our economy both globally and domestically.

I think these days, real live actual designers and assistant designers are very challenged to be "designers." Because it is such a fast pace, bottom line driven industry, even designers find themselves spitting out the same pants "with a twist" each season (all made overseas of course). Everything is all geared towards making a profit and therefore the concept of just creating to create is a very short catwalk. Don't get me wrong, we can still be creative with parameters (like cost of goods sold, global or domestic production, fabrications, findings, materials and quantities). In other words "the collection you designed looks great but we can't take it to market until you replace the buttons, change the sleeve, hem, change the collar, remove the pleats, find a different fabric, take out the lining, use a different color....great, now we can sell it!" Quite a collaboration! Not much mystique and glamour in that!

I suppose every industry has its "commercialization side." As a jewelry designer, whose pieces are all hand carved and still made one at a time in the United States, it is frustrating at times to see another collection receiving accolades and notoriety for its "creativity and craftsmanship" when I know full well that it was machine designed, mass produced and made overseas. It has a cool name, gorgeous packaging and great advertising. It is all about the brand. The product itself it truly a minor detail or perhaps an after thought. These collections receive the hype, great billing and "so and so is wearing it." I have to tell myself "they are a different business than the one I am in. We are not the same." Most times, years later these collections fade away or have serious problems with returns because of "poor construction." On the contrary, we seem to be in the "design business." We are creating a product and our business is about our product. I am really proud of that. I honesty don't think there are many of us left. Why? It is too hard in today's retail environment.


The "designer world" is totally accessible to everyone in today's world; the internet and cable tv, even tv stations fully dedicated to fashion around the clock, and literally hundreds of fashion magazines. Everyone one knows every designer and all about that designers life. What was once an exciting and alluring topic is now COMMON KNOWLEDGE.

I have to say when I see Lindsay Lohen half heartedly taking on the role of "Creative Director" for a design house like Ungaro...my heart drops all the waaaaaaaay, waaaay, way down to the tip of my toes. There is so much amazing talent in our world (not that she isn't talented). Based on the personal experience of being an educated designer with 20 plus years of experience in the creative process, I would just prefer to see someone that is in our industry and has spent the last ten years or more or or even less, have the opportunity to take on such a role and have Ms. Lohen start her own collection under HER OWN NAME. HOWEVER, the diplomatic side of my brain says we live in a capitalistic, democracy, for which I am thankful - so in the end, if that is what the house of Ungaro wants to do - then so be it!! It is really Ungaro that made this decision and we all know that these days everything is all about the bottom line.

I do think that some lines, such as Gwen Stefani's L.A.M.B. are genuinely created by the name behind the brand. I think you can just tell that Victoria Beckham and Gwen Stefani are truly passionate about their collections and even though they might not be the ones sitting behind the sewing machine, they are in the studio creating and doing a great job, I might add.

So, I guess when it comes down to it, the mystique is gone. To quote Marc Jacobs "It is what it is." It really is all about commerce and moving product. Our world is definitely changing. Even designers have to feed the beast if they want to prosper.