Sunday 17 October 2010

What has happened to the designer??!

As London fashion week has just gone, I thought I'd talk about my main love, that is of course; Fashion. Now I am a great lover of the designer and all things designer, especially Louis Vuitton (god bless you Marc Jacobs for your divine tribute to the fab fifties!) and I would love nothing more than to carry a Vivienne Westwood bag on my shoulder or wear a Chanel Dress down to the shops but due to lack of funding of being a student... this isn't happening anytime soon.
   Which leads me onto the subject of my latest entry, in today's world of labels and brands, is Designer losing its individuality and its edge? I currently live in Chatham, most of you know this and as I was walking through the town centre recently, I noticed several ladies sporting Louis Vuitton handbags, we all know the famous design and yes we would all love one, but I was surprised of all places to see them in Chatham, because its not one of the most "up and coming"  towns and definitely isn't known for its designer stores. But it made me think, designer labels such as this, were once for the well off or a special treat for ones self on pay day at the end of the month. Now it seems everyone is wearing designer, be it make up, jewellery, sunglasses or an actual garment.
    I'm not sure if I like this, if its like this it seems to lose its authenticity because it is so accessible, people can now feel part of a certain crowd which they never did before and without having to go out and get a second mortgage! Which of course to these people is a brilliant thing, but to me, I see it as something to strive and work for, when I've bought something from Vivienne Westwood or YSL, I know I've hit the big time, its an achievement. People don't see buying a £20 Dior Lipstick as an achievement, they see it as an essential, why? Because it is simply now affordable.

Is this the next step for designers?

    

This is probably what designers are aiming for, of course the more people that buy their brand, the more known they become, and the more money they earn. Surely though, they would still want to keep their morals and values for clothing, otherwise they would simply become high street. With everyone wearing the latest Prada shoes and carrying this seasons Stella McCartney purse, is this a sign of things to come? They still keep the prices on their garments because of course they use the finest fabrics, so what is it? Do people now have bigger bank balances? Or are designers making themselves more accessible for lower earners by designing for high street stores such as H&M, this of course is another way people can grab themselves a bit of designer for more than half the price and quality.
    I don't know, I'm just as confused as the next girl, has the fashion world gone mad? Only time will tell.

Until next time
Toodle Pip

xxx

3 comments:

  1. The thing is, the money is made from mainstream products. The older generation of designers are softening to the idea of "retiring rich" (although designers in general never actually retire),
    but you can still find the top end market of fashion, being over a grand for a dress kind of things, if you start looking at the new products from new designers. like website as this http://www.farfetch.com/

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  3. I agree with the above comment and I also love this article. I have been thinking the same. I was in Westfield a few months ago and I noticed so many girls and women with these louis Vuitton bags. At first i was like okay I am in West London but a few weeks later after making a trip to a smaller shopping centre in Hammersmith I saw a stall with school kids and mothers picking their kids from school all vying to pick up their own cheaper affordable "Louis". I think that where before a few years ago Burberry was so cheapened because of it's perceived association with lets say the not so typical luxury high end consumer, the same will happen with with Loius Vuitton, some time soon they will have to re-brand.

    Love your blog keep it up sweetie xxxx

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