Listen, Fashion Is Too Important To Be Taken Seriously

Fashion Month’s Fatigue, Andy Warhol’s Stylish Parties and a Monopoly of Cuteness

Oct 04, 2024

Fashion month used to be the epitome of excitement for all fashion lovers—a collective frenzy for the few working in the industry. This season, however, lacks that excitement—at least for me—and thank God, none of the overwhelming workload, as I’m not attending. For the first time in years, I sit back happily, relying on the eyes of others for my infotainment: no FOMO, no chasing cabs amidst shows, no fake smiles.

Today's controversy revolves around whether the otherwise uber-talented Alessandro Michele has shifted the Valentino DNA from what it used to be, moving closer to something resembling his previous tenure at Gucci. For me, it all boils down to identity construction and the projection of what image one wishes to convey by wearing pieces from this or that house. The postmodern self consists solely of fragmented, situational images, aiming to respond to an endless pursuit of identity that ultimately results in pure depthlessness.

We are overwhelmed by a constant stream of media images and incoherent identities. Through items of clothing, we shape our own mini-identities, searching for meaning that resonates with our inner desires. We dress as we feel and think, or as we wish others to perceive us. In that sense, fashion becomes the ultimate soul-searching tool for adults—a form of role-play, taken VERY seriously.

Vivienne Haigh-Wood, T.S. Eliot’s first wife, famously stalked the poet long after their one-sided breakup. The last time she saw him was on November 18, 1935, at a Sunday Times Book Fair in Regent Street, London, where he was giving a talk. She arrived with three of his books—and her dog, Polly—wearing a striking outfit: a British Union of Fascists uniform, black beret, and black cape, the same clothes she had taken to wearing to performances of his plays. Her attire was a deliberate, powerful statement, so strong that she didn’t need to utter a word to him. As he signed the books for her, she simply asked, “Will you come back with me?” His reply was short: “I cannot talk to you now,” before he left with someone else.

Vivienne had fun with her outfit. And isn't that what fashion is about? Even Alessandro Michele and designers like him want us to take fashion’s frivolity seriously, turning it into a stage where we perform and express our innermost selves. In the end, fashion is more than clothes—it’s a form of personal storytelling, a tool to create and explore identities in a world where we are constantly reshaping who we are.

Regular fashion gems follow:

Andy Warhol and celebrity friends during a party at Halston's home in NYC on August 20, 1976. Note how understated true fashion icons look.