Thursday, June 10, 2010

Like fashion, the 21st century is definition defiant

What does “a new era of 21st century fashion” mean?

I found this term in a Suzy Menkes article and at face value it seems like straight forward English. When the first decade of the current millennium came to an end last year, I remember the frenzy that gripped many commentators as we all sought to define the past ten years. It was a conundrum probably faced by the world for the first time since the ‘20s when all decades became known as the subsequent derivatives of ten.
Fashion has also seldom found itself in a place where a particular decade cannot be identified with a certain look. With that said, what does “a new era of 21st century fashion” mean?
I’ll tell you what methinks!
Methinks we are at a point where a lot of things escape definition albeit the continued existence of trends; something that will never go away. Microtrends are waning as macrotrends dominate an era where collectively we fit into trends but individually defy mass definition. Phew, am I still making sense?
Good!
The article in which I found this Suzy Menkes line is not about this but rather what she defines as “One new Theory for Affordable Fashion”. Go ‘head and read it. You can never go wrong with Menkes; always thought provoking as she’s done with me and my questioning of “a new era of 21st century fashion”. It simply cannot be boxed like disco and the ‘70s, but it can be placed in a category of a time when very little can be indefinitely defined.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Is there a limit to emerging with your own style, identity and all?

Where does one draw the line when it comes to being different?

Who should set boundaries for individuals? You, me or the society?

What happened to one man's meat is another man's poison kind'a thing?

I agree with you on this, Weird is not always wonderful. But then again, I ask, what criteria does one use to distinguish what is weird from what isn't?