Social Comment by Madame Zucco - Declasse Fashion

For the past few weeks Europe has suffered from fashion frenzy. In some such order - London, Paris, and Milan have had consecutive fashion shows of the latest clothes from the world's top designers. Such mini extravaganzas are welcome, since  they bring  literally   tens of millions of Euros both directly and  indirectly to each of these cities.

Unfortunately, it's not all champagne and flowers. Despite denials from haute couture, the demand  for upscale / uppriced clothes is not the same as a few years ago. The pseudo wealthy don't have the money they used to have. This is also apparent at such cultural events as the annual debutante ball earlier this year in Austria. Obviously,  only the social < usually monied > elite are invited to these functions. This year, sadly, many of these "poor" dears couldn't afford the price. < Visit the kitchens of many of these functions in the past. Much of the dirty jobs were done by illegal aliens working for slave wages. Forgive me if I lack sorrow for the indigent wealthy. >

Haute Couture is really a very select market with large markups. Similar to the jewelry business. With very high profit margins and a limited customer base, it doesn't take much of a decrease in buyers to severely impact this micro industry. For months there has been rumors of both well known, and little well known, fashion firms on the verge of insolvency. I think there's even a few that actually did go bankrupt.

Personally, I could never understand where the market for haute couture existed. I mean, most of  the clothes are really not practical for everyday use. The only places I can think of where they could be needed, might be at film festivals, movie premieres, or  cultural events and soirees. That leaves about 80% of the rest of the year to wear other clothes,even for the most active party goer. Besides, at. most of these publicized events, especially film festivals, the actresses are actually  given the dresses in exchange for free publicity to the designers.

Meanwhile in the everyday world, there seems to be a fashion trend that the clothing industry may not be happy about. At least in Europe and Japan < see Guido's article The Sinking Sun >,  the trendy thing for avant guarde people is to wear "novelle grunge" At least I call it "novelle grunge".

"Novelle grunge" are basically discarded or used clothes redesigned by their wearers to look street chic. Or, as some girls do, they can be entirely newly sewn clothes. Such as one girl in Britain having a dress to look like the Union Jack flag. There was a similar trend in the early 1990s. However, that was new clothes meant to look worn. This is actually old clothes and they appear used.

It's called making inexpensive stuff look cool.

Some websites showing this design of new, old, and sewn clothes are stilinberlin.blogspot.com , feedshion.com , and stylebytes.net/street fashion. One fashion boutique in Germany < I can't recall the name > is even taking the discarded jump suits of mineral minors, and refurbishing them into a trendy outfit that looks like something from the Matrix movies. < However, they sell it at haute couture prices >.

Enjoy the tour. And if you're young and poor, or even if you're not poor, join the chic.

"Fashions fade, style is eternal." - Saint Laurent