The Solution To All Fashion Worries?

The economic downturn has taken a toll on the fashion industry, forcing designers to use lower priced materials and to abstain from going all out on their collections. It is a shame to see that such talent has to be toned down in order for it to be marketable and for it to eventually reach the masses, but this is a reality we all have to face. And, even though you have to support designers for getting away with the adjustments they made to their designs, some things I just cannot stomach.

This one particular concept was brought to my attention a couple of weeks ago, and I have been trying to accept it… but I simply can’t. One of our local designers came up with the concept of the “New Couture Look,” creating one dress that will “be the answer to all your fashion needs.” This ‘answer’ is a black, strapless dress to which you can attach different ‘accessories’ to. Now on to the hypothetical situation…

It’s Monday night. What do I wear? The Ella1dress! What do I add to it? An emerald green, silk stretch halter with a bow on the back of the neck piece. Now I’m ready to roll.

Tuesday night: Ella1dress again, since it is the answer to all my fashion needs. This time, maybe I can attach a white silk organza off the shoulder, ruffled piece? Yeah, that will do the trick.

For Wednesday night, I’m going to wear the dress… but this time around, no one will tell that I’m wearing the same thing again because I am going to spice things up a bit. I bought the black lace shawl to tuck in the dress. It makes sense to buy only ONE dress and then purchase other additional pieces to attach to it…

By the time Thursday night comes, I can assume the dress has a certain… aroma. But, since I now have the solution to all my fashion problems, I am going to take the dress out of the closet again (if it even made it to the closet, why bother?) and attach one of the other fashion accessories that I purchased. Hmm, I go through my Ella1dress add-ons drawer and I find a red, detachable, mermaid skirt. Works just like magic! I am ready to hit the town again in my Ella1dress that has worked so well the three previous nights.

Fridays are to celebrate. So after I spent all that time in the dress throughout the week, I might have to Febreze it a little; however, it truly is the answer to all my fashion needs, since times are so tough! Maybe this time around I could attach the silver, one shoulder, stretch sequence piece. Since stretch sequence screams out couture, I will totally be dressed up for the night.

After partying hard on Friday night, I cannot help but assume that the dress is now covered in vodka-cranberry and a cigarette stench that will knock out whoever comes close… But with this economic crisis, all I need in my closet is the Ella1dress and a bunch of detachable pieces to do the trick.

Now, I could keep going with the hypothetical weekly outings scenarios but I think you can get the point that I am trying to get across. How is this considered couture? I took the time to look for the actual definition of couture, which, not only means ‘high-fashion,’ but also ‘the business of designing, making, and selling highly fashionable, usually custom-made clothing for women.’ With that in mind, I can’t help but think that this designer is slightly delusional. Who in their right minds would consider this concept to be couture?

So now I wonder, how is it that we keep blaming the lack of true talented designers on the city? I know there is a great demand for more independent, avant-garde artists and a need to break away from the usual Gables boutique, flowery maxi-dress style? How can we consider this “New Couture Look” innovative, when I have shown this design to various fashion design students from Miami International University of Art & Design and none of them were able to keep a straight face?

I think it is time for us to reconsider what we think is talent, innovation, and a solution to all our fashion needs. Yes, I do understand that economy might be tough right now, but who wants to own just one dress and have to buy accessory pieces that, if you ask me, are the farthest from what I consider high fashion. Let’s get serious people, before next year’s Funkshion, why don’t we push for the real artists, creatives, and designers? Instead of complaining repeatedly about lame, boring, unoriginal, and tacky clothing lines, we could support the innovation and application of new concepts and techniques. Being a student at the Miami International University of Art & Design, I get to see the talent firsthand (believe me, there IS talent)… It is time we start supporting the actual skilled designers. Promoting change can go a long way and maybe, Miami Fashion Week 2010 will shock us, in a good way.