Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Autumn-Winter correction

There are two kinds of newspapers - those which make you think and those which make you laugh.

You can guess which category Bombay Times belongs to. Long years of exposure to the paper have made readers immune but still. There are days like today, when one is compelled to stand up and salute this feather in the cap of frou frou.

Smell the smugness, dahlings, with every carefully selected Oxford English dictionary assisted word. Ergo.

"Somebody once told me that in fashion there is a persistent dichotomy between linear, architectonic design and design with a much stronger narrative element."

Wonder how many BT readers get it - at all. Even the sub editor didn't, coz the strapline to the article is 'What's linear and what's architectonic?' (Well I don't really know but anyone who can read would at least figure the two are one and the same!)

Ms Queenie, who's written the article, obviously believes that fashion - which is generally considered frivolous - will be taken more seriously if she can dress it up with oh so intelligent adjectives. Alas.

Fashion is interesting.
Fashion is fun.
But Fashion Week is mostly irrelevant to our lives.

The 'architechtonic' aspect of fashion is to indicate the kinds of silhouettes, fabrics and colours we should be wearing in the next few months. The latest Bollywood hit/ Hindi soap will decide what's in as far as 'Indianwear' goes. And the stock from Bangkok/ Hong Kong which our hip stores live and die on, will determine the rest.

So yeh fashion week ki zaroorat kya hai?

"You won't understand, my dear, it is an 'art form'".
Theek kaha aapne.

It's the art of making us believe that awfully constructed, impractical to wear clothes constitute fashion.

That models with unrealistic looks, expressions and proportions constitute womanhood.

That hacks like Ms Queenie who wreak havoc on the English language and leave you wondering 'what-was-that-I-just-read', constitute journalism. Even in its low, BT form. And I quote:

Besides a sip of champagne and a quite afternoon to see a friend in the city Naomi appeared 'perfect'.

Linearly architectonic, what say! I rest my case.

A previous article of mine on this subject: India Fashion Weak (Businessworld, May 2005).

20 comments:

  1. "But Fashion Week is mostly irrelevant to our lives"
    -Well said.

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  2. ROTFL!
    "The latest Bollywood hit/ Hindi soap will decide what's in as far as 'Indianwear' goes. And the stock from Bangkok/ Hong Kong which our hip stores live and die on, will determine the rest.
    " - That was hitting the nail on the head! :D

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  3. "Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months."-Oscar Wilde.
    The elite can afford the brand but they have no sense of style and those who have style cannot afford the brand.And such heavy english words used for fashion.God save The readers..When hell moves on heels with zero figure,'what a hypocritic world' feeling comes in my mind.

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  4. always used to wonder while watching fashion TV and asked my self the same sort of questions.."does somebody wear these outfits again, after being worn by the skinny models on the ramp?" Is there any need for it? After reading ur post and some comments here.. now i can assume i am not alone in this big bad world..
    :-)
    seems like two fashion worlds exist in a parallel "fashion".. one being the real , which actually materializes on the streets and people actually understand.. and the other one which "they" call fashion and is seen only on ramps..clothing and outfits being common in both worlds..
    isn't it analogous to relation between hardcore theatrics and masala movies? in both worlds, acting is the common chord? Would like to know ur views..:-)

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  5. lol "somebody is in an acrimonious mood,ready to belch out her fury"
    Pun Intended :)

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  7. Quote:
    "But Fashion Week is mostly irrelevant to our lives."

    Yes, so is Modern Art, that does not mean it does not deserve the attention of a newspaper. I find your criticism of the reporter highly distasteful.

    Quote:
    "It's the art of making us believe that awfully constructed, impractical to wear clothes constitute fashion."

    Absolutely not, in fact nobody actually wears 80% of those clothes, its more like designers expressing their thoughts and creativity.

    Quote:
    "That models with unrealistic looks, expressions and proportions constitute womanhood."

    Wrong again, that is why they call it Ramp Drama. Beauty pageants are supposed to celebrate womanhood not Fashion shows. The two are different games just that a few players are common.

    P.S. I have no relation whatsoever with the fashion Industry.

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  8. The other day a news channel was showing some fashion show where all the movie stars were walking the ramp. After the show was over they told over the camera that the show was in the memory of 26/11 Mumbai attack.
    I really wonder what is the link ? How they were helping the affected people or any cause related to 26/11 by wearing those weird clothes and walking on the ramp.. hypocrisy of urban people to the max..

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  9. You seem to have an uncanny sense of "hitting the nail right on the head" and almost everytime at the same point!!!
    Yes thats making me rethink about my ignorance!!
    I always wondered "Fashion's relevance to lives it aims to relate to but over the years i developed a pseudo-appreciation.
    Now , iam like "Oh,Manish Arora was just awesome" but hell, who will wear him except for Britney spears for her stupid act on the stage!!
    My deteriorating/ted sense of intellectual reasoning had given in to the "cool factor"
    Rashmi, ive started to get it back

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  10. @SHANTANU:
    Oh yes!! Modern art!!
    I almost forgot that new reason...
    Very creative indeed

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  12. Why isn't anybody concerned about Rahul Gandhi showing a fake degree and lying to the Election Commission, twice about it [2004 and 2009]?

    http://twitter.com/offstumped/status/1451001069

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  13. Madam truly speaking i dont have read this blog!i read about you in your book stay hungry stay foolish and there i got your mail id but when i tried to mail on your emailid it was not working.So please tell your email id or how can i contact you my email id is riitr1986@gmail.com.
    Thanking You
    Rahul Gupta

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  14. I love your comment on BT's coverage of Fashion week. I am not in India to read it myself but I do access online version of TOI and I have been wondering why TOI is doing a "Playboy Act". It's effectively changing from being a mainstream newspaper to becoming a gossip cum film news magazine.

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  15. Thank you for writing this. Every year I despair over good sense happening to folks who indulge in these fashion weeks. I wrote about it once Here ....

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  16. the article was very apt

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