This weekend a few Toronto clothing stores took a shit-kicking (literally) in Toronto thanks to protesters/anarchists/vandals/shit-for-brains (pick your name, depending on what side you’re on), including American Apparel, which had police-horse crap thrown inside the store. Not to make light of a horrible situation, but those American Apparel high-waisted, pleated pants are a fashion crime. Anyway, while bloggers and journalists, conspiracy theorists and conservatives all scrutinize photos of anarchist boots, I totally forgot about this release, which I received last week. It’s a campaign to promote four Nova Scotian fashion designers.
Coordinated through Nova Scotia Business Inc., the Craft Alliance and the NS Designer Crafts Council,, Michique, Donna Hiebert, LouLou Bell and Glass Harp Gallery created collections “inspired” by Carla, Michelle, Samantha, Laureen, Nobuko, Margarida, Angela, Svetlana and Geertrui. Note that these are all wives of the politicians, except for Germany’s chancellor Angela Merkel, the only woman involved in the G8 talks.
These are all talented designers, but something about this doesn’t feel quite right, in terms of a marketing campaign. Even though I’d love to dress Carla Bruni-Sarkozy—personally, I’d put her in a Veronica MacIsaac dress—or Michelle Obama in Turbine, it just doesn’t seem like the right event for promoting our fashion. There are worldwide crises and issues getting buried in all the noise. Even the Globe can’t resist running a who’s hot, who’s not G8 style guide.
On a local, practical point, I’d love to see business associations developing more buy-local fashion promotions, as well as an Atlantic fashion council instead of imagining collections for a controversial political event.
This article appears in Jun 24-30, 2010.
tired of parochial people telling me that highwaisted pleated pants are a crime. what do YOU wear? your fake, im classy weekend gear? dark denim ‘flares’, ugly square toe boots and leather bomber jackets? or those cork wedge sandals and little ‘flirty’ sundresses that make one look frumpy and are best left for the 8 and under crowd? oooh do you get your nails done, acrilyics with white tips? soo tired of cheap, uninspired fashion influenced mostly in part by pornography. get a life. just because it isnt vulgur and doesnt fit your small town fashion sense doesnt mean its a ‘fashion crime’. get over it.
wtf is a bikini jacket…spam spam spam
well, you certainly have my closet all wrong. Way wrong. Unless you watch some modest covered-up porno that involves real fingernails. My wee issue is more with American Apparel and their sudden shift from porno-influenced wear to the other extreme. I actually like high-waisted pants when done well and paired with the right top, but the AA ones have lost the plot (especially when paired with the oxford shirt, like in their latest ad). Also, my attitude is far from parochial when it comes to clothing: i say wear whatever makes you feel good and suits your body, not buy into a trend you’ll hate seeing in your closet two months later.