Today, we gobble up and spit out fashion while simultaneously wondering where the showmanship went. But in an album of my old photographs from London, I found it again.
What a magical experience to have in your memories. I don’t work in fashion so I approach it as an avid consumer for decades now. I recall when shows became more than just a procession of clothes (mid 90s Chanel and Gianni Versace for instance). Then came the magical theatrics of this very McQueen show and the Galliano show with the vintage cars and Linda in the yellow feather and tulle ball gown. Now shows have become a marketing exercise, “content” if you will, where the clothes are almost beside the point. As a guy who’s slight of stature and does shop from both men’s and women’s departments, I’ve been fortunate to be invited to shows by a few brands. I find the act of attending a show a hassle: sitting through traffic, queuing and waiting in seats endlessly for a 15 minute show. The true pleasure is the re-see where I can see the fashion up close and touch it. I want a show to tell me a story, show me how the garments move, and elicit some desire in me to spend exorbitant amount for things I don’t need. There’s a vast divide between clothes that don’t need to be on a runway and pure show pieces, between a simple catwalk and an overblown set that overwhelms the fashion, yet so few hit the sweet spot of showing actual desirable and wearable clothes in an inspired production for actual customers instead of the internet echo chamber. Or, maybe I’m just a cranky 47 year old 😂
It’s like our time in magazines is suddenly iconised! The super model doco was like a fever dream!! Watched a great doco on McQueen the other week too which focused on that robot moment! Heady days, Kim xx
This is an odd question, but do you happen to still have the show notes from Joan? I've been looking for a scan of them for a dog's age.
I watched the McQueen doco and also cried
at the painted Shalom scene, absolutely beautiful.
Nothing like it.
What a magical experience to have in your memories. I don’t work in fashion so I approach it as an avid consumer for decades now. I recall when shows became more than just a procession of clothes (mid 90s Chanel and Gianni Versace for instance). Then came the magical theatrics of this very McQueen show and the Galliano show with the vintage cars and Linda in the yellow feather and tulle ball gown. Now shows have become a marketing exercise, “content” if you will, where the clothes are almost beside the point. As a guy who’s slight of stature and does shop from both men’s and women’s departments, I’ve been fortunate to be invited to shows by a few brands. I find the act of attending a show a hassle: sitting through traffic, queuing and waiting in seats endlessly for a 15 minute show. The true pleasure is the re-see where I can see the fashion up close and touch it. I want a show to tell me a story, show me how the garments move, and elicit some desire in me to spend exorbitant amount for things I don’t need. There’s a vast divide between clothes that don’t need to be on a runway and pure show pieces, between a simple catwalk and an overblown set that overwhelms the fashion, yet so few hit the sweet spot of showing actual desirable and wearable clothes in an inspired production for actual customers instead of the internet echo chamber. Or, maybe I’m just a cranky 47 year old 😂
I appreciate this and agree with you. Yours, a cranky 49 year old. Lol.
It’s like our time in magazines is suddenly iconised! The super model doco was like a fever dream!! Watched a great doco on McQueen the other week too which focused on that robot moment! Heady days, Kim xx
Have you watched the SuperModels doc on Apple+? Thoughts?
Yup, love it.