London fashion week starts on Friday and I am going for the first time. I imagine it’s full of glamorous and fabulous people, so I am worried about fitting in. What should I do? Cara, by email
Oh young neophyte, innocent little babe wandering into the dark wood! I read your letter and I see the words, but the sound in my head is that of Ariel the little mermaid, splashing about happily and carefree in the sea, but singing about how she wants to be where the people are, wants to see them dancing, walking around on those – what do you call them? Feeeeeeeet! (Note: you do not walk around on your feet at fashion week – you walk around on the newly re-issued Prada neon wedge sandals with patent leather flames coming off the back. Also, I realise that the Little Mermaid analogy makes me Ursula the sea witch and I’m OK with that. I’m just here to help you, you poor, unfortunate souls!)
The first thing to stress is that fashion week is a very serious business event. It’s not just about champagne, OK? Fashion is a billion-dollar industry! Jobs! People! And clothes – everyone wears ’em! And anyone asking if perhaps there’s a better way to run this industry than making the world’s fashion press schlep to four random cities twice a year, take taxis all around those cities to even more random locations to see wildly expensive clothes, the majority of which will never be worn by anyone, with the front rows filled with celebrities, rather than the journalists, well, you just don’t get it, my friend. It’s all about creating an image of aspiration, yes? And aspiration sells clothes, and that leads to jobs and and and …
For more read the full of article at The Guardian
