5. Mommy was I Made in China?

I don’t have a facebook account anymore not because I related to the boyfriend’s twisted sense of a loyalty promise or because I wanted him to return home early in exchange of social isolation…no…..it was a long delayed and oft pushed into the back drawers of denial wish to get rid of the unwanted social excesses…of putting myself out there with another 500 million (since the movie give or take few million) people…

I’m not condescending the majority of the most intelligent (??) inhabitants occupying this planet…putting myself above these people…. this generation… I’m a part of it…. And I don’t regret it or feel out of place…think I belong to another era.. no …I don’t feel like that…if anything facebook, twitter, orkut, myspace etc is what defines our time, our generation, like pop culture or sexual revolution defined the 60s…. its evolution.. Technological renaissance…. Galileo… Copernicus… Archimedes…all time greats would sell their soul to the devil many times over to be right here right now… to experience this boom…so why the pessimistic, cynical disapproval…

We (human race) have progressed infinitely since the Industrial Age… strictly technologically that is…we have progressed in this area at a steaming speed in the last 200 years…it started with mass production of articles and resulted in globalization…which according to me means uniformity of the individual… much like Ayn Rand’s Anthem… a short novella which stresses on the importance of I…not some pseudo-new generation self obsessed bullshit..but the awareness of your individual self…your mind...the independence of rational thought…not herd like mentality that poses in the garb of globalization.

Sure we need to be with times… I agree… there is no sense in resisting the New Wave and its benefits…that’s stupid and suicidal…but there’s no sense in just being pushed and shoved senselessly pressurized into homogeneity..

Yes we are mostly all clones… pasting pictures all over…showing the world what a great party you went to…what a great set of friends you have… what an awesome wedding/engagement/proposal… what a special romance… what a fun holiday… what a wow apartment… it goes on and on… we all just needed a reason to show off..we now have a superior, perfectly validated outlet…outlets, I have to say… and I’m guilty as any other person… Guilty?? No not really… Everyone’s doing it…it’s global culture now… its manifested in our collective sub-conscious…just the little point….our sub- conscious is not supposed to be collective…its supposed to be individual…

This constant craving for approval, reaffirmation of our selves and our choices… its suffocating…50 likes and comments builds our self belief and no comments breaks us into cold sweat… the constant need to keep up the façade of the good times, of having it all, of branding your standard of life is all consuming….if not that then aspiring , mostly envying your neighbour  eats you up… how many people are you going to evaluate yourself against… its absurdly impossible in the virtual world to even attempt it… either it’s the money, the lifestyle, the popularity, the looks, the wit, the intelligence, the charm…it goes on and on… how many levels are you going to compete on…

the REAL question of course is WHY are you competing??

Individual development…to think for yourself…to learn for yourself… to live for yourself is the ultimate achievement...  for your SELF… SELF,  being the mind and soul…. SELF not distorted to mean disregarding other people, factors, situations, emotions, needs on a reckless single-minded spree to do whatever the fuck you want to… NO….

Individuality gained by observing different thoughts and opinions, understanding them and then arriving at your own wisdom… to just be unique… flawed even… not pretending to be distinctive… being an empty marketing gimmick…I mean whatever happened to ‘Achievements’…like the real deal where you worked hard, innovated, made mistakes, fell, pulled your self up to reach that stage of euphoria…aha!! That’s it… Where you reached there on your own capabilities not projected proficiency…

Does it sound idealistic… Gandhian even…like everything I have got I have earned?? Yeah sure it does…just that I was lucky.. very very lucky to have everything served to me in a silver platter… I was born with the proverbial silver spoon in my mouth… by design and good fortune… that I’m thankful for…. Which is why I’m wondering today that why am I fallaciously trying to define and defend my so called self worth through slyly manipulated BBM/FB statuses?? (While my real self worth is close to nothing if you assess it in terms of individual achievements)

I am not afraid of my shortcomings… partially in fact of the delusional comfort of everyone is like this only and mostly because recognizing the presence of  ignorance and utter lack of knowledge is the first step towards enlightenment…

What inspires me is the formation of our history…the process of it…There were indigenous traditional arts  and crafts that developed in the past…different lifestyles… clothes…mannerisms…customs…each culture had a clear cut definition of itself….each of them went through a long period of evolution to reach this definition… it took time and thought as all good things take… ideologies, rituals, discoveries, religions were patiently developed…. Development was important…the process mattered sometimes more than the ends...percolation of thoughts…

 Development has gone for a toss, first thing out of the window …really where is the patience to wait and watch…personalities are not developed, intellect is not developed,  icons are not allowed to develop or mature anymore… there is a dubiously proclaimed new youth icon, lifestyle icon, icon of the decade/year/century/month/week whatever every 2 weeks mostly based on the net worth of the person plastered all over the place…real and virtual by an aggressive PR team/spin doctors etc…

Quality?? If you’re not numbed enough to ask  for it barely exists… Exclusivity?? That’s taking it too far…. Or haven’t you heard of first copies from China? 

How this relates to fashion you ask…. Well there were two seasons Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter….now there is

1.     Spring/Summer ready to wear

2.     Spring /Summer couture

3.     Pre fall ready to wear

4.     Resort ready to wear

5.     Fall/Winter couture

6.     Fall/Winter ready to wear..... forgive me I forget the rest...

In addition to  hundreds of designers  participating in numerous fashion weeks and tours…churning out collection after collection…with none of them being allowed enough time to register in our psyche without the brash, in your face marketing aided by Hollywood/Bollywood so called stars/non stars…only to be forgotten by the next award ceremony...whatever…

If this circus wasn’t enough India has two major fashion weeks discounting the minor local fashion weeks, fashion tours etc … suddenly everything warrants a fashion show…cars to pens to jewellery to cricket …. Whatever… who keeps track anymore… it’s a jaded concept that has made us immune to the very idea… the expectations are low… thus the idea, concept, clothes rot in uninterested decay…. And this is just fashion… lets not venture into less superficial things like the self..

As always ruminating on other things I meandered away from the topic where I started…the germ of the whole idea that has me glued to the laptop since 5.30 a.m….self validation through social networking… of course social networking is revolutionary…but there’s a point where you use something or abuse it… it's great.... really.... for a variety of reasons that I don’t need to sing paeans about…but the lines soon become blurred between needs and excesses…and even more painful is the delusion that you subject yourself to….of your life and worth and others lives and worth….(net or otherwise)

 Globalisation is not a curse…far from it…it has empowered us to open our minds and explore cultures…exponentially increase our knowledge and also exchange it…broaden our horizons far into the infinite than we thought possible… the advantages are so infectious and possibilities so vast that it would be impossible to return to our cocooned worlds before the internet came along… but the cocooned worlds gave all of us a distinct personality, shaped our unique ideologies…made us uncommon and interesting…somewhere along globalization has turned into homogenization of the individual… the persistent need to confirm ourselves to a standard code…. Being born as a human implies that we have been given the opportunity to explore and be aware of the pinnacle of  our conscience.

Both images from 'Shanghai Dreamers' series by Quentin Shih for Dior

No.. we were all NOT manufactured in a factory in China… and we were meant to absorb knowledge… NOT copious amounts of information floating in cyberspace…

WAKE UP…

4.2. Elie Saab SS11

The allusion is to the movie 'The Book of Eli'

I first became aware of Elie Saab when Halle Berry wore that stunning gown to the 2002 Oscars as must have so many others...  That was 'THE' moment that put him on the map....Elie Saab is the go-to-guy for celebrities...His garments are fail safe 'Red Carpet' material...It's what I like to call Comfort Couture.

The gowns and dresses (always gowns and dresses) were heavy on surface ornamentation, lace, embroidery and draping.... all Saab signature elements...

Nude being the colour of the season opened the show and was followed up with another half dozen gowns in the same... ivory and black dominated rest of the collection with pastel touches of lavender, pale green, a floral print and bright almost Valentino...the look being very sweet and demure almost confectionery...a strong contrast to fall couture show, which was bold and bright.

Saab's major chunk of clients is from the Middle East and like Indians beautifully embroidered evening wear in reams and reams of tulle and organza laden with beads and crystal is preferred over concept couture...And these fairytale dresses were as pretty as they come.

Since last season he has upped the neckline almost to the chin and stripped the back into the spotlight... It's a trend that has been profoundly noticed in evening wear....Look at the recently concluded Golden Globes...the back was the centre of attraction. 

I think the back holds more... much more mystery and potential...than any amount of cleavage show... a well toned back has just as seductive curves as our fronts... it's a much cheekier way to show some skin.

What absolutely won me over were the shoes...give me lace and stilettos and u won't have to give me much else.... Just water and cupcakes.

 J'adore the black ones...

The bride enters last...and this bride was swathed in layers and layers of tulle, organza, lace and flowers....like Miss Havisham...but yet to be betrayed...

All in all the collection was all prettiness and sweetness... if you're searching for a statement... Don't. 

Elie Saab is strictly for the glamouratti and not the literati..

It's not such a bad thing though, the majority prefer over-the-top, beautiful, wearable couture over over-the-top concept creations...and if it's done so beautifully and gets the clientele 

(which is dwindling for couture everywhere as reports predict)....Well, who's complaining?

P.s. from bottom to top

And to conclude....Elie Saab and 'Medicina Rossa' by Alberto Seveso play side by side simultaneously....

Photo courtesy Style.com

Photoshopped and formatted by me

4.1. Armani Prive SS 11

I have always considered Mr. Armani a genius...nobody does contemporary classy like he does.

This collection might be a bit of a shock to his fans...but it has all his signature moves.

Strangely all the words that came to my mind started with S.

Space, Structure, Shine, Sheen, Saturated colour, Sculpted, Sci-fi, Startling, Sharp...

Style.com didn't give very favourable reviews...but i don't agree...no offence Mr.Tim Blanks...you are the expert...but I beg to defer.

The collection reminded me of Mr Christian Dior's New Look...It's a new decade...and to reflect that (literally) Armani gave us a new fabric...The fabric used predominantly in the collection is a mirror - effect organza... silk woven with metal to give an unnatural 'Liquid Metal' feel much like mercury...The silhouettes were intriguing....cutting off and continuing dramatically. They looked like they were cast of hard stiff metal...but were actually lightweight and supple...

 Not run off the mill evening wear that blends in but instead helps the wearer brave enough to don it BE a statement...just as Mr. Dior dared the ladies to wear 20 yards of fabric in a single skirt immediately after the paucity of the War. 

The look as always never loud despite the bright colour, and strong accessories....but making a strong, bold statement 

 Dagny Taggart, my favourite heroine would have approved.   

The highlight of this collection is most obviously the fabric and textures....the organza flowed so sinuously...it really looks other worldly...some of it liquid, some of it like a galaxy filled with stars... seriously sensuously sexy stuff.

The other predominant texture was glass or crystal, studded jackets, plastic or perspex heels, crystal studded clutches...Armani said that he was inspired by the sheen of gemstones...and crystal and glass are modern urban materials...just look at any skyscraper.

A puckered gown similar to crumpled gift wrapping paper and another red dress that had been given a studded look similar to acupressure power pyramids....lent a rugged landscape to the otherwise clear satin smoothness.

All these different, wildly contrasting textures were juxtaposed in such layers...that it looked as if a dress was sliced off to reveal another dress beneath...

Brilliant, brilliant brilliant construction....as is with all couture garments... curvaceous with such linearity..strictly for the well toned.... (well toned NOT gaunt and emaciated)

It was the razor sharpness that killed me...

Accessories included hats by Philip Treacy...the famed milliner... round shield, flat circular solar panel-ish and New Age New Look shapes...could pass off at the derby... and a jewel studded fencing veil which added to the mystery... 

I particularly loved the use of the crystal bangles and earrings... I have seen cheaper versions a million times...so many of them are worn in our heavy on bling Balaji daily soaps but this pairing was such a good surprise!!! 

MY ABSOLUTE MUST HAVE FAVOURITE... is definitely the big mesh collar necklace paired with the shiny jacket.... I LOVE IT...

Box clutches are becoming smaller and smaller...is it to do with the shrinking size of the gadgets....that in the future everything we need will fit into a box of those minuscule dimensions!?

What i was really disappointed about was the footwear... One would have thought that they would have been outlandish too like the theme itself....After all I'm a hardcore shoe girl in the end...

And now this image sums it all up ......

SHE IS HER OWN GALAXY

And finally..... The gowns I would love to see someone (with spunk) wear on the red carpet......

Bold statement making POTENT stuff...

[Pssst...The first one especially ;)]

All images courtesy style.com...Layout by me...

4. Building couture castles in the air......

Couture is my favourite season....it allows me to dream...fantasize....and lose myself in all the confectionery.... couture lets you imagine...build castles in the air...


Its more about a concept really than clothes put on a mannequin..ready for consumption....ready to wear i believe is like fast food...instant gratification..


Couture  is like gourmet cooking...lets you savour each flavour...
you want your eyes to not just see but experience a phenomenon of colour, cut, silhouette, embellishment...
you instinctively feel and understand the hours and labour that go to achieve the exact drape or the precise cut....


Its a precise art which has such a sense of romance....that you have no choice but to fall in love...
not the fleeting kind but a deep, lifelong, all consuming passion....


Which is why i want to review it in parts and details..not just an overall synopsis condensed to 'like' 'unlike'...that's what facebook is for...i want to analyze the collections myself....for me.