Controversial Opinions on Fashion

[Monsieur Cristobal]

In 2025, I’ll gladly side with so-called boring women designer like Maria Grazia/Sarah Burton/Grace Wales Bonner whom actually dress women (and men) with some semblance of sophistication, and not as children/drag queens/clowns, ...

Historically, thiese three collectives are at the core of Fashion 🤭
Was not Jeanne Lanvin, in a way, designing for children?
Was not Gabrielle Chanel, in a way, designing for drag kings?
Were not Elsa Schiaparelli's customers daring to look even like clowns, sometimes?

I can totally see your point because I myself am sometimes fascinated by boring (Armani, Zegna when they go grandpa...) but, let's be honest, only boring... would be boring.
What is cool is to have variety.

 

[Squizree]

A decade ago, I’d be so inclined to agree with you fully.

Maybe because I’ve the unfortunate career of suffering too many rubbish fashion gays— even before the worst of the worst LGBT caricatures are celebrated, encouraged and validated these dire days, to the point that only rubbish gays are allowed in the industry, it seems. In 2025, I’ll gladly side with so-called boring women designer like Maria Grazia/Sarah Burton/Grace Wales Bonner whom actually dress women (and men) with some semblance of sophistication, and not as children/drag queens/clowns, to the plague of lesser cartoon fashion gays— I’ll leave the namedropping out since there are so so so many, from fashion directors to designers, that cheapen high fashion with their representation excuse to infect and inflict trash onto high fashion.

Keith Haring once said that he just wants to dress like someone cool who’s got a place to go to and do a job. And more and more, that’s become a personal mantra to hold on to.

Agree with all of this. And just watch how many people call you "hOmOpHoBiC!!1!" for it.

 

[MulletProof]

A decade ago, I’d be so inclined to agree with you fully.

Oh no, watch out for the incoming burner account that sorts you out for this post! 🫢

(they might cut you some slack if you remind them you’re not *gasp* a woman)

 

[Olaffo]

There should be ban on models under 20 years of age.

It is ridiculous, especially in menswear, that most of the runways are dominated by boys age 15-18 which aren’t presentable in the clothes being put on them nor add any value to the presentation apart from second degree pedo aftertaste. And I don’t care about this bullsh*t explanation about „creative vision”. Dress your potential and existing clients archetypes not barely legal to fly by themselves teenagers with messed up self confidence.

 

[susseinmcswanny]

I think it's actually "cultural appropriation" when you are "collaborating with local artisans" for the sake of generating social currency versus just ripping a style and putting it into a new context and being unapologetic about it

 

[LadyJunon]

I think it's actually "cultural appropriation" when you are "collaborating with local artisans" for the sake of generating social currency versus just ripping a style and putting it into a new context and being unapologetic about it

Wait, she's cooking!

Seriously, so many of these larger houses are doing these "cultural exchanges", where they collaborate with an non-White/European designer or artisan for one collection, only for them to fall back into obscurity the second the collaboration ends, because they've moved onto something else. This wasn't an issue in classic "cultural" collections where it would simply be the products of the usual doing their jobs.

 

[Lola701]

I think it's actually "cultural appropriation" when you are "collaborating with local artisans" for the sake of generating social currency versus just ripping a style and putting it into a new context and being unapologetic about it

I actually agree but I think for people in the internet, performing actions are more important.

Wait, she's cooking!

Seriously, so many of these larger houses are doing these "cultural exchanges", where they collaborate with an non-White/European designer or artisan for one collection, only for them to fall back into obscurity the second the collaboration ends, because they've moved onto something else. This wasn't an issue in classic "cultural" collections where it would simply be the products of the usual doing their jobs.

How do you maintain this when you have to deal with the seasonal nature of fashion and the challenges of an uncertain economy?

I also find it funny that people who always complain about fashion being « so boring » don’t talk about the fact that the fear of cultural appropriation has also killed a certain spontaneity in creativity.

The controversy Prada is facing over a sandal is totally ridiculous.

 

[MulletProof]

I also find it funny that people who always complain about fashion being « so boring » don’t talk about the fact that the fear of cultural appropriation has also killed a certain spontaneity in creativity.

because they're completely unrelated and the latter would be more of a scapegoat when trying to shift the blame from the vulture practices that come with the corporatisation of fashion. Fashion became extremely one-note and boring the moment competitiveness in creativity was reduced almost to a 0. Now competitiveness means Dior vs. Chanel, when these major houses used to respond and water down the higher, bolder bar pushed by independent designers and publications. That had nothing to do with borrowing inspiration from traditional attire in different cultures.. let alone with being scared, 20-30 years down the line, that someone will accuse you of cultural appropriation... one might as well say hiring plus size models killed creativity lol.


I think it's both.. the one-sided and disingenuous 'collaborations' and the ripping off and being unapologetic or even cynical about it. I will forever pull the cheese whataboutism but.. when Americans steal cheese names and recipes from the French and lawsuits pour and they remain unapologetic and pretend they heard nothing or never got served, that's also the definition of cultural appropriation. And remember this when the French are like 'it's not cultural appropriation! the prints just look similar! and ultimately, it's not a big deal! it's called self-expression' yeah so why are you filing lawsuits in international courts over other countries borrowing your traditional cheese recipes every other month!

 

[Creative]

One of my many controversial opinions: I don’t care about cultural appropriation 🫣

I remember a time when some Chinese clients were beyond upset, even doing demonstrations outside the Dior boutiques, just because Mary Grace got inspiration from a traditional dress to design the most basic skirt my eyes have ever witnessed. Come on💀

The cancellation culture should be cancelled also. Let designers speak their f**** minds. They no longer do interesting interviews (maybe because they are not interesting anymore?), and if they do, they look like politicians.

 

[Creative]

Lotta is overrated. She is so try hard and comes across as basic to me.

 

[carla56]

But I don’t disagree that she represents the moment but for me, she dresses in MiuMiu because she is working for MiuMiu. And because of the commercial success, her influence grows at MiuMiu.

I think it’s interesting that you mention Ferragamo and Mulberry. Because essentially, her styling is different there and so the impact of her influence. Yes, there’s a common thread regarding nostalgia about Balenciaga, Blumarine and MiuMiu but it’s precisely about her taste, not so much about her style.

When you see CCD work for Azzedine, Karl and Gianni yes, the personalities of the three designers shines through but it’s obvious that it’s done by CCD. It’s even funnier when for example you look at the switch at Versace from the moment they switched from CCD to Carine.

And unsurprisingly, I didn’t liked her latest styling at MiuMiu because it was so much about her personal style. For me, as a stylist, Lotta’s strength is her capacity in sharpen a strong aesthetic. Why we assume that it would have worked at Chloe? Because Chemena’s POV is already defined. The message just needs to be more sharp.

MiuMiu has always been about a certain POV but under Katie Grand, compared to Olivier Rizzo, the message became messy. What Lotta did? She made it sharper.

For me her school of styling is very Anglo-Saxon and it’s probably for the better because it doesn’t put you in a box. @Cocteau Stone mentioned Grand and I agree. Grand has a terrible personal style but when she is good, she can totally transform and elevate the vision of a designer. She did great things in her first period at MiuMiu. Her work with Marc Jacobs at Vuitton was exceptional.

I think Carine, Emmanuelle or Carlyne, the girls from the ELLE school, comes with a different aesthetic bagage. In a way, they are brining their personalities more than their savoir-faire. It will be interesting to see what Lotta will eventually style next.

And doing MiuMiu is already a big shift for her in terms of access to talent and maybe in terms of being a household name and not just the cool stylist. It redefines her status. She gets to work with Meisel now and she is not a disruptive voice anymore.

Always so interesting reading you Lola! I’m very curious, can you tell me when Versace switched CCD with Carine? Thanks!

 

[Lola701]

Always so interesting reading you Lola! I’m very curious, can you tell me when Versace switched CCD with Carine? Thanks!

In 1997. She styled the Couture shows and she also styled the campaign for his last collection by Testino.
But Gianni often worked with different stylists on the same season. I don’t think Carine ever worked with Avedon for example. I know Lori Goldstein and Joe McKenna did the campaigns with Avedon…

 

[WinstonH20]

Haider Ackermann is currently overrated as a designer (and creative director) and much of the goodwill towards him is because most men (and women) in the industry find him attractive.

 

[Cocteau Stone]

Haider Ackermann is currently overrated as a designer (and creative director) and much of the goodwill towards him is because most men (and women) in the industry find him attractive.

Looking back at his JPG collaboration, it kind of sits as a “one last hurrah”. I liked his namesake, it appealed to a certain clientele and perspective but I’m not sure about his Tom Ford. I saw things I liked, but I need to wait for a few more collections to see how he relaxes into the role though I don’t think that “relaxing” will happen.

I see him as a necessary voice, he just needs to not take himself so seriously. It’s becoming colder, more aloof in a non-fantastical sense. His cut is gorgeous (for the most part, his celeb dressing leaves little to be desired) but is lacking an honest sensuality. For me at least. I’d like him to look at Ford’s early YSL maybe to induce a more undone-ness. He’s too together. Too rigorous and composed. I’d like to see him work with lace, tulle, chiffon and mille-fuille like frays/edges. He needs softness injected to make the hardness make more sense.

 

[MulletProof]

Haider Ackermann is currently overrated as a designer (and creative director) and much of the goodwill towards him is because most men (and women) in the industry find him attractive.

and he’s not even attractive and his clothes have always looked straight out of Spain’s most unfortunate gift to the world in the 90s: Locomia.

He showed up at a great time of independent design and ended up riding that wave. That being said! we’re at such a desolate rock bottom predicament that he’s one warm familiar face that feels safer and like at least you know he can be just fine without a conglomerate.. in other words, he’s a certified non-leech and that is rare in fashion these days..

 

[HigthaVandah]

The cancellation culture should be cancelled also. Let designers speak their f**** minds.

One of my controversial opinions is that "cancel culture" is a modern synonym for "the invisible hand of the market." Let designers speak their f**** minds, yes, but by the same token, let brands, buyers, and customers stop f*** doing business with a designer if they decide they're better off looking elsewhere.

 

[Phuel]

and he’s not even attractive and his clothes have always looked straight out of Spain’s most unfortunate gift to the world in the 90s: Locomia.

He showed up at a great time of independent design and ended up riding that wave. That being said! we’re at such a desolate rock bottom predicament that he’s one warm familiar face that feels safer and like at least you know he can be just fine without a conglomerate.. in other words, he’s a certified non-leech and that is rare in fashion these days..

LMFAO Mullet as-a-matter-of-factly going up against all the gays with the low standard thirsts, is always a pleasure to behold…

His Berluti was really solid, in terms of design proposals. But it was a proposal that Gaultier and Hedi’s Dior Homme had already presented— just streamlined and more accessible in his version. With Haider, it was always about refining what was already fine. It’s the reason I’m drawn to his Tom Ford, where instead of digging further into that gaudy wardrobe aesthetic that Arab men equate with as a powerdressing flex, he stripped it back to a sartorial staple. (All I’m looking forward come this winter, in terms of frivolous fashion spending, is that pair of leather Tom Ford pant. ...And maybe another peacoat. If neither suit me, I’m good. The addiction to spend on fashion every Season is the real problem— even if it may just be two items.)

 

[Creative]

One of my controversial opinions is that "cancel culture" is a modern synonym for "the invisible hand of the market." Let designers speak their f**** minds, yes, but by the same token, let brands, buyers, and customers stop f*** doing business with a designer if they decide they're better off looking elsewhere.

That’s kind of ridiculous. I’m buying a piece of clothing. If D&G don’t believe in gay couples adopting babies, to me that doesn’t make their products less desirable. I might agree or not, but couldn’t care less of what they think.

That makes designers and interesting people in general not talk anymore. And that’s why we don’t read interesting interviews. I don’t think D&G are interesting, but I do think people like Phoebe, Hedi or Tom are, and I’m sure they don’t talk that much because of that.

KL in 2025 would’ve been so cancelled if he said the things he used to say in the 00s.

And boycotting someone, even physically in the stores, because of a very random and absurd opinion is so… hmm, unbelievable.

People take themselves too seriously and that’s terrible.

 

[Creative]

Do you guys remember Karl talking about feminists? That would be impossible today

And women still went to the Chanel stores and made no fuss about it… If JWA or any other designer said what he said (that feminists are ugly, among other things) they would probably be fired in less than 1 sec.

 

[tigerrouge]

Talking sh*t about women never truly falls out of fashion, it just takes on different forms.

Remember when Karl Lagerfeld died, and the body wasn't even cold before people were rushing to social media with their hot takes about what a horrible person he was, when one of his toenail clippings contained more talent than they'll ever display throughout their entire lifetime.