Friday, May 25, 2012

When Designers and Stylists Become Androgenous


The conversation about stylist and designer collaborations in fashion industry has taken on new contours recently thanks to the  F*rue 2012 fashion show presented here Thursday,


Finding someone to effectively collaborate with requires a similar work flow, a process that makes sense to you both -- not to mention having similar views on what makes a good design – otherwise there is no point in starting. In other words, you are looking for someone who is on the same wavelength – not an easy task. This is true for all kinds of collaborations, not just with designers.

Manila, May 11

The conversation about stylist and designer collaborations in fashion industry has taken on new contours recently thanks to the  F*rue 2012 fashion show presented here Friday, that was to be "the true fashion of sorrow", thus causing a severe case of aesthetic and cultural whiplash.

The show presented the works of amateur designers heavily depending on stylists to be at least presentable on the runway.Accessorizing as well as finishing the clothes and fitting them to models were all part of the stylist's job before the show.

For several years,collaborations between fashion designers and  stylists have been a norm in the industry.Did the show push the lines between fashion designers and stylists? Are they merely part of a designer's creative prerogative? Or are they the product of lemming-like style-makers who feel compelled to take advantage of others?  It would be a welcome relief if the majority of those designers who put their designs on the runway that night took a stand and refused to let the stylists do their looks for them. What is the point of doing a runway show if the creations unveiled weren't truly done by them?

To be fair, a bit of headway was made into promoting and planning the show by the designers themselves. But having lacked the knowledge as well experience in designing and sewing, they compensated with hiring stylists to do the job.

The fashion school that the designers came from, had the role of giving them the proper equipment they needed in order to be ready to face the world of fashion. What reflected of the school's reputation, that prided itself with its star-studded alumnus was the complete opposite.

But after a volley of exhausting complaining, defending, finger-pointing and declaring one's right to creative license, a new conundrum has presented itself: The stylist make the clothes look good for the client but when do the two draw the line? And when does styling become too much in a profoundly larger than life industry?

The main responsibility of a fashion stylist is to develop innovative and creative ideas for enhancing the appearance of a client to get a successful photo session.They only enhance the appearance of a look made by the designers and not finish sewing them for clients.

The only sorrow that the F*rue 2012 Fashion show had, was featuring promising designers who didn't even knew the difference between fashion designers and stylists.

Somewhere between designing and styling lies good fashion. And somewhere between those extremes there is also a definition of collaboration that is inclusive, sound and fair.



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