Thursday, February 14, 2008

but can they breathe?

Last season, sheer pants were everywhere on the runways. I thought that was a little bit strange. But then this season rolled around, and I've been seeing something a little stranger:

Above left: Marc Jacobs fall 2008. Above right: Giles fall 2008.

It's not even a veil, it's a bag over their head. I'm sure I could come up with some long-winded interpretation that had something to do with identity and social constructs and the establishment, but frankly, I don't have the energy (hey, I'm not in the Gallatin School For Individualized Study!).

SO I think it's time for another C'est La Mode constest! I will award One Million Dollars to whoever can come up with the most convoluted and pretentious explanation of this new phenomenon. Bonus points if you can use the phrase "experiential capital."

2 comments:

brian said...

Identity in and of itself is nothing but a social construct. According to the Hegelian dialectic, Identity is defined only in relation to the Other. In other words, “I am what I am not.” Thus, denying one’s own Identity is the ultimate form of self-assertion. Because one’s own face is, arguably, the most identifying feature of themselves, covering one’s face is the most ideal manifestation of the denial of Self.

The latest trend in runway fashion, however, is to obscure the model’s head with a sheer covering. Clearly this is not a complete masking of one’s face and therefore an incomplete masking of one’s Identity. Marxian theory applied to the Self results in a valorization of what one might call experiential capital. This fits perfectly with Marx’s idea that capitalism arose when the proletariat class was completely severed from the means of production and relied on the bourgeoisie for their livelihood. On the runways of today in an environment characterized by physical beauty, the sheer mask represents the disconnect between one’s experience and those profiting from that experience.

Models of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains!

em said...

the best thing about this is that it's almost actually legit.

tentatively, the MILLION DOLLAR PRIZE goes to you, brian.