What is Fashion Victim?

Excerpt from Fashion Victim by Michelle Lee

The Fashion Victim's Ten Commandments We Fashion Victims hold certain tr ths to be self! e"ident# Witho t so m ch as a raised eyebro$% $e allo$ a set of ridic lo s% yet compellin&% r les to &o"ern o r $ardrobes% o r p rchases% o r desires% e"en o r o$n sense of self!$orth# 't's these n( estioned tenets that ha"e helped brin& s to the sorry state $e find o rsel"es in today)

*# THOU SHALT PAY MORE TO APPEAR POOR 't ta+es a &reat deal of time and
money to loo+ as tho &h yo p t no effort into dressin&# ,ince a &arment today rarely remains a pop lar item in o r $ardrobes beyond a fe$ months% $e re( ire it to be $orn o t before $e b y it# Fabrics are pre$ashed and &rayed o t to appear less ne$# -esi&ners se$ on decorati"e patches% slash &apin& holes into the +nees of .eans% and fray the hems# -resses and shirts are pre$rin+led# /eans are stone$ashed% sandblasted% acid!$ashed% and li&htened0 they're iron! creased and bleached to 1$his+er1 at the pper!thi&h as if they $ere passed do$n to yo by yo r mother% $ho inherited them from her father% $ho had $orn them in the $heat fields a cent ry a&o# -esi&ners add 1character1 to clothes by messin& them p% li+e 2elm t Lan&'s famo s 3456 paint! spattered .eans# /eans% blasted and stained d st!bro$n% by C7% Le"i's% and -olce 8 9abbana% cost p to 3466# 'n fact% Cal"in 7lein's 1dirty1 .eans sold for 346 more than a pair of his basic% nblemished ones# 'n 466*% Commes des 9areons prod ced a peasant dress% priced at a "ery npeasantli+e 3:;<% described by disco nt shoppin& $ebsite =l efly#com as 1&i"en a chic tattered loo+#1 Fashion may be bent on ne$ness% b t $e apparently can't stand it $hen somethin& loo+s too ne$ >$ho can bear the blindin& $hiteness of ne$ snea+ers??# The ind stry has ta+en to callin& the shabby% imperfect loo+ 1distressed1!!a $ord that carries a connotation of pain and s fferin&# This fashion a&ony doesn't come cheap% from /ean!@a l 9a ltier's distressed leather pants for 3*%<A6 and t$o!piece distressed leather .ac+et and b stier for 34%5:6 to Versace's distressed ball &o$ns and midpriced shoe ma+er Bldo's distressed leather p mps for 356# Cn most ne$ clothes% a fla$ is reason to ret rn a &arment to the store0 on others% it's a reason to lo"e the &arment $ith e"en more fer"or# The Fashion Victim nderstands that ready!to! $ear clothes are mostly mass prod ced% and that a handse$n article someho$ possesses more so l and ni( eness# Min te blemishes in a fabric's color pro"e that a &o$n $as hand!dipped by a dressma+er in @aris0 sli&htly raised threads on a "est attest that it $as handcrafted by the real $i"es of a thentic sherpas in Depal# ,ome clothes% li+e a s$eater ' bo &ht years a&o% come $ith ta&s explainin& ho$ the pills and flec+s yo may see in the fabric are not fla$s at all b t rather intentional imperfections% there to add to the &arment's charm# 'n o r h nt for s bstance in style% $e co"et clothes that e"o+e the bl e!collar $orld% li+e the B thentic @rison =l es shirts >act ally made by inmatesE? that =r ce Willis and =illy =ob Thornton $ore in the 466* mo"ie =andits# Why do $e do it? Fashion is o r $ay of "is ally si&nalin& to others ho$ $e $ant to be seen% and e"en tho &h $e all $ant to be considered stylish% $e don't $ant to loo+ li+e $e'"e p t too m ch plannin& and money into doin& so# 9lamo r and neatness ha"e their place% b t premeditated nonchalance is the Fashion Victim's 2oly 9rail# We shop at stores li+e Filthmart% the Manhattan "inta&e store co!o$ned by -rea de Matteo of The ,opranos and feat rin& 2ell's Bn&els!meets! /e$el $ares# 2ip!hop fans spend exorbitant amo nts of cash on rban$ear to pro"e they're still 1street1) a pair of denim and Fltras ede pants from @hat Farm for 3*<6% an Enyce 1b lletproof1 nylon "est for 3;5% p ffy do$n .ac+ets from the Dorth Face for 3*;;# E"en a simple $ifebeater tan+ top can sell for o"er 3*66 if it has the ri&ht label# We b y peasant blo ses at fa x!boho Bnthropolo&ie beca se $e $ant to loo+ li+e $e ch rn b tter on a farm in @ro"ence% or &r n&y 3G6 pants at Frban C tfitters to sho$ o r do$nto$n cool# For his fall 4664 Marc by Marc /acobs sho$% /acobs sent models do$n the r n$ay in mismatched &randma +nits% o"ersiHed se"enties scar"es% rainbo$!striped s$eaters% .eans% and cord roys!!the ltimate home&ro$n poor!&irl loo+ for the $oman $ho has e"erythin&# 'n early 4666% /ohn 9alliano too+ the dressed!do$n loo+ one step f rther) he st nned the fashion cro$d in @aris $ith his 2omeless Chic co t re sho$ for Christian -ior% feat rin& models draped in torn clothes held to&ether by strin& and stre$n $ith

+itchen tensils and miniat re li( or bottles# 'n the $orld of the Fashion Victim% shoppin& at a thrift store is cool### nless yo 're act ally on $elfare and ha"e to b y all yo r clothes there# ,ome hard!core fashionistas insist they only shop second hand# = t it's s ally not all from the b c+!a! po nd bin at the local thrift store# 'n recent years% desi&ners li+e 'mitation of Christ $ho re$or+ "inta&e and thrift ha"e become hip# The Fashion Victim drools o"er these born!a&ain &arments% $hich still possess some of the old% dirty charm b t at t$enty times the price# Today% e"en the mere implication that a &arment is old can s ffice# 9ap and Bbercrombie 8 Fitch ha"e pilfered the $ord 1"inta&e1 for se on their fresh!from!the!factory shirts and .eans to s &&est classic style# Bre $e really fooled by a crisp ne$ T!shirt that spells 9ap Vinta&e in faded letters? Today% it's f n to thin+ yo 're shoppin& do$nmar+et# 1Cheap chic1 stores li+e 28M% Tar&et% /apan's Fni(lo% and ,pain's Man&o ha"e made fort nes in recent years sellin& c t!rate trends# = t no tr e fashionista $orth her salt $o ld b y her entire $ardrobe at one of these stores% so she en&a&es in cheap chic in her o$n $ay% to the point at $hich 1cheap1 becomes a completely relati"e term# Moschino's lo$er!priced line% called Moschino Cheap 8 Chic% is far from cheap for most shoppers# B 1Leopard1 coat and scarf retails for 3*%I:6% and a @etal Trim ,$eater for 3A*<# Fr &ality at itJs finest% indeed#

4# THOU SHALT COVET USELESS UTILITY To the Fashion Victim% there's nothin&
$ron& $ith clothes that ser"e no p rpose other than loo+in& cool# = t if a &arment can create the ill sion that it's f nctional as $ell% it's all the better# B part of s +no$s that fashion is fri"olo s% so $e attempt to . stify o r participation in it by ma+in& o r clothes seem sef l# We're &raspin& at stra$s to rationaliHe ma+in& some of o r nnecessary p rchases# ,hirts come $ith hoods $hose sole p rpose is to han& behind one's nec+# The polar fleece "est $as pitched as f nctional in a climbin&!the!Blps sort of $ay% b t if yo really $anted somethin& to +eep yo $arm% $o ldn't yo &i"e it slee"es? Car&o pants% $ith their m ltit de of poc+ets% seemed infinitely sef l # # # ima&ine all the odds and ends yo co ld carry# Co ntless desi&ners% incl din& Cal"in 7lein% 9 cci% and Versace% interpreted the military style for the r n$ay% and mall retailers follo$ed s it $ith their "ersions% li+e Bbercrombie's @aratroops and Bmerican Ea&le's Car&o Tre+ @ant# Kalph La ren e"en prod ced an army!&reen car&o bi+ini $ith poc+ets at the hip >for totin& beach &renades??# The fashion $orld's idealiHed ima&e of the tilitarian f t re appears to in"ol"e lots of Hippers% b c+les% Velcro% p ll clos res% straps% and strin&s!!no matter if they act ally ser"e a p rpose or not# / d&in& by the creations $e'"e seen of late% fashions of the f t re $on't ser"e . st one p rpose!!they'll ser"e p rposes $e ne"er +ne$ needed ser"in&# 'n 466*% $omen's ma&aHines to ted a ne$ pair of panty hose that dispense a tiny bit of lotion onto the le&s $ith each $earin&# The F .i ,pinnin& Company in /apan has de"eloped a T!shirt and lace nder$ear that $ill &i"e $earers their daily dose of "itamin C# De$ly de"eloped shirts can monitor "ital si&ns li+e heart rate and breathin& patterns by sin& optical fibers that send and recei"e electrical imp lses# For years% techies ha"e drooled o"er the ad"ent of 1smart clothes%1 ltramodern &arments $ith f lly operational comp ters implanted in them# The first samples% f rnished $ith ro nd!the!cloc+ 'nternet access% ha"e been re"ealed in fashion sho$s at tech conferences% $ith models $earin& headset microphones and b ilt!in +eyboard slee"es# For all the inno"ation that's been sho"eled into fashion% yo 'd thin+ in"entors $o ld be able to come p $ith somethin& tr ly sef l!!li+e sna&!proof cashmere s$eaters# 's that so m ch to as+?

I# THOU SHALT OWN MINUTELY DIFFERING VARIATIONS OF THE SAME THING Bt least part of the Fashion Victim's closet loo+s li+e that of a cartoon character% $ith
ro$s of essentially identical items han&in& next to one another# There are m ltiple pairs of snea+ers) a pair for r nnin&% a pair for $al+in&% a pair for shoppin&% a pair for &oin& o t% a pair for .eans% a pair for shorts# Then there are the m ltiple pairs of blac+ pants) $ide!le&&ed% s+inny! le&&ed% fitted% ba&&y% flat!front% Hipper% b tton!fly% pleated% $ool% stretch% rayon% linen# Former Filipino first lady 'melda Marcos% $ho once famo sly defended herself by statin&% 1' did not ha"e three tho sand pairs of shoes% ' had one tho sand and sixty%1 s rely had some o"erlappin& styles han&in& in her &i&antic closet# Fashion Victims o$n d plicates of items that are . st different eno &h to not be exactly the same# The a"era&e Bmerican o$ns se"en pairs of bl e .eans# Certainly% each pair co ld be c t and colored differently% b t are those se"en pairs really that

different? Kosa% a t$enty!six!year!old office mana&er in Chica&o% o$ns more than fifteen pairs of na"y!bl e .eans that she's amassed o"er the last t$o years% pic+in& p one or t$o pairs a month# 1,ome are re& lar!$aisted% some are boot!c t% others are tapered% one has red stitchin& on the sides and on the poc+ets% some are b tton!fly% some are a bit dar+er%1 she explains# 1E"en tho &h they all loo+ the same% they each ha"e their special style#1 Bll that "ariety means she doesn't $ear each pair "ery often# 1' ha"e a fe$ clothes that ' ha"e in my closet that ''"e only $orn once or t$ice%1 she says# 1= t it's hard to part $ith them beca se ' al$ays feel li+e% 'Maybe ''ll $ear it one more time#' 1 Fashion Victims all share in this mind!set% and as a res lt% $e co ld ha"e t$o $al+!in closets st ffed to the &ills and still ne"er feel li+e $e ha"e eno &h# ,o $e contin e to b y# Fashion Victims con"ince themsel"es that they need "ariety in their $ardrobes0 often they aren't a$are of ho$ similar all their clothes really are# 1Many of my clients are really s rprised at the end of an or&aniHin& pro.ect to learn they o$n fi"e pairs of blac+ slac+s%1 says -ebbie Williams% a personal or&aniHin& coach in 2o ston% Texas% and p blisher of Cr&aniHed Times# 1They $o ldn't dream of $earin& blac+ slac+s each and e"ery day of the $or+ $ee+% so ha"in& fi"e pairs is o"er+ill to say the least!!they really co ld &et by $ith t$o or three pairs#1 When the time comes that o r closets be&in to b rst at the seams and a clean!o t is necessary% $e moan abo t the effort it ta+es to dispose of all o r n$anted items# De"ertheless% it's the nat re of the Fashion Victim to be a clothin& pac+ rat% to act as an apparel archi"ist% to collect s perfl o s &arments for the sa+e of collectin& s perfl o s &arments% to fool herself into thin+in& she needs a ne$ .ac+et!! e"en tho &h she already o$ns its loo+ali+e#

:. THOU SHALT BELIEVE SUBMISSIVELY IN THE FASHION LABEL'S REACH Today $hen yo b y a desi&ner's clothes% yo 're also b yin& a lifestyle# Kalph La ren
>a#+#a# Kalph LifschitH from the =ronx? +ne$ this $hen he created @olo% a brand meant to e"o+e the ima&e of the affl ent% holiday!in!2yannisport set# Bs a res lt% o r fa"orite clothin& brands can sell s practically anythin& else!!hand cream% lipstic+% perf me% nail polish% dishes% pillo$s% candles% d "ets% m sic# Lo can not only $ear Kalph La ren% Cal"in 7lein% =anana Kep blic% Eddie =a er% -onna 7aran% LiH Claiborne% Da tica% and Versace% b t yo can dress yo r bedroom in them% too# Lo"e ho$ Cl b Monaco clothes loo+? = y the retailer's line of cosmetics# 2oo+ed on Victoria's ,ecret bras? Well% they m st ha"e &ood s+in!care prod cts if they ma+e &ood bras% ri&ht? Li+e Brmani s its? = y their line of &o rmet chocolates# / st as a toma+ers li+e /a& ar% Vespa% and 2arley!-a"idson ha"e their o$n branded clothin& lines% retailers and desi&ners ha"e left their mar+ on the a tomoti"e $orld $ith special!edition cars li+e the Eddie =a er Ford Explorer and Expedition% the Coach!edition Lex s% the , bar C tbac+ LL =ean edition% the /oseph Bbbo d ,pecial Edition = ic+ Ke&al% and the Lo is V itton edition of Chrysler's @T Cr iser# B fashion label may be able to excel at a xiliary prod cts% b t don't al$ays ass me they're made by $ho yo thin+ they are# For decades% desi&ners ha"e +no$n that their ill strio s names alone can sell nearly anythin&% so they en&a&e in m ltimillion!dollar licensin& deals% offerin& their names for se by others to ma+e and promote a "ariety of prod cts# 'n the *;56s% desi&ners li+e Valentino and @ierre Cardin be&an to license their names for e"erythin& from sheets to l &&a&e to toilet!seat co"ers >by *;56% the 2o se of Cardin had licensed its name for se on more than six h ndred prod cts?# -onna 7aran reported that its fastest &ro$th se&ment $as in its licensin& di"ision!!incl din& accessories% .eans% home% and bath!!$hich &re$ to o"er a billion dollars in sales in 4666# 7enneth Cole has admitted that his company licenses o t most of $hat it does% except for shoes and $omen's handba&s# ,ome $ell!+no$n brands act ally ma+e the prod cts of other $ell!+no$n brands# Fossil desi&ns% man fact res% mar+ets% and distrib tes = rberry $atches# @erry Ellis man fact res apparel% ba&s% and accessories nder the Da tica label# LiH Claiborne holds the excl si"e license to desi&n and prod ce -7DL .eans# Estee La der holds excl si"e licensin& a&reements to ma+e fra&rances for both Tommy 2ilfi&er and -onna 7aran# @rocter and 9amble% home of DoxHema% Cil of Clay% and Cld ,pice% also holds licenses for 2 &o =oss% 9ior&io% 2elm t Lan&% and 2er"e Le&er fra&rances# L xottica ma+es eye$ear for Brmani% =roo+s =rothers% Bnne 7lein% Moschino% Fn&aro% and Ferra&amo# Women's o ter$ear for 7enneth Cole and Dine West is made by the same company!!9!''' Bpparel% $hich also holds the license for Tommy 2ilfi&er's leather o ter$ear for men# Licensin& may help desi&ners expand their b sinesses% b t it's historically been fro$ned pon in the fashion $orld#

Cardin's ne$fo nd middle!bro$ appeal made him the $orld's richest co t rier b t also &ot him booted o t of the Chambre ,yndicale% the excl si"e s per"isory body for ha te co t re in @aris# =y the late *;;6s% licensin& had fallen o t of fa"or $ith many l x ry desi&ners% $ith many li+e 9 cci and Brmani be&innin& to b y bac+ their licensin& a&reements in an attempt to re&ain brand control# Then there $as the m ch!p bliciHed la$s it bet$een Cal"in 7lein and licensee Warnaco in 4666# 'n his co nters it% 7lein alle&ed that Warnaco CEC Linda Wachner dama&ed his brand's ima&e by sellin& to disco nt stores and p ttin& his name on desi&ns he hadn't appro"ed# @rior to the la$s it% an nbelie"able ;6 percent of 7lein's re"en es came from licenses# The case shed m ch n$anted li&ht on the practice of licensin&# Cons mers fretted% 1Co ld o r desi&ner clothes act ally be made by lesser man fact rers?1 M ite the contrary% say desi&ners!!licensin& act ally impro"es the ( ality of prod cts% beca se they pair $ith the pros# For instance% an expert in hosiery may do a better .ob at creatin& a line of sil+ stoc+in&s nder the desi&ner's name than the desi&ner co ld do himself# Fran+ly% it $or+s both $ays# B &ood n mber of licensed prod cts are $ell made $hile others are essentially &enerics $ith desi&ner labels slapped on them# L c+ily for them% either $ill do . st fine for the Fashion Victim#