21/09/2014

Illusion of Excess


 Fashion is obsessed with the rich, and I don’t just mean the people. It’s all about rich textures, rich designs, rich colors, rich minds (yes, that rhymed). It is obsessed with the culture of living lavish, of living a purely hedonistic lifestyle filled with new experiences and empty of trouble. Richness commands attention, and clothing yourself, is in a sense all about attention. What you wear draws attention to different parts of your personality, of your taste, of who you want to be. And we all want to seem like better versions of ourselves, so we wear the clothing of who we aspire to be.


It’s most noticeable in the new satirical t-shirt trend. Everybody is wearing slogan t-shirts with slightly changed varieties of Céline or Givenchy or Balenciaga boldly emblazoned across their chests.  At first glance they appear like just another designer t-shirt, giving the illusion of expense, but at second glance they’re something completely different. In actuality they’re both allowing the people who wear them to put on the appearance of the rich, while expressing their sense of humor as well. It’s a double whammy. 


Anna Dello Russo chanted at us in gold and turquoise from her song for H&M that “nothing succeed like excess”, and she’s right. Because excess shows that someone has the option of excess. And having the option of excess means you’ve succeeded, no? Boldly saying LOOK AT THIS with your clothing shows that you’re not afraid to be looked at, that you’re confident. And at the end of the day, nothing is more important than confidence. You are who you believe you are, and the more successful you believe you are, the more successful you will be. 




Top: Custom printed H&M
Trousers: Topman
Shoes: New Balance
Backpack: Asos
Sunglasses: Camden Market

photography by: 

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