The recent “scandal” over at the Budget Fashionista regarding what amounted to Steve & Barry’s proving they lacked the intestinal fortitude to handle honest customer response to Sarah Jessica Parker’s ill-conceived fashion line brought to light an interesting point: the fashion/entertainment industry has long operated as less-than-benevolent dictators of fashion. You were not stylish, or attractive, unless some over-photographed and usually underfed magazine domme decided so.
But the advent of blogging has taken away much of the power from these great big fashion bullies, and it’s leaving fashion editors and celebrities alike whining a bit because the extended high-school style reign of terror has ended. Joe Average can post a blog, say “Uh, does anyone else think this sucks?” and have at least 20 percent of her fellow market share – the target market of clothing lines with no consideration for what non-celebrity women look like – can chime in and say, “Uh, yeah. I’m totally not wearing that.” And now, with the magazine’s dictatorship over fashion foiled because these women can communicate directly across coasts, it is unlikely that they will blindly by the goods just because SJP or someone else designed them.
It’s a brave new world, you whiny of the fashion industry. Quit kissing up to celebrities and actually get to know your customers. You’ll be shocked at how different the world looks now that they’re calling the shots.
