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| Opportunities & Exposures: Culture |
In the Van of the Vanguard
Judy Gordon
11/01/2004
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Decades ago, sleek style setters such as Jackie Onassis and Audrey Hepburn
established fashion trends—little black dresses, capri pants, oversize
sunglasses—when newspapers, magazines and movie screens splashed their
images around the world. While these three media still play a pivotal role in
honing the cutting edge, they do not carry the same weight now. Those of us who
follow—and hope to set—today’s ever-changing styles must be more connected and
creative than ever.
With the onset of new media, trends are set at dizzying
speeds. They germinate rapidly via influential websites such as style.com (home
of Vogue and W), dailycandy.com (edgy and youthful) and newyorksocialdiary.com
(party photos of socialites), and then spread through word of mouth. The
proliferation of celebrity magazines, cable television networks such as E! and
music video channels now bombard us with the latest vogues. When Sarah Jessica
Parker brought Candace Bushnell’s character Carrie to life on Sex in the City,
millions emulated her trendy style, right down to her Jimmy Choo shoes. The once
exclusive, by-invitation-only fashion runway shows are available to anyone
seeking style guidance and outfitted with cable TV or a broadband Internet
connection.
It may take some effort, but eventually the seekers of haute
couture will learn how to separate the nascent craze from the mere chaff. They
can watch for celebrities sitting in the front row, which immediately ups a
designer’s trend quotient. This is a wonderful way to spot up-and-coming
designers, such as Parker’s beloved Narciso Rodriguez.
Sharp-eyed style
mavens can divine the evolution of a designer’s career, and his evolving vogue
quotient, from the type of exposure he receives. For example, two of the latest
designer darlings—Peter Som and Derek Lam—moved from features in Women’s Wear
Daily, the trade publication and fashion bible, to mainstream magazines such as
Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar.
A celebrity’s embrace remains key to a designer’s
success. Madonna and Scarlett Johansson, for example, are fond of Lam. A
celebrity nod can immediately start a trend in any lifestyle category: design,
food, fashions or accessories. This is especially true of stars such as Gwyneth
Paltrow and Chloe Sevigny, who are known for their staying power in otherwise
capricious style circles.
Pound the Pavement
Trends are typically born in cosmopolitan cities such
as New York, Paris, Milan and London. Most designers have homes in these cities,
as do trendsetters who jet from the beaches of St. Barts and St. Tropez to the
slopes of Aspen and Park City. Word of mouth remains the primary mode of
transmission in this set. Consider the fascinating trend of pashmina scarves.
One socialite saw another socialite who saw another socialite and suddenly every
uptown fashionista had not one, but three or four of them.
Word of mouth is
also crucial to those seeking to be insightful observers. A true trend-spotter
must studiously examine people and the fashions they favor, noticing
out-of-the-ordinary details such as mixtures of fabrics, textures and colors—a
leopard-print outfit worn with boots, or leather worn with tweed, for example.
Make note of unusual accessories such as shoes, handbags and jewelry. When I
spotted R.J. Graziano’s pretty, unusual chandelier earrings on the model
Giselle, I knew they would end a five-year run on minimalism. Even if we find a
particular bauble too flashy for our taste, luxe designers usually offer a more
subdued version.
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