Out from Underground

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Out from Underground

Posted On : Jun-30-2010 | seen (559) times | Article Word Count : 1464 |

Mass-market retailers are embracing avant-garde design. But will H&M shoppers buy skirts for men?

The party's over, even for the superrich. High-net-worth individuals, who lived on a scale most of us can't imagine—private jets; mega yachts; third, fourth and fifth homes; gleaming AmEx black cards with no limit—are seeing their credit-card bills come due. So they're cutting back, in their own way, by selling the boat, buying ready-to-wear instead of couture and giving up Iranian caviar for breakfast—baby steps. It might sound ridiculous, but they've got to start somewhere. Of course, they don't exactly qualify as Wal-Mart shoppers yet; the ultrawealthy are still ultrawealthy, just slightly less so.
In terms of buying power, they remain a force to be reckoned with—and for luxury conglomerates, a demographic to be even more aggressively courted. But the nouveau expenditures of recent memory seem a little gauche when your housekeeper just had her house repossessed and your pool boy is drowning in debt. A new era of less obvious luxury is about to be ushered in, the kind that walks softly and doesn't carry an oversize, logo-covered stick. Foreshadowed by the success of ahead-of-the-curve brands like Bottega Veneta, we can expect the luxury industry to attempt an overnight transformation to understatement.
For starters, consumers would be well served to cut out overtly Replica Bags with outrageous price tags. "It" bags haven't been where it's at for a while now, and those who continue to carry them look more like fashion victims than trendsetters. The only markets where they continue to be status symbols are in those that are relatively insulated from the financial meltdown, like the Middle East, Russia and India. Although their markets and currencies are being battered, they still have vast reserves of newly minted wealth waiting to be spent, and a burning desire for obvious symbols to affirm their new status.
For the rest of the world, however, it's a good time to get back to basics, and with handbags it doesn't get much simpler than the classic tote. The Platonic ideal of carryalls, tote bags can range from humble to haute, but whatever the price point, they share an essential shape that marries classic form with practical function, such as schlepping stacks of bills from the bank to stuff under your mattress. L.L. Bean makes a no-nonsense canvas model for under $20, and Anya Hindmarch's collectible "I Am Not a Plastic Bag" styles are now running upwards of $100 on eBay—quite a mark-up from the less than $10 they originally cost. Those who can't bear to carry something common can opt for Hermès' Garden Party tote in canvas and grain leather that sells for approximately $1,600, giving the bearer subtle bragging rights without any tacky logo overload.
On a chilly Paris evening in October 1996, Rei Kawakubo, the high priestess of forward-looking fashion design, unveiled her latest collection for Comme des Garçons. The audience of editors, stylists and photographers sat in silence, punctuated by the rapid-fire sound of camera shutters, as a parade of models passed by, swathed in stretchy material in Easter-egg colors and disfigured by large, soft, tumorlike protrusions. Kawakubo's vision of spring, which came to be known as the "Lumps and Bumps" collection, is now seen as a seminal moment in 20th-century design, but at the time it was greeted with skepticism and ridicule. The late Amy Spindler wrote in her New York Times review that "the dresses invented whole new deformities for women." High-end retailers like Barneys New York barely sold any of the pieces. This time, they said, Kawakubo had gone too far.
It turned out to be a good career move. The reclusive Kawakubo is now designing a line for the mass-market marvel H&M, due out in November. The one-season collection will encompass men's, women's and children's wear, fragrance and accessories, swiftly carrying the fashion world's avant-garde agent provocateur from the outskirts of public acceptance to the heart of the mainstream "fast fashion" machine. Such marriages benefit both partners; as clothing production continues to accelerate, turnover in taste quickens and consumers' attention spans diminish, both designers and retailers are looking for ways to weather the challenging commercial landscape.
As a key driver of fast fashion—the rapid-fire delivery of new, on-trend merchandise—H&M is one of the major success stories of the new millennium, combining low-margin, bargain-basement prices with a fashion-savvy staff. To remain competitive, however, the company regularly pursues high-fashion collaborations. Since 2004, H&M has coupled with Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, Viktor & Rolf and Roberto Cavalli. Kawakubo is the first truly avant-garde talent to make the grade. "Things are becoming more accessible, people are more broad-minded, [and] something like this can come out to a bigger audience," says Margareta Van den Bosch, H&M's former design director and current creative adviser. "It's fashion and it's a form of art." To be sure, the audience for sophisticated visionaries like Kawakubo has grown. But even if H&M customers don't warm to her creations like armhole-less shirts, and skirts for men, the resulting media buzz will be the chain's main payoff.
Kawakubo stands to gain, too. "Our guest designers reach out to a bigger audience, at least for a short time," says Van den Bosch. Gabi Asfour, one of the three members of the New York-based design team ThreeasFour, which recently joined forces with the Gap on its latest collection of reinterpreted classic white button-down shirts, is even more direct. "We collaborated with the Gap because we respect capitalism," he says. "If the establishment of America has opened up to us, I'm very happy." Other pairings include London's Topshop with such avant-garde designers as Preen, Marios Schwab, Christopher Kane, Jonathan Saunders and Louise Goldin, whose affordable adaptations of their signature designs draw customers in.
Avant-garde designers are defined by their reputation as experimental innovators, which might seem incompatible with the brand identity of mainstream clothing chains. But industry experts say such collaborations are harmless for the designers, as long as they are short-term. "With a capsule collection there's very little, if any, risk or downside," says Robert Burke, CEO of the eponymous luxury-consulting firm. "It's much more the fact that it will give exposure and viability to the line. If it was a long-term collaboration, then we could talk more about the negatives." Even in the increasingly corporate fashion world, where conglomerates have largely replaced family-held luxury firms and shareholders exert ever greater pressure, Burke believes there will always be a place for avant-garde designers. "There have to be those directional designers that influence all levels, whether it's at H&M and Zara, or in the contemporary market."
Far from jeopardizing their future, strategic partnerships of the sort Kawakubo has mastered—she also recently debuted a capsule collection of custom Louis Vuitton handbags in her Tokyo store—might prove integral to the survival of avant-garde design. While many innovators are showered with editorial attention, most still have to scramble to make ends meet. Initiatives such as the ones offered by H&M allow designers to penetrate the mass consciousness while achieving financially significant sales figures. "At this point, the world is uniting, so there's no point in alienating anything," says Asfour. "The values behind the idea of 'the underground' I would protect to the bone, but what's wrong with getting your message to more people? Underground is not interesting anymore, unless it's overground." And that, after all, is where the high street lives.
Given the level of anxiety in the air, it wouldn't be surprising if former big spenders have lost their appetite for Michelin-starred meals, which can run into the thousands. With a bit more effort, however, and an open mind, foodies can still eat like kings, and in the process get a little healthier by forgoing fancy restaurants for a local farmers market. Cheaper than organic grocers like Whole Foods, farmers markets cut out the middlemen while offering fresher produce. If you have a hard time swallowing the idea of preparing your own food, consider the example of Jamie Oliver, who has advocated this kind of DIY high-style approach for years—and made millions off it. The telegenic British chef has not only expanded his chain of Italian restaurants but has also taken to promoting wholesome, back-to-basics eating through a national chain of food centers that offer lessons in cooking and nutrition.
Once the simple high life becomes routine, the newly restrained rich might find that they don't miss the high-maintenance demands of their old lifestyles, the perpetual strain of keeping up with the Joneses, the strenuous effort to make sure that one's class status is apparent to all. Though they may never be ready to give up all material goods and live the Buddhist ideal, they have come to see the truth in the saying that some of the best things in life are free. For everything else, there's MasterCard, though it may no longer be platinum.

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<h1>Out from Underground</h1> Author: <a href='http://www.articleseen.com/profile_zinsser.aspx'>zinsser</a> The party's over, even for the superrich. High-net-worth individuals, who lived on a scale most of us can't imagine—private jets; mega yachts; third, fourth and fifth homes; gleaming AmEx black cards with no limit—are seeing their credit-card bills come due. So they're cutting back, in their own way, by selling the boat, buying ready-to-wear instead of couture and giving up Iranian caviar for breakfast—baby steps. It might sound ridiculous, but they've got to start somewhere. Of course, they don't exactly qualify as Wal-Mart shoppers yet; the ultrawealthy are still ultrawealthy, just slightly less so.
In terms of buying power, they remain a force to be reckoned with—and for luxury conglomerates, a demographic to be even more aggressively courted. But the nouveau expenditures of recent memory seem a little gauche when your housekeeper just had her house repossessed and your pool boy is drowning in debt. A new era of less obvious luxury is about to be ushered in, the kind that walks softly and doesn't carry an oversize, logo-covered stick. Foreshadowed by the success of ahead-of-the-curve brands like Bottega Veneta, we can expect the luxury industry to attempt an overnight transformation to understatement.
For starters, consumers would be well served to cut out overtly Replica Bags with outrageous price tags. "It" bags haven't been where it's at for a while now, and those who continue to carry them look more like fashion victims than trendsetters. The only markets where they continue to be status symbols are in those that are relatively insulated from the financial meltdown, like the Middle East, Russia and India. Although their markets and currencies are being battered, they still have vast reserves of newly minted wealth waiting to be spent, and a burning desire for obvious symbols to affirm their new status.
For the rest of the world, however, it's a good time to get back to basics, and with handbags it doesn't get much simpler than the classic tote. The Platonic ideal of carryalls, tote bags can range from humble to haute, but whatever the price point, they share an essential shape that marries classic form with practical function, such as schlepping stacks of bills from the bank to stuff under your mattress. L.L. Bean makes a no-nonsense canvas model for under $20, and Anya Hindmarch's collectible "I Am Not a Plastic Bag" styles are now running upwards of $100 on eBay—quite a mark-up from the less than $10 they originally cost. Those who can't bear to carry something common can opt for Hermès' Garden Party tote in canvas and grain leather that sells for approximately $1,600, giving the bearer subtle bragging rights without any tacky logo overload.
On a chilly Paris evening in October 1996, Rei Kawakubo, the high priestess of forward-looking fashion design, unveiled her latest collection for Comme des Garçons. The audience of editors, stylists and photographers sat in silence, punctuated by the rapid-fire sound of camera shutters, as a parade of models passed by, swathed in stretchy material in Easter-egg colors and disfigured by large, soft, tumorlike protrusions. Kawakubo's vision of spring, which came to be known as the "Lumps and Bumps" collection, is now seen as a seminal moment in 20th-century design, but at the time it was greeted with skepticism and ridicule. The late Amy Spindler wrote in her New York Times review that "the dresses invented whole new deformities for women." High-end retailers like Barneys New York barely sold any of the pieces. This time, they said, Kawakubo had gone too far.
It turned out to be a good career move. The reclusive Kawakubo is now designing a line for the mass-market marvel H&M, due out in November. The one-season collection will encompass men's, women's and children's wear, fragrance and accessories, swiftly carrying the fashion world's avant-garde agent provocateur from the outskirts of public acceptance to the heart of the mainstream "fast fashion" machine. Such marriages benefit both partners; as clothing production continues to accelerate, turnover in taste quickens and consumers' attention spans diminish, both designers and retailers are looking for ways to weather the challenging commercial landscape.
As a key driver of fast fashion—the rapid-fire delivery of new, on-trend merchandise—H&M is one of the major success stories of the new millennium, combining low-margin, bargain-basement prices with a fashion-savvy staff. To remain competitive, however, the company regularly pursues high-fashion collaborations. Since 2004, H&M has coupled with Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, Viktor & Rolf and Roberto Cavalli. Kawakubo is the first truly avant-garde talent to make the grade. "Things are becoming more accessible, people are more broad-minded, [and] something like this can come out to a bigger audience," says Margareta Van den Bosch, H&M's former design director and current creative adviser. "It's fashion and it's a form of art." To be sure, the audience for sophisticated visionaries like Kawakubo has grown. But even if H&M customers don't warm to her creations like armhole-less shirts, and skirts for men, the resulting media buzz will be the chain's main payoff.
Kawakubo stands to gain, too. "Our guest designers reach out to a bigger audience, at least for a short time," says Van den Bosch. Gabi Asfour, one of the three members of the New York-based design team ThreeasFour, which recently joined forces with the Gap on its latest collection of reinterpreted classic white button-down shirts, is even more direct. "We collaborated with the Gap because we respect capitalism," he says. "If the establishment of America has opened up to us, I'm very happy." Other pairings include London's Topshop with such avant-garde designers as Preen, Marios Schwab, Christopher Kane, Jonathan Saunders and Louise Goldin, whose affordable adaptations of their signature designs draw customers in.
Avant-garde designers are defined by their reputation as experimental innovators, which might seem incompatible with the brand identity of mainstream clothing chains. But industry experts say such collaborations are harmless for the designers, as long as they are short-term. "With a capsule collection there's very little, if any, risk or downside," says Robert Burke, CEO of the eponymous luxury-consulting firm. "It's much more the fact that it will give exposure and viability to the line. If it was a long-term collaboration, then we could talk more about the negatives." Even in the increasingly corporate fashion world, where conglomerates have largely replaced family-held luxury firms and shareholders exert ever greater pressure, Burke believes there will always be a place for avant-garde designers. "There have to be those directional designers that influence all levels, whether it's at H&M and Zara, or in the contemporary market."
Far from jeopardizing their future, strategic partnerships of the sort Kawakubo has mastered—she also recently debuted a capsule collection of custom Louis Vuitton handbags in her Tokyo store—might prove integral to the survival of avant-garde design. While many innovators are showered with editorial attention, most still have to scramble to make ends meet. Initiatives such as the ones offered by H&M allow designers to penetrate the mass consciousness while achieving financially significant sales figures. "At this point, the world is uniting, so there's no point in alienating anything," says Asfour. "The values behind the idea of 'the underground' I would protect to the bone, but what's wrong with getting your message to more people? Underground is not interesting anymore, unless it's overground." And that, after all, is where the high street lives.
Given the level of anxiety in the air, it wouldn't be surprising if former big spenders have lost their appetite for Michelin-starred meals, which can run into the thousands. With a bit more effort, however, and an open mind, foodies can still eat like kings, and in the process get a little healthier by forgoing fancy restaurants for a local farmers market. Cheaper than organic grocers like Whole Foods, farmers markets cut out the middlemen while offering fresher produce. If you have a hard time swallowing the idea of preparing your own food, consider the example of Jamie Oliver, who has advocated this kind of DIY high-style approach for years—and made millions off it. The telegenic British chef has not only expanded his chain of Italian restaurants but has also taken to promoting wholesome, back-to-basics eating through a national chain of food centers that offer lessons in cooking and nutrition.
Once the simple high life becomes routine, the newly restrained rich might find that they don't miss the high-maintenance demands of their old lifestyles, the perpetual strain of keeping up with the Joneses, the strenuous effort to make sure that one's class status is apparent to all. Though they may never be ready to give up all material goods and live the Buddhist ideal, they have come to see the truth in the saying that some of the best things in life are free. For everything else, there's MasterCard, though it may no longer be platinum.
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