Passion of the times

Twenty years ago, my life was very different. I was a scrawny, buck-toothed kid with heavy shoes, oversized glasses, furrowed brows, and a penchant for all things geeky. I spent my afternoons watching Richard Attenborough’s Life on Earth, playing detective, or reading encyclopedias from cover to cover. Yes, that was my life and there was nothing wrong with it, except that those who weren’t saving the whales, cleaning our air, or fighting for human rights were all a bunch of crocks. I could go on as to why I thought the cool chicks in school with their frou-frou flock were bigger dodos than their extinct predecessors. Fashion was nothing but a stupid, capricious pastime that I felt was inappropriate during an age of poverty and turmoil.

But magically, like a grain of sand in an oyster shell, the pearl of my passion grew and grew until one day. I was hooked. Somewhere inside me was a living, breathing fashion freak. How it happened, I’m not exactly sure. Nobody could have guessed I would turn out this way, least of all me. It must’ve been the left brain working overtime. Or perhaps that cute boy in 6th grade who I just had to impress. And then those bagets came, Pretty in Pink followed and now, well, I live to tell about it.

Today, I design clothes for a living, and I couldn’t be happier. I love fashion. And the more I delve into it, the more I realize how I can’t live without it. Whether you’re a teacher, racecar driver, priest, politician or tribal chief – your duds are key to your image, to communicating what you need to at any given moment. Just like a chameleon that changes its skin tone or a peacock that flaunts its plumage, we use clothing to blend in, strut our stuff, make a statement, create a mood, or influence those around us.

You don’t have to be in tune with seasonal trends or know who’s wearing what on the red carpet to like fashion. In fact, feel free to despise it (for influencing you to wear such atrocities as acid wash jeans) or mock it if you will (aren’t platform shoes so practical when it rains??). But, alas, you can’t ignore the stranglehold fashion has on all our lives.

Even throughout history, fashion has played a significant role in defining class, race, politics, religion and personal ideologies. Hitler, for example, had an unforgettable look (you know, the famous slick ’do, square moustache and military attire). It’s clear to me how his look was a crucial part to the whole Nazi package. I mean, he definitely had a style, but it amazes me how anyone could trust a guy with a get-up like that. Was it not so clearly obvious that this man was obsessive and dangerous? To this day, that image of Hitler makes me shudder, and end up just poking fun at his looks.

On a lighter note, you can’t help but get all chirpy with Christian Dior’s New Look in 1947. The hourglass silhouette of cinched waists and blooming skirts gave women around the world the feeling of elegance, luxury and, above all, optimism. It was the perfect prescription for a smile after that harrowing war.

Over in Hollywood, Marlon Brando took a plain, ol’ tee and changed his life forever. By defying the ’50s clean and trim dress code, Brando turned himself into an icon. Complete with a leather jacket, hat, and a Harley D., his rebel biker look began "the bad boy" sensation that even I succumbed to half a century later.

It was in the ’60s however, where things really started to boil. Whatever occurred or developed during that tumultuous decade continues to have a lasting impact on the social, political and cultural landscape today. There was a movement towards freedom, led by young people, to rebel against all norms and authority, including parents, church, state and even fashion. Imagine, everything was new. Peace and love reigned supreme. The pleasure principle was in full effect (thanks to The Pill), prompting the sexual revolution and the Sex, Drugs, and Rock n’ Roll way of life. They didn’t call it the Swingin’ Sixties for nothing. Yeah, baby! (Sorry, I couldn’t resist...)

For the first time ever, street fashion inspired haute couture. Yves Saint Laurent glamorized the black turtlenecks and leather jackets of the bikers and beatniks of the Left Bank. He created tuxedos for women, urbanized the hippie look, used Eastern elements and pioneered the use of Op Art and Pop Art imagery on his creations. Then there were designers such as Andre Courreges and Paco Rabanne who looked skyward for inspiration. It was the public’s first glimpse of the futuristic, space-age look, and gauging from Prada’s and Jil Sander’s last collection, it’s here to stay. My personal thanks goes out to British designer, Mary Quant. She brought the mini to life (Alleluia! Alleluia!) and marketed it to its fullest potential with her famous boutique and frequent promotional trips with models and musicians to the US.

Today, fashion still keeps the world on its toes. It is a mainstay that refuses to stay put. It keeps us guessing what’s next? and begging for more of this and that. What the future holds is a coin toss, really. And anyway, I wouldn’t want to know what lies ahead because that would just kill the magic for me. It is so powerful and lasting precisely because it is unpredictable. Far from being the stupid, useless pastime I once thought, it is actually what keeps me happy, entertained, alive. From time to time, don’t we all need a little release, a fantasy world, a little help with our looks, a distraction from the nitty-gritty? Yes, indeed. We could all use a fashion fix!

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Quote Me! "Fashion is a despot whom the wise ridicule and obey." – from Carrie Donovan as taken from the Devil’s Dictionary

Dare to wear: Anything yellow, except lipstick!