Recession, depression, credit crunch, layoffs……. it’s all so bleak. But Dazed and Confused, the cult British magazine, is coming out with a December issue all about the unlikeliest of topics: optimism. And not just any kind of optimism, but fashion optimism — warm, fuzzy feelings about an industry that’s posting record loses, bracing for a depressing holiday season, and experiencing store closings left and right.
Dazed presents 18 of the freshest young fashion talents of the year here on Dazed Digital. For the December issue of Dazed & Confused, the fashion team gave reason to be cheerful with a shoot by Daniel Sannwald styled by Katie Shillingford and Robbie Spencer. Pierre Debuscherre also made a film to accompany this energetic shoot, which showcased the new designers, the new faces as chosen by the Dazed fashion team and and above all it asks people to “Smile!”
Still, something doesn’t sit right with the magazine’s plea for its readers to smile. The image on the magazine’s cover (above) is a clownish version of a glamour shot - not the version of clown that’s fun and happy, but the scary “IT” clown lurking in the shadows. Then, taking a look at the “fresh young fashion talents” that Dazed features on the site, most are presenting collections that are quite clownish themselves. Interesting, thought-provoking and avant garde, absolutely. But designed to sell in this economy? Doubtful.
Maybe, though, “designed to sell” isn’t the point, and it’s optimism for optimism’s sake?
Of course there is optimism in fashion. Take a look at history. In “hard” times, fashion rises to the occasion to make people feel better, to raise spirits and to allow people to dream of better times to come.
November 14th, 2008 at 11:56 pm
Minimal resources ($) gives rise to a surge of creativity - no question, Tracy I’m with you on that… by the same token, we could take heed, be dazed and confused at a possible tragedy by the look of these pics.
November 17th, 2008 at 1:14 am