The Democratization of Fashion

Lynne Kiesling

Manolo’s recent post about fashion and new media is a superb read, and not just for those of us who care about fashion:

Or if you wish to see the same principle at the work in the matter of the housewares look at this, The George Foreman/Michael Graves Grilling Machine.

We now wish our clothes, our things, even our grilling machines to be stylish in the way that we hope reflects our individuality.

At the same of the time, the medias they have become more democratic, and the new media tools, especially the blog, they have given ordinary peoples? shoe lovers, teenaged girls, dandies, stylish college professors, and anyone who has the computer? the tools to talk about the style and the fashion to the wider audience, to become the fashion and style critics. …

Once, we had to wait for the Vogue, or the New York Times to read what the high and the mighty thought about the latest runway show. Now, on the day of the show, we can turn to the La Coquette in the Paris, or the Spirit Fingers in the Hong Kong, or the Cool Chiq in the Scandinavia, or the I Am Fashion girls in the New York and the London for the informed and entertaining commentary.

Stylish college professors? Is there such a thing (wink wink)? And may I point out that La Coquette has decamped from Paris to Chicago for two months. C’est magnifique!

OK, back to the point … Manolo’s point about both the democratization of the idea and manifestation of fashion and the reporting and discussion of fashion is another example of the decentralizing and disintermediation, and in the case of fashion blogs, reintermediation of a different kind, that we have seen in other areas in the past few years.

And I love it.