Fashion: Why is Fashion so important to some and me.

When starting to write my blogs, I have to put myself in the position of the reader. What would they like to know? What questions are they already needing to know the answers to? But not feel that the blogger is preaching at them, rather than helping them understand the big questions and possible answers.

But then I realised I can never know these questions that need answers, so I just have to Carry On Regardless and hope that my words resonate with just one person - that would be ace!

So today my blog is about why Fashion, its ups and downs. It feels so important to me and my life. I can only speak for myself, as that is the one true person who I know inside and out.

For me, Fashion is a multitude of disciplines, creative and artistic, the love of textiles, the cut of a dress. How one curved piece of fabric joins onto a straight piece to create a 3D object. These are all the things that come into focus when looking at the simplest dress on a slim model.

I then take that image and extrapolate it into a plus size shape such as my own. This is where the difficulty arises and problems present themselves. This is why I love fashion, I am an eternal problem solver. A fashion detective, looking to create a pleasing image for a plus size silhouette.

So, this is how I look at Fashion, but I doubt many others look at in this analytical, stripped back way. Most people look at fashion as either a utilitarian discipline or a statement of intent. As with most things these days, what is in Fashion or Trending, depends on what the latest favourite celebrity has been caught on camera wearing, either sunglasses or jackets, or handbags to shoes and that must have dress, by that amazing designer. And so it begins, the process of tracking down which high street shop has that dress etc, so that it is at the very least affordable to the average fashionista on the high street.

Most Haute Couture Designers, design 18 months into the future. So when they show their designs at the Paris, New York, or London shows, they are already out of date as soon as they walk down the catwalk.

However, once this happens, the High Street shops have to take those designs and use all their clever knowledge about intellectual property to strip them back and allow a new piece to be created, with the inspiration taken from the catwalk pieces. This is how High Street Fashion mimics the catwalk shows.

Haute Couture Designers also have whats called their *Diffusion Ranges* which are designed by them, but use either different manufacturing methods or different fabrics. This enables High Street Fashionistas who can afford their new ranges, to buy relatively cheaply compared to the Haute Couture ranges. I know that Vivienne Westwood does this in most cities. These ranges are still way and above Primark but they are a taste of the original catwalk ethos of the Designers and are labelled as the Designer.

So, as each season comes to an end and new Haute Courture shows are getting ready to show, this process starts all over again, ad infinitum. This is why I love and chose Fashion as my continuous flow of ideas and creativity, ever changing and sometimes staying the same, but with a twist, the twist, is life. hahaha

Susey ..

xxx