LET’S TALK LUXURY

Style

Jan 26

Date

1.25.22

time

7:00 PM

Place

Living Room

LUXURY.

A word that can be both celebrated and detested in today’s culture depending on your individual perspective and world view. I know, I know…you might be thinking, “Candace, how does the phrase world view and luxury even exist in the same sentence?” And you know what I would say, “That is a great question!” I am not sure that I can explain all the interwoven details in one post, but I do think we can start the conversation. So let’s talk luxury. And the best way to start that conversation is by referencing one of my most favorite movies of all time, The Devil Wears Prada.

Andy finds herself standing in Miranda’s office deeply wishing she could take her snicker back regarding Miranda + the team’s on-going debate over which blue belt to include for the wardrobe pulls. If you haven’t seen it, I am linking it HERE, becasue it is just the best! As Miranda gives her speech about the evolution of blue and how it made its way down the fashion food chain, she uses the word TRICKLE, which is incredibly key. It was not until I was in graduate school studying fashion theory and consumerism that I understood the full breath of that movie scene. You see Trickle Down Theory is an actual thing. The theory in short communicates how one of the fashion processes of evolution starts at the top and makes it way down. So imagine a triangle. At the very top, we see Haute Couture or bespoke designs from luxury brands like Oscar de la Renta and YSL being the pioneer for new trends. From there we see a gradual flow down the pyramid to designer (which as we know is growing in desire because brands like Chanel, Dior and Fendi are having crazy prices increases), then to contemporary and finally, to mass. There’s a few categories in between, but that gives you the general idea! While Trickle Down isn’t the only theory within the fashion industry (which is much more than clothing), it perahps is a theory we most frequently see impacting trends and the adoption of them. I’ve really come to learn this in my work as a wardrobe stylist by reviewing runway shows season after season, looking at trend forecast projections and so on.

While I am now building a very small collection of designer goods for my wardrobe, my appreciation for luxury started way before I could ever make the investment. Understanding how haute couture and luxury often serves as a blueprint for what we might find at J. Crew, Shopbop or Target a few seasons later changed my mindset forever. Shopping luxury on the regular might not be a daily relative, but I’ve found the ability to appreicate the rich hertiage, quality craftsmanship and deep rooted brand identity that has the abililty to transcend as the times change, while also reamining uniquely them. Honestly, it is magic in itself.

Over the next couple of weeks, it is my hope that we can have some meaningful conversation about luxury fashion and how it relatively translates for all of us, what designer purchase to make first, where to go for solid preloved beauties, understanding cost per wear and so on.

So, if you’re ready…let’s dive in!