Sometimes I wonder what they really mean when people say "there is beauty in everything". It is quite easy to say this, often, too easy. Sometimes it feels as if a statement evoking an open mind has become a manifestation of hypocrisy. In the fashion industry, people laugh and mock designers and their designs faster than they could say, "I have no capacity to understand" (I too am guilty of this sometimes) and yet many of them believe in omnipresent beauty.
My first menswear mini-series - an ode to proud effeminates.Some people loved it but I know it bothered some as well. Photo by Enrico Dc.
Often when I hear someone randomly speak the above phrase, I want to ask them, "Where is the beauty in sickness and suffering? or anger and violence? what about freak accidents? how beautiful is your client who pays you nothing and expects everything?"
As fashion designers, we believe in inspiration as our fuel. It is the core of our conceptualization and our conceptualized. But do we have to declare something as being "beautiful" to be considered an inspiration? Is it not possible to simply admit how something lacks beauty or is simply abhorrent and yet it is inspiring?
I took the train today and these advertisements inspired me to write this entry.
I am inspired by these pictures not because I consider them beautiful but because they made me laugh and I consider them as too (insert adjectives here) for my taste but at the same time they are raw and honest and the people behind it probably thought that this was the best thing to do for their brand. Authenticity and Honesty. It's inspiring.