Isn't it ironic?

(Illustration by Garance Dore)

Garance Dore is one of the first blogs that I started following 5 years ago...back when it was only available in French!  I love the fashion illustrations combined with street style photography.  She's really ingenious!


This recent Rouge Louboutin is a very interesting view on the fashion industry and its character:  

"First I was intrigued by the Louboutin red sole, then I thought it was just the coolest idea, and then I loved the design of the shoes, and then I saw way too many of them during fashion week, and finally a few years passed and I saw Kim Kardashian wearing them. And now I’m just not interested anymore.

And then after that, I was locked up in the house because of a hurricaine and I watched the Kardashians – just to get up to date on my pop culture, of course – and of course I kind of fell for Kim’s charm and after watching her, it bothered me less that she wears the studded Pigalle – I mean, even when she practically eats it when she gets up from the table, she’s still just so cute.

I always wonder if having such a distinct marker for a brand is more of a weakness than a strength.

I know that Louboutin’s success is partly because the red heel is sort of a status symbol [and a status symbol very heatedly defended. Have you followed the Louboutin vs YSL affair?] but doesn’t that make people like me shy away from them some?  Regular folks who just love the shoes but not necessarily what the red heel says about them?

Because the quality of the design of the shoes is still fantastic! So much so that I know of one top editor who found a good solution: she just paints her soles black.

Fashion can be so ironic, don’t you think?"

Somehow, I feel the same way and this is a dilemma that has become somewhat of an issue for me too!  I'm not only talking about Louboutins, but about all other brands and cult items that by themselves beautiful quality pieces that have now become a little repulsive to own due to its association!  Does our reputation (translated by the association of what we wear to a type of person) supersedes everything else?