Of hoarders, squanderers and label slaves

Yesterday, as I was going through the latest posts in my blogroll, I stumbled upon a blogger interview – it was a Chinese housewife lady showing off her numerous top designer possessions (nothing without a world famous logo), including a collection of Chanel bags – almost 40 all in all. And seeing that made me not so much impressed, or awestruck, as just somehow annoyed. It made me think of another such blogger interview I once saw – a very young girl with her totally insane collection of Birkin bags of all possible colors. It was somehow disturbing to think of this kid, who clearly haven’t worked a day in her life, throwing away money on some of the most expensive bags in the world. Who even needs that many bags of exactly same design? Frankly as I looked at the giant piles of bags of both of those “lucky” ladies I was seeing two label slaves. Despite the fact that a Hermes Birkin or a classic Chanel bag is an icon in the bag world, such a huge collection of them, in my opinion, has nothing to do with fashion or style. It’s an equivalent of ridiculous gold-&-diamond name-tags on thick golden chains worn by rappers – a demonstration of wealth. And what they call “collecting” I call hoarding and money squandering. But moreover, it makes me think how we all, fans of fashion and style, sometimes shop way too much (and some of those things we barely wear) rather than spend our money in more productive ways that enrich our lives, educate us and broaden our horizons.

Some of you may think it’s just envy. Well, I assure you, this rant has nothing to do with that. Sure, we all strive for a better level of life, and every now and then we may experience a little twitch of jealousy seeing a fellow fashion blogger showcasing outfits made up mostly or partly of designer labels, and actually getting lots of extra readers thanks to that. But I have no problem with that as long as a person uses his/her bigger-than-average shopping budget to put together a unique personal style, which the readers can use as a fashion inspiration – in the same way they do a fashion magazine, only blogs offer a much more personalized approach and that’s why we love them. Among the examples of such blogs are StyleScrapbook and ManRepeller. But if all a blogger does is invest into overhyped brands like Chanel, LV or Hermes and dump the pics of it on the blog page, it just looks like major boasting. Don’t take me wrong, I have all the respect for those brands, but honestly, hoarding items bearing world-famous designs and logos doesn’t require any taste, fashion sense and personal style – it only takes money.

Now, it sure sounds like I’m getting all critical on fellow bloggers and who am I to judge? Maybe, but I’m also a journalist, writer and a keen observer of social trends, which I tend to criticize in my articles if I feel they deserve it. And what I’m talking about here is exactly a fashion-related social issue. Fashion blogging world is a social structure of its own and while we all have different budgets and incomes – which is only normal – it should be more about style and individual approach to fashion, and less about “Look how many pricy bags I got!” I’m sorry, I just don’t see how any reader can benefit from this knowledge – you can view the same bags on the company website and in the Vogue and in better quality I bet.

Also I’ve noticed the biggest hoarders and squanderers are people who don’t understand the value of money (they never had to work hard to make them) or/and feel a constant need to show everyone how much they’ve got. And expectedly when it comes to labels these people go after the popular choices – something anyone can recognize. I, on the other hand, am all for originality and individuality when it comes to style and the world-famous designs, no matter how iconic and timeless, are anything but original. Frankly when I see yet another blogger flaunting one of those typical flashy Louis Vuitton bags – I’m bored to death. It’s like the most obvious IT bag choice in the world! How about using your imagination?

Now I’m not trying to preach anything and tell you to stop buying stuff, or buy less, or buy less bags. It’s everybody’s own business. In fact, recently rummaging through my wardrobe – I’m pretty sure it’s quite tiny by fashion blogger standards – I felt guilty for all my hoarding. And that’s considering I moved from Ukraine to Greece last year, bringing less than a third of my wardrobe with me and I shopped only occasionally throughout the year! It’s still too much. And I don’t want to be a hoarder and I don’t want my life to be about things. And even if one day I do complete one of those many novels I’ve started at different times and it becomes a bestseller or sell a script for good money, I’m sure I’d find a better use for it than buying 50 bags of the same designer like your typical label slave. After all I’m blessed with some good taste, common sense, creativity and imagination as I’m sure all of you, my favorite bloggers and readers are! And for someone who doesn’t have that – well then piling bags may be the only solution…

That’s what I’m talkin’ about ))

Kate Moss smoking stunt at Louis Vuitton: Bold or Fail?

Kate Moss just added yet another one to the long list of scandals starring her by walking the catwalk at Louis Vuitton autumn-winter 2011/12 show while puffing on a cigarette. Aside from the fact that smoking in Great Britain is illegal at all public places (which certainly includes catwalks), the incident also took place on March 9, which happened to be Britain's annual No-Smoking Day.

Indeed, Marc Jacobs made it quite clear that the new collection and the show was all about breaking the rules, crossing boundaries and expression of personal freedom. But while chain-smoking may be Kate Moss's personal choice, it's hardly something to be promoted, especially among younger generation that is greatly influenced by Louis Vuitton as a brand, Marc Jacobs as a designer, and Kate Moss as a style icon.

So what do we make of this? Was it Moss trying to declare that with her history of drug and alcohol abuse, and dating the baddest boys out there, she can easily get away with just about anything? Or was it Marc's way of rooting for his now ostracised colleague John Galliano by staging a scandal of his own?