Are designers crazy?

Photo: Contributed

Have you ever seen images from the Parisian catwalks and wondered “who in their right mind would ever wear that, much less pay thousands to do so?”

Some of the so-called designs coming from couture houses range from the bizarre to the impractical to downright ugly.

Looking at such crazy get-ups, it’s easy to be dismissive of fashion. However, don’t assume whatever happens on those catwalks is irrelevant to you.

In the fascinating documentary The September Issue, Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour explains how the looks presented during fashion shows end up trickling down into the stores we mortals shop at.

Often, the creations on the catwalks are over-the-top exaggerated versions of the esthetics the designer are trying to capture, and will never be put into retail production.

Instead the general themes — the colours, fabrics and silhouettes — will be translated into wearable pieces for the designer’s collection.

Then these trends are mimicked by the contemporary mass market clothing producers and end up in your closet.

And it has been thus for all of history.

In centuries past, couture fashion houses, with men as the professional creators and women as seamstresses, styled the nobility and wealthy.

When they created a new look — a different neckline, a shorter skirt, a blouson sleeve — that style was soon adopted by the tailors clothing everyone.

It has only been in the last few generations that independent designers and female professionals have gained popularity, such as Coco Chanel.

Sometimes their catwalks have been more about show than fashion as they explore issues of gender identity, class, and commerce through their collections.

The late brilliant Alexander McQueen is a good example. His fashion shows were a spectacle, complete with strobing lights and booming music. His daring ensembles made statements about Scottish culture and myth.

While I can appreciate the theatrics of McQueen’s shows and the exquisiteness of his tailoring, I have little room in my wardrobe for his couture gowns. Unless I end up getting an invitation to New York’s Met Gala, not likely.

If you are like me, there is a ray of light amid the designer craziness as a crop of new women-focused, minimalist ethical tailors gain traction.

They create simple functional clothes in quality fabrics that are sustainably sourced. Some of the best are AYR (All Year Round), Sassind, and Grana.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.