Things I've Learnt From Fashion Week

If you are a fashion lover even in the mildest of forms, for the past four weeks, your world has been a whirlwind of catching up on countless catwalk shows from New York to Paris. During the time we all were glued to our screens, I found that there is more to fashion week than just clothes. Whilst I learnt a few new lessons, there are also a couple of things that have left me in complete bewilderment. Probably the most invaluable pieces of knowledge I have ever picked up - These are the things I've learnt from Fashion Week.

Things I've Learnt From Fashion Week:

*Fashion is what we see on the runway, but Style is what we see on the street.

*Some attendees aim to get noticed by photographers by looking effortlessly chic, while others gain attention by looking like they had 10 seconds to get dressed in the dark from a box of costumes that belong backstage at a Broadway production.

*I wonder whether some of the heavily beaded colossally large ball gowns weigh more than the models themselves.

*It truly is a miracle that models still have most of their own hair after all the pinning and pulling, heat styling, braiding, curling, crimping, brushing, blowdrying, wig glueing, ironing and extending. I need to find out what shampoo they are using.

*I still have no idea why British designers (like Victoria Beckham) show at New York Fashion Week, and American designers (like Tom Ford) show at London Fashion Week.

*Designers usually come on to stage at end of their show to take a bow and bask in the glorious applause...This is their moment in the sun, so one would at least expect them to look their best or brush their hair for goodness sake!

*Designers can create just about any type of commodity from clothes to shoes, bags, makeup, fragrances and sunglasses, you would think that the least they could do is manufacture some underwear for their models to wear on the runway. I don't see how nudity is necessary when no one in their right minds (besides Lady Gaga) would dress that way in public.

*No matter what your style - minimalist, glamourous, sporty, classic, feminine, bohemian, tomboyish or dramatic, there is guaranteed to be a collection that will suit you. 

*I've figured that a model's real talent doesn't lie in the way she presents a designer's clothes on the runway, it's in the fact that she can walk 20+ shows in death-defying heels (without stumbling) and still look darn good doing it.

*Each city brings it's own brand of uniqueness to the fashion week table. New York yields a cosmopolitan blend of modern finesse, London has its roots in edgy innovation and interesting prints, Milan brings the high end glamour and sex appeal, and Paris is all about demure beauty and feminine elegance.

*I've realized that as long as you're designing for a highly admired and historically renowned fashion house, it doesn't matter if the clothes look like it's been strung together from the leftovers of a circus convention, critics will praise your work nonetheless.

*Runway makeup (especially the type that looks like the spattered remains of a detonated disco ball) Never, I repeat, Never Ever looks good in real life.

*I haven't quite figured out why designers create clothes for Size 0, 1.85m tall models, when the average woman (who is their actual consumer) is far off from that unattainable shape. 

*If Anna Wintour makes an appearance at your fashion show, either you must be exceptionally good at what you do, or she has a lot of free time on her hands. Which I highly doubt.

*It's never really worth buying into a $5000 trend that will only last one season. Or two. 

*No matter how many times I see the same collection on different blogs and websites, I always find something new to admire about it that I had originally missed.

*I find that the success of a collection can be established by how instantly recognizable any of the pieces are when worn off the runway.

*If socialites, heiresses and celebrities get most of the runway looks free of charge for publicity stints, who, then is actually buying these outrageously priced clothes?

*And finally, I've learnt that fashion week is a celebration of creativity, where ingenious designers convey their art by way of impeccably sewn clothes in exquisite prints and fabrics, brought to life by a supernaturally perfect human species known as supermodels. And as for the rest of us mere mortals, we just watch on in awe...then blog about it.

What have you learnt about Fashion Week?

*Images via Vogue.com & Style.com