I've said at least once on here that I live in a very fashion irrelevant city. I know that there are some aspiring designers here (myself somewhat included), but the fact is that, if you wish to be a designer and to hold a BFA from a respectable institute, it may not be the best career decision to study here. Furthermore, I'm pretty sure that I'm one of the most 'weird' dressers at least in my part of the city (the university/shopping section), which would translate as 'eclectic' or 'stylish' in any other city. If someone considers you to be stylish here, that means you shop solely at American Apparel or vintage stores, and are only seen with the token fixed gear bicycle. Not that there's anything inherently wrong with that style, but this is definitely not a New York City, London, or Montreal.
Having said that, I had a faint glimmer of hope for my city's sense of style when I espied a matte-covered publication entitled 'EFW' on our way out of cheap Italian food night (photo via here). Would I find out that I had been unfairly criticizing my hometown all this time?
No. At least I haven't been set straight by this publication. Sure, there are quite a few designer showcases on the schedule. However, the publication itself is mostly full of hair and makeup photos and ads, along with a 2-page article on fall trends according to the big names such as Louis Vuitton, Alexander McQueen, and Prada. Oh, and the publication ends with an unexplained 8-page photo feature on Japan. If this is what inspires local designers, so be it. I was just hoping to find a bit more local fashion content in our local Fashion Week.
There is, however, some more interesting content on the website, including the description of the Stylist Contest, in which "Participants have a set budget and are required to rework lightly used clothing to create a unique personal style. Each participant will style one outfit to be judged by industry professionals. The winning design will be judged on resourcefulness, creativity, and forecasting trends." So perhaps I shouldn't be too critical, as I'm sure that EFW does help some designers/stylists get their name out there, or at least the ones that win such contests. I guess I just long to one day attend NYFW or LFW and look at hundreds of gorgeous and outlandish designs and models. Perhaps I should just be happy with what I have and attend our very own EFW (which started tonight). Too bad I work evenings this week.
