When Extravagance and Fashion Make Love

Every time I hear someone say they don't like avant-garde fashion because "they could never wear that in real life," the most genuine sense of confusion overwhelms me. Not only because of the fact that the clothes weren't created for them to wear, but also because avant-garde fashion is more than just clothes on a runway it is fashion proving it's more than just industrialized garments on some Macy's clothes rack. And while yes, I am aware that opinions on this topic may vary, I feel the desire to address the creations these designers are showcasing.

Ever since I was a little girl I've loved art. Everyone who's known me has told me at least once that they envisioned me doing something related to the arts, not something that would require me to sit in a cubicle from 9 to 5 (not that there's anything wrong with that). Therefore, I would always debate on whether I should pursue a career on writing or one on illustration or design. Since I appreciate almost every form of art so profoundly, the works of designers like Iris van Herpen and Viktor and Rolf were what got me interested in fashion in the first place.

It is very true that fashion has always looked upon art for validation, and seeing what fashion labels like Comme des Garçons are creating was what finally convinced me that fashion truly is just another form of art, and eventually leading to my decision of wanting to dedicate my life to it. Therefore, that theatrical, Lady Gaga-esque masterpiece side of fashion is very dear to my heart.

Avant-garde is tangible and infinite. It is a spectrum of limitless possibilities, the one place where spring colors for autumn isn't groundbreaking. Every single detail is important, just like in any other haute couture or even RTW collection. Everyone should appreciate this side of the fashion world, for reasons far more significant than whether or not you could wear that in your actual day-to-day life. Since fashion is one of the many forms of art, and art is all about expression, then all forms of fashion should be appreciated (from minimalist to ostentatious and everything in between), because in the end it is all serving the same purpose. In the words of the legendary (though fictitious) Blair Waldorf: "Fashion is the most powerful art there is. It's movement, design, and architecture all in one. It shows the world who we are and who we'd like to be."