Underneath is (a somewhat edited version of) what I wrote:
Some of you might know that I work in fashion/textiles, and ever day is a mass of brides to be, aspiring fashion students and wannabe designers, in addition to a great number of well known high street and exclusive designers.
It has been a complete nightmare to see how well this 'nude' trend has caught on this season, we have not been able to keep enough stock of anything flesh, nude, peach, oyster, mink or blush, as well as anything silver or pale grey. And don't even get me started on silk jersey!
As a matter of fact, for the last few months I have been ready to clobber anyone who asks for nude fabrics of any sort! Judging by the fact that 98.9% of all UK based fashion students* are solely using nude and silver for their current design projects and collections, we will be flooded by these garments by spring/summer 2011... a whole year after this trend was in fact a trend!
(* this percentage is purely my estimate from watching students at work!)
But enough about me and my work life (for now anyway)! I wanted to talk about the actual trend of nude colours in fashion. Firstly I would like to say that, being a trendsetter as I am, I pioneered the nude look on New Years Eve 2009-10 with a multi layered nude tulle frock, all hand beaded with crystals, that would have left you gasping for air... had it been any other colour but nude!
This gets us to my issue with the nude trend.. nobody but nobody looks good in a nude outfit. It is just not a very becoming colour, on anyone. Ok ok, I hear you, it looks great on the catwalk, and yes that is the only place it does. But so do a lot of garments and concepts you see on a runway that you would never in a million years wear in public.
Just recently, Michelle Obama stepped out in a hand beaded 'champagne' coloured gown by designer Naeem Khan. This somehow sparked a weird media discussion on racism. The designer, Naeem Khan explained that it was a 'sterling-silver sequin, abstract floral, nude strapless gown'.
However, when the Associated Press news agency, reporting on the event, referred to the colour as 'flesh', they were lambasted by one editor, who asked 'Whose flesh? Not Michelle Obama's'
In my opinion, Michelle Obama looked stunning in that dress, mainly because it wasn't the same colour as her skin. Had it been.. let's face it, a brown dress, it wouldn't have caused a racial stir, but it would have looked awful. She would have looked like she had been rolled in glue and tin foil! Not a great look!
2011 afterthought: This was as far as I got with it, so I'd like to add the following at this point.
I'm not going to comment on the racial issues as I don't see the point. It's about fashion, not politics.
To me, the pasty anemic 'nude trend' has lived its life, overstayed its welcome. Get rid!
Surely it is time for colour blocking now?
sorry, not read your article yet, but favourited for further comsumption! Loving loving loving the new design!! xx
ReplyDeletesuch an interesting read. loved it. totally agree with you with 'nude' clothing. Who on earth can pull off such outfits unless you're actually very tanned or have a darker skin colour than what is usually considered I have no idea.
ReplyDeleteAs for using the term nude, and whether it's politically correct or not, I don't have a problem with it but I must admit that I've had encountered a problem with it first hand and I didn't know how to get round the problem at the time. It was the first time I actually realised that the term was not ideal really. I was telling my friend (indian descent) about my tip of wearing a nude fleshy colour as a base coat for any crap nail polish who needs something like 5 coats to be fully opaque. She genuinely went 'what's a nude polish?' and didn't ask anything sinister about it. She genuinely wanted to know what I meant and what colour it was. Without thinking, I started to answer (good job she's my best mate at work) well, you know, fleshy colour, the colour bare skin and I then realised what pickle I got myself into, as the term would definitely be relevant to the colour of her skin. She didn't take it badly and didn't see anything wrong (thank god) and nobody was offended but it was the first time that I realised that term could be a bit problematic, not because it would create contempt on some races, but because it's not inclusive enough. On this topic, it actually bugs me that my ex boss (he's 70 after all) still refers to christian names rather than first names. It really bugs me, but he doesnt' mean anything bad by it, it's just the word he has used for 70 years of his life, referring to first names. Talking of actual first names, the concept is still ridiculous, as in france for example, we always put our family name first and our first name second. LOL. anyway, great article :) xx