IS FASHION ENTERTAINMENT?

Is fashion entertainment? That is the question on everyone’s lips this year as the dust begins to settle on the biggest month in the fashion calendar. Throughout the cycle of SS15 shows, one debate in particular has been raging with several of the industry’s journalistic elite weighing on social media to contribute their views. One of the most publicised tweets comes courtesy of the Independent’s fashion editor Alexander Fury, who claimed that “Fashion is not entertainment. It is art. This is a business and these are trade shows, not a three-ring circus”. His statement supports that of the renowned journalist Suzy Menkes, who penned a 2013 article entitled ‘The Circus of Fashion’ as a response to the rising presence of fashion bloggers in the show tents. In this article, Menkes paints a picture of attention-starved fashionistas armed with camera phones, lingering outside show locations ready to snap selfies with the well-known attendees of the season’s biggest shows. She also forecasts the ‘fast-fashion’ ideology that is slowly becoming ubiquitous, an ideology embodied by Jeremy Scott’s debut collection at Moschino which was available to purchase from the minute the show went viral. Scott tapped into today’s consumer society in a genius way by incorporating accessories such as smart-phone covers into a collection priced from £35 upwards. By adjusting price-points, he made high fashion accessible to those without the budget and subsequently re-opened the debate as to whether fashion should be commercial or exclusive.

Gareth Pugh's SS15 'Presentation'

Fury’s initial comment that fashion shows are created for commerce is arguably negated by designers such as Gareth Pugh and Thom Browne, both of which staged fairytale presentations for Spring/Summer 2015. Browne served us one of the week’s highlights with his dreamy avant-garde garden-party, based around the tale of six sisters that designed their own dress code for the week. It’s hard to argue that fashion isn’t entertainment when we see models dressed in fantasy tailoring teetering around the runway’s perimeter in stilts, or fantastical bird-cage headpieces walking the runway. Some of fashion’s greatest designers have been showmen in their own rights – think Galliano’s legendary ‘Diorent Express’ collection, or McQueen’s paint-gun finale at his No.13 collection. It’s not unusual for collections to feature showpieces which never become available to buy; instead they are created for artistic purposes and featured in elaborate runway presentations or loaned to museums for display. Whilst the commercial element of fashion is always the most important, it’s hard to deny that entertainment also plays a part.

MOSCHINO: MAN

While the rest of the world has been frantically live-tweeting the World Cup, my own Twitter feed has been flooded with hastily-snapped Instagram photos from this week's menswear main event: Jeremy Scott's debut Moschino collection. His Warholian AW14 womenswear collection brought Ronald McDonald to the runway through a series of looks that caused a (Mc)flurry of excitement online. This excitement was fuelled by the high-profile guests invited - Katy Perry famously delayed the show by turning up late and being subsequently booed by the front row. For his menswear show, it is Lindsay Lohan that captures the media attention - although the majority of the emphasis is on the collection, there are more than a few crafty candids of Oprah's darling looking chic in the front row. In addition to the utilisation of celebrity,  Scott also revolutionised the way that we consume fashion - frequently interpreted as a commentary on today's recklessly impatient culture, the designer made the entire collection instantly available online. In a savvy attempt to quench our relentless thirst for fast fashion, he launched the now-iconic Moschino phone case, a replica of McDonalds fries emblazoned with the Moschino logo. Priced at only £40, it was a slice of high-fashion that was accessible to all; within days, the case was the accessory du jour and THE must-have item to be featured in your Instagram mirror selfie. One thing was clear - Scott understood our culture, he understood our needs and he knew how to meet them whilst sparking the discussion of our new habits. 

Trend; Who Says Fashion Hates Food?

It all started, as it often does, with Prada. Way back in 2011, before anybody else, Miuccia chose an unusual print to be the subject of her Spring/Summer 2011 show - the banana. Bananas were everywhere; on dresses, on skirts, on earrings, even on nails, and the fashion industry took notice. After being featured in several editorials it was apparent that at some point other designers would follow Miuccia's lead; fast-forward a year, and this is exactly what has happened.

The ones that started the trend - Prada banana earrings

Banana skirt, Prada S/S '11

Looking at the fashion shows for Spring/Summer '12, it's evident that many designers have looked to Miuccia for inspiration. Moschino featured ultra-feminine dresses specked with tiny strawberries and printed huge black apples on short shift dresses while Missoni opted for a more subtle take on the trend with their chilli pepper earrings.

Strawberry-print dress - Moschino Cheap & Chic Spring/Summer '12

However, no designers epitomised the trend more than legendary Italian duo, Dolce & Gabbana. The pair launched head-first into culinary prints, featuring an array of delights such as eggplants, tomatos and even onions - the tasty treats came printed onto feminine peplum dresses, ultra-cute fifties-style bralets and elegant high-waisted skirts. The duo have also provided arguably the biggest threat to Prada's infamous banana skirt; the eggplant dress was one of the most widely-revered pieces in the collection and has already been featured in several editorials of its own as well as being spotted on several celebrities.

Eggplant pencil dress - Dolce & Gabbana Spring/Summer '12

The trend is set to reach full-blown hysteria status as it filters down onto the high-street. Affordable (and still excellent) takes on the trend have been spotted in shops such as Topshop and Zara, meaning that you yourself could be wearing your favourite kitchen treats in no time at all.