FASHION Magazine

Are we becoming more conscious consumers? How unsustainable are our clothing habits? Can we learn to make more ethical shopping choices? We posed some of these questions to Dr Daniel L. Benkendorf, an associate professor of psychology at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) whose work focuses on sustainable and unsustainable consumer behaviours, for […]

The post How Unsustainable Are You? We Asked a Pro About Our Consumption Habits appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

Leave it to Valerie Steele, the first person to ever tout a fashion studies PhD, to tackle an industry-related question that’s rarely been explored before: why is it exactly that modern fashion history has had so many iconic gay designers?

Steele, a bona fide fashion expert who has pioneered fashion-related academia, said she wants to celebrate gay designers in an upcoming exhibit at The Museum at FIT, where she sits as director and chief curator. Along with these designers’ deserved nod of recognition, she wants to explore the ways in which their sexuality has helped develop the industry into what it is today.

It’s true: even when compared to other creative fields, many if not most of fashion’s influential leaders are gay, including (but obviously not limited to) Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent.

Despite the fact that generally speaking, this density of gay designers is common knowledge, Steele points out that no one has ever really delved further into the question of why so many gay people seem to flourish in the industry.

“[…] Nobody’s ever really thought consciously to put the gayness back into fashion history and say, ‘Why are there so many gay people in fashion?’ and ‘Is there a gay aesthetic?’ and ‘What have been the influences of having so many gay people in fashion?'” Steele told Fashionologie.

It’s an interesting and potentially groundbreaking point: given fashion’s runway-to-streets trickle down effect, is it even possible that the fashion industry’s early embracing of homosexuality has helped encourage similar acceptance outside of the industry’s confines? And Steele’s question of aesthetics makes us look at some famed designs in a completely different light: for example, could a straight man have ever created Le Smoking, or was Saint Laurent able to create such a game-changing design thanks in part to his sexuality?

Though we doubt these questions could ever be answered in full, given Steele’s past thought-provoking exhibits, it will definitely be interesting and insightful to see how she navigates her way through these questions.

What makes Daphne Guinness a fashion icon? It could be the instantly recognizable platinum and black–striped hairdo, the sky-high heels, or the over-the-top collection of couture clothes and extravagant jewellery. More so, though, it’s the heiress’s fearlessness when it comes to the way she dresses. The Museum at FIT (like so many others) has taken notice and will host an exhibit of Guinness’s clothing collection starting in September. We can’t wait to check out the lineup, which is sure to include some pieces by Guinness favourite Alexander McQueen, so in honour of the occasion we bring you a Daphne-themed edition of FASHION Plates. Take a look through our picks for how to channel a bit of Daphne with every look.

Shop the guide now! »