RE-LOVED: FASHION
What a difference a blazer makes.
Throwing on the white double-breasted corduroy number was just an afterthought. My day needed saving and my Instagram Stories feeding. But then, whooom. I had accidentally tranformed into a gallerista, en route to making the next million.
Ach, fashion. As you know, our relationship is a complicated affair of dipping in and out. I have spent the better half of the past decade in fashion as a writer and photographer. It was exciting to be part of the transformation from something niche and elitist with a strong ‘top-down’ and ‘keep out’ mentality to something instantly accessible. Social media has changed the conversation for good. You, dear fashion, are a much more diverse and inclusive place, I give you that.
But in the aftermath of the Rana Plaza collapse, #MeToo and in the face
of climate crisis, one question keeps asking: what’s your point? When even friends in the business start questioning your fast-paced muchness,something clearly is broken. I decided to take a time-out from you. Over the past few months I radically cleared my wardrobe. I must admit the sartorial lightness feels very liberating (though all this hasn’t stopped me from spending a ridiculous amount of time in the style sections of The Guardian and The New York Times).
And yet, the magic of the white blazer made me realise again why fashion mattered: we all need fashion because we want more than something to wear.
Putting together an outfit is making a statement about yourself, who you would like to be and how you are understood in the world. Fashion goes beyond the cliché of designer labels and glamour. It can be about many things, including solidarity and protest. You can never quite catch it. That’s the beauty of it.
I’m a believer in the great transformational power of fashion. There is positive change within the industry; I’m excited about the buy-less, wear-more mentality it is moving towards.
So, dear fashion, let’s have a fresh start. Let’s talk about taking ‘on-trend’ beyond the seasonal, let’s talk about grown-up looks, let’s talk about making more sustainable choices without compromising style. Regard this as a work-in-progress; delivered in one outfit and style
note at the time.
Karin wears double-breasted corduroy blazer by Steinrohner, styled with CdG wallet. Shot at Opia Concept Store, Zurich.
