Still catching up on New York, Milan, and London FWs, I've only just begun looking at the Paris collections for F14/15. I may or may not have spent three hours of my Saturday night eating a pint of Twix ice cream and watching straight catwalk footage…okay you caught me. I totally was.
Something that stood out to me about this particular fashion week (aside from a thousand magnificent designs) was the variety of facial expressions. Designers carefully take into consideration styling -- the bags, the hair, the makeup, the shoes, even the exact shade of nude floss-thin thong -- but I wonder if they put as much careful consideration and thought into the models' demeanor. These people are SELLING your clothes. We have accepted the thin-lipped, dead-eye look as the norm. Paris Fashion Week defies the norm with the newest runway accessory: the facial features.
Something that stood out to me about this particular fashion week (aside from a thousand magnificent designs) was the variety of facial expressions. Designers carefully take into consideration styling -- the bags, the hair, the makeup, the shoes, even the exact shade of nude floss-thin thong -- but I wonder if they put as much careful consideration and thought into the models' demeanor. These people are SELLING your clothes. We have accepted the thin-lipped, dead-eye look as the norm. Paris Fashion Week defies the norm with the newest runway accessory: the facial features.
exhibit a: "the smile" - Agnes B
I don't know about you, but I wanna wear these clothes. I wanna be these women! They look happy, satisfied, and confident. What woman in the world doesn't strive for that on a daily basis? Without words, these models are saying "I'm having a great time here, and I love wearing these clothes. You should buy them." And with that sole message, Agnes B has a successful collection.
exhibit b: "the faceless" - Gareth Pugh
Ok. We could argue that the "faceless" model is either a success or a major fail in this scenario, but for the sake of this post, I'm going to support the aesthetic. I'll reiterate the purpose of fashion week: to sell your clothes. Pugh understood this, and he styled appropriately. These are pieces of art, and a null face would provide no positive contributions to the presentation. At the same time, Pugh's collection wouldn't have been very successful with happy-go-lucky smiles plastered on the models faces, either. Overall, I believe the mystery of no visible facial expression further contributes to the stand-out quality of these garments and was the most appropriate route that Pugh could have taken.
exhibit c: "the smirk" - Jacquemus
Cool and collected, taking no sh*t. These women are ready to take on the world; ready to stomp on anything that gets in their way. Their confidence exudes in multitudes. We're pretty sure they could drive at 80 mph, give a project pitch, apply lipstick, and convince you to buy the clothes off their backs, all at the same time. Look at those raised eyebrows! The pursed lips! They know something you don't, and you'll do anything to find out. They have the power, and we all want it (and that seamless color-blocked top, hello).
now a few examples of "the face: you're doing it wrong."
exhibit d: "the resting bitch face" - Cedric Charlier
Cute jacket, but I'm not sticking around to ask you where you got it. You look relaxed, but you also sorta look like you wanna tell me, "I just got out of the shower, after I crawled out of my grave. Wanna go shopping?" No thanks.
exhibit e: "the mostly sad" - Jitrios
Hello friend. Are you sad? Are you lost? Are you miserable? You're definitely something, and it translates into what you're wearing. The navy suddenly looks gloomy and the brown reads as dirty. The forlorn thing -- it's okay for starlets in Hollywood, but not on the runway.
When you think about it, we walk our own runways every day. The face you wear has a huge impact on how other perceive you, and your clothes. That's right, I said "the face you wear". Your face is your most important and beautiful accessory. Keep that in mind the next time you're walking down the hallway in your dorm, rushing to class, or taking a stroll to the grocery store.
Basically, we've learned the importance and influence of the facial expression on the runway. My challenge for you: pay attention to the faces on the next catwalk you watch, even if it's Lifetime's "Project Runway". What do you notice? Which clothes look more appealing to you, and how does that relate to the models' facial attitudes?
Basically, we've learned the importance and influence of the facial expression on the runway. My challenge for you: pay attention to the faces on the next catwalk you watch, even if it's Lifetime's "Project Runway". What do you notice? Which clothes look more appealing to you, and how does that relate to the models' facial attitudes?