COUTURE VS. CONCRETE

After being handed the opportunity to travel to Paris to experience a two week crash course in fashion, I knew I had to take up the offer. I am a big believer in having a strong personal identity and fashion plays a major role in that. As a male, working backstage and attending Men's Fashion Week will definitely help further my own personal identity. Today, the fifth day of our trip, we traveled to the Musée Pierre Cardin after a beautiful private tour of the city. I honestly had no idea what I was expecting to see. I have heard and learned about Pierre Cardin, and even own a luggage set designed by him, but I wasn't aware of how incredible his past work had been. As soon as I walked into the museum, I had to pick my jaw up off the ground. Everything was so incredibly beautiful that I didn't know where to begin. It was obvious that his womenswear and furniture were exquisite, but what really caught my attention was the menswear.

I could see every piece of his menswear in my wardrobe. His designs would fit perfectly well with who I am as a person and as an artist. Each outfit was designed to force any man to stand out of the crowd and that is exactly what I crave. As the garments were couture, it was understandable that not all men would wear them. However, I feel that if a male were to wear anything from that museum today, it wouldn't be seen as out of the ordinary. After taking in all of Cardin's amazing work, we were then taken to a famous Parisian flea market.

Comparing the menswear at the market with the work of art at the Musée Pierre Cardin was a struggle. I found it unfortunate that the apparel selection for men was as average as could be imagined. Perhaps the men who purchase this type of clothing believe that these garments define their individual identity. However, when people shop for one item in one place, they tend to mirror each other. Thus, the birth of the trend cycle. In the end, I discovered that no matter where a garment is purchased or who it is designed by, it is up to the consumer to sincerely believe that they are people of substance and to convince the world of it...or else they become another fashion statistic.


Rizwan Samma ‘11
6/19/11