“Depressing and exhilarating, one of my favourite combos” is Rick Owens’ pull quote on the front of this book and perfectly sets the tone well for the rest of the read. Eugene Rabkin is a whip smart commentator on contemporary fashion culture (a phrase in itself he’d have an issue with I’m sure).
I find myself telling people animatedly about this book and how it charts the evolution of fashion from designer led house to LMVH & Kering domination, decries the gradual disappearance of the fashion critic and questions how important context is for the modern consumer.
It’s brilliant, I devoured it, the pithy writing had me snorting on the tube and at the same I squirmed at the criticism rallied at big brands as I recognised the marketing machine I have been a part of and continue to be.
Mary Beard made an impassioned speech at this year’s Booker Shortlist event at the Southbank Centre where she rallied against reading being akin to wellness and her disdain for the phrase “I love reading”.
“Reading is about how to be you and how to think about the world and if we relegate it to the wellbeing section of our lives we’re really underestimating it…some books are not going to make you feel better, they’re going to make you see the world differently and that’s not about love”.
So while Mary Beard is referencing the likes of Kafka here, I felt every word of this as I dug into my brain and remembered the texts I studied at university including Baudrillard’s Simulcra and Simulation which is referenced by Rabkin.
The manifesto at the end left me hopeful for the fashion industry whilst cynically wondering if it’s merely a sticking plaster on a wound. This book won’t make you feel good, that’s ok, it may even leave you uncomfortable and that’s exactly why I loved reading it.