I've had the opportunity to watch a recent fashion week in SL. I took some footage of some shows and below you can watch the last show, before the final one.
There are several aspects to consider here: I've stated over and over again that it's my true belief that the closer to RL, the better a fashion event will be inworld - obviously considering SL limitations.
In RL, all new collections from many designers are released in fashion weeks all over the world, for the first time.
In SL, there have been fashion weeks since the time Modavia was still an active modeling agency. They used to do their fashion weeks at the same time as NYC Fashion week - around September, at least, I had the opportunity of watching them two years in a row.
Then Avenue did two fashion weeks as well, within a year period.
This latest fashion week I watched was a wreck. Total flop.
What I saw was an agency that is screaming to the entire SL modeling and fashion scene - we are here, we are alive, we never stop.
Eventually, in this urge to show themselves as a very active agency, the results could be seen, not only in this latest fashion week, but also in the previous one this same agency organized.
Both sets were terrible, in my opinion.
This latest one was some kind of cathedral. What is the problem with a cathedral as a fashion set for a fashion week? In itself, none.
However, the way the building was texturized took all the attention away from the clothes. After all, thinking from the perspective of a designer, you would want your collection to shine. It was visually impossible. All colors, details, materials were outshined by the whole building's textures. No matter what those models wore, the outfits didn't shine at all.
In the audience area, the place was packed with logos of all designers represented in this 'fashion week', piled up without any consideration of space and basic aesthethics.
Then, the performance of some models on the runway brought me back to why I decided in 2009 to create a quite opinionated blog. How is it possible that after all these years, models keep repeating the same mistakes, over and over again?
Again, I observe this craving for 'fame', instead of working models, like a regular job, just as it is in RL. What is most unfortunate is that the more ´famous´ the model is, the worst she performs on the runway. I have to say that the male models I watched did a very good job, though.
This time, there were situations that we simply cannot blame on lag or other circumstances; circumstances depending only on SL viewers.
Pose repetition - it's not lag.
Arms up and pointing - it's not lag.
Empty runway for about five minutes (!!!) - that is not lag!
As soon as you have the opportunity to watch the video of the whole show, you'll see what I mean. This show took about an hour (!!!) in a fashion week! The runway was empty several times and that's not lag. It only speaks of the poor organization of this ´fashion event´.
I did my best to edit the video in real time. You will be able to see time go by and nobody on the runway at least on two different occasions.
As usual, I write my comments on the video. It was very sad to watch this show, situations repeating themselves, after all the years I've been writing this blog.
There are no names in the video. I name no models.
Just watch, if you have the time and the patience.
I have the complete footage of the final show of this 'fashion week', too. I just wondered for some time if it was worth it to spend my time editing it. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that it wasn't worth it.
If you didn't watch the final show of this 'fashion event', in the end, they brought to the runway all the staff that was backstage, naming who did what.
I was flabbergasted! That isn't important! Only in SL this seems to be accepted as a 'regular thing to do' after a fashion show!
Every fashion week for real, by the end of the show , will bring to the runway THE DESIGNER! Not the staff that was backstage! I mean, was this for real?
Have you ever seen a real life fashion show where they actually bring out the show manager - yes, the guy who is wearing a headset and sending models out? All backstage people, in a real life fashion show - especially the stylists that are prepping models - are wearing a hearing device that will allow them to listen to what the manager is saying and how much time they have to completely set up a model, ready to go out!
Then, models go out and in the end the designer goes out too.
But not here, no! Let's bring up all the agency's staff! Sad, truly sad to have such a distorted vision of what a fashion show really is! It's not about the agency! It's about the DESIGNERS!
Here's the video, forgive some of my slippy fingers ( yes, typos) sometimes on the comments.
I've been informed there are more 'fashion weeks' coming up in SL.
One of them will have all shows at 10am SLT. All shows? Do they mean that they will have several shows, during a whole week ( that's why these are called Fashion Weeks), in several locations - meaning several shows each day, always at 10am?
Or do they mean they will do a fashion week with ONE show per day? THAT is NOT a fashion week. It won't be!
Another modeling agency in SL in desperate need to show some activity? Looks like it!
