Fashion Stardust

You know, it's those little things that can make me feel like I really matter and that I am not completely overlooked. A few months ago, my partners in crimes of fashion, Ashanti & Serosh, convinced me to write a blog. Originally, Ashanti was the author of her own online diary. I was convinced that people would really respond to her, particularly women. You know, Girl Power! and all that. But A & S persuaded me that more people wanted to hear from the man behind the seams, so to speak. And now here I am probably sharing more than I normally would or should. I guess since President Obama has taken a vow of transparency, I sort of adopted the vow, too. And it is quite cathartic. But sometimes I feel like I am starring in some really bad reality show that is about to get cancelled because nobody's watching. Only it is my life.

While many times I feel like the kid in the lunch room who is not worthy enough to sit with the cool kids, every so often I get invited to the table. This week I made a concerted effort to reach out to designer extraordinaire Eric Gaskins. I wrote about him last week (http://iamfabulous-ablackfashiondudesodyssey.blogspot.com/2009/07/what-if.htmlablackfashiondudesodyssey.blogspot.com/2009/07/what-if.html) and thought we shared some loose similarities. The idea of finding a potential friend in a seventh avenue alum excited me. Maybe he's not a hang out buddy, per se, but I welcomed forming an alliance with him as my new online confidant. After posting a response to his blog and not receiving an acknowledgement, I decided to search him on FaceBook. I found him! I quickly invited him to be my facebook friend and wrote effusively about how much I loved the blog. Within minutes, I received a response from him. It read: "I'm glad you like the blog. Thanks for letting me know. E" Wow! I am cool by association. I can now apply for membership as a fashion insider. It doesn't matter that he didn't accept my friend invitation. And it certainly doesn't matter that he did not respond when I followed up with a link to the blog post I wrote about him. I am not really sure what I expected. Perhaps he thought I was a bit stalker-ish? But it's all good! Whatever that means. I have been sprinkled with the fashion stardust. And I know it's only a matter of time before Ralph Lauren and I are discussing his vintage car collection over an exceptional bottle of bordeaux.

Peace & Fashion!

What If?

Last night while on my way home from the plantation, I read an article in The New York Times that caused me to reflect on my odyssey. How Do You Like Me Now? is the account of a very talented and somewhat accomplished black fashion designer (Eric Gaskins) who, after 22 years in the business, is forced to shut down his line. Last year he started writing a blog called The Emperor's Old Clothes and seems to be having more notoriety and success with that than with the quietly elegant frocks he has up until now been known for. The noticeably similar parallels in our lives are startling even if I have yet to reach the same level of success as Mr. Gaskins. After all, his dresses hung in many stores including the very posh Bergdorf Goodman here in New York City. I have yet to see my confections on the racks of those kinds of stores. And I am not sure if my online journal is as widely read as Mr. Gaskins's is either. Nonetheless, the newspaper item did give rise to a moment where I questioned the validity of my existence in fashion design. What if my success in the fashion design sector is only moderate like Mr. Gaskins? Am I prepared to humbly accept those terms and be grateful for just the opportunity to have chased my dreams? And will I be happy knowing that after so many years, if nothing else, at least I gave it the old college try? The jury is still out on that as I believe that no one pursues their goals as doggedly as I have just to get an honorable mention badge. But right now I've still got to believe that the apex of fashion success is still within my reach. Interestingly, I visited the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T.) this week where the work of Isabel Toledo is on display. Ms. Toledo is another astonishingly talented designer who seemed to be destined only to enjoy a moderate level of success. That is until first lady Michelle Obama chose Ms. Toledo as her designer of choice for her Inauguration day ensemble. Catapulted to the world stage by one event, Ms. Toledo's fashion star is now shining brightly. It just speaks to the possibilities and how important it is to perservere. Since anything is possible, the what if question persists.

Peace & Fashion!