IS IT WORTH IT?

My big theme right now is the rise of design culture among the masses. I even might write my Master's thesis on that. I am all for it when it's good; when the pure intention is to democratize design, to make low-priced items more beautiful, more interesting, better quality. Beautify the world - isn't that part of progress? Once we've fed, clothed, and sheltered the world, isn't making it more beatiful the next logical step? I say, yes. But recent developments in the high-design-for-the-masses world leave me a little disconserted. Take the Viktor & Rolf collaboration with H&M, for example. I looked at the designs on the website, and they are pretty lame - the gimmicky arrows, the bow ties, etc. I cannot speak for the quality, but I would assume it's pretty atrocious, like most of H&M is. Yet, look at the stampede in the H&M store in Amsterdam, and in London (thanks, Susie_Bubble for the link) during yesterday's debut of the collection. Not a pretty site, eh? Do these people look like dignified humans or like participants of the proverbial rat race? Some of these garments showed up on Ebay within hours.

Today a huge discount Japanese retailer, Uniqlo, that is another player in the huge high street market opened their first flagship in New York. Massive lines are reported. A.P.C. warehouse sale that started today in Williamsburg is the same story - lines out the door and down the block. Are clothes really worth it? Is it really a sign of progress that people behave in such debased ways to be in touch with design? I think being human is more beautiful than the most beautiful article of clothing in the world - let's get our priorities straight.