Fashion Week, of all things, points out the flaws in the sweeping, sexist mantra that “anything men can do, women can do better.” Because it’s one occasion when women have a hell of a lot to learn from the boys.
If you’ve never been to a womenswear show, then here’s a quick summary: a spectacular main event and a circus surrounding it. Your daily struggle is figuring out how to be in two places at once on opposite ends of a city, picking your way through hordes of street style peacocks and trying to keep your cool during an hourlong wait for a show to start. But not at any of the men’s fashion weeks (except, maybe, the Dior Homme show in Paris). Everywhere from LC:M to Milan, the men just do it better.
Here are a few tips the ladies could do with taking on board. Read more on www.modmods.com
Organisation
Here’s how you get from show A to show B during most of the men’s show weeks: You walk. Because, thoughtfully, designers present their collections within blocks of each other so you don’t need a manic taxi driver/teleporter to get you to the next show on time. Meaning that unlike at the women’s shows, you’ll never miss Burberry Prorsum because you were stuck in traffic on the other side of town.
Punctuality
The men’s shows are still something of an unknown. Unless you’re part of the industry, live in a Dalston warehouse or have a borderline fanatical tailoring obsession, you probably pay zero attention to them. This extends to celebrities, who, despite a starrier Paris Fashion Week than usual (Will Smith! A$AP Rocky! Kendrick Lamar!), are still steering pretty clear compared to the tabloid bait that are the women’s FROWs. That means press, buyers and bloggers don’t have to wait hours for their arrival at men’s show before they can start.
Integrity
Another bonus of menswear’s comparative under-the-radar status is that it isn’t overloaded with sponsorships and questionable product placements. Meanwhile, the men are left to their [weird devices], and that’s totally fine.
Politeness
So it might not be all “Ugly Betty,”but the egos definitely come out during women’s Fashion Weeks. It’s not a universal truth, but you do see that those at the top of the pecking order make sure those at the bottom know their place. Meanwhile at the men’s shows only a handful of male editors are big enough deals to kick up such a fuss, so on the whole they don’t bother and just get on with their jobs.
Dressing
Is it just us or can the looks at women’s Fashion Weeks just get a bit same-y? Between the borrowed outfits and the must-get-snapped-in pieces, there’s way too much scope for overlap. But at any men’s Fashion Week you’ll still find genuine trailblazers and more concern over cut than cult status.
