''Month of fashion'' time of over consumptionism or moment for art and history
- Maria Grochowska
- Oct 27
- 3 min read
The turn of September and October is known in the fashion world as the "month of fashion." However, in an era when enormous amounts of clothing are being produced, we should consider whether it is truly necessary. It's just a cultural hype.
The "month of fashion" is a term relating to a sequence of fashion weeks happening at the beginning of autumn in four cities, which are called the capitals of fashion—NYC, London, Paris, and Milan. During these weeks, meticulously planned shows are held every day. During them, different designers, sometimes under the name of a particular brand, present their designs and ideas for the upcoming season. From their ideas, inspiration for new trends and patterns are later delivered. This could seem like great fun, especially for the fans of fashion, but when we count how much is produced for just one single day, the numbers start to look really scary, so I couldn't help but wonder: Are the fashion weeks a time for celebrating art and a time for designers to show their work, or just an unnecessary consumerism tradition?
Of course, during the event, we are getting presented trends for next season, but there are also some historical events happening, not the ones which influence the whole planet, but they are very important for fashion, brands, trends, and our culture. They are symbolic and meaningful. These are the kind of events that change the history of fashion forever. For example, the show of Matthieu Blaze's for Chanel in Paris, which actually was his debut. Beside the extraordinary scenario in Grand Paris, which was truly stunning, all the designs were breathtaking. They were a turn for classic old Chanel we all know very well—classy, elegant, and practical—but in a little new, fresh, modern way. Its own moment had even classic Chanel's check, known by everyone, not only fashion enthusiasts. This was turned to Coco and her idea of the brand, and the whole collection was called by experts "the heal of Chanel" or "New era of fashion." I think it will have an amazing impact on how we're gonna dress in the next months or even years. But this runway had even more important meaning. It was closed by Awar Odhiang, which was the third-ever closing for Chanel made by a Black model. Her achievement is a powerful symbol of Black excellence and influence on one of fashion's most prestigious runways.
Fashion became a place not only for designers, photographers, models, etc., but also for a while, it offers a place for celebrities and influencers. It's the moment when many worlds and areas of art and the celebrity world cross, and all these people meet and sit in rows together to celebrate the art of fashion. But also, as influencers are wont to do, they are there to advertise products, brands, or services. Thanks to them, we are able to see what fashion week is like from backstage, behind the transmissions. You should know that all the shows during the month of fashion are being streamed live on many YouTube channels. This is an amazing opportunity for us to see all the looks, runways, models, and designers, and even to feel like we are there for a bit.
So, after all, we can see that fashion shows aren't just a source of overbuying clothes and hyped consumption, but they could also contain meaningful or historical moments, aren't they?
Page design: Antonina Szklarzewska
Bibliography
Fashion Month Explained: The History and Meaning of the Big Four.” Vogue, 2024. https://www.vogue.com/article/fashion-month-explained
Friedman, Vanessa. “Matthieu Blazy’s Paris Debut Marks a New Era for Chanel.” The New York Times, 2 Oct. 2024. https://www.nytimes.com
Minsker, Evan. “Awar Odhiang Makes History at Chanel’s Paris Fashion Week Show.” Elle, 3 Oct. 2024. https://www.elle.com
“Fashion Weeks 2024 Schedule: New York, London, Milan, Paris.” Harper’s Bazaar, 2024. https://www.harpersbazaar.com
“Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2025: What to Expect.” BBC Culture, 2025. https://www.bbc.com/culture
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