Re: The Comme des Garçons "Universe"
[quote user="Faust"]
Laika didn't even address it, instead supporting Johnny's ridiculous claim that this collaboration is the same as outsourcing production of one's main line.
[/quote]
This just isn't true, Faust. I did address your post, repeatedly--have a look at my first three or four posts in this discussion.
[quote user="Faust"]Ok, here is what I thought about when I said that
this is pathetic. I am sick and tired of our culture being gripped by
postmodern notions of wallowing in bad taste, of camp (with very few
exceptions), of self-deprecating humor, of that irony-with-a-smirk, of
rebellion-as-embracing-consumer culture, of that it's-so-bad-its-good,
of mediocrity-as-the-norm, and Rei has been embodying all that in the
past years. This collaboration only epitomizes that. "Look at me, I
am doing the same as Madonna, but I am smart and artistic, so you KNOW
I am doing it with the sense or irony, wink-wink." Don't make me puke,
Rei. Oh, too late... Rei is the new Vivienne Westwood. You heard it
here first.
[/quote]
Perhaps I ought to have spoken more generally, instead of critiquing your use of vocabulary. [:$] I certainly do not dispute, by any means, that Rei or this collaboration are deserving of criticism. But I don't think her body of work over the past few years can be reduced to a series of ironic, self-deprecating, wink-wink gestures. I really feel that all of the collections I referenced in the images above are better than that, more than that. Some of them were extremely beautiful, even if not ground-breaking. I certainly don't think they were "garbage," by any standards; and knowing your taste as I do, I find it hard to imagine that you believe this. I'd be happy to discuss this in more detail if you disagree.
Insofar as I understand your criticism of the collaboration, you seem to be saying that it's just yet another instance of insincere, ironic posturing. I don't buy this, because I don't think that's what Rei is all about. Even if she has produced work that is guilty of this (believe me, no one hates the Rolling Stones more than I do [79]), that work does not constitute all--or even the majority--of her collections. The collabs are another story. Although I personally find them lame because they are so blatantly commercial, and not because I perceive them as post-modern.
Anyway, I have tried to be brief and simple, so I apologize for anything that appears unclear. I respect your point of view a great deal and I have no wish to argue with you--I'm really just trying to understand you. Sometimes your vitriol provokes me into being not so cool-headed, but that's really just a heat-of-the-moment reaction....nothing to take too seriously. [51]
[quote user="Faust"]
Laika didn't even address it, instead supporting Johnny's ridiculous claim that this collaboration is the same as outsourcing production of one's main line.
[/quote]
This just isn't true, Faust. I did address your post, repeatedly--have a look at my first three or four posts in this discussion.
[quote user="Faust"]Ok, here is what I thought about when I said that
this is pathetic. I am sick and tired of our culture being gripped by
postmodern notions of wallowing in bad taste, of camp (with very few
exceptions), of self-deprecating humor, of that irony-with-a-smirk, of
rebellion-as-embracing-consumer culture, of that it's-so-bad-its-good,
of mediocrity-as-the-norm, and Rei has been embodying all that in the
past years. This collaboration only epitomizes that. "Look at me, I
am doing the same as Madonna, but I am smart and artistic, so you KNOW
I am doing it with the sense or irony, wink-wink." Don't make me puke,
Rei. Oh, too late... Rei is the new Vivienne Westwood. You heard it
here first.
[/quote]
Perhaps I ought to have spoken more generally, instead of critiquing your use of vocabulary. [:$] I certainly do not dispute, by any means, that Rei or this collaboration are deserving of criticism. But I don't think her body of work over the past few years can be reduced to a series of ironic, self-deprecating, wink-wink gestures. I really feel that all of the collections I referenced in the images above are better than that, more than that. Some of them were extremely beautiful, even if not ground-breaking. I certainly don't think they were "garbage," by any standards; and knowing your taste as I do, I find it hard to imagine that you believe this. I'd be happy to discuss this in more detail if you disagree.
Insofar as I understand your criticism of the collaboration, you seem to be saying that it's just yet another instance of insincere, ironic posturing. I don't buy this, because I don't think that's what Rei is all about. Even if she has produced work that is guilty of this (believe me, no one hates the Rolling Stones more than I do [79]), that work does not constitute all--or even the majority--of her collections. The collabs are another story. Although I personally find them lame because they are so blatantly commercial, and not because I perceive them as post-modern.
Anyway, I have tried to be brief and simple, so I apologize for anything that appears unclear. I respect your point of view a great deal and I have no wish to argue with you--I'm really just trying to understand you. Sometimes your vitriol provokes me into being not so cool-headed, but that's really just a heat-of-the-moment reaction....nothing to take too seriously. [51]
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