THE DEMISE OF STREET STYLE

There is no doubt that over the past decade street style has greatly increased in popularlity and become a major influence in the industry. You can't scroll through a blog or magazine without seeing street style infleunces, its like reality tv for fashion, but much better. Although first popularised by Bill Cunningham decades ago, street style still remains thanks to the likes of The Sartorialist, Garance Doré, Carolines Mode and Tommy Ton. However what started as a cool and niche art form, has quickly become a mass produced commonality. It is now used by fashion magazines for its style, staging everyday people in fashionable clothes from their advertisers, not what they just wear on the street, which is what it is supposed to be. Moreover, the style has been manipulated for advertising campaigns.
So is it the era of street style coming to an end? It is a trend, and we all know that trends have expiry dates, particularly when they start to gain mass popularity and reach the 'mainstream'.
Both Chloé and Parisian label Mo & Co. have played the street style card recently in ad campaigns and lookbooks. Do you think street style is dying? If so, then whats next?  

Carolines Mode (http://carolinesmode.com)

Garance Doré (http://www.garancedore.fr)

The Sartorialist (http://www.thesartorialist.com)

Tommy Ton (jakandjil.com)

Mo & Co A/W 2011

Chloé Resort 2012

FROM PARIS TO LA - DOES PARIS FASHION HAVE TO ORIGINATE IN PARIS?

Paris fashion is known for its timeless classic feel, just like London fashion  is know for its creativity and youth culture influences, but just how important is it that those designing for Paris houses are themselves situated in Paris?

It seems more and more houses are choosing to design abroad from Paris. Is that bad and does that effect the house and its designs?

Saint Laurent SS13 Campaign shot by Hedi Slimane (Source: http://nymag.com/)

One of the most famous Paris houses Yves Saint Laurent has been recently shaken up by the arrival of Hedi Slimane as its new creative director. The house was first created in the early sixties and revolutionized french fashion by fusing masculine tailoring with womanly silhouettes. The classic strong design has become synonymous with the house until Slimanes recent arrival. Slimane firstly, and rather controversially, changed the name by dropping the Yves to simple Saint Laurent. 

Its been known that Slimanes design studio is not located in the European city but is in fact located in sunny LA. Is this affecting his designs for the house? How can you understand Parisian style in a completely different surrounding? 

Street Style Photo by Tommy Ton (Source: jakandjil.com)

Moreover, Celine creative director Phoebe Philo has revealed she designs from her home in London so as to be closer to her family, although she does make regular trips to the french capital. I feel that Philo understand French style more than Slimane, her time at Celine has warranted success and acclaim. Perhaps this is due to her previous experiance at another Paris fashion house, Chloe. 

I honestly don't believe you can get a feel of where your house originates if you aren't surrounding yourself with its culture etc., but being in Europe I feel Philo understands more so than Slimane. She appears to be fusing exciting inventive British style with classic, sophisticated Parisian silhouettes. Slimane is no doubt creating beautiful clothes but they seem very far away from past YSL designs although with a similar dark colour palette. Do you think Paris fashion has to originate in Paris?