Letter From the Editor
Growing up I had to be creative. Since I could not afford a lot of the trendy things I had to create them. From clothes to games I used my imagination. I fell in love with art, fashion and just the idea of designing. I had to use my own life experiences that inspired me since Pinterest was not around.
As time continues we are able to retrieve inspiration from anywhere but the internet is the main source which constructs the dilemma of boredom. People are becoming bored in what they are consuming due to over saturation. We see the same type of art daily. Since social media is never filtered we see all things from every where which can be confusing and overwhelming. We need our innocence back.
I miss the whimsical idea of fashion. The kind of whim that stimulated people to want to go beyond the realm of normalcy. Fashion has become a machine that pumps out the ordinary when it comes to models, advertisements and in some cases, designs. Fashion in previous times used to set the standard. Now we are shifting due to social media. Where is the authenticity within it all? The AUP Fashion Society has concluded that there is one common trend that is altering the fashion industry - technology.
This mundane phase has established an "I want to be different" era that generates the same results in the end. What happened to truly being effortless? I never had to try to be cool because I was always tailored made. I challenge us to revive the essence of just simply being original. When something is tailor made it has a particular purpose. It is created directly for a specific person with quality. We don’t take time to produce superior work anymore: we just go through everything in a blink. You blink in one moment then open your eyes and you are in the next.
Let's reintroduce the essence of taking time to create grand art. In order to be a great designer like in all art, practice is needed. No more taking time for granted. Since we never get it back we should love and utilize every minute. I think this generation has something special that makes our art great -technology and authenticity. We just have to find the balance in this evolving world. We are so spoiled, waiting on the next thing to be given instead of demanding and creating more.
Our opinions are validated due to the "liking" culture on social media. It is now becoming a routine and an old fad. We all think we have to like everything we see but the plot twist is we don’t have to. If you don't like it do not feel pressured to. Take time to understand or interpret instead of instantly judging. Let’s slow down, appreciate the moment and the art and all will truly be right.
As an artist it is important to capture the soul of whatever your vision is. Even though there is nothing new under the sun, design things that make people think it is. It’s time to evolve and to appreciate the details. In the words of the late Diana Vreeland "Give them what they never knew they wanted."
