Aesthetics + Economics

Beyond Diminishing Returns

$1 million shoes by Stuart Weitzman, created for PR purposes. See here and here for the full back story.

Americana for Spring 2008

What to make of the Americana trend present in the spring 2008 collections?

When circle skirts and leather jackets returned in force in the 2008 resort collections (see Gucci for a prime example), it seemed merely a pendulum swing back to American sportswear and classic fifties fashion after years of ethnic, bohemian, and new minimalist styles.

The use of Fourth of July symbolism by houses like Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent for spring 2008, however, suggests that this trend goes a little deeper.

Does it reflect nostalgia for the days when the United States' status as the world's lone superpower remained unchallenged? Is it simply a cheeky response to the waning of American preeminence by Parisian brands? Is the product meant to appeal to the growing numbers of customers in emerging economies, for whom the stars and stripes may feel exotic?

In any case, there are major shifts happening in the global distribution of wealth and influence (both cultural and geopolitical). The Youtube video Did You Know 2.0 provides a succinct and compelling overview of these changes.

Photos: Details of the Chanel (left) and YSL (right) Spring 2008 collections from Style.com.

De Retour

Aesthetics + Economics is back. Why the hiatus? In short, a lack of time.

In the months following May 2007, I completed an internship at an innovative design strategy consultancy in Nice, France; wrote a senior thesis in economics (an economic and law analysis of the Design Piracy Prohibition Act--I couldn't resist a fashion-related topic); and finished my undergraduate studies a semester early, in December 2007. (I'm kind of a nut like that.) Whew!

As I conduct my job search, I will resume posting. In the meantime, please feel free to contact me at [email protected] if there are any topics you would be interested in seeing discussed on A+E!