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Last Updated: Feb 6, 2017 - 2:32:04 PM |
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Bank teller by day, sought after fashion blogger by night. Twenty-three year old fashion enthusiast Vuitton Bain recently returned from a whirlwind trip to Paris for Paris Fashion Week and he’s giving us the dish on his ultimate fashion adventure.
A blogger for online fashion blog fashionbombdaily.com for over two years and a writer for local entertainment magazine ELife242, Vuitton gives us the rundown on his recent trip to Paris, his views on the local fashion industry and how aspiring fashion bloggers can break into the industry.
How did you get your position at fashionbombdaily?
It’s a funny story. I think I was Googling a pair of shoes for a friend, and happened upon The Fashion Bomb. I became a faithful, daily reader and after a few weeks, I noticed that there was a competition up for an internet intern blogger. So I entered the contest on a whim, completely not expecting to be eligible because I'm Bahamian. But I entered, and the readers loved how I attacked the tasks that were handed to us contestants. They voted at the end of the week, and I won!
Describe your style in three words.
Classic meets trendy.
What was the most exciting aspect of your recent trip to Paris?
My top 2 moments would have to be seeing fashion greats like Anna Wintour, Andre Leon Talley, Emanuelle Alt, and Anna Dello Russo all under one roof at the Isabel Marant show. I felt so star struck and unworthy to even breathe the same air! My second favorite moment would have to be being in the middle of a fur protest outside of the Jean Paul Gaultier show, and yes, I was wearing a fur coat. It was a bit embarrassing having people look at me and chant their anti-fur protests, but in my defense, the fur was faux. Two French kids came up to me afterward and said how brave I was for not even flinching, and I thought it was the coolest thing. Next time though, I'll probably just wear a peacoat.
What was the most annoying part of your recent trip to Paris?
The very expensive cab fare. It was about 60 Euro to get to my hotel from the airport. And the walking is a killer. My legs are still aching.
What shows did you attend?
Only three: Isabel Marant, Maison Martin Margiela, and Cacherel. Had an invite to A.F. Vandevorst, but I got lost (it was my first night there). I mistakenly threw the invite for Jean Paul Gaultier away and didn't realize until I got there.
What was your favorite collection shown at Paris Fashion Week (whether you attended the show or not) and why?
Jean Paul Gaultier seemed interesting. The models took off clothes and shoes and threw them into a pile at the end of the runway making the pile bigger and bigger. Margiela had amazing accessories (hex nuts as rings?). Dior, obviously because of all the controversy surrounding Galliano being ousted because of his anti-Semetic outbursts. And I loved how the Dior Atelier came out at the end. Not often do you see the people who actually put their sweat and tears into such masterpieces.
Walk us through one of your days during your trip. Where did you stay, what restaurants did you dine at, what Parisian retail stores caught your attention etc.?
I stayed at a really decent hotel called Hotel des Archives in the Marais district. The staff there was really helpful, and speak English. In fact, almost everyone in Paris can speak English. If I could pronounce the names of the restaurants, I'd love to tell you. But the food there is delicious, and not as expensive as you'd think. Lenotre has the best vegetable lasagna though.
Parisian shopping is a lot different than any where else. Places that have the best clothes are hidden in the smallest streets. If you don't know about them, you may just happen upon them if you take a day to roam the city. Colette is the store that everyone wants to go to if they know fashion and visit Paris, Mid to high end brands sell there. There was even a Chanel concept window on display when I passed by.
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What three trends do you think will be huge for Fall 2011?
For fall there was obviously tons of fur and shearling as well as tassels and fringe on outerwear and boots. Rich, deep hues like navy blue, plum, and hunter green were also prevalent on the runways this season. Also floor length silhouettes especially with dresses, skirts, and wide leg trousers.
Have you attended any other fashion weeks since joining the
fashionbombdaily team?
Yes. I went to New York Fashion Week for the F/W 2010 collections, which is a lot more laid back than Paris. NYFW is more fun. Paris is more business. And in New York, most of the shows are held in one location. In Paris, the shows are scattered about the city, so my legs are still aching from all the walking.
Who is your favorite designer at the moment and why?
Now this is ALWAYS a tough question for me. I can't say that I have any favorite up and coming designers because I usually stick so close to those who've been around for a while. I absolutely love what Frida Giannini has done for Gucci since Tom Ford's departure as creative director for the house.
Marc Jacobs is undoubtedly amazing at what he does. He has his line, his diffusion line (Marc by Marc Jacobs) as well as being at the creative helm of Louis Vuitton. And for him to sort of maintain the identity of each of those lines but still managing to show his "Marcness" in each piece, for lack of better word, is just pure genius.
Sarah Burton has managed to maintain the mastery that is Alexander McQueen since he left the fashion world. And doing that is beyond my realm of comprehension. Anything McQueen is just pure art and genius to me, and just can't be thought of. It has to be dreamt. Everything that comes down a McQueen runway just takes us to somewhat of a tangible fantasy. Something we never thought could exist until it's actually seen.
What are your views on the local fashion industry? What do you think needs to happen for substantial progress in this field to take place?
The local fashion industry is a few steps behind from where I'd like to see it. It's at no fault of the persons here who are really involved and have an eye for what's really fashionable. It's the consumer, and the boutique owner who just decided one day to sell clothes because they were probably complimented on an outfit more than twice. And a ton of these "boutiques" really only cater to a specific type of girl. Either the girl who likes to look cute when she goes out, or the girl who thinks she looks cute but she wore too many colors and looks a mess. But it's never the girl who took such a fashion risk that it ended up being the best risk she ever took. In order for this industry to progress substantially, people actually have to pay attention to what’s happening in fashion internationally, not just what Rihanna wore to a party and try to sell that look, or some shoddy interpretation thereof, to everyone.
When I say pay attention, I mean to everything. Trends, lengths, fabrics, accessories, beauty, and hairstyles of the season; all of these things encapsulate this constant revolving door that we call fashion, and we have to keep up if we want to get anywhere with it. Men's fashion here needs a serious boost. A ton of men here aren't even comfortable wearing pastel colors or clothes in their correct sizes for the sake of risking a debilitating blow to their masculine prowess.
Oversized clothes are just downright annoying and just look sloppy. Men’s clothing stores here are doing nothing to cure this unnecessary epidemic. Tailored is the way to go, which is why most of the guys who actually care about how they present themselves do most of their shopping away or online. Another thing that can be done to improve the industry here, and it's the simplest thing, window displays. As simple a thing as the way the mannequins are posed and dressed can make a person a client or someone who would just never set foot in your store. Too often I see clothes hanging nonchalantly from the ceiling or draped across headless and amputated mannequins, and it makes me sad. One's window has to tell a story, not just say "this is a pretty dress I think you should purchase." Versace in Atlantis does an amazing job of visual merchandising, other boutiques should probably take notes.
What three local fashion designers are on your radar?
This is a bit of a toughie, namely because a few designers I know seem to have taken a break, But obviously Theodore Elyett. He's been around for a while, but he always changes it up. David Rolle's collection at Islands of the World Fashion Week was simply beyond, especially since he hadn't been formally trained. I'm excited to see more from him in the future. Of course, this goes without saying, LaVonne Alexis of Cute Confections. They're definitely going to put the Bahamas on the map.
What advice would you give to someone interested in breaking into the field of fashion blogging?
Know what avenue you want to take. Is it going to be a personal style blog? Fashion news? Style advice? Once you've decided which direction you'd like to take, scope out the competition. Write down the pros and cons of their website and see what you can offer your readers that the others don't already. Be witty and likable with your writing, but remember that grammar and punctuation play a pivotal role in having a stellar blog, and people who leave comments are merciless, especially when it comes to that.
Think about your target market. Is your demographic a high end fashionista, or someone who wants the look for less? Is she an Olivia Palermo, Shala Monroque or a Teyana Taylor. Or can she be all three? And most importantly, know EVERYTHING you can about fashion. I mean EVERYTHING, from designers to fashion writers to stylists to magazine editors and buyers. It's imperative to know these things, because you will be tested in some way or another. People want to believe what they're reading and who they're reading it from are credible sources. Be prepared to spend late hours creating posts for your blog. And come up with an interesting name for it.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Hopefully a buyer for a chain of luxury boutiques or some type of fashion editor for a magazine. Maybe living in Toronto. Absolutely love that city.
Tyrina Neely
Tyrina Talks Fashion
is your weekly serving of fashion forecasting, trend reporting, figure
analysis and helpful fashion tips and tricks. Email Tyrina with your
fashion questions and photos at tyrinaalicia@hotmail.com. Visit www.primadonasales.com
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