Just checked out the slideshow of Rihanna’s Italian Vogue couture spread on The Cut, and after a little trip to FreeTranslation.com, deciphered the copy on the first page to be a statement about the relevance of couture as “not a phenomenon of the past, but a privilege of today.” The statement comes just as American Vogue‘s Anna Wintour and friends (including Bluefly) rally fashionistas to support fashion’s necessity on Fashion’s Night Out this September 10th.
The exquisitely crafted patent leather bondage clothes, vampy lace, feathered ruffles, and metallic hammer pants Rihanna models certainly prove to me that fashion is about expert and artistic craftsmanship, first… and being a dominatrix, second — which, are both “privileges of today” depending who you talk to. But with craftsmanship increasingly coming at a better value — hello, you can get the current season’s ready-to-wear looks on Bluefly for 40% off what they retail in stores — I’m wondering if the couture business will become a “phenomenon of the past.” What do you think?

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