Personal Style in the Age of Algorithms and Overconsumption
The net effect of social media on our style.
In today’s issue of Market Appointment:
Talking Personal Style with Dione Davis 💌
July in News:
The Saks/Neiman Marcus merger
Amazon takes on Temu and Shein
The Devil Wears Prada sequel
Demna’s couture t-shirt
Have we reached peak personal style? Why do we dress so uniformly these days? How much agency do we have when we’re constantly being bombarded with trend reports, ads and algorithmic recommendations? Are we even dressing for ourselves?
These questions nag me constantly. I had a realization back in April, when packing for Japan, that I too have fallen under the influence on many occasions. I too have worn impractical things for pure digital consumption, prioritizing the image over everything else. But I have since refocused my energy on cultivating a point of view, which I feel was always there but might have fallen prey to influencer culture. Being in Japan where the street style exudes independent thinking practically rewired my brain and I’m grateful.
I’m always curious to hear from people who not only dress for themselves, but also help others cultivate their own style. Dione Davis is one such person. I met her several years ago when she worked at Tibi, Amy Smilovic’s minimalist label and purveyor of seasonless wardrobe staples. Although I knew Tibi before Dione, she made the brand interesting to me—styling their runways and editorial shoots, and dishing out style advice in episodic videos (Tibi Style Class anyone?)
Dione will be joining me at Cherry on Top this Thursday, July 18, 2024 for a conversation about personal style. From the TikTokification of fashion to our image-driven materialistic culture, we'll discuss how to cultivate a sense of style in today's crowded landscape. We'll interview each other about the art of getting dressed, our favorite style trends, our hopes for the fashion industry, and more.
If you'd like to join, please RSVP here. Until then, enjoy this delightful conversation from Dione’s appearance on The Cutting Room Floor.
The Month in News
Another day, another merger. Saks Fifth Avenue partnered with Amazon and Salesforce to buy Neiman Marcus. Unlike Tapestry’s acquisition of Capri, which is currently being challenged by the FTC, I think this deal is more likely to negatively impact consumers as they’ll not only have less options for buying luxury online, but they will also be unable to challenge sudden price hikes. The FTC will be weighing in soon, but the acquisition is likely to go through. The consolidation of department stores is nothing new; it happened at an alarming rate in the second half of the 20th century and we are living through another similar event.
I find it interesting that Amazon keeps trying to win the luxury game, and this might be its smartest move yet. The luxury store it launched during the pandemic did not take off; past partnerships with brands like Oscar de La Renta have done little to move the needle and luxury labels still hesitate to sell on the platform. A move like funding the acquisition will give it unprecedented access to luxury shopping data.
This is the same Amazon that recently decided to take on Shein and Temu by investing in a Chinese-run discount marketplace. Selling cheap stuff has always been what Amazon does best and it needs to maintain its position as the everything store and a leader in online retail, but it’s puzzling to watch Jeff Bezos continuing to make a play for luxury.
The “Devil Wears Prada” is coming back for a sequel, and everyone is wondering if Anne Hathaway will be back too. David Frankel’s film is probably the most referenced movie in fashion history, and given the current cultural tendency to repackage nostalgia, I’m not surprised it’s being revisited too. Although we all know how the story goes, it’ll be interesting to see how they portray today’s fashion media landscape. I do hope they bring back Anne, but I will be watching either way.
I know the news cycle has moved on, but I’m still thinking about Balenciaga’s fall 2024 couture collection for the way it so perfectly exemplifies our postmodernist culture. It makes a spectacle out of critiquing fast fashion and overconsumption, yet the irony of doing so by producing more clothes isn’t lost on me. Then there’s his subtle derision of couture: Is a couture t-shirt—no matter how technically excellent—truly a subversive statement? Couture doesn't just mean gowns, but does it still count as couture when it lacks that inherent theatricality? Is Demna simply remaking things of the past with better 21st century technology? How do we orient ourselves from a cultural standpoint when everything is questioned for the sake of being questioned? I’m still working through my thoughts on this and will have more to share in a future newsletter.
There is no denying how talented Demna is and it’s not hard to see his influence everywhere. From oversize tailoring to intentionally deformed footwear and bodycon latex dresses, he’s changed the way we dress and that will always be his legacy. But I worry his contributions have stopped there and he’s running out of interesting things to show us. The man is good at sparking conversations; fashion remains divided over him with one side finding him exhausting and paradoxical, and another waxing poetic about how visionary he still is.
In the next issue, I visit the only shoe museum in North America.
Until next time,
Shelcy