Money is so In

In the last week, amidst news of terrorism and plunging international markets, I came across two fashion stories that so frustrated every ounce of my humanist sensibilities that I had to share.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Karl Lagerfeld, apparently unsatisfied with having teddy bears fashioned after him and designing white t-shirts and mugs for charity, is now making money. Yes, money - perhaps he can contrbute to the bailouts. The coins will be in commemoration of Coco Chanel's 125th birthday and will be stamped with her likeness (yeah, like Queen Elizabeth).

The Times (the UK Times, that is) on the other hand has a lovely story about a new online vintage boutique called "Vintage Academe." Aside from the title's shameless invocation of old-world, European money, the article is full of gems like this: "What they've done... is to sense that there is a mood to shop and dress differently." That kind of insightfulness is clearly academe-worthy, because who would have ever guessed that "difference" (consumed in moderation) can yield commercial success? Furthermore, the economy of high-end vintage fashion probably exists in a vacuum, far far away from those bailouts and that pesky recession because, according to the author, the boutique owners have "realised... that the day of the £1,000 must-have handbag is over. So too, if we're not in our teens, is the day of the cheap, cheerful, throwaway little number (why bother?)." Rejoice: the days of poverty are over. All this time, we've been opting for the "cheap and cheerful" look. How passé.

(Article linked to title)