look how the world has flipped over…
Finding the balance in “normal.”
Reposted from Light the Lamp Newsletter.
The Glasshouse in NYC during the FSF 2022 Live Gala
I’m kicking off this inaugural issue of the Light the Lamp (LTL for short) newsletter having just come home from attending the Fashion Scholarship Fund (FSF) Live 2022 gala honoring this year’s student scholars, as well as Geoffroy von Raemdonck and the late, great Virgil Abloh. (For those who don’t know, I am the FSF faculty mentor at Parsons School for Design in New York City.) This evening’s celebration was a swanky but chill affair at the Glasshouse venue on 12th Ave overlooking the Hudson River. It felt strange - almost illicit - to be attending a live event like this, but all in all the evening was pleasant, I got to meet my mentees (who I’d only seen remotely up until now) in person, get dressed up and mingle, and remember what it was like in pre-C0v1d times.
But on to business…
What can you expect from this newsletter?
My intent is to provide inspiration, hope, as well as guiding questions, meditations and journal prompts for students and professionals navigating this complex industry about which we are all passionate. I am sure the format and structure of this newsletter will change and evolve over time as I get the right mix of “ingredients” going… But for today I’d like to say “welcome” and I hope you find what you came here for.
True Luxury
When I began my career as an educator in fashion, I had a conversation with one of my university professors who had now become a colleague of mine. We were discussing the definition of luxury, and I proposed that luxury was no longer about material things:
Luxury was time. Luxury was peace and quiet. Luxury was privacy.
Sidenote: these are things typically associated with a “simpler” life, a life more akin to one that our ancestors and indigenous people lived instead, a life that didn’t revolve around a 9-5 existence, but where humans were allowed to honor more natural rhythms.
Look how the world had flipped over.
When everything first shut down in 2020, there was collective shock and confusion, but for many, also a sigh of relief. Most folks came to recognize that we had been moving too fast for too long, and, in a very conflicted way, were grateful for a change of pace (those privileged enough to be able to stay at home, that is). But now, 2+ years later, it's becoming clear what a momentary sentiment that was. Because although many of us are yearning to maintain the healing aspects of this slower pace, it is hard to find the balance in a world that seems designed to go back to "normal."
I am reminded of this quote:
“We have created a society in which the rich become richer and the poor become poorer, and in which we are so caught up in our own immediate problems that we cannot afford to be aware of what is going on with the rest of the human family or our planet Earth. In my mind I see a group of chickens in a cage disputing over a few seeds of grain, unaware that in a few hours they will all be killed.” ― Thích Nhất Hạnh
So if the last two years couldn’t do it, what will it take to achieve this awakening? What will it take to stop behaving like these caged chickens?
During the speeches at tonight’s gala, there were a couple things that stayed with me.
Geoffroy von Raemdonck, the CEO of the Neiman Marcus Group, opened his speech talking about how fashion is a “business of emotions” and creating a “culture of belonging.” Emotions and community are things I always stress with my students, because the fact is no one really needs any more clothes. As designers, we give tangible shape to emotion allowing someone to feel a certain way. It is a magical thing, a privilege, and can be used for a ton of good when we are creating from that heart-centered place. And when we can use our creations to unite, include, and grow together, we begin to see that it’s possible to change the world.
Off-White limited edition collab with High Snobiety to benefit the Virgil Abloh Post-Modern Fund
In turn, Virgil Abloh, coming to us from his last FSF Zoom calls with students, said, “The height of my achievement was not Louis Vuitton. The height of my achievement was the scholarship fund.” It’s worth remembering the material is only temporary. We are capable of thinking bigger. We are capable of living with a legacy in mind. In fact, it’s imperative we do so.