Yay for commercialism?

Friday will be the day. Yes it wil be your regular TGIF including gallons of wine and probably some outrageous party but I’m not talking about that. on Friday the 10th of June the Antwerp fashion department will host is annual (fashion) show.

For this show students from all over the world work their crazy asses off. The amount of perseverance and determination these students have, is something we can learn a whole lot from. They are physically and mostly mentally challenged all leading up to this show, but most of all preparing them for their future careers.

Already 5 years I have the pleasure to experience this wonderful event and although my interest in Belgian fashion was already present long before that, I realised really fast there’s a whole more to this mysterious fashion world. Well, I ain’t no expert (I do have a sister there though) but these past 5 years I saw it all, the good, the bad and the ugly.

But on the side I saw something else happening. While until two years ago thuis show was mostly visites by a certain group of people and fangirling (ex. upon Susie Bubble) was frowned upon, today the show is more commercially exposed as ever. All this happening with the recent developments in the fashion world on the background. This off course has to do with the growth of the new fast media but never before the mainstream interest and reach got that big.

The blogosphere though hasn’t been more jumpy for free tickets or backstage admission.
I can’t seem to stop questioning the motives. Pure interest is something that’s almost near to extinction these days. So what is their motivation? Getting free clothes? More exposure? Hoping to get a selfie with Walter? Or better, network(wrong event guys)?
Or am I that negative and is it really to support the students together with a growing interest for local brands and ethical fashion?

But that’s where we bump into the main issue. Supporting them would mean investing in their work. Not hopping on the free stuff train is in this case key.
Succeeding in blog-land has always had a lot to do with opportunism but the no shame game is getting out of hand. But I won’t bother you with that story today.

“We are so eager on changing the world, eating better food, buying ethic clothes and preventing global warming but we don’t want to spend more money or make more effort.”

This commercializing also has a good side. Exposure is bigger than ever and people all over the world are reached. But it’s time to invest and that’s one I want to say to everyone out there. We are so eager on changing the world, eating better food, buying ethic clothes and preventing global warming but we don’t want to spend more money or make more effort. Sometimes you just have to invest in order to get a return in the long run. And to give any advice: Nothing in life comes free.

P.S.: Born in Antwerp asked 4 bloggers to cover the show and give this event some more exposure. Interested but hesitant to buy a ticket? Follow Monica Harmony, Anouk Lannoo, Dries Vriesacker and Ruth van Soom on Instagram or snapchat. And off course you can also find me there (@astridnieuw on both).

P.S.: Enjoy my fangirl pica with the one and only Susie Lau and off course my extremely short modelling carrier for Hyein Seo.