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Hello A feature article that was rejected for a magazine piece for uni. I’m proud of it even if no-one else is. I should note not to take this article to heart, it was written for a satirical humorous magazine
Fashion Snob

There has always been fashion snobbery within the industry, if you are not from the upper class or in a position of money, then expect the door of Dior to be firmly closed. Personal appearance and social status has always been important to get through life, but why is fashion so snobbish and why can’t everyone be equal? Why is narcissism allowed to run wild and free in the fashion spotlight even though they have the money and the status? After all it stills an act of snobbery behaviour.

How often do you go into a high fashion designer boutique, one that you haven’t visited before and as soon as you step through the door, you instantly feel out of place? As you step through the door, you can feel you are being judged on your looks, you’re not wearing the latest catwalk collection. There is a stench of snobbery in the air as you look around the shop, then you pick up an item off the shelf and out of the blue a sales assistant storms up asking “is there I can help you with madam?” The sales assistant speaks with a manner of authority in his tone, a deep impoliteness in his voice, an impression that you don’t belong here. A thousand needles hit you leaving you feeling embarrassed, flustered and the feeling of turning beetroot red in the face. You replied quietly that you are just browsing but you want the ground to open and to swallow you up. How often does that happen and only after from running out of the shop you vowed to yourself that you will never be back there.

We have all been in that situation when visiting a new unknown shop, a place where we wouldn’t normally do our shopping but want to simply browse. Judgemental eyes follow you from the moment you step in the store, and you know that you don’t belong here. It is only as you leave the shop you see another person walking in, dressed head to toe in the latest catwalk collection and the atmosphere would change to where you see the sales assistant greeting the shopper and offering to help, a complete opposite, warm open manner where the tone of his voice is softer, kinder and polite. It becomes a playground almost for that person as they are free to browse at their leisure.

This is fashion snobbery in its purest form, being judged on your appearance. How would you define fashion snobbery? Would it be someone who would wear tip to toe classic Chanel while shopping exclusively in Paris and would never been seen shopping alone the high street? Or would it be how your social standing is defined by your appearance? If you don’t follow the catwalk trends you could find yourself ‘shunned by the chic’.

The definition of snobbery is often the trait of feeling superior to those of a lower social class. The nose firmly fixed up in the air, believing that you are superior to others; you live and breathe with the attitude that you are better than anyone else.

Britain has a history of being ruled by the snobbish. You only need to look back through the last couple of centuries and look at how we divide people through the class system, it’s always the rich and powerful at the top while the poor are at the bottom, think of the example of the Titanic where the upper class got off the ship first while the lower class were left to sink.

The rich upper classes are free to enjoy the luxury of Haute Couture in Paris, and are in a position to indulge their own personal passion for fashion. By having large amounts of disposable income they are able to have custom made couture. The one of a kind couture displays their wealth and status unlike the mass produced high street clothes which often copy-cat other catwalk trends. Not only are the rich showing off their affluence, but ensuring people still know that they are superior to anyone else.

Chanel, Dior and Prada are all house hold names to the wealthy classes and the well-off wouldn’t dream of shopping anywhere else; this is where the humble high street shops are ignored for the premier names in fashion retailing. It’s an exclusive world where it’s only about you, narcissism at its very best.

Narcissism is still a form of snobbery, an egotistical behaviour where an individual is completely oblivious to everyone but themself. Just follow any tabloid favourite such as Kim kardashian or Coleen Rooney and you cannot ignore it, always in the national paper, always having their focus and attention fixated on them. You can almost call it a Narcissist personality disorder.

These rich wealthy people often display a vain selfish persona, where it is only about them and their need, both snobbish and ignorant of their true status in the world.

It isn’t only these individuals which display narcissism, fashion houses and shops display this trait. Can you imagine a girl wearing a cheap tracksuit shopping in Liberties? No way, you would be shown the door. Harrods also has a history of being a snobbish department store; the footmen at the entrance watch everyone entering, judging you on what you wear making the underdressed feel insecure. If they don’t approve of your dress sense then you are refused entrance. Harrods is the playground of the wealthy from all over the world. It’s a place where only the rich can afford to spend money on the expensive luxury goods. It’s a privileged lifestyle of the wealthy elite. Never having the need to move a finger as they have personal assistant at their beck and call, a simple click of the fingers and they can have whatever they want.

Appearance in fashion has always been important; image is important to achieve further in life. Achieving the right approved appearance is where the real judgmental snobbery sets in. If you are not tall, skinny or good looking then you will be judged upon. Snobbery within the fashion houses over appearance has always existed, an upturn of the nose as if something smells bad if a girl with the wrong look dares to show her face in the house of Prada. It is like a stray cat who innocently wandered in being picked up and thrown out on the street, “excuse me miss but you be more at home at New look than Prada”. It’s a narrow view of the world where an individual is put on a personal catwalk stage and is being judged on their appearances, much like how a contestant is judged by the judges on the X-factor. Fashion is a massive judgemental industry where external beauty and money is more important than the inner beauty.

The fashion industry, like all business, is focused on making money. It’s what drives the greedy rich; it’s a never ending hunger that always feeds the appetite that lies in wealthy deep purses. It what lies at the heart of fashion snobbery, the fashion industry knows that the rich do indeed have deep purses, an almost endless supply of money where there is never a problem with the price tags.

Now it’s the age of the internet and those from all backgrounds can have the experience of looking at high end fashion brands, with websites such as Net-a-Porter where you can buy all the latest season’s collections fresh from the catwalk. It breaks down old fashion taboos and at last fashion can be equal for everyone without anyone prejudging you. While the prices still lead to exclusivity for the rich, the not so wealthy can still dream about owning the fashionable catwalk collection and having the wealth to afford the collection.

Anyone from any class status can indulge their own personal passion for fashion in the comfort of their own home; fashion designers collections are now equal and fair for all. Only in the last decade consumer credit has had a massive impact on people spending, buying goods on credit is now the norm, opening a new window for the fashion industry and opening a new class of consumers. As the old class system starts to fade away into history and new system of open consumers begins to increase. In turn this breaks down the old cycle of snobbery and ignorance. People from all classes are able to take care of their appearances buying fashion, not only from the high street but places such as Vivienne Westwood and DKNY. A new equality in appearances is taking over and as we all move into a new Century. Let’s hope this democracy of fashion continues.

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