A Different Kind of Couture

A Different Kind of Couture

Just recently, I was browsing through 2009/10’s haute couture collections and was appalled by some of the outrageously bizarre couture pieces that consistently made it onto runways. One wonders who the designers muse was. It doesn't take much imagination to conjure up scenes from horror movies with some of the pieces- Seriously! Couture on fashion runways tend to be decidedly weird. Ever so often however, inspiration seems to find its way through. Only then, is beautiful couture made.

Food Inspired Fashion



(Photos by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images)

Agatha Ruiz de la Prada’s fall 2009 collection from Milan Fashion week
Image Credit: Coutorture

Lego Inspired Fashion
French designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac introduces Lego to the high fashion world with Lego inspired hats and glasses made from real Lego bricks





(Photos by Photo Agency)

Jean-Charles de Castelbajac Spring/Summer 2009 collection, Paris Fashion Week
Image Credit: Zimbio

Columbia Bio-fashion week 2009


(REUTERS/Jaime Saldarriaga)

Colombian designer Nataly Jojoa, 2009 Biofashion week
Image Credit: (REUTERS/Jaime Saldarriaga)

Music Inspired Fashion

(Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images)

Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, Fall 2009 collection
Image Credit: Coutorture

Pac-Man Inspired Fashion
Designer Giles Deacon brought in Pac-man fashion to Milan with Pacman-inspired head gears/ helmets






Photo by Marcio Madeira. See style for more

Giles Deacon’s Spring/Summer 2009 collection
Image Credit: TrendLand

Though unusual, these are beautiful pieces! They capture the essence of fashion. They make you see differently. They stick in your head.

This is where health comes in.

If couture can be inspired by leaves/ trees, Lego bricks, food and even Midway’s Pac-man video game, then why not health? The state of both global and domestic health is quite alarming particularly in the area of women’s health. What better way to raise awareness than through health-inspired couture? In my opinion, when creativity and art can be channeled effectively into fashion, powerful health messages can be created. It provides an opportunity for consumers, to find out about a health issue, get interested in it, take measures to protect themselves from a poor health outcome or decide to be part of making a difference.

With couture, half the time, the question people ask is “where in the world would you wear these things??” With health-inspired couture however, this question can be answered- it is a different kind of couture-one with a message. It aims to jolt the senses, to get the word out, to get people to start talking and to force people to take positive action.

Why not Fashion?

Fashion is… what is happening.

Fashion is… what is happening.

Currently scleroderma affects more than 14 million people globally. For every one man with scleroderma, four women are affected. Although a disease that is mostly unheard of by many people, fashion can be a gateway to awareness…

For more information visit the Scleroderma Foundation

Why Not Fashion?

Why Not Fashion?

Walking down the ever busy streets of Michigan Avenue one foggy morning, it suddenly struck me how despite the gloomy weather, Chicago’s women still dressed as sophisticated and as chic as ever. Deep in thought, something caught my eye- a pair of unique red stiletto pumps briskly walking towards me. Intrigued and mildly filled with want, I looked up at this beautiful mid-thirties woman and blurted out “oh wow, I love your shoes!” She looked back at me in surprise, smiled and said “Thanks! Its rock the red pump!” and disappeared into the crowd. Being the inquisitive person I am, I immediately Googled “rock the red pump" as soon as I got home. And there it was- an HIV/AIDS awareness campaign for women and girls! …and I thought to myself, “Well, why not fashion?”

The world of fashion is emerging as a medium for public health awareness. Utilizing the “voice” of fashion, awareness campaigns such as The Heart Truth (which uses the red dress as a symbol to build heart disease awareness among women) and “Rock the Red Pump” (which raises awareness about HIV/ AIDS among women and girls) have been a huge success.

Health messages are being infused into the psyche of women via fashion shows, runways and clothing designs. The permeation of health into the fashion world is however painfully slow despite the fact that the fashion industry is proving itself to be quite an effective medium in raising awareness about women’s health issues.

As an industry that captures a wide range of female audiences, fashion can be a gateway to improving health for women. By utilizing fashion in ingenious and unconventional ways, it can be an effective tool to alert women to health issues that affect them while informing them on actions to take to lower risks.

Fashion designers can raise awareness about women health causes they are passionate about by designing and creating health inspired fashion lines with pieces, clothing, distinct colors, accessories (including hats, belts, shoes etc) and beauty products. These can have add-on health messages or come with information on additional health resources. Popular clutch designer Lauren Merkin, for instance, designs a special pink item every year from her collection to support breast cancer awareness and issues. Celebrities and famous role models are possible frontiers for using fashion to address health. By donning health-messaged designs and pieces, they can help in raising awareness about important women health issues including breast cancer, heart disease, cervical cancer, HPV, HIV/AIDS, stroke and even promote healthy prenatal behaviors. In addition, fashion magazines and media geared towards women can do a better job of providing appropriate health-related articles targeting the greatest mortality risks faced by the women who make up their readership. Studies suggest that women’s magazines may be encouraging women to focus on aspects of health that will not improve overall health or reduce risks. A conscious effort to use fashion to address health will however ensure that the most important health issues are tackled.

Fashion is a part of most women’s lives in some way or the other. To improve health for women therefore, fashion magazine editors, designers, celebrities, role models, working professionals and women health activists will have to figure out tasteful ways to use this medium to promote and raise awareness about women’s health issues.

When fashion and health can effectively work hand in hand, symbols that have been created and linked to health can then have a “voice”. So that when women see a beautiful red dress, they think –“what can I do today to protect my heart health?” A pair of red pumps- “HIV rates among women my age is rising, what can I do? Who do I tell?” A cute hair band with a pink bow they’ll think –“what can I do to lower my risk for breast cancer?” Or when a favorite fashionista or role model wears a health-inspired design they can begin to think of ways they can also be a part of the global movement against poor health outcomes.

If we are concerned about improving the overall health of women, addressing health from a platform that most women identify with, needs to be considered. Well, why not fashion?

Image Credit: mendoza

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