Is Homeless Chic a Mockery of the Poor or the Rich?
Using "poor aesthetics" to criticize consumerism or, on the contrary, to glorify poorness has been the fashion industry's obsession for many years. But who do designers actually make a mockery of? The poor or the rich?
From the late 1970s, the notion of luxury and the way the rich are supposed to behave and dress has shifted tremendously. Japanese wave of designers in the 1980s has made a massive contribution to popularizing controversial and distressed clothing, contrary to western beliefs and perceptions of glamor. However, the vision of avant-garde designers with deconstructive clothing is not exactly identical to what many brands of today display as "distressed" or "homeless" chic.