Maybe it's the excess of Champagne but fashion week has a reputation for public backstabbing. It is after all one of the most watched fashion events of the year.
This year however it seems they outdid themselves! We have all heard of the rather sour way in which Alessandra Facchinetti was fired after the Valentino show on Friday.
It was sly, yes, but it's fashion. What is interesting is to dig a little deeper under the catwalk and look at what this means for young designers. There is a bit of a cold war going on at that level: veterans fashion labels against "unruly" new ideas.
So what did Facchinetti try to do to the label?
Last season (autumn/winter 2008-9) she impressed with a new concept: focusing on the image of "a modern, elegant and dynamic woman who gets around".
Apparently this is the kind of thinking that seems to have irritated Valentino: "There is an existing archive with thousands of dresses where [a designer] can draw and take inspiration from to create a Valentino product that is relevant today. It is a shame that [Facchinetti] didn't feel this need."
OUCH!
It's true it is hard to take over a fashion house with such a strong identity. The dilemma appears every time a major label founder steps down.
But labels need to evolve. If there was no new uptake on classic designs we would still be wearing corsets and top hats. And Chanel would still be doing sportswear...
John Galliano did it beautifully but Dior was on the verge of crumbling down.
Valentino seems to want a Valentino design, exactly how he wants it but without doing it himself... Granted, it must be hard to watch from a distance 'young ones' toying with your life's success!
But come on, we need to give all those new designers a chance!
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