I saw this picture featured in a write up about the Hong Kong Fashion Week, and, well the question that sprang to mind when I saw this strange mummified-person-meets-the-harlequin-disemblower was WHY? Why would anyone want to 'create' something (don't know if it can be called an outfit, technically speaking) like this. Described politely as the "avant-garde wonder by Hong Kong's Michael Lau" by the L A Times, I would perhaps express my sentiments differently.

So What are Fashion Weeks all about?

According to Wiki, a Fashion week is a fashion industry event, lasting approximately one week, which allows fashion designers or "houses" to display their latest collections in runway shows, and buyers to take a look at latest trends. And most importantly let the industry know, what's "in" and what's "out" for the season.

The popularity of the Fashion Week has increased to the extent that it is no longer the traditional venues of Milan, Paris, London, and New York City that conduct these fashion events; this is now more of a global phenomenon, with Fashion Weeks springing up at other venues all over the world.

Fashion Weeks are really trade shows where designers present their vision to editors and retailers just before stores place their wholesale orders—about six months before the clothes appear in stores. These shows give valuable publicity to designers; many other people benefit from the show economy, including publicists and event producers like caterers, restaurants and hotels.

So you have a platform for the designer to showcase his designs and buyers to decide what it is that which is saleable enough for them to buy. Fine so far, but how are these fashion extravaganzas which are often all about celebrities and gala events, relevant to you and me?

Whenever I see these events featured on TV I am amazed at how unwearable the clothes often are! (I mean who in the world would want to wear that in the picture?) And don’t even get me started on the models; I mean who looks like that? In the real world I mean. Raccoon eyes, weird hair, weirder hair accessories, hideous make up, what is that all about? So you have unwearable clothes on anorexic, sometimes prepubescent models, and inexplicable accessories; so I have to ask who is the event for!

Celebs?

Sure a lot of celebs probably have cause to wear some of the designs because it is their job to make a fashion statement after all, and then there are those in the fashion industry who have to set trends so that more of their clothes sell; but really people like me are often simply bewildered at the sheer scale and lavishness of these events. Just tell me, where on earth would any of us have the chance to wear something like that! And what is that feathery, incomprehensible thingie on her head all about?

Anyone? Someone? Enlighten me please? I don’t get Fashion Weeks.