Two days ago, I went with my friend to a luxury department store, there isn’t so many here in Egypt, and you can’t find a single brand or a big fashion house that decides to open a store here (totally fine, I get it), so it’s difficult for me to just inter a store and find the upcoming collection for example or how it really feels when it’s sample sale! or to even feel the clothes, touch it, or whenever I feel mad or stressed to go and buy a Manolo Blahnik shoes, or just try all the store and walk out! I never did that.
It’s all only through my laptop screen, plus when I have a chance to visit my dad once or twice a year, who’s working in a near country that have all the brands, almost.
For my friend it was her fist time to hold a designer bag or shoes, it was like a dream for her and it was overwhelming for me to share that experience with her, because we have the same admiration for fashion aka the art in a piece that could make your heart skip a beat. And then she asked me how does it feels for you to hold a (brand name) shoes in your hand?
I visit these stores knowingly that I wont buy anything from it, Actually I don’t have a single “brand” piece of clothes, and I don’t have a problem with that, maybe because I don’t have my eyes on a particular piece that will make me crazy in the moment, or I can’t afford something in the moment too could play a big part, but I’m just okay with it. it’s just like that don’t ask me how, and if I had the money for it, it never cross my eyes, see that’s why I need stores everywhere around me! Plus I don’t do online shopping, because I really wanna feel the mood of the store, and I want my first piece to be visually and emotionally special…
For me I just appreciate the house that has the right team who worked that hard to make my heart skip that beat, not because it’s a lala brand! and yes it’ll be good to have it and make me feel great, but If I ever have a piece I really would want it to be nameless, no one recognize it, like a saint Laurent high waisted skinny jeans! and people just love it because it looks so great and they stop me to ask where did you get that, not because it’s all around with all the people and it’s the -It- bag or shoes and if i see it one more time I’m gonna kill myself and buy it. Sure we get so inspired by girls who wear pieces we never think of before but that’s another good thing, right?
That’s why I’m a fan of some brands who you only could recognize if you memorized every piece of the collection and you also will wonder and ask who made that when you see it down the streets months after and when they say it’s (that brand name) your answer will be: It has to be. Then you will remember the mood when you first see that piece walk the runway and knew that it’ll look that good.
I remember that I loved a Prada shoe once that the picture of it was on my screen saver, profile photo and everywhere that I can insert a photo on. It was a black leather pointy stiletto shoes, so classic and so original. I was so sure I’ll buy that shoes, but between the two countries I never found it, I was gonna feel so happy cause I finally found it, and maybe I was going to mention how I’m crazy with the shoe here, but, the fact is, you’ll find me telling you more about Zara and retail stores For example, one, because I just love Zara and what it offers to me, two, to prove that you can do a lot with less. And it’s not that less to be honest, I consider myself a lucky bitch to be able to walk the store and grab whatever I like and go out of it fully handed (mostly in sales too) not a lot of people able to do that.
In the other hand, I always question myself, what if I have the money to grab anything from any other luxury store? Am I gonna be blinded by the tag name and buy it because it’s only (insert Brand name)? Is that because I don’t see them around me, that I never get seduced?
Still one of the most fun shopping experiences for me is to shop from a thrift shop.
So do you prefer to wear something that all the people can recognize in a second, or be asking about what you’re wearing?
Ah, and for me and my friend, we only liked the most unknown pieces for us in the stores (believe me in this world of fashion, blogs and e-magazines, we know a lot of pieces). It’s just a bout finding yourself in piece, not in a brand name.
Image: Kate Moss in Vogue US April 2012 Couture Editorial.
