finis...

I AM THROUGH WITH FASHION.

i suppose i'll have to explain myself in more depth sometime later but that's pretty much the truth.  it's not as bad is it may sounds, however.  the fashion industry is not the same as it was 15-20 years ago.  ever since LVMH, under the ownership of the VILLAINOUS bernard arnault, began buying out every company and their moms, quality has completely been sacrificed for profit. unless you have the money to buy chanel or hermes or loro piana or ralph rucci, known as "abolute luxury" brands, LUXURY NO LONGER EXISTS.  if you knew what really went on at brands like prada, louis vuitton, and gucci, known as "aspirational luxury" brands, you would be disgusted, too.  if there's no more integrity in your product, why keep doing it?  you'd be living a lie.  now i really know why helmut lang and valentino sold their companies and left the industry.

yesterday, i met ralph rucci--one of the few designers that i still respect, as he has refused to compromise quality for profit even a little bit.  because of this the rest of the industry and the media has branded him an outcast and a snob, refusing to cover his collections with the same attention afforded to other "mainstream" designers like marc jacobs.  this is why you may not have heard of him before.  the truth however, is that ralph rucci is one of the most down-to-earth designers you could ever meet.

so why don't i do what ralph does, you ask?  simply put, he works too hard.  truly, it's unbiblical.  so...i'm through.

of course, i don't think my year here was a waste.  part of the reason why i came to FIT was to determine if this industry was one in which i could be successful in and still keep my sanity, not to mention my faith.  so you see, mission accomplished.

what am i going to do now you ask?  i still might do a fashion internship this summer, since i think it would be a shame to have studied fashion for a year and not at least try using what i've learned in the real world.  beyond that, i have no idea.  hopefully i can stay in new york.  i feel strangely liberated, however. besides, america is the land of opportunity.  i just have to look for them.  i suppose a degree from duke isn't completely useless.

i suppose this means i can have a personal life now haha.