Fashion Meltdown

Photos: KT Auleta

The fashion world seems to just keep on rocking despite an uncertain economy. These images from KT Auleta Photography give such an accurate (and to be honest, a little bit comical) depiction of what is happening in the world at the moment.

Despite all the headlines we're being bombarded with - World Financial Crisis, Mortgage Meltdown, Global Recession - and while the world is falling to bits around us, we either choose to ignore it with some twisted optimistic naivety (my philosphy - surely it WILL get better), or we accept it but decide not to bother with it. Out of sight out of mind, right?

Just like the World Vision ads, we're aware that the world is in the pooper, we're pretty sure it might even be crumbling, but we don't care enough to stop buying our Lover dresses, Prada hand bags and countless pairs of shoes.

Before I left New York I read countless articles informing me of just how terrible it is in Manhattan. Wall St bankers were becoming door-men to the very people they used to live next door to; a job vacancy for a bartender received 600 applications in the first hour it went up on craigslist; an interview for a sandwich maker in the West Village saw a line of applicants stretching five blocks, and at the open call for Topshop sales assistants 2,000 girls turned up. It really is pretty shitty out there and the worst is yet to hit Australia.

But regardless of designers facing the need to scale down their collections, the fashion world just keeps spinning money. Women are still buying $7,500 Balmain dresses - and probably going into debt because of it. I guess no matter how crappy the world becomes, at least we'll feel safe in the knowledge that we still look good...