The Fashion Industry Weighs In On Our Current Fiscal Plight
By Kristen Luciani | The Save Jersey Blog
Design houses around the globe have spent months preparing their respective visions for the upcoming Fall 2013 season.
Creative directors and their dedicated teams have formed synergies among combinations of colors, patterns, silhouettes and accessories that will collectively breathe life into their wares.
In order to set their creations apart from the competition, designers try to establish their own unique trends to characterize the upcoming seasons during their runway shows. They draw upon their life experiences to create depth and purpose to characterize their brands. The inclusion of cultural elements, innovative design techniques, and new ways of thinking greatly contribute to the overall success of a designer’s presentation.
Interestingly, our external environment also plays a significant role in how the couture is crafted and presented to the masses. For example, according to E! Online, American designer Catherine Malandrino predicts a movement towards geometric shapes for Fall 2013, citing the fact that there is more of an emphasis on today’s “purposeful, disciplined austerity versus a verdant laissez-faire that characterized a more carefree past.”
Could this be an allusion to the current state of our union? It sounds like Malandrino is drawing a parallel between products of the fashion industry and our nation’s economic plight.
I think we can all agree that a “laissez-faire” attitude is most certainly an idealism of the past, Save Jerseyans. And most citizens do indeed seem to be taking a more austere approach to spending as result of their rapidly shrinking paychecks, although I cannot say the same for the federal government.
As evidenced by the State of Union address, the President is dedicated to implementing proposals that continue to increase spending in areas that should be handled by state governments. His attitude towards our deficit is lackadaisical; he does not have any intention to stand down from reckless spending.
Instead, Obama made it abundantly clear that he believes continuous funding of programs and subsidies will deliver the necessary innovation that will return our country back to our previous levels of greatness.
As a Republican, I embrace capitalism and a free market economy, and I believe that innovation and creativity are significant drivers for creating unique opportunities for enhanced productivity and overall growth. The American economy is innovation-driven – consider the likes of Facebook, Apple, Google, Boeing, and FedEx. These companies thrive by creating new markets and introducing new products into those markets. These key activities are essential building blocks to a thriving economy.
Unfortunately, I received a disheartening message on Tuesday evening. Instead of focusing his attention on re-invigorating the economy and encouraging the further development of industry, Obama’s second-term agenda is scattered and he is seeking as many ways as he can to build up areas that are not going have a direct and positive impact on the growth of our economy. Ultimately, because of his efforts, the very innovation Obama is setting out to achieve is, in effect, going to be stifled.