No contest.
Dec. 2nd, 2005 09:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kambrielI was responding to a friend's comment about competition in the world of fashion design and it made me think. See, I'm strange in the sense that I don't view other designers as competition. I never have. I remember in early 1994 when I decided to put out my first catalogue, I called Lana Michelle from "Blackened Angels" (do some of you still remember her beautiful work?), and told her of my plans. I told her I didn't want her to feel like I was competition, that we were friends, and there was more than enough room for each of us to do things in our own vein. She totally agreed, and we were mutally supportive of eachother ~ she made clothes for me, I gave her enough cotton-lycra to make the samples for her upcoming catalogue, etc...
For me, ideally, it would always be that way. I felt that same kind of connection with Laura from "the Pale Court" as well. That connection we shared of walking a similar path, but each in our own respectful way filled with mutual admiration and respect, made me feel even more like I lost a sister when she died last winter.
Even if someone tries to copy something I do, I still don't view them as competition. I've never been in a competition with anyone but myself. Everyone else is doing their own thing. For those who are creative and following their own vision (and we are lucky to have lots of brilliant designers in the goth scene doing this!), I have great respect and admiration for them. For those who try to ride on other's coattails and visions as a means to take what they see as a shortcut to success, I figure they won't be around for long since most people get wise to that sort of behaviour pretty quickly. People can tell when there is an honest passion behind the work ~ they can also tell when that aspect is missing. When young designers are just starting out, sometimes they are more apt to want to copy things they've seen, but I find that if you give them time, as they become more comfortable with themselves as individuals, and learn to trust their maturing instinct and growing skills, they will eventually evolve until their creations truly become something of their own creation.
I've never seen the design world as an either/or place, so I don't quite get the mindset of seeing fellow designers as competitors. There's room here for everyone to work from their own sense of style and vision. It's not like the public only has room to buy from this designer or that designer. Let's give people more credit than that. Perhaps I'm the exception to the rule, but that's how I have felt ever since my own beginnings. I've never thought there was much, if anything, to be gained from being defensive against the people who walk the path nearest to your own. This holds true in most other parts of the scene/day to day life as well ~ you've all probably seen or experienced times when people who are most at odds with eachother, in essence have more in common with eachother than practically anyone else.
A long diatribe, but I felt like expressing my viewpoint on one small dynamic of design. Of course for the other designers on my list, you're most welcome to comment with a differing viewpoint if you wish. I'm always interested in how people can see the same things in different ways.
~ Kambriel
[Kambriel.com ~ Etsy ~ Bluesky ~ Twitter ~ Tumblr ~ Facebook ~ Instagram]
For me, ideally, it would always be that way. I felt that same kind of connection with Laura from "the Pale Court" as well. That connection we shared of walking a similar path, but each in our own respectful way filled with mutual admiration and respect, made me feel even more like I lost a sister when she died last winter.
Even if someone tries to copy something I do, I still don't view them as competition. I've never been in a competition with anyone but myself. Everyone else is doing their own thing. For those who are creative and following their own vision (and we are lucky to have lots of brilliant designers in the goth scene doing this!), I have great respect and admiration for them. For those who try to ride on other's coattails and visions as a means to take what they see as a shortcut to success, I figure they won't be around for long since most people get wise to that sort of behaviour pretty quickly. People can tell when there is an honest passion behind the work ~ they can also tell when that aspect is missing. When young designers are just starting out, sometimes they are more apt to want to copy things they've seen, but I find that if you give them time, as they become more comfortable with themselves as individuals, and learn to trust their maturing instinct and growing skills, they will eventually evolve until their creations truly become something of their own creation.
I've never seen the design world as an either/or place, so I don't quite get the mindset of seeing fellow designers as competitors. There's room here for everyone to work from their own sense of style and vision. It's not like the public only has room to buy from this designer or that designer. Let's give people more credit than that. Perhaps I'm the exception to the rule, but that's how I have felt ever since my own beginnings. I've never thought there was much, if anything, to be gained from being defensive against the people who walk the path nearest to your own. This holds true in most other parts of the scene/day to day life as well ~ you've all probably seen or experienced times when people who are most at odds with eachother, in essence have more in common with eachother than practically anyone else.
A long diatribe, but I felt like expressing my viewpoint on one small dynamic of design. Of course for the other designers on my list, you're most welcome to comment with a differing viewpoint if you wish. I'm always interested in how people can see the same things in different ways.
~ Kambriel
[Kambriel.com ~ Etsy ~ Bluesky ~ Twitter ~ Tumblr ~ Facebook ~ Instagram]
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no subject
Date: 2005-12-04 03:15 am (UTC)no need to try to fight over them!
You've got it! Plus, it shows strength in your own self-confidence when you are comfortable enough in your skin to not feel like you would somehow gain from another person's loss. We are in the same boat afterall.