Fashion and Foods fixation for one another is far from a brief dallying flirtation, in fact it’s a long lived romantic affair steeped in history and fervor. Put aside the preconceived stereotypes of the fashion world steering clear of food like its the plague, or god forbid an extra kilo, they’re intertwined and food is as much of a style influencer as the Maisons themselves.
The forefront of setting style trends is the incorporation and exhibition of the latest in fashion and food technology, whether it be with neoprene or nitrogen. As fashion trends filter through society from the runway designers to the high street stores, food trends do much the same. This is all too familiar for the infamous New York based Dominique Ansel bakery who were responsible for concocting and crafting the deliciously fashionable, coveted $5 Cronut. They’ve since faced copycats and competitors worldwide, with ‘black market’ cronuts retailing for up to $40. The same could be said of the macaron obsessions of yesteryear; the launch of Parisian Ladurée fuelled a momentous cry for more of these colourful and delightful clouds of almond meringue, which prompted a Master Chef bake off and Adriano Zumbo’s ‘Zumbarons’ before trickling down to become a feature on McDonald’s McCafe Menu.
Obsession and intrigue for beauty and style in fashion naturally extends to food; where appreciation of quality, craftsmanship and dedication result in an overall lifestyle choice, from the clothes on your back to the food in your stomach. In essence, indulging in fine food allows for appreciation of luxury at a relatively cost-effective price tag, in effect, enjoying fine foods becomes an affordable status symbol. Where a designer dress could set you back onwards and upwards of a small fortune, a 7 course degustation menu with matching wines at the most acclaimed top Spanish restaurant, El Celler de Can Roca in comparison would cost about $250. In accordance with economic downturn and pressures, fashion retailing has softened while food retailing is on the rise – being the first to try a new dish or be seen at the latest ‘it’ restaurant has never been more appealing. Photos of desserts and delicacies from the top restaurants and tables around the world now gain as much following as the latest looks, thanks to blogs, Instagram and other social media.
Paris has long been the epicentre of fine food and fashion since King Louis XIV’s rule and while the latests trends have always unfurled across society and over the continents, the pace at which the latest looks transcend from the catwalk to the streets of Sydney, Copenhagen or even Shanghai has dramatically increased with globalisation, fast fashion retailing and the ease of access to social media. While the street style of each major city may increasingly become more homogenous, food is still a differentiating symbol as it provides a snapshot of a culture and lifestyle.
“Fashion comes and goes but style lasts forever” said Chanel, but if there’s one thing we’re sure of, good food never goes out of fashion.
