I am aware that I am not the only person whose imagination was running wild after seeing Alexander McQueen’s Spring Summer 2010 collection. Whilst one designer was rolling around in the hay with his show at Paris Fashion Week, McQueen was rolling around in a Shakespearean wood.
The hair styles of the models were evocative of Bottom in A Midsummer Nights Dream whose head is transformed into that of a donkey by the mischievous Puck. Alexander McQueen adapted a sense of play in displaying his collection and challenged to consider the idea of looking beneath the shoulders of what could be the donkey’s head; to ensure focus on the collection itself rather than the beautiful woman wearing them. The brown and green colours were reminiscent of the woodland fairies in A Midsummer Nights Dream and the deep blues of the royal Titania, Queen of the fairies.
The sense of play on the catwalk rewards us with the notion that we can take what we see on the catwalk and play with it to make it individual to reflect our own stylistic imagination.
Ask anyone to give you one or two words they would associate with Amsterdam and it is highly likely that this person will say (something associated with) drugs or sex. I lived in Amsterdam as a student and these two lone associations with the city were frustrating. The position on living in Amsterdam to those mostly young who did not live there was that lifestyle would entail the drug or sex lifestyle they associated with the city. 
Certainly the tolerant approach of the Dutch toward drugs and sex is evident in the centre of the city, however there was plenty more to the city than this. Amsterdam offers other entertainment through its dynamic culture of the arts, entertainment and fashion.
Since 2004 fashion in Amsterdam has made its official mark with the creation of the biannual Amsterdam International Fashion Week which has placed the inspirational city on the fashion map. Subsequently it is clear that Amsterdam is recognized for more than just its tolerance of the sex culture. Yet what if both of these celebrated aspects of the city merged? How would one begin to combine the Red Light District with fashion?
HTNK a fashion consultancy and recruitment agency was invited by the City of Amsterdam to design a concept for a window area which it was renting out in the Red Light for the usage of the creative industry. A section of windows usually rented for the use of prostitutes to sell their services is now on loan to Dutch designers to present their creations for one year.
There is a diverse selection of fashion pieces being exhibited in the windows offering displays from couture to ready to wear street fashion. The distinguished designers displaying their pieces are undoubtedly appreciative of the space to advertise their work.
This merge of the fashion world with the sex world in the most famous Red Light District in the world (I swear I’m not biased) demonstrates the creative ways in which fashion can be showcased. As well as this the fashion world is opening its doors and windows to perhaps a new audience who did not previously feel part of it.
Particular individuals may think of the Red Light District as somewhat sleazy, but this use of window space in the area may give people the chance to think that there is more to it than a beautiful girl standing in a window waiting for someone to want her services.
Fashion Hot Mess offering best luck and support to Glasgow Fashion Week 2009 which announced this morning on its Twitter page that the event has been postponed this year due to its venue partner The Lighthouse going into administration.
We hope that some good fabulous samaritan gives The Lighthouse the financial support it needs and deserves to get the venue and Glasgow Fashion Week back on its feet.
