brand hierarchies
Thursday night at the Highline Ballroom, at her first proper New York show, she was as carefully turned out as ever: two-tone hair, door-knocker earrings, A Bathing Ape T-shirt, cutoff jeans. She’s tiny and hasn’t quite grown into the personality that her sudden flash of fame requires.
So obvious Gucci, Fendi, and Prada-wearing makes you a “basic bitch,” but Bathing Ape is OK? (Retail price on the t-shirt she appeared to be sporting during her show on Thursday night: $100.) See, this is the problem I have with both “Gucci Gucci” and “Rich Whores”: On their face they’re all “up the fashion empire” and “be yourself” (or at least “be like me”) but when you get right down to it Kreayshawn is only making fun of those people who are noticeably indulging in aspirational upward mobility via conspicuous consumption. It’s Etsy (or BAPE, I guess) snobbery from someone who has time, and probably more money than the people wearing the lower-end stuff made by those fashion houses that’s obviously branded as a trade-off for being, essentially, advertising campaigns, to engage in crafting her (not even all that original) persona.
(Also, the fact that she completely crumples when faced with having to explain herself turns my stomach. Girl, your whole rise to success is based on you “go[ing] against anyone or anything”—just ask the people who work at Arby’s instead of on failed RHCP videos!—so you might want to do a spot check, or at least have some talent to fall back on once you realize the error of your ways.)
I didn’t go to the show, but Jeff did. In response to his review, she reminded everyone she was “successful” (whatever that means in 2011) and rich. I hope that her next single’s a broadside against people who wear drugstore perfumes! THAT’LL SHOW EM AMIRITE
