In Fashion

The immediately noticeable thing about In Fashion is that it's not, being nearly some five years old. This position, however, presumes that the guiding metaphor for fashion--everchanging--is valid, and we're not convinced of that. While changes on the surface of the fashion world occur daily, the underlying structure hasn't altered that much in recent years. John Mahjor is the host for In Fashion, which was originally made for Canadian television. The program travels the globe, visiting the major fashion centers (Paris, Milan, London); interviewing fashion giants such as Giorgio Armani, Karl Lagerfeld, Ralph Lauren, Christian Dior, and Claude Montana; and examining the influence of rock and film personalities on fashion trends. Over 50% of the program, it seems, is on the runway--the long ramp which models parade down during the semi-annual fashion shows which are the trademark of the industry. We are told by many experts that "accessories" are the new thing, which, of course, they aren't. Speaking anachronistically, we "accessorized" in the '60s (headbands, love beads), and we're certainly still accessorizing in the '90s (swatches, etc.) Throughout the program, people on the street offer off-the-cuff definitions of "fashion"--mostly vapid. Our favorite was "whatever's clean that day." As an introduction to the world of fashion, with emphasis on the glamorous, In Fashion is a good program, which may be useful particularly in high school libraries. However, for public libraries, there are fashion "video" periodicals available through fashion magazines which are both more timely, and much less expensive. Recommended, with the above reservations. (Available from: Landmark Films, 3450 Slade Run Drive, Falls Church, VA 22042; 1-800-342-4336.)