The fashion world is all a flutter these days with love, disgust, and whatever feeling falls in between, all aimed at a girl who hasn't even bought her first "real" bra yet. Tavi Gevison, the witty prodigy behind Style Rookie, has editors and bloggers alike shaking in their Maison Martin Margiela boots. Either they view her as a novelty that will soon pass-soon meaning the second her 13 year old body collides with puberty-or they view her as a threat, a dangerous bug needing to be squashed before she siphons off anymore of their limelight.
Yes, having Tavi cover Haute Couture week is a cheap gimmick being pushed by magazines hungry for readers and designers dying to stand out. Yes, it's a bit ridiculous that publications geared toward 35 year old women are hiring a 13 year old girl to write for their readers. However, this precocious fashion eccentric in the making is doing something very right.
Her writing style and technique are well above the average middle schooler's, trust me I know a thing or two about middle schoolers, and her references are sick. As a 25 year old, honestly I'd hang out with her if only to talk about film and designers. Beyond her actual skill, the thing Tavi get's right the most is being 13.
I remember being a teenager; it was hell and still is for most. From about 12-17 all most kids want to do is fit it. That means wearing the "right" clothes, watching certain movies, listening to certain music and basically becoming a clone until you grow up and hopefully snap out of it, or you and the other lemmings jump ship. The teenage years are notoriously unkind to bookish types who shun convention and follow their own inner muse. Its usally the bookish ones that hang out with Taschen, have an offbeat sense of humor, and would rather spend Friday night online than at a football game that end up being the envy of their 10 year reunions. The people that roll with the herd usually end up-surprise, surprise-as one of the nameless, faceless masses.
How does this relate to Tavi? Well she's obviously a girl who's read a book or ten in her short life and her attire is far from that perfect Lolita mix of innocence and sex that you'll find in most 13 year olds' closets. She does the one thing right that takes most of us well into our 20s to figure out; she is herself. Love her or hate her, she is the only person she knows how to be. In the shuffle through adolescence most of us lose sight of how easy it can be to be who we are, mostly beacause children are cruel, teenage girls in particular, we forget how awesome it is to be offbeat. The novelty of Tavi is that she hasn't. Whether she truly is some sort of fashion savant is of no concern to me, I don't take fashion advice from anyone and I'm the only fashion critic that I trust. The girl has cotton candy blue hair for Christ's sake, it's amazing I would've cried if my hair were that color at 13 then again blue hair was very "90s girl in a band".
Anyway, all I'm saying is that it is petty for adults to whine and bitch about a young girl doing a better job at their jobs than they do. Up your game! And to those bevy of bloggers out there taking her to task, do not be upset that you aren't the chosen one this season. In the words of Andy Warhol "In the future everyone will be famous for 15 minutes." I just wonder if there are enough minutes to go around.
Whew...that was long, sorry I didn't warn you to grab a cup of tea or something.
