Disney wants to be the new black.
Whenever people make a point that something is au courant, they say “Bla Bla is the new black”. Isaac Mizrahi thinks “Competition is the new black” (in an effort to promote The Fashion Show on Bravo) and Queer Eye guy Carson Kressley, once declared “Gay is the new black,” (well, perhaps it was in the late 70’s, but definitely not when his show was happening. If anything “gay became the new annoying”). The phrase originated in 1983 when Gianfranco Ferre referred to his somber collection in the LA Times that, “Grey is the new black”. We can agree on one thing…that this expression is totally gay. Today, I am here to announce that “Black is the New Black”. Let’s start with the obvious. Barack and Michelle Obama. Their presence on the landscape is a constant reminder of this fact. But, lets look beyond that. The upcoming Disney film, “The Princess and the Frog” will feature Princess Tiana, the first black lead character voiced by Anika Noni Rose. Call me crazy, but I think this is completely fabulous. But naturally, there are rumblings on the internet that “she is not black enough”. Come on. Must “really black” be the new black. Can’t black just be new black? Must we split hairs with what shade of black is the new black? According to folklore, Abraham Lincoln once said, “You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”. Boy, whether he said that or not, it sure rings true to this day.
Moving on…when the fashion industry screams for “color, color color” on the runway, ask most retailers what sells best in the end…that shocking yellow or orange dress, BUT IN BLACK. Here’s the skinny…black will always and has always been the new black. Black is so back…and if you don’t believe me, here are some great looks from the current resort collections.
Chanel is always fierce. You go, Karl girl.
Donna Reed or Donna Karan always knows what's best.
Overall Prada's color palette paled to this smart little black ensemble.
That Oscar de la Renta...always thinking Oscars.
Even Zac Posen, not one of my faves...gets that "black has and will always be the new black".
Bottega Veneta (Thomas Meier) has is down.
In closing, I just pawed through my musings archive and found this stanza from a poem on fashion that I wrote in 1988. “In regards to leather keep it simple and black. If you buy it in brown, you’ll only take it back.”
As a devout gay warlock; I am in agreement that black is the new black…brown leather…never…is this an episode of wings? Ewwwww. I <3 you Abe