2.24.2010

Material Girl


The future of fashion belongs to the young and innocent. The new British TV series Material Girl makes that point clearly. The TV show, commented by the Guardian as “fizzy, bitchy, self-indulgent, obviously bad for you but dangerously addictive,” attempts to demonstrate that although the fashion industry is full of “twisted people,” with talent, courage, and kindness, one can still achieve success.

But I mean, CAN’T THERE BE SOMETHING NEW? Haven’t we got enough “fashion Cinderella” stories already? The beginning of the first episode sets at the backstage of a fashion show. A girl with curly hair and plain T-shirt wants to send out her design but was called off by her boss. We immediately know that the girl, Ali, is the heroine of the show, while the boss, Davina, is the villain. But when I was watching this opening, I actually hoped that Davina is the heroine. I mean, how could a woman dressed like Elsa Schiaparelli or some Dior model go wrong in fashion?


Things become more obsurd as the show goes on. Ali quits her job, a fashion critique offers to help her, of course, with the expense of Ali's aquitance or accompany or whatever you call it. But go watch the show, and tell me how could that critique not be a gay?! Anyway, with the help of a strange American guy and her friends, Ali starts her own brand. Although there are obstacles created by the villains, things always end up Ok in each episode so far.


In general, the show is not very "British" to me. So if you are looking for a fashion TV series out of the ordinary, Material Girl is not a good choice. But if you only want to look at the pretty clothes, you may well spend several hours on it.