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LUXURY: ACCESS NO LONGER DENIED! (by Beatrice A. Ayim)
Put your hands up if you know the meaning of the word Couture? Well, let me just assume you're not very familiar with it so I'll break it down to you. Couture is French for high fashion designing and dressmaking, it's high class in every way, shape and from, a one in a million; it means the heavens highest quality, top notch, it means "don't even think about it 'cos you ain't got enough money!"

Couture is the beginning of luxury, once only available to the super rich and super high class. Couture was what mere mortals could only dream about after they'd finished their morning cleaning, or shift at Asda. Luxury was an 'Access denied' area for majority of us.

From couture came Ready-to-Wear, (or R-T-W, almost like the industry's secret security code), a diluted version of couture prices, which gave almost everyone, and by almost I mean A, B and C celebrities a piece of designer cake; and from R-T-W came diffusion lines, a much cheaper (don't shoot me for using that word), version of R-T-W prices.
But as talented as they are in designing, designers and fashion houses are also talented in smartness and captivated out pockets into buying a piece of their surnames by designing a host of items that we could own. Going into Debenhams and buying a bottle of Versace Blue Jeans perfume meant we knew Gianni more than Donatella did, and owning a DNKY purse was like calling Donna Karan and saying, "Hey D wus up, loving the new collection."

It's amazing how far we have come in understanding the value of designer items. Being a young adult and splashing out on designer items made us feel like we'd arrived - arrived where? On Cavalli's yatch?! It's quite amusing because as much as I absolutely louvvve Victoria Beckham, her acceptance into the fashion industry as a 'designer' and her winning formula as 'best dressed woman' is just funny - and it makes me wonder - how does the industry define style nowadays? Victoria always looks like she's walked straight off the catwalk into her living room - literally! Nothing of that so called best dressed speaks individuality, she wears it EXACTLY how it’s worn on the catwalk. Tell me about Kate Moss or Gwen Stefani and No Doubt you’ll be spot on.

But even with her...ahem...cough...cough...splatter...cough...fever coming on...cough, collection, we can buy into her bit of luxury. Though a lot more expensive than it should be, the clothes are a mix of feminine, brilliantly cut pieces with cool graphic prints and clever figure hugging dresses. Love you with three sugars Vic!

H&M still remain at the top of the league which is why no one can top their collaborations with world class designers who have included; Stella McCartney, Viktor & Rolf, Matthew Williamson, Karl Lagerfeld, Roberto Cavali, Lanvin and others. They have executed the two beautifully and now most of UK can say they own a designer item without breaking their bank balance. Luxury, access no longer denied!
Debenhams also has a fusion of designers that tickles your taste buds, their designer collabs' are just pukka! You can grab yourself a Red Herring item and at the same time choose between Matthew Williamson (guy gets around…not literally like that!), Julian McDonald, John Rocha, Betty Jackson, John Richard, Jasper Conran and many more. Luxury, access no longer denied!

New Look jumped on the golden bandwagon and launched the Gold collection by British designer Giles Deacon, Topshop have their own assortment and department stores such as John Lewis and House of Fraser are no different.
Luxury is everywhere - it's available, accessible and reachable to all even more now than ever before and with the internet a buzzing bee, you're bound to find dozens of designer items for a price even the Lehman Brothers can afford. Sites such as Designer Desirables, Sheer Lux and Secret Sales gives us all access to buy that which was once impossible, (and if Tom Cruise had his Scientology ways he'd do a fifth installment and call it 'Mission Impossible: Luxury a Reachable Destination'). Luxury, access no longer denied!
Net-a-porter recently launched the Outnet, their online sister shop selling discounted designer lovelies. Koodos is no exception as is mywardrobe.com and co. Now you can swap designer bags and have a dressing table full of place names that includes; Ralph Lauren, Givenchy, Chanel, D&G and Jean Paul Gaultier. Luxury, access no longer denied!

Celebrities are also giving us a taste of luxury, and I don't mean buying, staring and drooling in OK magazine at their gazillion pound things, I mean business women like Melania Trump (Donald Trump's wife), re-designing pieces of her own jewellery at affordable prices. So once you've left Primark with a bulging, ripped paper bag, just jump on QVC.com and order yourself a crystal incrusted watch from Melania Trump - Time pieces & Fashion Jewellery. Luxury, access no longer denied!

My only criticism for black designers already succeeding in the game? Use MORE black models!

Beatrice A Ayim