When I happen to read international fashion magazines nowadays, I see that there is no way of avoiding the army of fashion bloggers, street fashion icons, Instagrammers that are more famous than Annie Leibovitz, and so on. Millions of people follow the cult of these individuals on social media. Poor politicians; they can only dream of those numbers! The Caras, Chiaras and Claras of this world would win every election, if they were to run for any office, in fact, we have seen proof in Italy, where burlesque dancers have become ministers.

Anyway, it’s cool now to have a peek at how ‘normal’ people can be superfashionable without spending millions. They just have to want and everything in cheapfashionland is possible. It’s just that what is supposed to be kind of democratic in fashion, namely street style, has become pretty boring. You see the same ‘street’ faces over and over again in the same cities: Milan, Paris, New York and Stockholm. Really? Fashion has borders? Where did big Yves get inspired? Think, fashion people, think! Let’s say we’re style dictators and want to concentrate on the West: where is Vienna? Didn’t big Coco create her iconic tweed rags after a visit in Salzburg? Hasn’t everyone in the world seen ‘The Sound of Music’ and swooned over those cute, blonde Kinder in Dirndl and Lederhosen, singing about Strudels and Nudels? 

Yeah, it bothers me that I have never been photographed on Kärntner Straße by the Sartorialist. Austrian fashion is deeply rooted in our mighty mountains and icy lakes, in mysterious fog and crazy rain, in comfort and earthly beauty. So, when I go out now in December on the beautiful streets of Vienna, wearing my wind-proof, Michelin-Man coat, my wool scarf that covers half of my face and my army boots to protect my feet in the pouring rain, I wonder: where is that Instagrammer? The frizzy hair is part of the Viennese look, as you can do nothing about it in the winter. My skin glows under the heavy cream that protects my face from cracking like glass and my lips shimmer after having rubbed them with a great piece of roast pork at lunch.  

Have you ever seen such authentic appearances in Paris? Those people try so hard what comes naturally to us. The so-called nude look? Invented in Austria! Most people here use only soap and Nivea. Short hair? Has been fashionable here since 1946, way before Jennifer Lawrence and her friends shocked the world with their coiffures. You will see loads of women with short hair here, completed with a trend colour like fox-tail red with orange highlights. Birkenstock sandals? White socks in sandals? Come on!! What people in New York and Milan are doing, feels like plagiarism. 

Amateurs.