OK, maybe it's just me, but I find it a little odd that all the peeps are Caucasian (well, as far as I can tell, and maybe shame on me for assuming that). Except for one boy. Now, before the tirades start, let me share that my own family is, as they like to say, multi-culti. My parents are Caucasian, and my brother and I are Asian. We can tell a few good stories about people also scratching their heads and trying to do the genetic math and still coming up with 2+2=5 (thanks, Radiohead - I find your song title very convenient in everyday life).
Seeing this little boy standing out from the pack, it made me launch into my own odd backstory theories. Is he supposed to be adopted? Is there a family member that got excluded? Why did the designer include him, but only him? And really, hell, does it matter?
I did try and do some quick research regarding the whole sale and, as Fab's background blurb says, the collection is part of a larger design project which you can read about here, from one of its own creators, Laurie Simmons. I couldn't find much on the family line-up, but given the "Kaleidoscope" title and the creators' take on the modern family, it makes sense to me.
Rarely do I pick at the larger social issues that are often associated with fashion, shopping and style. This is a conscious decision. The blog is about fun stuff, stuff that I like, etc. I want people to come away from my posts with feelings of kittens and rainbows (of the Kate Spade or Shopbop.com kind). But it's hard to ignore the larger themes that sometimes shadow the merch itself.
While I'm going to stick to not delving into a long discussion of politics and fashion, I thought it was well worth mentioning. I'm sure many of us have had our own reactions when reading news about models, trends, clothing. There are more than ample headlines from which to choose, good or bad. From John Galliano to plus-size models to the current Asian model "trend," the world of shoes and clothes and even furniture - and those who design, sell and buy them - does not reside within an insulated bubble. It's all part of the larger human universe - and we humans are quirky characters.
At the very least, the Kaleidoscope House has intrigued me for various reasons. It also makes me think about how the world is changing. Decades ago, adoption was a fairly new idea, and multi-racial families (both via adoption and not) were looked upon with leery eyes. Today, I would argue that many people hardly lift an eyebrow anymore. Many of our friends are in multi-racial/multi-religious/same-sex relationships. And many of our friends have a more traditional family. Neither is better than the other. Personally, I enjoy all the variety. We have great friends and family from all walks of life, and I appreciate all that I can learn from them. If we do in fact have our own kiddos, we'll be the proud parents of little "Norwasians" (our bad mash-up of Norwegian and Asian... plus, honestly, a handful of other Northern European bloodlines).
So, I'm hopping off my soapbox now. I do hope I haven't offended anyone. I also hope my little tangent from the pretty, sparkly stuff will give you food for thought. Whatever the designers' intent was in creating their people, I'm glad they did it. It made me pause and think about the wider world which fashion - and ourselves - inhabit. And that's never a bad thing.
Images: Fab.com courtesy of Kaleidoscope toys
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