Besides Uggs, my next fashion industry pet peeve is the invention of words to create identities in subgroups. And one of these words is fashionista, an over used expression created and adopted by the fashion industry, in which they label target markets or consumers of fashion, even professionals, demeaning the importance and significance of a multi-billion dollar industry. An example of which is seen through a Mediaweek piece titled, Fashionista U: Teen Vogue to Teach the Biz .

According to the article, Conde Nast's Teen Vogue magazine “will offer readers a crash course on the fashion business at Fashion U, a three-day event in New York” in October 2006. The course or seminar is intended to teach their young readers all there is to know about the fashion industry (as if one weekend in New York will be sufficient in teaching girls from the 13 to 17 age range about a multifaceted industry, which I spent four years studying, trying to understand). The company’s public relations representative said, so intelligently by the way:

"Teen Vogue has carved out a specific fashionista person that they go after," said Mike Labella, media supervisor for PGR Media, which counts Tommy Hilfiger as a client. "They're actively seeking these women that have the qualifier of being a fashionista. [This program] is a good move to solidify that base."

What exactly does that mean? Having gone to school at the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a heap load of young women who fit in by purchasing the latest Juicy Couture hoodie, Frankie B. or Seven jean, I was exposed to this word often. In merchandising courses like retail buying, fashion promotion, and international trade, students would frequently use fashionista to describe target markets in projects, class discussions, and presentations. And in this piece, Teen Vogue does the same thing. Can target markets, complicated demographics of women, segmented populations really be summed through one term, fashionista. This type of taxonomy and labeling may be similar to “techies,” “foodies,” “hipster” and “yuppies.”

In my opinion, this term simplifies, demeans, and understates a group of women who consume fashion, run the industry, and help get billions of merchandise out to consumers every season. It feeds into the societal stereotype that people/professionals interested in the fashion industry are superficial, unintelligent, and work in fashion closets, as journalists.

While some are elated, stating they are fashionistas because they feel a sense of belonging in this elitist industry, I do not. But, according to worldwidewords.com, fashionista is "a gently sarcastic term for a person who is an enthusiast for fashion. It covers not only the dedicated followers of fashion who wear the clothes, but also those who write about them." Therefore, based on this definition, as a fashion journalist (exhibited through this very blog), I am a fashionista.