Lookbook 2020
The ‘Vanity Over Sanity’ collection aims to tackle one of the most relevant social themes of our current cultural climate – the proliferation, and forced maintenance, of almost-perfect, meticulously curated, and – basically – unreal personas. “Things that we value – or things that we think have value – well, maybe they don’t,” says Chris Singleton, the founder of Fashionably Fly Clothing, and creative mind behind the ‘Vanity Over Sanity’ collection. “Does it have as much value as things as your sanity, or who you really are?” Bearing a parallel to the book-we-all-read-in-high school, the Lord of the Flies, the ‘Vanity Over Sanity’ collection draws inspiration from the classic story told within the book. Explains Chris: “The conch, in the book, in the beginning, it was a symbol of leadership, of power. But as time went by, the people began losing patience, they desecrated it, and, eventually, they broke it. It was a rule-less society – survive at any cost. They lost their sanity, their morals.” Chris poignantly equates the conch from Lord of the Flies to cold, hard, money in today’s society. More specifically, the means people go through to get it. Chris explains: “We’re doing stuff that may not be in our best interest – spending money on watches, chains, jewelry, cars – and how are you getting that? Credit card scams, or robbing, or taking from people – stuff that doesn’t really belong to you. Vanity of sanity – what’s your preference?” Each piece featured in the ‘Vanity or Sanity’ collection takes some inspiration, or is a reflection upon, a theme or scene from the Lord of the Flies. The ten separate pieces, standalone & individual within their own realm, are complementary to every other piece in the collection; a puzzle that comes together, depending on how you wear it. The chief aim of the collection? To get people to think. What are your personal values, and are they congruent to your actions? Asks Chris, “Most people view those with money as someone to look up to, someone to be respected and listened to – but, sometimes, we need to ask, ‘What’s behind that money?”