Welcome To The Comfort Zone

How many of us have ever truly felt comfortable?  Not comfortable as in laying in a soft bed.  Instead, replace that bed with an unobstructed 'come hither' view of life.  Comfortable in the respect where we either realize that the sky's the limit or stay in a rut for 40 years.  Now while either kind of comfort can bring about change, the 'sky's the limit' kind opens up life to a greater wealth of possibilities.  Of course, the fears and risks of life will arise but true comfort, in a way, means not becoming encumbered by them through realizing that life without risk isn't living.  You pull positive from the negative, better yourself, then move on, still comfy, but now smarter and more enlightened.  Now that's also not to say that life can't be fulfilling in those satisfying 40 year ruts.  However, a part of me feels that as our lives around us change, we should also adapt in some way to sort of redefine or broaden the definition of our comforts.

I see this all the time in design.  You have a game plan that works and sells.  So you stick with it.  Year after year and season after season, you stick to the evil you know.  If it works for you and there's nothing wrong with it, then great.  But think for a second.  What if something good you had secretly yearned for but never really calendared when it could or would happen, happened.  Hmm, what then?  You redefine, you broaden, you refocus, you reorganize, you loosen up, you embrace, you use it to grow and feel assured that from whatever may arise in the end, you'll still find your comfort zone.

If you've been following red carpet buzz for the last couple of years, Tadashi Shoji has been gaining more and more acclaim for his lovely frocks that sell well and provide option for the average American woman.  Well I feel that Tadashi has been in a 'comfortable' spot for quite some time and is starting to loosen up his approach to the line's evening and day dresses.  First eveidence of this was in his breathtaking Spring 2011 Collection.  For Fall 2011, he continued by showing a collection with more draping, more fluidity and more freedom.  Freedom from what?  From those narrow, asymmetrical and bias cut strips of fabrics that would wrap themselves around a woman's body.  Those very strips he became famous for are the very things he softened up this season with feathering effects and beautiful floral effects on his usual color saturated sheers.  The overall effect was one of lightness and an ethereal loveliness that I think some American women will come to look for this Fall.  While his steps are slight, I believe with continued exposure and a growing clientele that desire the 'wow' factor, now is the time for Tadashi Shoji to embrace, take chances and be surprised by what could be his great broadened comfort zone.

www.tadashishoji.com