Kitsch-icide: How a woman-led aesthetic became a man’s obsession

The year “California Gurls” became a hit marked the year men realized kitsch fashion’s value and sought to dominate it.

By Yvette E

Katy Perry started a war without knowing it.

History

It started with a music video ladened with candy themes and a catchy beat “California Gurls” by Katy Perry in the summer of 2010. In October, Betsey Johnson was bought by Steve Madden.

It wasn’t a coincidence. It made it into the limelight; transforming from geek chic to mainstream. That year, kitschicide began. The male dominated fashion industry realized that women designers knew its value and they want more than slice but the whole pie.

Removing Kitsch from women designers

Via Hercampus.com:

Kitsch best defined by the Urban Dictionary as “pleasingly distasteful” meaning these items (clothing, accessories, makeup, etc) are outlandish, eccentric, even garish at times but we’re super into it

This event started of a long war to snatch it away from women owned businesses lasting seven years and ending with Coach’s acquisition of Kate Spade in the summer of 2017.

Even now, when women start a kitsch brand, it suddenly closes. Kitsch, now mainstream, left women designers who started it all (and their possible predecessors) out in the cold.

In 2017, many websites reported it as mainstream; exactly the same time the last woman-owned kitsch brand sold. Consequently, Kate Spade committed suicide the same year.

Fast Fashion

Do not get me wrong, fast fashion caught on the kitsch’s popularity way before big fashion. ASOS (as seen on screen) in 2000 and Modcloth (woman-owned in 2002) already saw its potential. Modcloth’s purchase by Walmart in 2017 and sold again in 2019 (currently the women owners purchased back to brand in 2020). 2017 marked the year that kitsch fashion began officially male dominated.

Trailblazers like Betsey Johnson, got left behind. Can you name other kitsch brands owned by women?

Happy Wednesday,

TFG