I think this is great, as it makes for a more interesting view of fashion. It's always entertaining to see the vaguely-sheltered, upper-middle-class designer customer wearing something that has its origins in the world of gay nightclubs, strip clubs or something insane like that. It's their way of dabbling in what they might perceive as an underworld. It also creates a bridge to having a conversation about things which ordinarily people wouldn't talk about or experience. Eight or nine years ago, Gaultier did a beautiful show that was inspired by the African diasporas. He drew inspiration from the African immigrants that he saw in Paris, but also picked up ideas from the women he saw walking around in Harlem... the Black Church, Caribbean and more. All these things got churned around in his head and came out in a really beautiful, noble way. It bothers me sometimes when people talk about who owns a culture and whether it's OK for a designer to use something. I don't think anyone owns culture, it's out there... it's up for grabs! The question is whether you are being respectful of it. I also wish more people would learn about fashion. I interviewed Miuccia Prada and she made a very good point saying, " If you don't understand something you should study it... " People take that approach with most every topic, but when it comes to fashion- there's a deeply held belief that you're either born with a sense of style or you're