In the lexicon of fashion, “fabulous” occupies a special place. Very few words have the ability to simultaneously capture the exceptional and the banal. Even words like “incredible” and “amazing” manage to sound pedestrian from overuse.
But “fabulous”? It’s a word you declare with flourish, like a form of fawning yet noncommittal praise that manages to sound sincere, a blanket superlative that rolls off the lips with a kind of authority.
However, if Kim Kardashian were to gush over something and call it fabulous, you’d raise a cynical eyebrow, mentally sifting through the (probably) monetized hype. On the other hand, if Anna Wintour were to pronounce something as being fabulous, you’d believe her.
Mantra
The word “fabulous” also lends itself to all kinds of theater, as Patsy and Edina so brilliantly showcased in their hilarious satire of the fashion world, “Absolutely Fabulous.” Patsy, perfectly coiffed yet staggeringly drunk, was still able to mumble “fabulous” even in her most incoherent moments, while Edina—manic, stoned, chaotic and often ridiculously garbed—repeated “fabulous” like the indispensable mantra that saw her through the day’s travails, along with a bottle of champagne.
“Fabulous”—it’s comedy, tragedy, drama and parody rolled into one, a word used with such exaggeration that it can be an ironic put-down or a heartfelt compliment, depending on the tone of voice.
Unreserved praise
Backstage in Paris after one Chanel show in the fall of 2000, I spotted the flamboyant Andre Leon Talley next to Amanda Harlech, Karl Lagerfeld’s muse.
Talley, tall, imposing, and, at that time still rather overweight, had his customary crimson velvet cape flung over his shoulders.
In the whirl of photographers and press rushing to get a soundbite, not to mention models shedding their clothes and rushing out to the next show, you couldn’t miss him. Nor could you miss his booming, yet mellifluous voice.
“F! F! F! FA-BU-LOUS!” he gushed into his cell phone, declaring the show a resounding success to the person at the other end of the line. It was classic Chanel, I remember, tweed patterns freshened up in simple palettes for the next spring-summer season. Gisele Bundchen definitely owned the runway, but there was the thrill of spotting Carmen Kass walking, too.
Talley had nothing but unreserved praise for the show, and hearing him on the phone—it was impossible not to—you inevitably got caught up in the excitement.
I don’t know how many times he said “fabulous” that fashion week season; I’m guessing quite a bit, but really, when you think about it, it was the perfect word to utter.
