Slightly controversial thing to say as a fashion student, but I find the industry fickle, ridiculous and sometimes laughable. Particularly when it comes to the culture of designer, high brow fashion.

Proving my point wonderfully, VICE’s Oobah Butler, took some ‘Georgio Peviani’ jeans (knock off’s found at Brixton market), claimed to be the designer with the same name, and wound up a massive success story at Paris Fashion Week.

The whole thing was documented and is hysterical to witness. It highlights what can get you far in the fashion industry, such as confidence. He slammed down a basic, quickly prepared business card and stated his name. Moments later, he had his fashion week entrance pass with no questions asked.

From then on the whole thing escalates, he’s mingling with people who are actually real fashion professionals, coming out with ludicrous comments (“you say streetwear is a religion and Peviani constantly sins”) and it’s all so perfectly conceited that no one bats an eyelid. He’s invited to a night with Italian designers, and in what it is probably my favourite moment of the whole video, convinces one of them to try on some Peviani’s, who then struts out and describes the design of them as ‘populist’.

The brand continues to gain attention, so much so that Oobah (or Georgio, I suppose I should call him) ends up invited to the after party, drinking with Alexa Chung like it’s completely casual.

What makes my life is the identity of Georgio Peviani wasn’t questioned once, even though Oobah Butler was an imposter, and even better, Peviani didn’t even exist to begin with. His whole whirlwind success at fashion week was based on prestige and illusion rather than any tangible evidence of being a renowned designer, which is equally sad as well as funny.

The whole thing to me was a real-life adaptation of ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’, reminding me of how superficial the fashion industry is but also just how quick we are as people to go along with things. Not one person at fashion week would have come across Peviani before but none of them questioned anything at all.

Butler was a fake but he executed it well. His style and charisma meant he didn’t look out of place and he lied with such confidence that it wasn’t questioned. He was dedicated into painting out this brand to be something that it wasn’t, I even looked at the website he redesigned, which was believable too.

The humbling moment came when the Georgio Peviani (real name being Adam Asmal) was found and was enlightened with the story. Although utterly ridiculous, it was a nice moment seeing the businessman’s work appreciated by people who would never in a million years dare to pick up jeans from a market stall.