Is food fashion? Or is fashion food?

Is food fashion? Or is fashion food?
Susan Gregory, Head of Food, Nestlé Professional
As the great and good of the fashion world descend on the bright lights of New York, London, Paris and Milan for the launch of the Spring/Summer 2014 collections, the great and good of the food world are busy creating their Spring/Summer 2014 menus. Both will dictate what we wear, and what we eat, in 2014.
But how blurred is the line between food and fashion?
One of the most successful fashion launches in recent years has been Primark; cheerful ‘fast fashion’ which is excellent value for money and completely on trend. And, at this end of the scale, food is ‘fast’ too. In fact, some of the most successful food concepts in the world are centred around speedy service, value for money and a ‘no- frills’ attitude. One with golden arches comes to mind...
At the other end of the spectrum are the timeless designer brands. Classic French, contemporary British and very stylish Italian with a few new entries from Asia… Are we talking designer fashion, or Michelin starred food?
In the middle, there’s range of mainstream brands. A few trusted favourites: Marks & Spencer, Next, Pizza Hut, Harvester, then some which are taking the mid to high ground: Abercrombie & Fitch, Banana Republic, Hollister, Gourmet Burger Kitchen and Zizzi, to name but a few.
At the end of the day, both food and fashion choices are personal statements. Whether deciding ‘what to wear’ or ‘where to eat’, sometimes your choice is functional, sometimes it’s a statement piece, and sometimes it’s just because you know you look good in it.
And whilst every fashion magazine eagerly snaps which celebrity is seen in which label, every food magazine is snapping which celebrity is in the latest ‘booked out till 2014’ restaurant.
So, what exactly is this season’s black…?

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