Posts tagged fashion

why is it that referring to famous scientists, philosophers, writers, musicians, painters, etc. is usually done by mentioning their surname, while when it comes to fashion designers, people tend to use their first name?

e.g. compare:

Bohr’s atomic theory, Hegel’s Phänomenologie des Geistes, Bowie’s Station to Station, Turner’s The Fighting Temeraire tugged to her last Berth to be broken up, Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore, etc.

vs.

“Ann’s shoes”, “Yohji’s trousers”, “Junya’s jacket”.

There are, of course, exceptions, such as Martin Margiela and Alexander McQueen, who managed to preserve their surnames. The reason is probably that their surnames sound cooler than the way-too-usual first names and (!) they don’t have too difficult pronunciation. That also explains why A. Demeulemeester is usually referred to as “Ann D.” - “Ann” alone would sound way-too-usual!

In any case, the same phenomenon seems to be common also among some students talking about their professors when (and only when) they are not around. 

A need for the implementation of a non-existing personal relationship with the authority? Argumentum ad Hominem reversed?

:-/