Is Atlanta a good fashion town?

CHARLES, ATLANTA
There's a cultural lag. We don't lead, we follow. We typically wait. That's why Atlanta has an inferiority complex. We're four steps behind L.A. and N.Y., two steps behind San Francisco, Chicago and Philly and then there's us. It trickles down. It's status anxiety. Because they know we're behind, the women try too hard. They buy complete outfits instead of finding their own high-bred or eclectic style. The burden of fashion is on women so I have no comment on men.

TRISH, ATLANTA
Yes. I'd rather go shopping in Munich or Paris but Atlanta is very accommodating. You have the option to dress whichever way you want. In Little Five, you have a choice of being hippy, dominatrix or gothy-punk; Va-Highlands is semi-funky everyday wear; Buckhead is a total fraternity and sorority look; and East Atlanta is refreshing because it's not so commercial and the clothing is a reflection of that. We have fashion shows all the time and really talented fashion designers here.

DIALLO, ATLANTA
This is a mecca for urbanized fashion design as well as couture. Everybody is following a very urbanized vibe right now and that's the streets — the baggy pants, that type of flair. Urban is where it's at and Atlanta is very much included in that. We're laid-back but still with a lot of class. I think OutKast, which is from here, is really the true essence of style. We're in the South, so we chill, but we have a real sense of what's going on and we show that in our clothes. u??