'There's nothing less chic than...'

For evidence, consider Kate Moss (‘Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.’), Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor (‘You can never be too rich or too thin.’); PETA ('I'd rather go naked than wear fur.') and Lady Gaga (‘Put your paws up!’). You get the idea.

We have a new motto to add to the pack, courtesy of Azzedine Alaïa, via Carine Roitfeld, via V Magazine (via The Cut, which excerpted it in the first place).

‘I think it's terrible to wear borrowed clothes,’ Roitfeld told V. ‘I don't think it's chic. A couple of years ago, Azzedine Alaïa loaned me a coat that I wore to New York. It was photographed a lot, and everyone wanted to buy it afterward. When I went to return it, Azzedine said, “No, you keep it. There's nothing less chic than a woman who borrows clothes.”’

‘There’s nothing less chic than a woman who borrows clothes’: it’s quick and catchy, yet unlikely to attract many phraseological acolytes among the fashion elite. See, the way that many early adopters are able to showcase the newest designs, constantly appearing in fresh-from-the-runway pieces, is by borrowing clothing samples from designers or their PR agencies.

It works because designers get their wares on the backs of influential, street-snapped tastemakers (or just plain reality show stars) and therefore attract publicity without having to take out traditional advertising. But, paradoxically, the reigning system