Just so you'll know: Tibet has now become a fashion accessory (picture to the left, article here). Vivienne Westwood, apparently a well known fashion designer, chose to accessorize with the Tibet bag that most of us know and love, and with which, I guess, many of us have also accessorized. Tibet has long been pop-culture friendly (rock concerts, college events, movie stars), but this is the first I've heard of Tibet on the fashion runways. I've got mixed feelings about it, after confessing that in the overall scheme of things, I don't see a fashion runway as much competition for a millennia-old mahayana practice. But the fashion industry has a way of devouring its offspring and all things connected with it every time a new line is unveiled To see a Tibet bag hanging off the bony shoulder of a bony model, well, that's a bit frightening . . . the shock and awe of contemporary couture sometimes unsettles the steadiest of us.
You might also be interested in knowing that on October 12, two young Tibetan women will be competing for the title of Miss Tibet. You can read more about it here. It hasn't been overly popular with the Tibetan people, and has even raised a bit of controversy. At any rate, the confrontation of traditional Tibetan and contemporary Western culture proceeds apace and will be very interesting to watch in the coming days.
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