DETROIT – There was a seismic shift in Detroit's trajectory on Thursday. As we busy ourselves with the task of reinventing our city, not everyone everywhere is aware of our enormous progress. I witnessed something that suggests Detroit is suddenly chic.
The Detroit Institute of Arts celebrated the opening of the stunning Bruce Weber Photography Exhibition. Bruce is a world-renowned fashion, portrait, and editorial photographer whose work is revered and personality is adored. He's had a bit of a love affair with the city of Detroit ever since he and supermodel Kate Moss hit the streets here to shoot a much-lauded fashion spread in 2006.
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He's continued to come back since then, finding inspired beauty in the city and its residents.
The exhibition is a vast collection of images of Detroiters, some legendary, some anonymous, all captivating.
The scope and importance of this body of work was instantly appreciated, organized and funded by Condé Nast. They are the global publishing giant behind magazines like Vanity Fair, Wired, Details, Allure, Glamour, GQ, Self and the jewel in the crown, Vogue. Speaking of which, present to lend support to her dear friend Bruce Weber was Vogue Editor, Anna Wintour, who's readily been acknowledged as the single most influential person in the world of fashion. It didn't stop there, though. Condé Nast flew-in all of the editors of all of their magazines for this opening at the DIA.
What does all of this really mean? For me, as Style Editor of Local 4, it was an unequalled convergence of major players, a "who's who" of the words of fashion and publishing. But for everyone, this is proof that Detroit is the next big thing. The guest list today was comprised of the people who determine these things. And they've spoken.