There is no longer a visible line between between fashion and advertising, underground and hype. Fashion and film are still on the same marketing trend track and are escalating to a brand new form of stupid - with massive overuse of edgy by association - rather than edgy in its own right. Benetton crossed a brand new dangerous line with their death row ad campaign - and the crowd booed as many former fans are now boycotting the brand. Although art and commerce have been known to successfully share the same bed, they are indulging in so many pointless orgies with bankers and backers that art just can't be satisfied. True edge doesn't need quotation marks or underscores to make itself known. Did anyone catch those "edgy" glasses on Peter Fonda at the Golden Globes? Given the choice, know that self acceptance as a true nerd is much cooler than obvious faux edge.


Truly edgy kids and edgier performer Bob at Terry Richardson's Sisly campaign shoot.
Edgy make-up by Francisco Valeria.

If you do want to jump on the edgy bandwagon, here's how it works: Get press as an edgy independent in any realm - film, fashion, music. Go to a large corporation that wants to be considered "edgy"- have them give you lots of money and throw an event together during which they hope some of your edge rubs off on their product. Invite your drag queen friends. Most of corporate America wouldn't know edge if it sliced their heads off - so they don't realize that drag queens dancing on table tops aren't actually edgy - they're just tired.

The drag about drag queens at promo parties involving cocktails is that is they will happily do things like "read you" out of your our free gift line - - as endured at a recent "edgy" yet torturous "fashion sneaker" event. The reason that big burly drag queens are intimidating is because we know that under dresses they are really linebackers with high cheekbones. It was no fun - and neither was the nipple pinching gyrating seemingly real yet "edgy" female on the dance stage. We ran as fast as we could into the icy streets to Marion's (next to but edgier than Bowery Bar) when the queens are nice and the Martini's are cold.

A bright, shining alternative to nasty queens appeared unexpectedly like a beacon in the night, as Fashion maven Issac Mizrahi held stylish court at Lower Manhattan jury duty. During his two day winter stint, Sir Issac donned a seeming effortless - yet perfectly attuned attire - alternating his wardrobe picks between vintage Ralph Lauren-esque sweat pants, woolly sweater and sweat socks under Birkenstocks, over baggy, comfy homeboy jeans. His fierce signature hairdo was the thing that endeared us most. Watching him lead the waiting room game of charades made an ordinarily drab obligation happily entertaining.