As I once heard, “there is no delight in owning anything unshared.”

In essence this applies to anything related to knowledge. Institutions and principles have been set up around the notion of sharing, and to a certain degree, so has fashion. However, in a complex world of marketing and back stabbing and first-to-market and innovation and competition, the joy of sharing has seemingly languished.  Which is why, after digesting the world of haute at fashion week with runway show for women and for men too, street style womenswear, eyewear and accessories and even pet fashion, here comes a segment devoted to groupies. Hence collections. (And yes this includes the accomplice of a celebrity, like Paris Hilton herself!)

For after all, at least my best outfits have an inkling of someone else in them. My comrades and I were in direct contrast on one of these days, where I sported a lookbook loved piece of tartan blue pants, a Le Marais hoodie with a studded skulled and a stud sprinkled tee, keeping on trend with my stud infatuation. The look contrasted perfectly with the casual smiles of the talented Julia in black and khaki and the ethereal Armani Exchange product development expert in a sunflower dress.

The idea of matching worked well with damsels in mermaid hues with flowing skirts and sequined oceanic corsets, while How Two Live bloggers sported the all white trend with matching heart shaped sunglasses in neon tones.

Others chose contrast, with trending jailhouse stripes bodying an entire person as their neighbor stood clad in solitary black. The stripes and red combo was deadly hot, while the skinnyfying black looks left more to be desired.

Gold blazers were another playoff, combined in one case with golden shoes, contrasting with neighbors in more somber tones, akin to a sun and earth metaphor.

The shoe fetish continued to be a trend – with a duo of plaid and kitsch print sporting wedges that exaggerated their bling outfits (and uber long bleached white socks on one particularly sticklike pair of legs).

The mismatched oddlings consisted of women dressed in sheer white with white wedges, tomato red wedges with a corporate blazer, and high waist shorts with a casual shirt. It seemed that together this could’ve comprised of one and a half wardrobes, but was nonetheless interesting to gape at. I felt a similar bewilderment when I saw a trio comprising of a damsel in pink rags, an older gentleman with a sailor’s hat and matching moustache and Hawaiian shirt, and a lady with blue hair and Turkish eye pierced bag. Like characters of a twisted Sinbad anthology.

Compared to which, the lookalikes strutting in DIY sweatshirts came across as rather intentionally underdressed, drawing inadequate attention despite large sunglasses.

Things got more wearable with fashionable women clutching on to document clutches as the factor tying their group together, notwithstanding some garish prints of blue or gold. Or an odd hairpiece that looked like a tiara waffle.

The more formal getup was one of my favorites: dapper designer from J Toor in a bespoke plaid lined jacket with a plaid shirt and pocket square, accompanied by pretty damsels in flowing violet and ink stained dresses. Their friends in a black Louis Vuitton circus suit and a white kaftan fared equally well, minus some extra bling snaking through hands and ears.

The stylish lady in Christian Louboutins with studded soles and a paisley skirt also scored fabulously with another gentleman rocking the plaid shirt under his baggy blazer and Brooklyn cropped jeans.

Whether planned, coordinated, spontaneous or coincidental, assessing fashion in groups made for a fascinating pastime.

For there is little better than the chemistry between adjacent fashion statements.
Or the crackling chemistry between the people wearing them.