Shopocalypse Now?

The fashion set has been Twittering up a storm since Bryant Park opened its doors last week, be it about the food offerings backstage or model falls as they happen. But, why do we care? The need to Tweet isn't simply the result of an insatiable knowledge for in-the-know observations, says the New York Times' Guy Trebay; nor is it merely evidence of disintegrating attention spans. In fact, it points to something a bit more existential: not exactly fashion's absolute demise, but something along the lines of a "shopocalypse," says Trebay. Basically, the industry is grasping at straws (and Blackberries and iPhones), hoping to hold back the impending doom that lies ahead. While it's surely not the end, the road ahead is significantly rockier than Twitter feeds might have you believe.