There’s no need to say too much. With the start of not only a new year but a new decade, fashion is sure to once again reinvent itself. The basic premise is that we borrow from 20 years back (the opposite being in architecture, where we build for 20 years in the future) to inform and influence the present. It’s enough distance to make sense of the good, the bad and the ugly while rediscovering what made that era so exciting, transmuting that zeitgeist into something new, yet slightly nostalgic.
After all, we understand where we are going by understanding where we have come from. And with the start of a new decade, a whole new palette of experience opens itself up for reinvention.
SILVER LINING VS EARTH TONES
Chanel couture this year featured nary a skerrick of gold. That’s right, not one gold button or detail. Armani Prive was also all about the silver. It makes sense, a fashion frugality mirroring the economic hardships we’ve been through, a trend which makes gold ostentatious. However, as we search for nickel and iron in the outback, earth tones make an emergence, bringing a dusty romantic love affair back to the world of fashion. Take your pick.
DRESSED FOR DISTRESS
This year, Friedrich Gray has the distressed look down pat. It’s an extension of the nomad trend, albeit the focus being on key pieces made from leather and wool and that are left unfinished. Think knits pulled apart or leggings constructed from strips of scraps. The overall effect is a dishevelled nonchalance where ambivalence is effortlessly distressed.
TUNDRA TREKKING
Pile on some leather, some wool, some eco-friendly fur, some more leather, and then a little bit more wool. The modern nomad has hit the city streets, creating a look that is layered to within an inch of its life. Get ready to trek the fashion tundra of the high street.
UTILITARIAN
If it’s all too much effort, pare it back. Utilitarian makes a comeback as we start embracing some of the clean structured lines of the ’90s. No cargo pants… yet… but the look has a slight military twist with function overriding the need for flair. Jazz it up with sexy studded boots or carry it right through to something more masculine. Embellish with military motifs.
LUSTING FOR PRINTS
Prints continue to capture our collective imagination. Be they the current in-vogue polka dots, a dash of animal madness or something a little more cleverly constructed from the likes of Therese Rawsthorne or Fernando Frisoni, prints add a splash of colour and intrigue to any outfit. Use judicially or go all out and mash it all together – this year, the rule is that there are no rules.
DEATH BY DECADENCE
It may seem a little gauche to be outright over the top, but the right amount of drama reminds people that life is still there to be lived, and how. A certain constraint has taken fashion by the throat it seems, making the statement piece all the more important this year. Invest in at least one piece that will make you feel like an exaggerated version of yourself, even if it’s just in the shoulders. Think Romance Was Born, a pair of killer boots or some strategic accessories courtesy of Sportsgirl.
SOFTLY DOES IT
A drape embrace is gathering around fashion at present. From the catwalks to the front rows of the fashion shows to the high street, draping and elegance has come back with force and grace. Think deconstructed Grecian, a bunching and gathering in soft dreamy fabrics. High end labels like A.F. Vandervorst have this paired with structured corsetry. Remember, underwear as outerwear is perfectly acceptable… as long as it’s not done like Lady Gaga. Only Gaga can do Gaga.
Compiled by Scott-Patrick Mitchell
