Loosen Up

Flirty, sweet or girly don't seem to be words that we will be hearing come the time when the key trends are highlighted for AW08-9. In fact an 80's-90's sombriety seems to have swept over the catwalks. Typical that we've got our heads up in ruffles and pastels at the moment and suddenly quite literally, swathes of cloudy grey wool are blanketed over. However, this isn't a downer on the 'new' (let's just get it out there and say that nothing is going to be truly new or 'fresh'). Whilst I don't ally myself with one style camp or another and though I am one of those up in my head in ruffles and florals (albeit mixed with something darker...) right now, this doesn't necessarily mean I don't welcome this new season of slouchy looseness. As I was flicking through an issue of The Face from 1984 (a cool b-day pressie my boyf got.... note to self: must track down The Face issues in the months of all my friends' b-days for emergency gifts...), it had a spread about the Japanese designers like Comme des Garcons, Yohji Yamamoto landing in London, making an impact with their lack of body consciousness, redefining the boundaries of wearability. Even more commercial spreads such as this one from US Vogue 1983 'The Contrast: The Polished Style/ The Freer Spirit', shot by Helmut Newton and Hans Feurer, demonstrating how this Japanese avant garde can be worn in a way that wouldn't be too alienating.

These dark clothing cocoons, draped shapes somehow don’t look like they are swamping the women and perhaps for the new season, designers are proposing a different sort of female. The same girls wearing Miu Miu skater skirts and red bows in their hair, the Erin Featherston/Lula prototype if you will might be crushed by the looseness and heaviness of these clothes and for once it seems we are looking towards someone older and more mature to carry these clothes off. Is it a coincidence that it coincides with the fashion industry’s predictions for slower fashion? Less frippery and more substance? Quite possibly. With regards to myself, when I revert to my own interpretations of grey draped, loose version of avant garde topped off with my vintage Balenciaga coat which is quite literally a cocoon, there is a safety zone and quiet self-assuredness those clothes give me in a way that a fun flirty dress never could (not to knock those dresses as I love those too...).

So to the first few London collections...

Emilio de la Morena who was lovely enough to lend me a dress for the Gucci event from his AW07 collection has developed some interesting shapes for this year’s winter. Some will say sombre but there’s a something very attractive about the relaxed shapes and of course, picked up by an interesting choice of fabrics and detailing means loose isn’t necessarily drab.

Jean Pierre Braganza did produce a number of body-conscious dresses for his collection but then it’s never as simple as just making everything as tight as possible because he manages to combine everything with a bit of bulk and substance, creating something of a wintry wooley robot effect if that makes sense.

Topshop Unique seemed to raid old 90’s catalogues and take a lot of inspiration from 90s’ retro casualwear. I’m thinking I need to rewatch some really old Chinese TVB series such as ‘The Breaking Point’ to get myself back into this dress frame of mind.

Comments

[enc]

It all looks like refined comfort, cool cocooning. Lovely and warm and somehow without bulk. Uh oh, I sound like an editorial.

[CJB]

I quite liked the 'long john' look from de la Morena. I think your observation is so right, it seems as of there has been a sizeable shift between 08's S/S to A/W.

[miss woo]

I'm not a big fan of bulk as I just feel dwarfed in it. Still, with the right person the look is definitely pull - off - able. And are those leather trousers in Topshop Unique?

[Drusilla]

Those scans are stunning. I absolutely love the 80s/90s wave of Japanese designers and their work, but sadly don't get to look at pictures of them all that often (I blame my parents for throwing all my painstakingly collected old magazines away when we moved house). It's always good to see spreads like these because it challenges the idea of just 'wearing' things- you'd have to be somewhat engaged with these things to pull of having them on (and even though I'm not enirely a girly Lula girl and I love these pieces, I'm not sure of my own ability to do that, but it's something an older me can look forward to)

[Renee]

I love this trend for two reasons: 1.) I'd actually wear it, unlike the florals and neons; and 2.) the menswear theme and heavy, textured fabrics add a bit of weight that just feels appropriate right now.

[clover]

in theory, i quite like the idea of loosening up, but in reality, i failed to see one designer that truly pulled it off without without me going 'meh-erm...something is off'.
but to begin with, i was never up for the japanese wave of over dressing in the 80s. the whole volume, big, power look is just depressing. and i still question why yohji yamamoto is 'great'. i am really tired of volume volume volume! enough already!! we went through girly volume with baby doll dresses and grungy volume and now masculine, depressing oversize power volume.
but i do quite like Braganza's collection up there. not something i personally take to, but it's in the general ball park.
new minimalism is making a comeback, but i didnt expect it to come back in a package so filled out with air!
im crossing my fingers that Raf Simons does not go with the flow like other designers...

[creffield]

so funny that these things are in the air! I posted about this same editorial - thinking of the Buffalo Gals aesthetic that the makeup reminded me of...

[SwanDiamondRose]

i LOVE the minimalist oversized menswear! especially the vogue shot with the fedora and the topshop pieces. i'd wear those.