THE YEAR IN REVIEW
The fashion universe is expanding. When Lady GaGa sports McQueen heels that are still warm off the feet of Polina Kasina and Lindsay Lohan takes a bow on an Emanuel Ungaro runway, we know that things are starting to change.
But there are some things that never change in fashion. Quite simply, no matter what the economic climate, there are always some serious throwaways that we impulse-bought this year and some that merely need an update. Or, if you were listening closely this year, many pieces that will have a place in your wardrobe for years to come!
WHAT WE SAW LAST YEAR...
There was a clear divide in trends this year. While some were cool and clever with their pieces (think super smart at 3.1 Phillip Lim, wartime chic tailoring at Dries Van Noten and the outdoorsy femme of Fall 09 Prada), some powered on with business as usual. John Galliano and Alexander McQueen continued to encourage escapism, complete with vaudeville-esque romps and indecipherable footwear. But no matter how much escapism was present, there was no escape from the 80s revival, thanks to Balmain. If you want someone to blame for our Dynasty-era shoulders, Christopher DeCarnin is your man - he's been working them into his last three seasons!
But as trend heavy as DeCarnin was, there were plenty of other brands that fought for fashion longevity. Veterans like MaxMara reworked their staple camel coat during the Fall season and the world's online fashion bible, style.com, reveled in the return of a certain old favourite, noting that "nothing spells sartorial security like a Burberry trench”. We wholeheartedly agree and, in the case of Christopher Bailey, a delicate knotted-ruche coat wouldn't go astray next year either!
MAJOR TRENDS
BACK IN A BIG WAY…
The 80s revival somehow found its way onto the ’09 runways, sneakily made new again with sharp, protruding Balmain shoulders. It found a sister in the 90s, mixing with body con shapes and even daggy florals seemed fresh when combined with disco-ball-shiny metallics, wouldn’t-get-through-customs studs and just-out-of-the-drier-shrunken leather styles. Best left in the past for the coming year, we say.
EAST OF EDEN…
Fashion was invaded by the East, almost forcing the comfy harem into our wardrobes. Don’t throw these out just yet – UNLESS it’s loitering in dirty nappy territory. Invest in luxe fabric harems and don’t forget your shape (for which the harem is notoriously ignorant of…) by adding heels for a leaner silhouette.
INVESTMENT PIECES…
If there was ever a message more relevant, it was the emphasis that designers placed on the idea of the ‘investment’ piece. With the exception of regular avant garde players who won more thumbs up for creative agility, houses like Dries Van Noten, Bottega Veneta and Prada made us swoon with their artistic endurance. In a kind of wartime, depression chic, colours were rich and void of season or trend (Van Noten), fabrics were durable and evocative (Prada) and silhouettes were expertly tailored and vaguely familiar of an era but of which, we were delightfully did not know! The moral of the story is, don’t be seduced by the short-lived beauty of a collection – try Bottega Veneta instead!
This year, we’ve stocked up on…
Biker jackets
Boyfriend blazers
Bondage heels
Geeky glasses (despite 20/20 vision – you can’t fool us!)
Wayfarers
Braids to keep those fringes at bay
We’re going to swap these for…
An updated trench
Sleeveless jacket a la YSL
Cute sandals with even cuter socks
Take them off. If you don’t need ‘em, don’t do ‘em.
Statement sunnies – thick, Giles-like frames all the way!
A clean topknot (not the messy schoolgirl kind)
See you in the New Year… fingers crossed in a Burberry trench…
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