Geography is integral to the trend process, as mentioned in a previous article. As international as fashion is, and as common as the general trend threads are, there are subtle unifying threads within each area where collections are shown. The nuances felt in Milan will be different in Paris and as fashion taps into subconscious symbology in all aspects we find certain aspects of trends slightly more present in regional offerings.

Of course, generally we are trying not to look at the huge elephant in the accounting office and many collections have an air of optimism. It doesn’t go unwarranted when looking at some economic data that was presented recently in the Huffington Post. According to their findings, many countries’ deficits have fallen an average of 2 1/4 % within the past two years. Unfortunately the public is not seeing this in more practical expressions (such as job creation), and of course the media finds a better audience when broadcasting grim news, which in turn affects public confidence and the markets. As we like things easy, having news of plummeting market levels does not help.

Even though there is some indicators that countries are doing well, the public is more hesitant, and as such the collections reflect this. Some of this is in the form of minimalism, with more solids and classic lines, something we have seen a lot of to date and something that we saw before in the 90s.  There were the usual trend threads as well.

We see a growing interest in the 50s from Aquilano.Rimondi, Blumarine, Dolce & Gabbana, Jil Sander, Luisa Beccaria, Ter et Bantine (some Balenciaga-isms), Christian Dior, Hussein Chalayan (in florals), Julien David, Ninia Ricci and Rochas; mod 60s in particular from Blumarine, Emelio Pucci, Marni and  Moschino Cheap & Chic; tribalism from Bottega Veneta, A.F. Vandevorst, Anne Valerie Hash, Barbara Bui and Rue de Mail; pattern and drop waists of the 20s in places from Bottega Veneta, Salvatore Ferragamo, Emporio Armani and even Georgio Armani (in a featured suit), Jil Sander (those cloche-like hats), Roberto Cavalli, Balenciaga (that clever geometry), Nina Ricci (chiffon overlay and cloche), Pedro Lourenco, Rick Owens, Dries Van Noten, Limi Feu, Manish Arora and Vionnet; florals and patchworking of the 30s from Roberto Cavalli, Balenciaga (in patchwork assembly), Hussein Chalayan (in florals), Manish Arora (ostrich skirts ), Nina Ricci (florals), Roland Mouret and Vionnet (florals); and revisits form the 90s in the form of PVC (Bally, Blumarine, Bottega Veneta, Dolce & Gabbana), grunge (Dsquared2), touches of Boho [Dsquared2, Emelio Pucci, Just Cavalli, Ann Demeulemeester (the hats)],  and arts and crafts (Moschino Cheap & Chic). We also saw some Middle East influence in what came from Just Cavalli, Dries Van Noten, Limi Feu, Julien David and Thimister. And Olympic goddesses from A.F. Vandevorst, Limi Feu, Nicolas Andreas Taralis

The practicalities of business don’t mesh well with media when trying to capture and keep the publics’ interest. Yes, the clothes are wearable which is what the public demands. It helps keep a business in business. However, it doesn’t excite the public to see practicality or predictability when media sells fashion via the fantasy it offers. It’s not to say fashion isn’t doing that; there are some very interesting collections such as those from Anthony Vaccarello , Communn and Thimister or the sci-fi designs of Gareth Pugh .

Modernity is minimalism, and we see a lot offered overall, in particular from Emporio Armani, Gabriele Colangelo, Gianfranco Ferre, Jil Sander, Hussein Chalayan and Rick Owens. Modernity is also in the architecture, something more present as we look to the future. This was found in collections by Anthony Vaccarello, Balmain, Communn, Damir Doma, Hussein Chalayan , Mugler, and Nicolas Andreas Taralis.

But amidst the clean hopeful look to the future there was the thought of war. It took shape in loose 40s influence from Jil Sander (some cuts in closing gowns), Anne Valerie Hash (those midsection gathers), Limi Feu, Roland Mouret and Uniqueness. General military nods came from A.F. Vandevorst while the feel of armour and structure came from Balenciaga, Christian Dior and Gareth Pugh, and warriors came from collections by Versace and Thimister. Interesting to note is that this outlook was more pronounced from the Paris collections.

We are all eager to see who does what as the last of the collections roll out of Paris. The structure in fashion we are seeing is certainly aiming to protect us, at least symbolically, and it will be those who are catching them the moment they are released that will get to see what will shape fashion for the coming summer and possibly what will lead us towards the FW2012 collections as well. Those who are following closely in the trenches will do so with scrutiny to see whether we are at peace with our hopes or on the defensive fueled by signs confirming our fears. The only way to know is to be as close to the action as possible, and those at the front will be able to let us know first.