What does this mean? The translation is that not everything from the 90s will come back, certainly not the baring of skin that was as gratuitous as that decade allowed. And designers are more than willing to comply with this request; after all, this is a profession that celebrates fabric. It’s a welcome challenge to find ways to cover up while remaining modern, both in utilitarian function and in cut.

One garment overdue for a comeback that would be suitably appropriate while retaining modern expression is the turtleneck, an article of clothing with humble roots that was seen on the runway in a few FW2011 collections. Given that there were rumblings of a 70s revival, this garment was ubiquitous with the intellectual slant that the early portion of that decade focused on, a “Kent State” mentality as college was the vogue place to be. The trend of revising accreditation to become more a more attractive hire in a strained economy has, over the last few years, put academia back on trend; it’s cool to be in school. Paired with another symbol of academia, the tweed blazer (interesting to note: sales of Harris Tweed increased dramatically by 40% this year), one could imagine loquacious monologues under an elm tree about existentialism, or in our case examination and functional extrapolation of KPIs.

In fact, university (college if you are American) in general was in fashion as the sizeable boomer generation, flooding colleges and universities, was the source of media focus due, in large part to mass political activity teeming with demonstrations, protests and riots. The all-absorbing reality may have shared the wardrobe, but was hardly “Room 222”. These institutions were influential for cultivating independent thought to challenge status quo. To question authority through vigorous protest was this generation’s established creed as they recognized their size and subsequent impact through freedom of assembly and a recognition that the world they were inheriting was in need of a fresh perspective if not an overhaul. As well, the female segment of the population was recognizing that it was deserving of equality and was not property. We see a growing number of youth becoming more involved in similar spirit today, disenchanted with a potential mess as a legacy of our current way of life much as was realized in the 70s i.e. don’t trust anyone under 30, while the current wave of women are looking at why it's taking so long to be, as we expect in theory, truly equal.

Back then it was about organized “sit-ins”. Today, in our tech-savvy generation it’s the instantaneous power and accessibility of social media and their ease of mastery to utilize its full potential. Pursuit of freedom in general is not stopping the youth, particularly the youth of the Muslim world who have seen a better selection, opportunities for expression without impunity and more modern conveniences that are readily available in western culture. But the youth of this particular world are not in a mood to sacrifice beliefs in the name of obtaining progress and the treasures that come with it. This deep respect they have for their religion has to be taken into account, even if the rules are somewhat relaxed.

So, clothing that appeases this modesty and honors that religious ethic are such that more appropriate garments are becoming more available. Clothes that are moving away from the body that were featured in volumes in some for the FW 2011 collections, such as those from: Stella McCartney and Jean-Charles de Castelbajac; from graduate collections out of Central St. Marten’s Shaun Samson, Marta Marques and Paulo Almeida; and even to some degree in separates offered by powerhouses Chanel and Hermes. And many labels, such as Elie Tahari and G-Star, were covering up right up to the neck. Ralph Lauren was not afraid to venture into turtleneck territory; neither did Celine. Honoring one’s modesty protocols doesn’t preclude one for being stylishly modern either as Rick Owens had many looks that covered every square inch save the face. Modern, yes, yet it could pass muster from the local Imam.

Perhaps it’s to respect one’s deity, or maybe it’s to broadcast intellect. Regardless of which direction one chooses, the consensus is growing that, while one can scream for choice, for freedom, for respect, this is not the time or the place to bare everything. And with a growing segment of the population looking for selection that meets their spiritual requirements, collections are more likely to appease for as long as it takes to acquire and retain this new fashion audience…if need be to be literally from head to toe.