Fashion gets its direction from a few places. Some of it comes from trending organizations that invest great resources in interpreting current events and circumstances, comparing these with previous sociological and psychological patterns, and translating these into elements that are compiled into materials for dissemination. The process is intricate and comprehensive, with initial frameworks done up to a decade in advance, something outlined in the previous article “What It Has To Do With The Price Of Eggs In China” (November 11th, 2012).

The designers all subscribe to this material to keep abreast and to remain relevant. Select designers that demonstrate more acute awareness combine these with their own keen observations that are reinterpreted into design ideas. Hence, some of them take on a leadership role with regards to trend direction and sometimes being more attuned than the forecasters that supply the information to the degree that they forge new trends. Those in the forecasting industry pay attention to them and factor their activity into their data, knowing the symbiotic relationship is ongoing. Sometimes the external influences and sometimes the internal takes the reigns. It swings back and forth. Fellow influential designers are just as aware of this, so we see a continuous passing of the torch that compliments the design landscape.

A rising interest in examining our history and the processes behind this now merges with the explosion of big data. Our technology is such that we are able to compile and examine way more information than ever before. These technological advancements have afforded us more powerful processors to handle and extrapolate this mass data while engineers create sophisticated logarithms to better interpret this data so that we may find more reliable revelations of patterns of behaviour and thought. This complex process is giving way to more accurate predictive analytics that will shape our more mundane aspects of the day-to-day while also alerting us to potential crisis that we have seen before that may be appearing again.

The knowledge of this is, of course, of interest to a designer as emergence of patterns that match historical references give inspiration that supports creative interpretation. Design aspect from the 20s are here because many aspects connect and data released a few years ago showed how awareness could influence design (see “Garden party…at East Egg or Collingwood Manor?” May 27th, 2011). And as our world is an amalgam of various aspects, and our technology is such that we are aware of the sophistication of our current events, we are seeing multiple patterns melding together and are able to better separate the aspects and understand them.

The discussion of the parallels between 1914 and now were grimly covered by many sources in the media drawing parallels between political instabilities where the key players may be different but the combined circumstances remain intact to provide a similar potential outcome. Whatever relationship dynamics between the UK and Germany is now correspondingly mirrored between the US and China. And what is happening in the Middle East is comparable to what was in The Balkans a century ago.

Economical similarities exist as well, such as what union organizers faced prior to the First World War that is occurring today. Back then there was a threat of blacklisting employees because the employer would call them troublemakers for wanting to be paid for their work. The similar dynamic is unfolding as companies threaten to dismantle the union environment and we see a rise of unpaid internships unchallenged in the face of labour laws that should not allow this to occur in the first place.

All this plus the emergence of technological upheaval via new advancements and the uncertainties facing our roles in this new world are as similar now as it was then. Our entertainment has picked up on the more romantic aspect that is manifested in the heavily influential “Downton Abbey” series that poured through this period. How can a designer not be influenced by the output of costume detail in a show that is so hugely popular?

With all of these aspects merging, the militaristic aspects find a place in many collections. Aquilano.Rimondi, Araks, Bibhu Mohapatra, Emilio Pucci, Fendi, Gabriele Colangelo, Marni, Paul & Joe, Ports 1961, Preen by Thornton Bregazzi, Stella McCartney, Tia Cibani,Trussardi,Vanessa Bruno and Vivienne Westwood all used military wools. Alexander Wang had more military details in pockets while Band of Outsiders, Chanel, Hugo Boss, Preen by Thornton Bregazzi, Roberto Cavalli incorporated epaulettes into some of their pieces. Daks had a militaristic cape while Zadig & Voltaire had many military-inspired coats. Felder Felder mixed military olive with watercolours, Isabel Marant had military olive abounding and Emilio Pucci, Guy Laroche and Comme des Garcons Comme des Garcon played with military olive in a few pieces as well. Hunter Original had military brown boxy coats with patch pockets, Guy Laroche used similar pocket detail, Kenzo also to a certain extent and Versace had some militaristic button detail included into their designs. Antonio Marras and Isabel Marant also played with militaristic aspects in a few items while Ports 1961 played with militaristic cuts and Lanvin hybridized military cuts, merging them with a playful go-go edge. Some military leanings were seen at Vivienne Westwood as well. And if we’re going broad-based on the military theme, Roberto Cavalli had a 19th century military coat amongst his collection.

Of course the military theme merges with the current 40s fascination, emphasized by the continued use of peplums and conservative cuts suggesting a leaner time when rationing was part of the patriotic effort. Be it turn-of or mid-century we are aware of conflict, and fashion copes with the awareness the only way it can, for what more can it do outside of support any larger cultural efforts. And thankfully it hasn't come to that...yet.