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Fashion Observed


Trend observations with a sociological eye from afar...

by Darryl S. Warren  

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Where It Stops Nobody Knows

T  he Pre-Fall 2017 season collections seem to be winding down, although it could just be that the holidays took wind out of momentums' sails. Volume and freeform styling were one of the predominant takeaways that mingled with the femininity abounding, bringing to mind a devil-may-care romantic inspiration to the wearer.

In stressful times the artistic direction aims for control but inevitably becomes one of release as control is relinquished, greatly emphasized in periods where creativity is given greater allowance around times of profound change from more liberal environs to more demure conservative tones as inevitable economic restraint is called forward. The hyper-geometric order of the Deco period saw later Erte fluidity and freeform organic design before purses tightened and silhouettes drew in while wardrobes became more conventional by the following decade. The bound and padded formal intricacy of a Dior 50s give way to sculptural modernity and asymmetry that found favour in silhouette exploration on to later simplify towards the 60s as the economic postwar boom ran out of steam. The clean-cut uniform preppy early 80s gathered momentum in a progressive execution of avant grade embrace until we reached the kind of creative innovation we find repeating today only to be met with a rather tempered streetwise normalcy in athleisure, grunge and pragmatic normcore.

In all these eras, expression grew like wild plants until the good times "petered out" and we regressed to a new norm which eventually set the tone for the next wave of creativity to exit from. At this time we have added pressure of our search for the voice of a new century and millennium, not just a new generation. Our self-awareness, coupled with decades of marketing training of the public, has commodified our creative process; trends aren't made out of sheer desire for change, but are now part of a calculated brand strategy to remain competitive in an increasingly strained market that has seen a growing erosion of an economic class normally relied upon to keep our system flowing (i.e. the middle class).

This new dimension of motivation has, in some ways, tempered the creative process by forcing it to fall within marketable lines despite seeing the current creative play with volume and freeform architecture. And yet the tenuousness of the market might be the new factor necessary to allow creativity to burst forth. Technological advancements now further integrated into daily living is feeding innovation under completely new parameters that fashion has never had to work with before. Taken as a tool to aide in competitiveness, this added element may be the new X factor to shake fashion into bold new directions that our existing system alone is unable to fully do at this time (something this blog has written about in detail previously). It's not the materials and techniques alone that will bring this new voice forward, but the desired effect behind technology's incorporation into fashion that will inadvertently get new directions underway.

There is a lot of talk about technology for 2017 and fashion is bound to have some continued thoughts on what it means in relation to itself and the wearer as technology changes its very landscape. Perhaps the progressive embrace of tradition executed in technical ways made more harmonious with our modern sensibilities while blended with textile innovation as seen at Issey Miyake might be a hint when the creative wave crashes as an alternate to satisfying desire for the familiar while embracing our techno future. 

Already, Fall Winter 2017 will be soon here and we know the future cannot be stopped. Has retro fatigue set in? Will fashion go for the technical jugular in response? How long can it sustain unique expression boundary-testing? And is the public truly ready or are world events going to force our hand to pull back? And to where? Only the future knows...and it's here.

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