The Stars Of Fashion Week: The Clothes
As Marc Jacobs declared at Louis Vuitton to help close Paris Fashion Week, his aim was to set aside some of the circus-like antics of prior fashion shows and focus on the clothes. At his namesake collection in New York, celebrities were banned. And so it was during this latest round of fashion weeks, the real stars were the clothes. Both of Jacobs’ collections were among the best for the fall, harnessing his incredible creativity to produce gorgeous garments that, in a surprising shift for Jacobs, were incredibly commercial as well. There was no guessing game this go, as these clothes were straight-forward, a clarion call to dispel the confusion due to all the economic uncertainty.
After an exemplary display of men’s wear, the expectations were high for women’s, particularly in light of the fact that a recovery will likely be underway by the third quarter of this year. Clothing for men included a lot of tailoring, but was also more inventive and contemporary than previous seasons dominated by the suit, or an attempt to reinvent it. There was a moment when pajama-like attire infused itself into the discussion a few seasons ago, a foray as well into skirts, but despite the fact men increasingly work from home after the casual Friday era of the 1990s, that all didn’t really seem like a solution for the 21st Century.
Now we are beginning to see men’s wear truly fuse the formal and informal with the future, and the time is ripe, as dressing in the work place has evolved, and men are more interested in expressing themselves with what they wear then ever before. In fact, men’s will likely be a source of growth in apparel in the coming years, surpassing resort wear, and other categories. With men’s wear on the right track, what new direction should women’s wear take?
Many designers looked to the success of Phoebe Philo’s Celine collection for the spring, which captivated critics, magazine editors, and store buyers alike. Minimal clean sportswear for professional women now rules after seasons and seasons of collections that featured scores of cocktail dresses and evening gowns, which were ubiquitous on the runways. At first the beige looks felt refreshing, but as the fashion weeks proceeded, that bath water threatened to turn into a blur of lukish-warm sop. The danger once again loomed of everyone chasing the same thing.
It’s not a sin to be mindful of trends in terms of silhouette and palette, but there’s a fine line between replication and reinterpretation, adding a definitive twist that sets a look a part. Some designers resisted falling into step, such as Sophie Theallet, whose mouth-watering fabrics and colors rendered in clothes that reflected a messy languid sensuality, set themselves apart to surely be one of the highlights of New York Fashion Week. Likewise, Raf Simons offered a slick sharply tailored down-to-business showing of tweeds that also felt different from what others had to offer, though it might be considered to be within the general spirit of things workman-like.
The stand-out of Paris, for me, were Alber Elbaz’s industrial orchids at Lanvin, achieving a fine line between tension and balance, beauty and unrefinement, artistry and commercial appeal with pebbly textures and rough edges and a kind of minimal structured Spartan ruffled femininity. Contained within those garments was a both a coarseness and a softness that reflected the reality of today’s contemporary woman. Mr. Elbaz pulls it all off because, most importantly, he knows his craft.
There was talk of heritage, but I think that’s just the hot buzz word that’s being thrown around this season. I mean, not every house has its roots in clean minimal American sportswear, and we should check the archives before we get too excited about this notion. And who besides John Galliano was unapologetically romantic this season (except maybe Alberta Ferretti)? Galliano is one of the few left standing. Galliano’s romanticism can be something of a problem, or has been in the past, but now that everyone is moving on (successfully and unsuccessfully as it may be), there’s surely a market for his vision.
Consider also that since, like the automotive industry, so many parts that make up a car are produced all over the world, so too are the many elements of a garment, whether it’s the raw materials that go into making the textiles, the fabrications themselves, the embroideries, and so on, heritage is not even really about where the thing is constructed, or shouldn’t be. But then it was the apparel and textile industries that were the first to go industrial and then global, leading the charge into the modern world as we know it today. When I hear people talk about heritage, what I interpret that to mean is that one entity’s brand name is older than another entity’s brand name, and maybe there’s some archives to go with it for a creative director to draw upon, or something. Not much more.
Other designers would embrace the more curvaceous womanly form as well this season after years of showcasing the emaciated model. This was evident at shows such as Prada and Louis Vuitton. The Prada show, besides drawing ‘Mad Men’ references, made news precisely because of its more ample models, as it was Miuccia Prada who was one of the first to show waif-like Eastern Europeans on her runway. There’s nothing wrong with Twiggy-like body-types roaming about. There are certainly women out there who are naturally thin, but for this to be the only kind of model featured sent the wrong message to younger women. So diversity, not only in ethnicity, but also in shape and size, probably helped to evolve things a bit.
There was also more a focus on textiles this season, which built upon the last season or two, as evidenced at the women’s wear shows for Francisco Costa’s Calvin Klein and Marc Jacobs’ namesake. Even when the design fell a bit flat, as at Calvin Klein, the fabrics continued to be extraordinary. The gorgeous grains on those subtle hues of gray at Marc Jacobs made for some of the most desirable textiles this season, and I wondered if, as at Calvin Klein, those fabrics were developed in-house?
Another highlight of Paris was Rei Kawakubo’s Comme des Garcons, mainly because she can take an abstract idea, experiment with it, and then express it in clothing, so that the idea is fully developed. You never get the sense after viewing a Comme des Garcons collection that something was missing or left undone, or that she ran out of time, and was unable to complete a thought, as other designers might be guilty of. And who can surpass the imagination of Karl Lagerfeld? His over-the-top runway for Chanel ready-to-wear was saved because the man has the technical expertise, the know-how, to produce innovative clothes, in this case, knits with faux fur that were the most captivating of the season. And this after numerous catwalks filled with real fur.
On a sadder note, the fashion world viewed the final collection of the late Alexander McQueen. With all the live streaming of the collections for fall due to McQueen’s pioneering of the medium, demonstrating its potential, the real legacy of this designer was in his mastery of the craft of designing and producing clothing. And this is as it should be. While generating buzz around a label via all sorts of technology platforms birthed in this digital era is certainly a part of many a label’s strategy, nothing can replace or surplant true knowledge of crafting, or the creative vision behind, the actual clothes. It was the skills McQueen gained early on in his life in cutting and putting the garments together, the tailoring, that he was able to hone and ultimately use to infuse abstract ideas with life and heft and relevancy, so that the material became things of wonder and beauty.
Milan: Old Reliable
Strangely, despite the few days allotted to Milan, the number of news-worthy shows were easily digested within that timeframe, which led me to wonder if more time was really necessary. At no point did I feel overwhelmed with the news and images coming out of Milan. It felt as though so much more is packed into the longer New York Fashion Week.
Granted, there was not that jolt of energy we come to expect from shows such as Prada, which was perhaps intellectually stimulating, but ultimately failed to offer up a must-have item on par with, let's say, its waders for fall 2009. But weren't we salivating just a little bit over Bryanboy's Dolce & Gabbana fox fur?
The quirkiness of Marni every three out of four shows works because the random shapes and the candy-colored palette contrast so with the slickness, all that chocolate and ebony, the leather and fur, featured over at the other Italian houses. If you want a whiff of musician Bjork's style, or a hint of Rei Kawakubo's Comme des Garcons, boiled down for mere mortals, it is the place to look.
Missoni has never really blown me away to be honest, and I never expect it to. What I do look forward to is some inventive take on knits. You know, that piece or two a woman might invest in, to layer over a dreary winter outfit to give it some punch. As usual, Missoni delivered, that's all, as reliable as ever.
Gucci's Frida Giannini pared things down a bit, cut back on the fringe, the freely floating pieces of fabric that serve as a sort of body halo, akin to the wings of Farrah Fawcett's locks back in the 1970s. I see Gucci and I usually see Fawcett's hair somehow as the inspiration. But not this time, and I thought it was a strong collection that still had ease, clothes a woman could look great in, particularly at work, but it wasn't as fussy or as distracted. It was more down to business, as down to business as Gucci could be without straying too far from its roots. Every piece seemed singular and strong, plenty for a woman to invest in.
Pucci was hailed this season, but what Pucci showed was essentially a copy of Ms. Giannini's formula. It didn't offer anything new. It's not to say there isn't a market for the look, but doesn't it seem a bit of a joke that not only does the name of this house rhyme with Gucci, but now its clothes could easily fit into the archives of Gucci as well? Is this some sort of play on irony or something? Well, fine, there were plenty of sexy little numbers with fringe and fur and such for a girl to wear out at night on the town. If a woman doesn't already have a few of those outfits in her closet, I think she may have already missed out on that trend, or maybe not since it's still on the runways.
If you do already have a closet stocked with those sexy furry numbers, why not gravitate to the smart tweeds offered by Raf Simons over at Jil Sander, the best collection of Milan Fashion Week. These sharp numbers are modern and minimalist. No facade here. Just good design will do. And like all good design, such as the Roman arch, it will likely last for years. Jil Sander was all about efficiency and execution, but who said that while getting the job done, you can't look good too?
Miuccia Prada, along with Raf Simons, usually serves as a creative anchor for Milan Fashion Week, dishing out the garments that will generate the news for the week. Ms. Prada raised eyebrows by featuring more curvaceous models, since it was she who first sported waif-like Eastern Europeans on her runways. But the clothes, while referring to a more mature woman in referencing the past, ultimately failed to excavate themselves from the historical context to seem fresh again. It may have not been Ms. Prada's intention, but the only thing the collection truly succeeded at was in drawing 'Mad Men' references or comparisons from all the commenters.
Dolce & Gabbana applied the same sensibility to its women's wear, as it did to its men's wear for fall 2010. The consistency worked, as sexy Sicilianos marched down the runway. It was a refreshing vibe as compared to the sometimes voluminous creations for its past shows that attempted at trying too hard to be avante garde.
Giorgio Armani was solid, its pinks and reds alongside its black and white, with some fantastic prints. It felt as though there was just a smidgeon of the old Christian Lacroix in the mix, not only in the use of color, but also, in the silhoutte, the construction of a skirt, that seemed to be a deflated version of Lacroix's.
In the case of Bottega Veneta, I must agree with Cathy Horyn of The New York Times ... soupy. Who wants to buy a soupy leather suit, either of the numbers that opened that show? The looks weren't flattering, and the show overall was a real dud. Not really what we expect of Tomas Maier, who tends to be an exemplary designer.
Alberta Ferretti was as lovely and feminine, as focused as ever, and reminded me a bit of Audrey Tatou in the movie 'Amelie,' a sort of free-spirited romantic collection.
Etro's multi-culturalism blended seamlessly with its classic pieces, fused with glorious prints and colors, featuring a wearable glamour for day and night that didn't seem stiff or cliched.
Versace, however, was a little too complicated, and looked too much the other collections shown in Milan concerning palette. Where was that focus, that independence, that vision it showed in its spring 2010 show, which differentiated itself from the crowd? That kind of colorful, bleach blond tacky, yet sexy, unapologetic attitude that would sell in places like Miami? The vision was muddled, and not to the label's benefit.
To round out the week were great coats over at MaxMara, a solid show by Salvatore Ferragamo with plenty of great wardrobe choices, and furs and leather freed of too many culutural connotations, literally and figuratively unburdened, just young and fresh, over at Fendi.
Bumping Into Bryanboy
Talking With Teri
I caught up with her after the 3.1 Phillip Lim fashion show to ask her about what she thought had propelled that label to success. The larger lesson, Agins said, for aspiring designers and business managers, is the need to work for someone else first. Running a fashion business is about so many little things, and the execution of all those small moving parts, she said, which takes time to learn. She suggested that it's not necessary, though, to work years and years for another label, as in the case of a Sophie Theallet (though it's certainly not a hindrance) for example, but experience is key. Agins emphasized that the fashion industry is filled with many talented, creative individuals, but what differentiates one from another is ultimately execution, whether it concerns finances or production, beyond the ability to produce a well-received collection.
In the case of 3.1 Phillip Lim, Agins ticked off a number of the label's attributes. She said the company uses no stylists, doesn't have a large design team--maybe a few design assistants with Phillip Lim doing a lionshare of the work, doesn't spend a great deal of money on research and development, and virtually puts all of its runway looks into production. Most of the clothes the label presents, they make, Agins explained, whereas the industry norm for most runway shows is that perhaps 20-to-30 percent of the garments actually go into production. She said that in the case of 3.1 Phillip Lim, it is a vertical operation, even though it does not own its own factories. Wen Zhou, the company's CEO, has thorough knowledge of production and such a close and long relationship with the factories that produce the label's clothing, it is as if 3.1 Phillip Lim directly operates them, achieving that vertical integration, Agins added.
I asked Agins if 3.1 Phillip Lim's logistical capability when it came to sourcing manufacturing didn't mirror that of what fast fashion had achieved, only on the luxury side of the equation? She disagreed with this premise. She did say that 3.1 Phillip Lim's strategy is not a 'state secret.' The label is not doing anything different from any other fashion company, Agins asserted, it is doing what every other label is doing. 3.1 Phillip Lim is just doing it all better than anyone else, by executing to perfection, she concluded.
In a separate conversation before the Prabal Gurung show, I also inquired of Agins if she had plans to write another book or to revise or add to her past work, "The End of Fashion." She replied that she didn't plan a major overhaul that involved the addition of lots of new chapters, just a mild revision, or brief revisit, with perhaps a couple of extra chapters.
New York Fashion Week: A Slight Thaw
Sophie Theallet sent down the runway a number of looks, either with pleating or draped, in mouth-watering fabrics such as silk charmeuse, velvet, shearling, and chiffon, as well as luscious colors such as red raspberry, watermelon, plum, burnt pumpkin orange, and chocolate. The clothes were delicious and desirable, hedonistic, gluttonous to a degree, though offered with a great deal of love. It was a holiday feast wrapped in a languid sensuality that spoke of a certain kind of intimacy. The palette in particular, as well as the slightly messy silhouette in some of the draped numbers, really gave this collection a unique vision not found elsewhere for the fall.
Anna Sui lighted things up by offering a Nordic arts and crafts boho chick affair that was charming. Like 3.1 Phillip Lim, most of the looks Ms. Sui shows are put into production and actually sold to consumers in stores. Eureka! 3.1 Phillip Lim offered a little something for every woman in a collection that emphasized a continued focus on contemporary sportswear. What was most thrilling about the collection were the variations on the trouser. Women do wear pants in the 21st Century afterall. And the outer wear and tops were inventive and had ease, could be mixed and matched with what already is in a women's closet, perfect for times when budgets for clothes are limited.
But there were also misses. Christian Cota, who won Fashion Group International's 'Rising Star Award' for women's ready-to-wear in 2009, the same award given to Jason Wu before his ascension, gave a presentation of clothes that amounted to a cubist hot mess. It was a muddled affair of awkward constructions and prints that lacked clarity. What was needed was a good deal of editing, more refinement, finesse, as a couple of the garments featured did exhibit promise.
Over at Calvin Klein, I was intrigued by designer Francisco Costa's use of fabrics, but unfortunately the design itself was not as engaging. What the clothes needed was a certain energy, perhaps more structure ... but rather, in a minimalistic effort, the garments came off at times as a bit droopy, aimless. In other cases some of the looks reminded one of other past designers such as Jil Sander, but without anything new to say. It's difficult to see how fabrication alone makes these perhaps overly simplistic clothes really desirable.
In many ways, Marios Schwab has achieved for Halston what its owners have desired: injecting the label with the designer's unique sensibility, and in the process, attracting plenty of attention from the press, and the fashion set as a whole. In some cases, the garments utilized neoprene, draped, folded, and molded to precision. Meanwhile, all that publicity will help reestablish Halston as a designer brand, as it sells heritage-inspired dresses out of its archives at a lower pricepoint at major retailers. Part of the complaint was that previous design efforts simply regurgitated or relied too heavily on Halston's archives. The brand's investors have certainly put into the brand plenty of capital as well as assembled an all-star team to lead it back to relevancy.
Also on a positive note was the well-edited collection of sportswear offered by Lyn Devon, whose inspiration was ballet, at once a bit soft and feminine, but also exacting, requiring discipline, toughness, athleticism, and precision in its execution. Some of the pieces, such as a top and skirt, were in buttery leather, to give the garments both that softness and edge Ms. Devon is seeking to provide her customer. Tailored jackets might be ordered in an unusual color such as chartreuse to add a bit of newness and funk to one's wardrobe. The last couple of collections Ms. Devon has refocused on her core customer, after previously skewing a bit younger, she admitted. In part, the recession may have helped her design process as she ended up having to take on more hats and consequently had to listen more to her own voice. Hopefully her straightforward looks will be a hit with store buyers.
Rad Hourani is innovative in his unisex approach to fashion, and it will be interesting to see this designer evolve. Unisex largely continues to be wide-open territory for further exploration. In his latest offering, there were men in tights, but there was also outwear and accessories in materials such as patent leather that appeared to me to be surprisingly commercial and desirable. In that respect, I felt as though this very focused designer's collection was his best to date, and that he could indeed be on to something.
What excites me about New York and its fashion week, is that it is increasingly attracting designers who might normally gravitate to or prefer Paris. The increasing diversity of design vision in New York is a positive sign, even as the city's garment district continues its decline. Hopefully efforts by the city and the fashion community will help salvage at least a portion of garment manufacturing in New York to incubate young designers and fashion industry's future.
New York Fashion Week: A Winter Chill
Just when fashion begins to dream again, spinning the fantasy of luxury and rarity that will hopefully lure consumers back into stores even if the economy still is problematic, tragedy strikes yet again. Alexander McQueen's final act was ever bit as jarring as one of his runway presentations. He was never really one to give in, even if it seemed as though he did. One can't escape from reality I thought, as I tied my military-issue scarf around my neck and wrapped my coat tighter around me hoping for some warmth in the unforgiving chill. Mr. McQueen's death has made fashion week seem that much more surreal.
Having said that, highlights of the week include a yellow coat, in what I thought was the hue of lemon, cinched in the back, one of the pieces offered by Duckie Brown at a show more packed with spectators than in the past. Formal jackets had broad shoulders and were sometimes paired with male capri pants, the hem halfway up the calf. There were plaids as well. Other jackets of the sportier variety were structured so that they had added pillowy volume in back, a billow, a trapped pocket of air.
At Bespoken, tailoring was the theme, and a luxurious suit or two might indeed be worth the premium. But beyond the fine tailoring of the suits, the rest was rather common affair, not very stimulating or new, and after a series of superb men's wear shows in Milan and Paris, I wondered if what this label had to offer was enough, particularly at the prices they will likely charge. Besides that, it was odd that I couldn't get anyone there to answer a question, not about the business or sourcing or fabrics, or much anything else. Imagine a journalist asking questions, the audacity!
Gilded Age was anything but gilded, offering sturdy versions of classic men's wear, the textiles as hearty as a thick beef stew or a bowl of mashed potatoes, comfort clothes, like a cozy fireplace, for a blustery winter day. But the clothes were refined, with a nod to tailoring, and could be adapted to a contemporary man's wardrobe. If the past decade was known for ugly, from Crocs to Uggs to the Snuggie, because people crave comfort in times of turmoil and distress, than Gilded Age may offer the magic cure for a society that suffers from change, or rather, 'future shock.'
George McCracken, meanwhile, had an earthy palette, and earth tones in general are permeating a number of collections. One formal jacket in an orange-red reminded me of a brightly painted clay pot. The color evoked the American Southwest. The collection had a kind of austerity. An accompanying video featured the clothes midst long-abandoned buildings and cars. It is an apocalyptic vision that fits squarely with the theme of the movie "The Road," based on the novel of the same name by Cormac McCarthy, a source of inspiration that seems to be present in some of the men's collections for the fall.
3.1 Phillip Lim offered contemporary men's wear, really one of the best collections I have had the pleasure of attending thus far. Vests and gloves in leather were quilted, evoking armor, samurai warrior gear. How about knee-high leather boots or shin guards? Gorgeous and desirable. The coats as well were minimalistic in terms of adornment and line, but gave off a vibe of contemporary luxury, of wealth, of durability, as witnessed in the opening look, which upon seeing, you immediately got the sense this was going to be one hell of a show. Every piece singular and strong. There was no looking back here.
Prabal Gurung is a rising design star that showed his collection to a packed house of fashion's most influential. Each garment was beautifully rendered, in which feminine ruffles were not merely attached to the garment as a decorative element, but fused into it, and took on exaggerated sculptural architectural shapes. These dresses were engineered, and though that word gets used a lot, in this case it is a very appropriate descriptive. The dresses were complex in construction, and as a result, if you were to pay a high price, you wouldn't wonder why you were paying a premium, for the quality in design is there. Mr. Gurung is imparting to women a confident modern feminity for the 21st Century, for the new decade.
Joseph Altuzarra is another young fashion design prodigy, which is evident by the fact that he is championed by no less than French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld. In his exacting use of fur and leather to render clean lines that avoided being camp or costume, and felt thoroughly fresh and unburdened, indeed light, he may have made a very strong argument to be named the creative director of a certain Italian leather and fur company. And let's face it, the stodgy field needs a new vision, an injection of youth, to make it relevant again, perhaps to the dismay though of PETA. It was a fine show to be commended as much for its craft and design qualities, as its focus and restraint, which shows incredible maturity for one so young.
At Bensoni, the designers offered a solid vision of modern feminity, in which flourishes of ruffles were anchored in precisely structured dresses. The goal of the the label is to offer premium design at more accessible prices, an aim of the Bauhaus movement, with garments retailing between roughly $250 to just over $1000, a piece. Considering the limited number of garments the label produces, that is, not mass-produced, the prices are indeed reasonable.
Meanwhile, designer Gary Graham cited rustic aliens and David Bowie as some of his inspirations for his latest collection. But drilling further, Mr. Graham is also intensely interested in fabrics or textiles, and using that as a basis to develop a collection from, such as boiled wools. One garment in his presentation that stood out was an asymmetrical Grecian draped mini dress.
There were a number of stimulating conversations, but wanted to share with you these early observations while I have access to a functioning Internet and computer, which is not always the case, if you can believe it in this day and age.
Tough Times For Tuleh
Men's Wear: On 'The Road' Again?
Well, not exactly the same road, though if there was a faint scent of similarity it was because so many of the men's collections were grounded. But that didn't mean designers didn't push fashion forward, with subtle twists and artful patches that seamlessly melded with the clothes, to create a contemporary whole.
If sales are soft for men's wear come this fall, it will not be the fault of designers who have really put out some great clothes. If male consumers are in the mood for shopping come this fall and winter, they will have plenty to choose from.
Overall, I was really impressed with this round of men's collections for Fall 2010. One of the potential best-selling lines could be the men's wear offered by Louis Vuitton, a laser-sharp, confident, focused, put-together collection immaculately styled. But pull out a piece, and each garment would still be singular and strong.
One look in particular I liked was the coat to open the Yves Saint Laurent men's show in
Out of the haphazard mish-mash at Comme des Garcons came perfectly proportioned looks, that changed your eye, an education on how to dress. There wasn't a particular look that stood out for me at Comme des Garcons, rather, it was an overall approach or way of dressing.
Prada arguably had its best men's wear collection in some time, a twist on old classics, that also felt contemporary, but familiar. Look #18 of Prada on GQ.com is one eye-popping garment, among many others.
Lanvin in particular, when you consider the layering, the balance of poetry and toughness, silhouette, proportion, called to mind survival. And survival requires more than a mastery of skills, you have to have soul, you have to have hope. 'Avatar,' was on many people's mind during haute couture. It had to be in part the movie and novel, 'The Road,' that was the muse for men's. The chic men in looks for Lanvin seemed ready to inhabit the world of Cormac McCarthy's novel 'The Road,' that glimmer in the worst of times.
What was exemplarily about Rick Owens was his many desirable coats and jackets. I dare you to try and pick just one to include in your wardrobe.
Also great was Raf Simons' designs for label Jil Sander. Drooling over the gray jacket, look #28 over at GQ.com.
The entire Raf Simons' namesake collection had suits with a modern snap ... finally, men's wear that bridges the past and the future, to create an inescapable desirable NOW. It seems there really is nothing like living in the moment. One of my favorite things: A gorgeous beige jacket by Raf Simons, elegant, slightly delicate like an orchid, but with heft. That Raf Simons jacket I just mentioned was look #17 on GQ.com.
Honorable mentions go to Dunhill and Thom Browne's vision for Moncler Gamme Bleu ...
Gucci had a minimalist effeminate lux feeling with a dash of flash, and Alexander McQueen showcased powerful pieces that would really sing if paired with more restrained garments such as a pair of classic denim jeans.
Dolce & Gabbana had a sexed-up ruggedness that evoked an older Italy and way of life, but today's man should have little trouble in adapting the clothes for a contemporary look.
I could gush, wax poetic, over so much of the men's wear offered, but I'll let what I've written above suffice for now. I have a feeling many a dandy will break the bank over these looks. I just wish much of it were available for purchase now.
Fashion's Most Influential
As I began to write this blog entry, I relished the challenge of encapsulating the year and naming what I felt to be this year’s most influential forces. I soon realized the difficulty not only in making choices as to what to emphasize, but then the nightmare of trying to properly rank it all. Well, a little self-flagellation to end this annus horribilis seems appropriate.
Technically it’s not really the end of the decade, but things have been pushed up a year, apt perhaps for the frenzied, rushed, and sometimes panicked ride the period provided.
One could say that during these past few years we saw the end of one era that could be traced back to the 1980's, and the beginning of another, as the full impact of the Internet and China has begun to be felt, with the Great Recession reordering the world, and the inauguration of a new kind of politics or mind frame, though on that last point it is still difficult to see yet.
The last couple of years, particularly, have been a strange, surreal period, in which the supposed gains of earlier this decade were wiped away, to earn the description given by one columnist, economist Paul Krugman of The New York Times, as the “Big Zero.”
For the fashion world, it may indeed feel a bit like starting all over again, as newcomers and established designers alike litter the landscape like so many fabric remnants, perhaps either in the process, or having hopes, of being recycled. Isn’t sustainability one of the big buzzwords now?
As an example of the confusion, note that in the last year alone we witnessed investment bankers shunning the business suit in fear of being retaliated against by an incensed public protesting in the streets of London, as leading designers attempted to dust off the old man on their runways. Dandies flocked to the fashion tents in their designer silk bow ties, as unemployment lines of denim-clad industrial workers wrapped around street corners.
But while the male fashion crowd embraced a more genteel way of dressing, evoking less the future, and more the good ol’ days that really were only good if you were white, male, heterosexual, and protestant, their women counterparts were abandoning the uptown look of frilly cocktail dresses in favor of over-sized t-shirts, worn jeans, and biker jackets, for a tougher look. That’s an over-simplified take, but I apparently have to acknowledge that attention spans are limited due to the Internet. And to be honest, I haven’t been able to really finish a book for the past year now.
Add to the mix the fact that, as another columnist asserted, companies no longer charge a premium based on the limited supply of a good, but rather for an idea, an innovation, or a process. In fashion, innovations are difficult to protect, as many will protest, but then again, it could be asked, is there much that’s really new in terms of design?
Marc Jacobs seemed to ask this question best, in his deceptively brilliant spring 2010 namesake women’s wear presentation, as so many designers borrow liberally from one another: an argument for or against a world in which, as the Council of Fashion Designers of America has lobbied vigorously for in the past, designs are legally protected as a sort of intellectual property? Certainly the cash-rich labels could afford the legal representation, but what about the fledgling young stars? There’s no clear answer as to the effect on creativity.
Then there’s the Internet (as fashion bloggers replace fashion magazine editors and viral marketing siphons away advertising dollars from traditional media) and China, the rising importance of which only raises more questions, rather than provides any answers, and maybe that’s closer to reality than we’ll ever recognize. It’s an agonizing place. Life is always more uncertain and fragile then we give it credit in our search for universal truths or final solutions that don’t exist. And yet, even after the greatest of disasters or in the most volatile of conditions, we know that life, like creativity, can endure and even thrive.
Looking back, perhaps the collection that best encapsulated the past decade, that captured the culture or the moment, was Marc Jacobs’ namesake women’s wear presentation for spring 2008, shown in the waning days of summer in 2007, which seems like ancient history. Who will dominate the coming decade, or will it all fragment like the World Wide Web into a multitude of voices? Here’s my list of the most influential (emphasize the word influential, rather than powerful in this case) forces in fashion for 2009, which may give us some glimpse of the future. To note, this is an unscientific ranking. I’m fairly confident in who I’ve named to my top 11, as well as in the order they are ranked, but I’m a bit uncertain about the order of the list after that. It’s all, of course, open for debate.
Fashion’s Most Influential In 2009:
1. The Consumer: Isn’t the consumer always king? Well, yes, but until late 2008, it was a seller’s market. As shoppers snapped their wallets shut, fashion brands and retailers struggled, and are still struggling, to rediscover the magic that will bring consumers back. How times have changed. For now, the short-term answer to returning to profitability seems to be in rationalizing inventories and reducing prices.
2. The Great Recession: If 2009 reminded us of the power and the needs of the consumer, it was because of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. It isn’t so much that the recession in fact caused change, rather than spurred it forward at a rather rapid clip. The already influential Internet rose in prominence as companies shifted marketing and advertising dollars from print to online to save money. To reduce prices, due to pressure from retailers, brands increasingly shifted production to
3. The Internet: As fashion bloggers vied for front row seats with fashion magazine editors, ultimately stealing the spotlight at the spring 2010 fashion presentations, some industry observers may have felt like they were watching a scene from the disaster movie, “2012.” It is difficult for me to really name any one Web-related entity as a force unto itself, from the established presence of The Sartorialist and SHOWstudio.com, to the overnight sensations of teenage Tavi Gevinson’s Style Rookie and the glittery Bryanboy, not to mention new Web-zines such as Polyvore.com. There are many voices across the digital spectrum influencing fashion or attracting attention. The most profound aspect and long-term impact of the Internet, though, is the migration of advertising dollars from traditional media to online, reordering the fashion universe, yet offering new opportunities for fashion brands to reconnect with consumers.
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5. Fast Fashion: The disruptive nature of fast fashion over the last few years is not so much in that they copy the creations of top designers, though there is plenty of that to go around in the race to produce the latest trends, as it is the logistical summersaults that companies in this category achieve to deliver product to their stores. Zara, H&M, Uniqlo, Topshop, Target, Kohl’s, and Wal-mart, among others, are all in on the action. In some cases, vertically integrated behemoths such as Zara can take a product from the drawing board to the factory and bring it into stores within a few weeks. That logistical capability, which is leveraged to offer the lowest prices, has lured top designers such as the legendary Jil Sander into collaborations, providing top-notch design to the masses.
6. Michelle Obama: Leading fashion critic Cathy Horyn of The New York Times questioned whether the way in which the First Lady dresses is representative of how women clothe themselves, or would like to clothe themselves. Considering Mrs. Obama’s clothing choices over the last year, she did seem to play more of a demure or traditional role than at first recognized. And some of the garments, such as Mrs. Obama’s signature cardigan, would be difficult to recommend to professional working women, from the courtroom to the boardroom. But Mrs. Obama’s influence over the fashion world is not just a feeling, it’s measurable. Revenues of brands or labels worn by Mrs. Obama in many cases are significantly up during a very terrible downturn, from Maria Pinto to J. Crew. And designers previously only known to fashion insiders have become household names, such as Jason Wu.
7. 3.1 Phillip Lim: Rather than write a lengthy blurb here, I will simply refer you to the profile I wrote on the label and its CEO Wen Zhou: http://www.fashionbusinessreport.com/3.html ...
8. Karl Lagerfeld: The more things change, the more they stay the same. If Yves Saint Laurent captured most of the attention with his early brilliance and became the designer to dominate the 1970's, then Karl Lagerfeld is the Edward Kennedy of fashion, known for his huge body of work, his tireless crusade to keep Chanel relevant, a veritable workhorse churning out ideas for three different labels. What made Mr. Lagerfeld so influential this year was, first and foremost, his haute couture presentation in January, reminding us of the power and relevance of haute couture, which has taken and continues to take a bit of a beating. That glorious collection influenced designers through the remainder of this year, and still boldly resonates as one of the best in 2009. Mr. Lagerfeld then took us back to the farm, Marie Antoinette-style, for his Chanel spring 2010 women’s wear presentation, delighting us with pastoral pleasures. This is a designer at the height of his powers.
9. Carine Roitfeld: The editor of Vogue’s Paris-based publication does not like handbags, opts for skinny pants and tough looking jackets, and doesn’t wear a lot of makeup, influencing the style of many young women, and has been the muse for more than one fashion label. But more than that, she has been an ardent promoter of Balmain’s Christophe Decarnin, pushing the young designer to the forefront, and she was also an early supporter of the likes of New York-based designer Joseph Altuzarra, one of fashion’s rising design stars.
10. Anna Wintour: There was the documentary, “The September Issue,” that reminded us all of her influence as of a year ago, but so much has changed since then. While designers still publicly state that they think of her when they design their collections, and deeply care as to her opinion of their creations, what many in the industry are also saying is that there is no longer a single dominant voice or influence in fashion these days. Influence in fashion has completely fragmented. There’s no doubt that Ms. Wintour is a legend, and that her place in fashion history is assured due to her early innovations, alongside the great designers and editors of the past. And that even today, as the editor of Vogue, in addition to all the other functions, awards, and events she is involved in or directs, is still one of the most influential forces in fashion—but due to the Internet, the decline in advertising revenue, as well as cost-cutting, the presence of First Lady Michelle Obama, and the rise of China, to name a few, that influence must now have to vie for a little elbow room.
11. Cathy Horyn: It’s in strange times such as these that honest, sensible voices are more needed then ever … someone to hold up a gun and shoot a warning shot before the herd heads unknowingly off a nearby cliff, and Ms. Horyn provides that. Designers listen to and care about what Ms. Horyn thinks. When she called for a contemporary take on the little black dress, something missing in modern dressing’s repertoire, designers such as Balenciaga’s Nicolas Ghesquiere heeded her call. She is also good at recognizing and drawing attention to new designers such as Prabal Gurung, also a rising star in fashion. Her reporting on issues surrounding, for example, the Internet, are a huge service to the industry, and she has one of the most established blogs, several years running now, in fashion.
12. The Utilitarian: Perhaps the cutting edge or avant garde in fashion is no longer represented by those who flock to the fashion shows, the magazines editors, and such, but rather, that Midwestern family who has been sporting matching Crocs and fanny packs these past few years. This isn't exactly news, as denim jeans and sneakers, two other innovations in fashion design, also were developed for the commercial low-end and sought as its early adopters the working and middle classes. The accepted view is that fashion editors and luxury designers are the avant garde, dictating the trends that will eventually trickle down to your local Gap. Some would say, however, such as designer Alexander McQueen, that much in luxury hasn't changed since Christian Dior's "New Look." So where to look for new ideas? Often that has led designers to glean inspiration from what really is at the heart of design, in which function largely dictates form, rather than confusing innovation with embellishment.
13. Lady Gaga: This entertainer, taking on the mantle of that other most-famous-woman-in-the-world Madonna, has held sway over some of the biggest names in fashion, including Alexander McQueen and Marc Jacobs, with her fantastical costumes. Her latest music video was described less as art and more like “QVC.” We’ll have to see how many tweens, college students, and drag queens line up to buy La Perla.
14. Alexander McQueen: Mr. McQueen is difficult to copy. He’s increasingly experimenting with the possibilities of this digital age, though he’s barely cracked the surface. Still, that’s more than you can say for many others. Yet, no one in fashion is really capturing people’s imaginations as he is, and in these dreary times, that seems necessary. I still remember walking by the store windows of Saks’ flagship store on
15. Rei Kawakubo: She's been described as the closest thing to honesty as one can come in the fashion world. Her designs have captivated minds since the 1980's, leading the invasion of Japanese innovation. This past year, though, Ms. Kawakubo inspired not only a certain famous 13-year-old blogger to gush, but also design great Marc Jacobs. Her impact continues to be felt across the fashion spectrum.
16. Rick Owens: Mr. Owens also had more than a moment this year, as his dark palette, and tough, almost thorny exteriors, as well as a gothic Vampire-ish aesthetic has moved like hotcakes, and then there was that certain leather biker jacket everyone had to have, inviting imitators.
17. Miuccia Prada: She had one of the best women’s wear collections for fall 2009, which reminded us during the difficult downturn that it’s not about the clothes you can buy, it’s about the clothes you can make. Of course, we might still splurge for a pair of those waders anyways.
18. Raf Simons: At once poetic and immediate, Mr. Simons has really been focusing on what’s necessary, on what people need, whether it’s his namesake men’s wear collection, or the clothes he produces for the women’s wear line carrying the Jil Sander label. His spring 2009 collection evoking water was, well, a watershed. And he made the convincing and well-tailored argument that suits, like t-shirts and denim jeans, are the staples of our lives, the foundation.
19. Francisco Costa: His last three ready-to-wear presentations for Calvin Klein women’s wear were superlative. Mr. Costa's spring 2010 women's wear collection was arguably the best of the crop. He has led American fashion design to new heights, producing masterful work.
20. Marc Jacobs: He was the dominant designer during the last decade, and continues to pump out fresh ideas for his namesake label, as well as Louis Vuitton, the largest luxury brand in the world.
21. Sarah Mower: The great Ms. Mower not only masterfully reviews collections for Vogue's Style.com, but is a tireless promoter of British fashion.
22. The 1980's: A time period upon which some designers, lacking new ideas, seemed to fall back on in knee-jerk fashion for inspiration. It all reached a bit of a frenzy with the death of pop king Michael Jackson. While there was plenty of nostalgia on display for the creative accomplishments of that decade, it was also a bit jarring to be reminded that this was the same era in which the first steps towards financial deregulation began to pave the way for the recent financial crisis. Anyways, it feels as though this trend has been around a while now.
24. Dandyism: Bow ties and suits, the trappings of the 1950’s, 1960's era man, the uniform of the ivory tower, the costume for the television series “Mad Men,” tapping, as well, into the whole “steampunk” genre. It’s been around for a bit now, but was on more visible display this year. Fashion designer and movie director Tom Ford has likened donning a suit to dressing up in drag. But like so many trends, could it go the way of the mullet?
25. Juergen Teller: His Polaroid-style images have propelled him to the position of one of fashion's most influential photographers. He is commissioned by leading fashion magazines and works with design greats such as Marc Jacobs and Vivienne Westwood on numerous advertising campaigns. It also doesn't hurt that in this time of cost-cutting, Mr. Teller doesn't employ the kind of expensive and elaborate photo shoots of his brethren.
What I hope will be an influential trend over the next decade, is that fashion designers will begin to utilize, in part, the design approach harnessed to create the iPhone. There's something incredibly beautiful about the device that has hypnotized so many consumers, defying the downturn. It is also quite interesting that in this case, function or performance proved to be an adequate muse in determining form.
I also think, or hope, that Mary Kantrantzou's blazing digital images will spark a new kind of creativity, or thinking outside the box, taking advantage of this period's technological advances and simultaenously capturing it all culturally. I don't mind at all that it's simple and easy to understand, and yet, all the more powerful for it.
I simply can’t write anymore, so I’ll put the question to you, who would be on your most influential list?
The Best Of Spring 2010 Fashion
On Cathy Horyn's blog, "On The Runway," I wrote that I thought the best collections for Spring 2010 were Francisco Costa's women's wear presentation for Calvin Klein, Raf Simon's women's wear presentation for Jil Sander, and Alexander McQueen's women's wear presentation for the line of clothing that carries his name, the best that is of the collections from New York, Milan and Paris respectively. I still agree with that initial assessment.
Other important collections include Phoebe Philo's women's wear presentation for Celine, which was broadly praised by a number of people throughout the industry. A personal favorite of mine was Karl Lagerfeld's women's wear presentation for Chanel, clogs and all. Another great collection, that came out of London, was by designer Mary Kantrantzou, whose imagination has been fueled by the digital print revolution.
To be honest, I still have mixed feelings about Marc Jacobs' women's wear collection for Louis Vuitton, but one thing that is undeniable about it is that it was creative and offered a number of new or fresh ideas, which is absolutely essential to fashion. Proenza Schouler also caught my eye, as did Marc Jacobs' namesake collection, with its mindboggling multitude of references.
There were a number of designers who offered more takes on skinny jeans and jackets and hoodies and such, but no matter how well-made or well-executed, there just wasn't much new there, really, or essential. Such looks don't sear their image into my brain, certainly not like Mary Kantrantzou's digital prints.
As for the top three, no one is really experimenting on the level of Raf Simons, no one is producing the difficult-to-replicate, yet easy-to-communicate beautiful clothes on par with Francisco Costa, and no one is capturing the public's imagination as is Alexander McQueen.
Proenza Schouler and Mary Kantrantzou were tops in terms of color and prints, respectively. Marc Jacobs, for every idea he puts on the runway, must have ten more floating somewhere in the back of his brain. Phoebe Philo is a fashion sharpshooter, and Karl Lagerfeld is the tireless master who often teaches the rest how it is done.
Currently, my two favorite men's wear clothing lines are Raf Simons' namesake and Duckie Brown, and I look forward to more from both those labels.
Those are the collections that particularly popped out to me, though there was a lot to love from a number of designers, and hopefully enough new ideas to get customers back in the stores.
