|
The a/w09 shows this year were so interesting as we saw the creative minds of designers react to the recession in ways we could never have imagined. For some it brought out even more flamboyance and eccentricity, Alexander McQueen outdid himself in his recycled themed show, yet for others they returned to good old fashioned hard wearing fabrics and staples that would see women through the tough times, very reminiscent of the 1940’s.
So what should you be looking out for in autumn/winter 2009? Here are the main trends that walked the runways in New York, London, Paris and Milan.
Eras.
Two main eras ran through many of the collections; the hardwearing, practical values of 1940’s fashion and the fun and frivolous rebellion of the 1980’s.
1940’s brought the return of practical and long lasting fabrics including wools and tweeds so we saw lots of layered knits, cardigan coats and ribbed cowls. Skirt suits were a key theme at Givenchy and Giorgio Armani to replace last year’s focus on the trouser and many accessorised with sensible gloves and hats to finish off the look.
1980’s returned making 2009 the year of the shoulder! Yes, the shoulder is back, bigger and better than Joan Collins could ever have imagined with three main shoulder options being the power shoulder, the puff and the pagoda which featured strongly in Balmain’s collection and made ever more famous by Victoria Beckham’s recent wearing of that Balmain pagoda jacket.
As a complete contrast to the reserved 1940’s feminine feel, 1980’s in 09 revived outrageous and over the top fabrics representing disco fever – a clear rebellion to the recession for designers who want to have fun despite the doom and gloom – so we saw Dynasty style satins, sequins, frills, retro waspie belts and body con dresses, ideal to brighten up any office Christmas do.
Key Themes
Androgynous models stormed the catwalk merging men’s and women’s styles together with masculine tailoring put with frilly, lacy and floaty pieces to soften the edge. Brogues were a strong feature again this year and a welcome relief no doubt to many women whose bunions appeared to be growing worse with every step of their sky scraping platforms, however again the masculinity of the brogues was softened with frilly skirts and chiffon blouses in lingerie colours.
Glamour Punk and Grunge
Grunge has gone glamour ladies thanks to the talents of Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel as we saw the glitter of studs, zips, buckles, metallics and luxurious leathers edge down the runway putting fun and sex appeal back into punk. Leather is a key fabric for this season as we saw leather shorts, skirts, dresses and of course the return of the leather jacket, however styles were softened and draped as opposed to the boxier shapes of the 80’s and 90’s. Other designers who nailed the trend included Alberta Ferretti who made leather drape in the most soft and feminine way and Dsquared and Michael Kors also created new and wearable ways for leather for all women.
Key autumn winter 09 colours
We saw a whole rainbow of colours this season but the designers are still loving the bright impact of block colours as seen at Paul Smith, Michael Kors and the King of Pop Colours Marc Jacobs. You’ll be pleased to know that black was a strong feature, however grey in every shade from dove grey to charcoal was a warmer alternative. Warm golds and browns in rich tones made for a beautiful autumn display. Brights are still coming through thick and fast determined to add a splash of colour in amongst the basic winter colours with every shade of red and pink flashing through the collections in strong, bright hues. Purples, blues and greens also made an appearance ranging from indigo, grape and teal.
Textures and Patterns
Alexander McQueen revived houndstooth and the techno florals at Erdem added a well needed bloom to winter. The graphic prints of summer also continued to appear through the new collections to brighten up the world of fashion in pixellated designs. Key textures included luxurious leather, velvet, lame and silk contrasted with the more practical wools, tweeds, shearling and sheepskins as seen at Christopher Kane. Drape jersey created beautiful goddess style dresses and statement jewels and sequins brought back a touch of glitz and glamour to the tents.
Updates for your wardrobe this season include: -
The Camel Coat
Yes the classic camel coat is back, and not a hint of Del Boy in sight! Warm, elegant and ideal for chilly winters revived by Derek Lam, DKNY, Dries van Noten and Maxmara.
Cape
Update your look with a cape, a chic piece that will add glamour to any outfit, shown by Fendi and Todd Lynn.
The White Shirt
A statement white shirt will bring your professional wardrobe bang up to date and also teams up with denim or leather for a fabulous weekend look, demonstrated by Chloe, Yves Saint Laurent and Dolce and Gabbana.
The Skirt Suit
Think Coco Chanel and go for a skirt suit. Worn on the runway with opaques, sheer or nude legs (only for the brave in winter!)
One Shoulder Dress
Yes it’s still here, the one-shoulder dress that keeps coming back for more. Great for Christmas glitz as demonstrated on the runway at Calvin Klein, Josh Goot and Ralph Lauren.
Bag some Boots
Boots galore! Thigh high boots sizzled at Rodarte but have come a long way since Barbarella and Pretty woman and created to show off the leg without being mistaken for a street walker. Calf height boots were another key length. Studded boots and the unusual heeled hiking boots that will be filtering in to the shops are other alternatives for autumn / winter.
Get Cosy
The runways all showed collections that were intended to keep us warm with layered knits, long leather gloves, arm warmers, snoods and wraps that will keep us cosy during those bitter months.
|
