Whilst the markets crashed, London Fashion Week turned to gold
Whether fashion reflects an economic climate is questionable. During the Swinging
Sixties the economy saw a growth in prosperity and
so hemlines shrunk and people opted for more experimental fashion. With the
dawn of Thatcher’s government in 1979, the nation turned to tough fashion for
tough times with punk trends dominating the early Eighties. In line with this,
during the city bankers’ boom of the late 1990s and 2000s, trends veered
towards cropped tops and an eclectic ‘anything goes’ attitude to fashion,
inspired by the likes of Kate Moss and today considered the quintessential look
of British fashion.
So, does this prove that changing hemlines
reflect changing economies? In times of austerity do we change the way we
dress?
So far, during a period of financial instability, the 2010s have traded minis for maxis (and midis), in a similar
way to the long flowing styles of the New Romantics in the 1980s. However,
ironically, our current decade seems to have also traded the simplicity of the
90s for extravagance (it is only a matter of time before lash extensions become
the norm) and, with that, we have turned from the high street to luxe.
Mulberry and Burberry represent iconic British brands that have seen the country through the recession – both report storming sales figures. The return of Burberry to London Fashion Week in 2009
has brought significant business back to the capital. Indeed luxury brands
appear to have suffered least in the recession, with high street brands taking
the biggest hit on the whole. The UK has seen an increase in both domestic and
international shoppers buying into iconic, luxury brands like Mulberry, viewing
this as a worthwhile investment.
The recent display at London Fashion Week
represents fashion breaking through hard times: as global markets went into
meltdown, the fashion industry turned, quite literally, to gold. Gold is the
colour of decadent luxury; the epitome of Parisian Right Bank chic and
excess.
Once described by Helmut Newton as ‘a
fashion maniac’, Anna Dello Russo, fashion blogger, style icon and Editor at
Large and Creative Consultant for Vogue Japan, is undoubtedly the fashion
trailblazer of this trend for lavishness and experimentation. Her prolific
fashion creations, often generously adorned with gold gilding, arguably provide
the fashion blueprint for contemporary design, ironically, in times of
desperate measures.
So should we be opting for Middleton-style
restraint in times like these or having fun with fashion like Anna Dello Russo
and her second in command, Lady Gaga?
If the show put on at London Fashion Week Spring/Summer
2012 is to forecast the economic future for 2012, then we should be smiling. In
London, Topshop Unique’s Spring/Summer 2012 collection displayed elfin girls
with slicked back hair covered in gold leaf, while their nails were dripping in
metal.
On the continent, Fendi’s Spring Summer
2012 collection in Italy showcased extravagant fashion prints and eyes laced in
gold foil, begging the question, why use gold powder when you can use the real
deal?
Critics on The Economist website have
scorned fashion designers for their emphasis on artistic value, and suggest
that their focus should lie more in the business value of fashion design.
But the truth is, (merits and limitations
of artistic experimentation aside), London Fashion Week is increasingly good
business for Britain, bringing ‘millions to the economy’ according to Colin
Stanbridge, Chief Executive of London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).
With fashion trending in such a manner,
what should we expect to see on the catwalks in 2012 in light of the Olympics
in Britain? Should we expect to see fashion adopting the primary colours of the
Olympic emblem or take on the tricolor colours of the Union Jack? It remains to
be seen, but this will be a spectacle worth waiting for.