Biggest Trends: Fashion Week Autumn/ Winter 2013

As the weather gets colder, our sleeves get longer and looking at the top trends from the recent Autumn/ Winter Fashion Weeks, we have much too look forward to. Looking at some of the trending pieces this season, it is evident that fashion usually draws from the past for inspiration. This season the most notable shapes we have are inspired by the middle ages, the 20s, the 50s, and the 90s punk culture.

1. The Shoulders
This season’s favourite body part is the shoulders, from the padded shoulders of last year, now have round shoulders. This new style draws on middle ages couture. I’m not very convinced myself about this particular shape as I believe it makes the body look rounder, which most people don’t particularly like.

Another trend accentuating the shoulders was capes, much like the asymetrical skirts that were trending spring/ summer 2012.

In lieu with the emphasis on shoulders, the U-A-B (under arm bags) were another big trend.

2. The New Suit
Although there were plenty of traditional suits, the classic jacket/ blazer with skirt, there was also a lot of pencil skirts paired with sweaters/ jumpers. From long pencil skirts, that reach mid-calf to knee-lengths, the pencil skirt was a big trend, in many different materials. For the jumpers, any material from wool to faux-fur works.

4. Sex
All designers brought kinky back in all shapes. Using PVC, vinyl and latex, the aim was to create the sexiest outfit possible. This trend has ties with the spring/ summer leather trend. In clothing that looked to be a second skin, models showcased the erotic-inspired trend. Leather makes a comeback as a big trend this season as well.

5. Colour
Where orange was the main spring/ summer colour, royal blue was winter’s crowning glory. A good choice for winter, because despite its calmness (compared to orange) it is still bright enough a colour to stand out. Another loudly royal colour that graced the catwalks (especially in Milan) was gold.

Other colours that stood out were an entire spectrum from soft pinks, to deep crimsons. These colours give the cooler seasons a warm glow.

Polka dots also coloured the catwalks across many designers. It seems as if one cannot go wrong with colour this season.

6. Upsize coats
The relaxed silhouettes make a come-back this season in large man-ish coats. This is my favourite trend of the season. I like the comfort it affords and the warmth it promises. Although like the rounded shoulders, relaxed silhouettes hide the body’s shape; I still prefer them over the round shoulders because where they look almost grunge chic, the round shoulders look round.

7. Animal Magic
Animal print is the print of the season and works on anything especially cardigans.

Faux-Fur is back. During the fashion weeks there was a lot of fur, from coats, to scarves, to coat collars, fur works both as an accent and an item. Another big thing about fur this season is that it came in different textures. So faux-mink fur looked different from bengal tiger fur.

Feathers were a new trend, reminiscent of the 1920s.

For more reads on the Autumn/ Winter Collections:
http://bit.ly/Y9RTQZ

Biggest Spring/Summer Trends from Fashion week

Because Fashion Week showcases the clothing of the upcoming season during the current season, the recent fashion week in February presented trends for the upcoming ( for the Northern Hemisphere) Fall/ Autumn; the season we, in the South, are currently in. I shall be noting the biggest trends from the September 2012 Fashion week, trends for the Northen Hemisphere, and the ways in which those of us in the South can use them to our advantage whilst its still warm.

1. Leather
The bondage or S&M inspired look graced the catwalk in what one could term as a 50 Shades of Grey look. From layered leather, leather jackets to leather pannelling on shirts, one cannot go wrong with leather in the upcoming season.
Leather is especially special because it can be worn both in warm and cold weather and is, therefor perfect whether in the north or south.

2. Color
Catwalks everywhere seemed to be wild fields of color. Orange stood out in the New york fashion week. Designers seemed to favour monochromatic outfits, outfits with the same colour palate. So for example, one can wear green pants of a differnet shade from their green blouse.
Colour, in my opinion works in all seasons. It’s always nice to brighten up your mood with a bright coloured coat on a dreary, rainy day. And there’s nothing like a bright summer’s day, in even brighter colours.

3. Prints
The summer dress in muted florals, or cotton pants with floral patterns are in this season. Floral shirts work as well. Any clothing item with print on it is trending this season. A suggestion for when you happen to be wearing an item with print; it always looks so much less “crazy” if paired with a stable colour. So if wearing a print dress, it would be advisable to settle for a cardigan with a single colour, or, if that’s too boring, you can always pair it with stripes.

4. Stripes
Vertical, diagonal, horizantal… It doesn’t matter which way they go as long as they are stripes. Stripes can work in any season and are therefor, easy to carry on from summer to winter.

5. Midriffs
This is a trend that has been very prominent here in South Africa, what with the heat we’ve been experiencing. But as the weather cools down it’s not a very informed idea to wear a crop-top. Personally, I have not been much of a crop-top fan. I believe that just because something is the trend doesn’t mean you have to wear it. If you know that you don’t exactly have the body for a particular trend, it does not make you unfashionable if you don’t wear it.

6. Relaxed silhouttes
There was a lot of eastern inspired looks at fashion week which would work well both in summer and winter. The eastern looks includes relaxed silhouettes. There were lots of sheer shirts, an item that is still trending in South Africa right now.

Other big trends included the colour, white, which featured in a lot of shows, denim (another big hit in South Africa), flat open shoes (because there is nothing worse than having sweaty feet). Baseball caps, in all shapes sizes and colours are also trending.

For more trends:

The Telegraph Fashion: New York Fashion Week Spring/ Summer 2013
http://bit.ly/TOKghE

The Telegraph Fashion: London Fashion Week Spring/ Summer 2013
http://bit.ly/UdwiGj

Harper’s Bazaar: The Spring 2013 Runway Report
http://bit.ly/SsRbLv

Marie Claire: Spring 2013 Fashion Trends
http://bit.ly/OMx3Rc

Fashion Week: Celebrating 70 Years of Fashion

New York Fashion Week 2013 Spring-Summer

February saw the largest event of the fashion world take place in the biggest fashion capitals of the world. Fashion Week 2013 showcased the best of the best as the fashion powerhouses of the world graced the catwalk with their Spring collections.

The bi-annual event is held in many cities but the most prominent “Fashion Weeks” are held in the fashion capitals of the world: London, Paris, Milan and New York. The event is presented as a series of runway shows, spanning the space of a week. The event takes place for interested buyers and, perhaps most importantly, as a means of communicating the trends of the season. For each city involved, a Fashion Week takes place. As mentioned before, the fashion capitals are the major hosts of the renowned event but other cities worldwide also host the event. Other cities involved include Copenhagen, Johannesburg and Tokyo. During Fashion Week, fashion designers or houses present a runway show in which their collection is exhibited. Many designers like to think of their fashion as art, and like an art exhibition, Fashion Week is the largest and best possible platform on which the designers can present their art.

Fashion week is usually held in advance of the upcoming season. This allows the media and buyers chance to preview, critique and purchase the designs for the following season. Fashion Week is also used as a platform by the larger and renowned fashion designers in which they showcase their latest innovations in clothing designs. All the different collections viewed at the event are usually covered by many fashion magazines and some newspapers. While the more avant-garde design sare covered in high fashion magazines like Vogue. As with all art, fashion is susceptible to critique. As well as being the highest platform a designer has to showcase their art, Fashion Week is also the platform on which designers are made famous.

The very first fashion week was held in 1943 in New York City, in the United States. The event was meant to distract from French fashion during the Second World War. Workers in the fashion industry were unable to travel to Paris as it was war-time. The designer Eleanor Lambert, a central figure in American fashion, organised what she called “Press Week.” Its purpose was to showcase American designers to Fashion Journalists. American designers had, before this, been ignored as it was widely perceived that they drew on the French for inspiration. Lambert’s “Press Week” was a success, so much that Vogue, a magazine that had previously only had french designers on its pages, diversified and included the Americans.

Fashion Week has gone on to become the biggest fashion event in the world.

Tune in tomorrow for the best trends to look out for in the upcoming season.