Trend 1:
Not since the 1950s has the curvy woman been so celebrated in fashion. The return of curves, and what this means to womenswear in the future.
A celebration of the womanly figure was a movement on the catwalks for autumn/winter 2010/11. Miuccia Prada, Marc Jacobs at Louis Vuitton, and Dolce & Gabbana brought curves back to the catwalks, even casting lingerie models in their shows.
“It was all about very simple proportions and minimal, basic and simple shapes, but not forgetting what makes a woman sexy,” said Miuccia Prada.
At Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs explained: “I wanted to go back to the luxury of what it is to be a woman. Now with everything so readily available, I just wanted to take a moment and to think back to when the joys of being a woman was enough. You didn’t need to stand on your head – you could just put a beautiful dress on, and your gloves, and it was enough.”
WGSN’s plus-size consultant Michael Stapelberg says: “While there have been a few good high-street retailers and brands that have specialised in the plus-size market, it is a definitive moment when aspirational labels such as Prada, Marc Jacobs, and Dolce & Gabbana have shown that the more curvaceous form is, in its own right, an aspect of womenswear design that needs serious consideration. They have done this by specifically designing for this more realistic, feminine shape.”
The return of the 50s and 60s silhouette is one we have been tracking at WGSN over past seasons. One of the key looks to come from the autumn/winter 2010/11 catwalks – prim and proper – focuses on the return of the womanly hourglass silhouette, influenced by the cult US TV programme Mad Men.
The recent Brigitte Bardot exhibition in Paris heightened the demand for a vivacious, sexier style, an extreme turn in direction from the size-zero infatuation that has been dominating fashion.
The appeal of the womanly silhouette is apparent from the current wave of ‘curvy’ models and actresses. Paving the way for high fashion’s acceptance of bustier, rounder models is Lara Stone, who is the face of Louis Vuitton’s spring/summer 2010 campaign. Meanwhile, Mad Men’s Christina Hendricks has become the role model for curvy women globally.
“Career-wear separates are quietly and shrewdly reinvented. Witty fabric juxtapositions, genteel volume and stylish design details reflect a new attitude. Silhouette captures a new modern fluidity, as shape softens from a very hard structural outline into a relaxed, more constructed drape.”
Trend 3:
Clogs were one of our key items for summer 2010 and here we see them continue through to winter. Whereas summer’s options were more traditional and retro-inspired, next season they are heeled or worked into winter ankle boots.
The wooden soles are darker stained and closed toes offer a more practical winter option, while sheepskin adds on-trend texture. Spring/summer 2010 sees a renaissance for clogs, with big-name designers such as Louis Vuitton and Chanel backing the trend. The key look is for the traditional wooden-soled style with domed studs, but Prada offered a contemporary Perspex option decorated with dangling jewels.
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