Fashion is cyclical. As soon as something is hot in the market, two weeks later, it is passé. Then, maybe two decades down the road, it's suddenly in style again. With the recent shifts in the global economy, people have started prioritizing food, water and shelter, forgoing the shinier things in life. Gone are the days when average citizens saunter from boutique to boutique, purchasing everything in sight. Society's dollars are more stretched out than ever, and the entire fashion industry is up in arms.
In a trade where money is rarely an issue, this year's runway collections seemed as though designers were fully aware of widespread financial woes, and used this global tension as a muse. This past fall was the closest to the Great Depression we've seen in a long time, and because every other aspect of life was going from bad and worse, it was up to the fashion industry to provide something for humanity to look forward to in the morning.
The industry's response to the economic downturn was a throwback to the '80s, the age of prosperity, Michael Jackson and shoulder pads. The collections had one message to the world: shine on, rock hard and treat every day like a big party; the bling-ier and bolder, the better.
There is one man who was responsible for this trend: Christophe Decarnin. Decarnin is the young, fresh head designer responsible for resuscitating the French line Balmain. Just as Michelle Obama brought Jason Wu to fame, Paris Vogue editors have been flaunting Decarnin like no other, and he has taken the world by storm. His ultra-tight mini dresses, $1,000 motorcycle skinny jeans and fringed-suede, platform booties have been adopted by many in the industry and have sparked an international pandemic formally referred to as "Balmainia." Many fashion glossies and high-end retailers have been parading tasteful flashiness and leather everything. Decarnin is responsible for the newfound happiness that is drop-crotch harem pants mixed with red leopard scarves and perfectly tailored tuxedo blazers that are ubiquitous on the world's stylish streets.
The other most discernible trends for fall were overstated shoulders and towering platforms. Essentially, designers created clothing of epic proportions in an effort to balance out the ever-growing emptiness and hopelessness many people are feeling. The recently deceased Yves Saint Laurent, the French couturier who empowered women with his elegantly designed pantsuits, also had an undeniably successful year. The YSL Tribute Shoe collection was almost as celebrated as the results of the presidential election. Imagine a pump or an ankle bootie that has a four-inch hidden platform in the front and six-inch stiletto heel in the back, paint the sole stoplight yellow and cover it in brown alligator or black patent leather, and voila: a masterpiece.
Decarnin's popularity has yet to wane, and his look for spring/summer 2009 is the "it" collection of the season; it is a guarantee that every store will have shredded bleached denim and blazers dripping in crystals because of him.
Meanwhile, the highly admired, all-organic designer Stella McCartney has fashionistas dressed au natural, with sheer, sequined dresses, nude make-up and mesh heels. The summer's must-own item is a romper (for the fashion-illiterate, a romper is a one-piece garment with shorts). There is no need to shell out for separates because this effortless all-in-one makes fashion easier for our over-booked schedules and over-stressed lives.
Although next year's trends might metamorphose, the styles are still the same. Blazers, white T-shirts and denim: these items are classics for a reason. Have a closet full of favorite pieces and get fabulous shoes and accessories to fit the current mood. In terms of the modern mode, however, when in doubt choose classics in red, black and white, throw on five pounds worth of ultra-glam jewels and wear a smile. Times may seem horrendous, but those who dress with an "if you're hot, don't stop," can-do attitude will remind all that just as fashions change, the state of the world will too.
