While I’m by no means of the belief that everything in fashion has BEEN DONE and that we’re forever doomed to suffer through reinventions of the hits (and misses) from decades past - Marc Jacobs, Miuccia Prada, and Rei Kawukabo are proof enough that innovation still not only exists but REIGNS SUPREME - it’s hard to ignore the reference points that consistently cycle around on the runways and in the streets. Craziest of all is that we’re ALREADY seeing trends resurface after only a 15 year dormancy period - check MK Olsen’s flannel for a Summer-of-8th-Grade flashback; it makes me feel young AND old. And also kind of stoked. But I digress. In the spirit of mining out the CULTURAL ORIGINS of current runway trends, Style Mine is an inspiration board of sorts - the O.G. vintage sources of what’s currently IT.
l-r: Wang, Owens, Pugh, Maison Martin Margiela; Fall 2008.
We’ve talked about this before: the upcoming Fall season is all about BLACK and LEATHER and EXPOSED ZIPPERS - all creating body conscious, androgynous and tough-tough-tough looks. Alexander Wang mixed his with the aforementioned 90s grunge references; Rick Owens and Gareth Pugh took it to some crazy, next-level 1980s Tokyo heights, and Maison Martin Margiela showed looks that were an amazingly clean combination of all the trend elements. With respect to the individual design and interpretations of this current look, its main reference points are easily mined - and all roads lead to biker chic.
Distressed denim, leather and a don’t-give-a-fuck attitude were rampant in 1967’s Hell’s Angels on Wheels - which, starring Jack Nicholson, was a total precursor to 1969’s gorgeous Easy Rider. As the only (current) American of the four previously mentioned deisgners (Owens is an expat living in Paris), it makes sense that Alexander Wang’s runway is most literally tied to these two films - his looks and pieces were far more relaxed and wearable than those of the other designers mentioned. High fashion Americana.
1968’s Girl on a Motorcycle was so iconic in both attitude and fashion that it, moreso than Hells’ Angels or Easy Rider, is a dead-on reference for the more heavily designed Fall 08 biker-influenced looks. Marianne Faithfull’s WILD ABANDON and leather jumpsuit are the ultra-femme starting point; Rick Owens gives it angst and shades of Yamamoto, Gareth Pugh shoots it up with his typically dark and slightly insane take on things (Go through the slideshow - The Flying Monkeys from Wizard of Oz were a factor, I kid you not), and Maison Martin Margiela cleaned it up and gave it all incredible, dynamic shape. Margiela may be the most mysterious man in fashion, but he clearly has a DVD player and a Netflix account.
Add any references I missed that you’re in on to the comments section, and please! Do expect another Style Mine after the upcoming Spring 09 Fashion Week…
Who is the girl in the posting icon — with the camera and sunglasses?
Quite fetching.
September 5, 2008 at 4:26 pmFrancoise Hardy.
September 5, 2008 at 5:34 pmAh, to look good in a leather jumpsuit!! Morgan - how long did it take you to put this post together? It is really brilliant. Really, there is so much recycling of ideas in fashion design. I will never forget back in college when I dated the son of the main footwear designer for Anne Klein and I went to her office to meet her and her (corner, amazing Manhattan views) office was filled with current shoes from competitors and vintage shoes. I guess before that I thought that designers somehow mine their inspiration from deep down inside their souls. LOL!
September 11, 2008 at 10:39 am
*keeps mum*
September 5, 2008 at 1:15 pm