People and Politics at Prada | Fashion Show Review, Ready-to-Wear - Autumn 2016 | BoF MILAN, Italy — For all that it was a triumphant return to form, Miuccia Prada's menswear show in January turned out to be a mere appetiser for the deeper, richer women's collection she showed tonight. That was partly a reflection of her own feelings: "A woman is so much more complex than a man. She has to be a mother, a lover, a worker, a beauty..." Longtime collaborator Frederic Sanchez’s soundtrack of female singers ran a full drenching gamut, from the fierceness of PJ Harvey, to the pain of Piaf to the chill anomie of Nico, by way of sterling accompaniment. Her men were mariners, drifters. Some had tiny, padlocked books slung round their necks like pendants. Why? On her catwalk, Mrs P. offered her own vision of a polarised world: the powerful and the weak, the rich and the poor. Admittedly, a stylist’s hand could be detected in some of the more collaged looks, the combinations of high and low, but there were more than enough individual items that were rich with reference.
As Brexit Looms, Prime Minister Theresa May Looks to the Future of British Fashion | Intelligence | BoF LONDON, United Kingdom — Just as the Marc Jacobs show was closing New York Fashion Week across the Atlantic, scores of London-based designers, editors, buyers, executives and educators — from Christopher Bailey and Dame Vivienne Westwood to Vogue’s Alexandra Shulman and Browns founder Joan Burstein — assembled yesterday evening at 10 Downing Street, home of the new British Prime Minister Theresa May, as the unofficial kick off to London Fashion Week. As the ornate room filled with people, guests wondered aloud, “Is she actually going to show up?” and if she did, “what will she say?” Eventually, at the appointed hour, British Fashion Council Chairman Natalie Massenet ushered in Theresa May, who had just been meeting trainees and apprentices from British fashion businesses including Burberry and John Smedley, as well as a slew of designers building businesses in London. But there was a lot more to discuss than the PM’s outfit. Christopher Bailey — CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER — Burberry
Alexander Wang Nicholas Ghesquiere Paul Smith Back Apple IP Case Samsung 05 August 2016 Scarlett Conlon ALEXANDER WANG, Nicholas Ghesquière, Paul Smith, Dries Van Noten, and Alber Elbaz are among the 111 high-profile designers and industry figures who have officially come out in support of Apple in its IP court case with Samsung. The Mac creator has been in a lengthy battle with the South Korean company since 2012, when it accused the latter of copying three of the main design elements of its ground-breaking iPhone: the rounded-corner front face, its bezel and its app-icon grid interface. The interest for the designers - who have all signed an "amicus brief", a legal document filed by people or brands not directly involved with a case but who have a strong interest in the subject matter and its outcome - is clear. The group's support also shines the spotlight on the importance of not only protecting IP, but the value of visual recognition and association with a brand. Currently a date is set in court for Samsung and Apple on October 11.
Does Fashion Have a Place in Politics? Whilst some may argue that fashion and politics have no business being mentioned in the same sentence- I disagree. My interest in fashion from a young age stemmed from a fascination in clothing’s purpose beyond the practical. I’ve always been intrigued by the way personal style acts as a non-verbal rhetoric that we use to communicate who we are with each other. Psychologist have deduced that it takes us just 3 seconds to make a judgment about someone based on their appearance. That’s a snap judgment, but a judgment nonetheless. And whilst it may seem depressingly shallow, humans are intrinsically wired to decipher things like gender, social class and status symbols from each other’s appearance- and clothes play a large part in this. Much like politics, fashion is paradoxically elitist whilst also being democratic. But whilst our personal style decisions can be quite subtle and even subconscious, politician’s sartorial choices are often much more considered than it appears.
Is Fashion a Credible Platform for Protest? | Opinion, BoF Comment | BoF Vivienne Westwood Red Label Spring/Summer 2015, Jean Paul Gaultier Spring/Summer 2015, Stella McCartney | Photo Collage: BoF LONDON, United Kingdom — Last week in Paris, Chanel appropriated the visual signifiers of feminist protest for its seasonal runway show. In a finale led by Karl Lagerfeld, a bevy of supermodels took to a catwalk christened “Boulevard Chanel” holding signs with slogans such as “History is Her Story,” “Make Fashion Not War,” and “Tweed Is Better Than Tweet.” On the same day in Hong Kong, a genuine protest was underway. Protesting for the right to democratically elect a candidate of their own choosing, tens of thousands of Hong Kongers formed crowds that throbbed and swelled in the city’s streets. Playing out against this backdrop, the “faux-test” staged on Boulevard Chanel rang especially hollow, repackaging political riot as a light-hearted, Instagram-savvy performance. We think it can.
15 Examples of How Technology Innovates Fashion It was the great Coco Chanel who once said, “Fashion changes, but style endures.” Well, regardless of your thoughts on the matter, there’s another thing that changes along with fashion. It is technology. By combining style and functionality, there have been a few people who have taken fashion to the next level. We can’t say for certain if they’ll actually catch on but these futuristic fashion styles do look pretty awesome. Recommended Reading: 10 Upcoming Technologies That May Change The World CHBL Jammer Coat This coat is designed by an Austrian architecture company, Coop Himmelb(L)au and you can use it to disappear. Rain Palette Since acid rain remains a threat to public health nowadays, the Korean-born, London-based designer Dahea Sun had invented a natural cabbage dyed dress that could act as a pH indicator when rain falls onto the fabric. BB. Karma Chameleon Project What if your energy could be harnessed and used to change the display of a specific fabric? Gaze activated dress
Why Brexit is good for the fashion industry | British GQ On the eve of the EU referendum in June during London Collections Men it wasn’t hard to gauge which direction the fashion pack was leaning. Unsurprisingly, thanks to factors such as the EU support of many of the initiatives of the British Fashion Council (BFF) and the fact that myriad young designers work with factories and suppliers from Lithuania to Lisbon, the community is an outward-looking and inclusive bunch. Indeed, during the campaign the BFC reported that of the near-500 designers it polled, 90 per cent planned to vote for Remain. Now the world has changed and in the face of a probable Brexit, whatever individual’s feelings may be the UK fashion industry has to start accentuating the positive. Astonishingly, the effects were almost instantaneous. E Tautz’s Patrick Grant is cautiously optimistic about sales, too. Harrods is obviously a key destination for visitors to London and so far things have been looking up.
After Brexit, which way for fashion? The impact of Brexit on the fashion industry is daunting, brain-scrambling and multi-levelled. The industry directly contributed £28bn to the UK’s economy in 2015 and employs 880,000 in roles from manufacturing to retail. For many British designers and stores, there will be an immediate hit on costs and margins. Once Brexit has been achieved, it could jeopardise design talent and retailers within the global marketplace forever. Sample the FT’s top stories for a week You select the topic, we deliver the news. During the campaign the British Fashion Council (BFC) reported that of the near-500 designers it polled, 90 per cent planned to vote for Remain. In the short term, some in the industry are happy. Luca Solca, head of luxury goods at Exane BNP Paribas, calls this positive effect “margin tailwind”. Buyers and retailers are nervous about speaking openly — they want consumers to continue shopping as if nothing has happened. Currency volatility is a huge worry. Photographs: Getty Images