Shoulders so wide they would barely fit through the most ostentatious of boardroom doors. Colours so bright they might have made even Duran Duran in their heyday blush. Skirt suits,ugg boots trouser suits, thigh-high boots, studded leather, lace and inky black velvet… If there is one word that sums up the mood of the forthcoming autumn/winter season then it is surely “power”. Not since the 1980s has dressing to impress seemed so relevant, although the new power-dressing is a rather more multi-faceted beast than its Dynasty-inspired predecessor.
Of course, the last instance such an assertive view of femininity was seen was during boom-time. An equally direct and unashamedly status driven approach might not sit quite so well given the currently troubled economic climate. Is there a certain irony to be seen, then, in fashion’s continuing love affair with the decade that subtlety forgot? Certainly that is part of the story. It is also true, though, that there are still those out there who enjoy wearing their wealth on their sleeve in a less questioning way and the trick is, presumably, to appeal to both sides.
With status certainly high on the agenda it should come as no surprise that referencing the mid-twentieth century and the glory days of haute couture in particular is also de rigueur. This side of the equation is more about the power of fashion than the woman wearing it, perhaps, but the end result remains beautifully fierce. Not only that but, with couture-inspired tailoring in particular being as prevalent as it now is, low-budget copies are rarely an option. There’s nothing much less appealing than a cheap and cheerful jacket, after all, now as ever.
When times are hard, it seems only pragmatic to play it safe. Another aspect, then, of the new season’s style is the attention to detail involved in making a statement with apparently classic clothing. Little black dresses, trench coats, borrowing from men’s wear and more all loom large on the sartorial horizon but the difference (and indeed the devil) is in the detail here with each designer putting their individual stamp onto time-honoured wardrobe staples like never before.
When the going gets tough, the tough wear boots, be they thigh, knee, calf or ankle high, vertiginous or flat, biker or army style. The heroine of the season is rather too bolshy a creature to totter about town in spindly stilettos, after all. Leave that kind of behaviour to those clinging onto the arm of their husband/boyfriend/chauffeur.
TROUSER SUITS
COMME DES GARCONS
There’s no more time-honoured signifier of power than a woman wearing clothing with its roots in the male wardrobe, and there’s no less predictable designer at handling this particular mindset than Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons. While reasonably straightforward interpretations of this particular look abound, the very real risk of looking like an 1980s shop assistant should be considered. With its gently sloping shoulder line and voluminous cut this particular look is like a lesson in innovation and pattern cutting, hence, perhaps, the superimposition of a second pattern on its surface.
SKIRT SUITS
LANVIN
From Prada to Dolce & Gabbana, from Armani to Versace, the skirt suit is back and it’s good to see. There’s something very French and equally, er, polished about this particular look which whispers of both 1940s-style severity and decorum on the one hand and womanly – but never girlish – charm on the other. The principle way to wear it is strong-shouldered (yes, that again) and hourglass. Alber Elbaz’s version for Lanvin is both softened and exaggerated by the use of fluting which is also entirely of the moment. A very grown-up look for a very grown-up person.
BOOTS
PRADA
Waders. No self-respecting siren should be without a pair. If Miuccia Prada’s take on the thigh high boot is the most extreme – and debatably brilliant – then there are more accessible designs to choose from on many more catwalks than this one, and the high street too is getting in on the act. If wearing them is too much of a challenge – and let’s face it, the look is far from low-key – the skinny silhouette can be achieved more easily with leggings tucked into wedge-heeled ankle boots.
LITTLE BLACK DRESS
BALMAIN
Ah, the fail-safe garment that can make – and rarely break – a woman’s wardrobe is still the little black dress originally conceived of course by Coco Chanel. M. Lagerfeld did them for this great French status label, as always, and elsewhere, as is usual with such classic staples, it comes in many guises. At Lanvin it is long, lean and wonderfully sinuous. At McQueen it isn’t really very little at all. At Balenciaga it’s all velvet gorgeousness and at Balmain – especially as worn by model-of-the- moment Lara Stone – it is nothing short of awesome. I know what I want and I know how to get it indeed.
DRAPE
BALENCIAGA
What better way to soften the toughness of the current silhouette that dominates than with drape? And what better designer to work in this way than Nicolas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga? This designer, let’s not forget, rose to prominence draping jersey in ever more desirable a fashion for Italian label Callaghan in the mid- to late Nineties and few do it better. At Alexander McQueen, Lanvin, Sophia Kokosalaki and, less obviously, Ralph Lauren more swathes of fabric are worked around the body to ever more complex effect. Again, this is not easy. And that is the point.
THE NEW COUTURE
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN
Houndstooth. It’s everywhere from McQueen to Comme des Garçons. It almost goes without saying that neither of these labels are readily associated with a weave that brings nothing more than vintage Christian Dior couture to mind. And a certain degree of subversion is key here. The hand-workmanship and engineering that goes into the making of pieces like these lifts them far above the realms of ready-to-wear. If it seems like a strange climate to invest such time and money in fashion then that, too, is the idea. The fashion knowledgeable will invest in one or maybe two statement pieces safe in the knowledge that the conspicuous – for which read indiscriminate – consumption that goes hand in hand with Wag culture is over.
LEATHER
YVES SAINT LAURENT
The combination of ultra-soft leather (preferably black) and studs (call it punk couture if you will) is one that has proved impossible for all too many designers to resist this season and, truth to tell, everything from extremely literal interpretations of biker wear to leather cut into more obviously feminine, luxurious and also bourgeois silhouettes is available to all. At Yves Saint Laurent, the designer Stefano Pilati gave over almost his entire collection to leather and very lovely it looks too and any designer worth his or her credentials has included at least one leather jacket in their collection.
BIG SHOULDERS
LOUIS VUITTON
For his own label, Marc Jacobs turned to the aforementioned Duran Duran colours not to mention Flock of Seagulls hair to drive home the broad-shouldered message. At Louis Vuitton his message was more subtle. Of all the trends of the forthcoming season, big shoulders – worn always with a skinny bottom half to avoid looking like, well, like a tank – is the most ubiquitous. Choose from Eighties-inspired, Forties-inspired, crescent moon and more. Be warned that these need to be properly integrated into a garment, which is an extremely skilled business. High street shoulderpads have the uncanny ability to end up looking like door knobs. Finally, note the colours in this image. Red and black is the suitably devilish mix of the season.