Fashion and music will always walk hand in hand down the runway and through our lives. To be seperated from either for very long, is to become out of touch with the glory of what it means to be human. Our capacity to create and express ourselves is unmatched by any other creature on the planet. The worlds of art, theater, literature, poetry, music, and social, political, emotional, and environmental concerns all collide in the mind of a designer, season after season. It is the clothing we wear and how we wear it that make these ideas more personal to us and therefore, while fashion may seem a silly extravagance to some... it is in fact, the mark of awakened human consciousness and the acknowledgment of our love and mastery, as creators. Most importantly, fashion is fun and after looking into what to expect for Spring 2010, I am excited by the 'new music' the designers have in store for us.
While watching the Spring 2010 Paris fashion shows today, I found myself becoming very excited about what lays ahead. While Fall 2009 keeps the focus on biker chic, reinvented 40's glamour, and 80's and 90's throwback pieces- Spring 2010 promises fashion for a new age. The use of metallics was universal and many of the models sported alienesque hair and pale, frosted make-up. Solid beige and nude garments vascillated between sheer, frothy lace and chiffon cocktail dresses and utilitarian suits with subtle sculptural elements. The prints ranged from psychedelic black light poster silks to country picnic cottons adorned with touches of nostalgia.
Chanel presented Marie Antoinette-esque socialites with a fresh roll in the hay look, literally. The stage was a barnyard and concluded with a threesome of fabulously dressed models in pale mini-dresses getting their kicks. It seemed a social and economic statement was being made in many of the shows, preparing fashionistas for a bright future as the world climbs out of the economic misery of 2009.
Freshly kissed and hot for the bedroom was a universal theme amongst the designers. Sex and spring are indivisable, afterall. Berry stained lips and messy Bridgette Bardot upsweeps appeared in nearly every show. Youthful onesies, micro jumpers and lingerie inspired little dresses walked down the runways in varying shades. Many of the models resembled babydolls in their tousled cocktail dresses constructed of barely-there lace and chiffon.
The space age definitely made its appearance for spring in Alexander McQueen's show, which in my opinion was absolutely genius. Holographic metallic fabrics and sculptured metal adorned the bodies of Mcqueen's models. Complex, psychedelic prints sauntered down laser light tube tunnels next to dancing robots, creating a multi-media feast for the eyes both in person and online. Valentino also used deliciously complex monochromatic prints in elaborately gathered pants suits and long light-as-air dresses. Valentino's collection is saturated with romance and the darkness which it is oft underpinned by.
John Galliano, who is perhaps my favorite designer, embraced the fantasy of Spring by setting the stage with smoke filled bubbles falling down over the models as they made their entrance in colorful layers of lace, see through chiffon over bold polka dot prints and a look of devious naïveté. Extravagant hats and feathered hair pieces gave the girls a touch of easy decadence, completing their look of vibrant and layered mix and match romance.
Overall, I found the spirit of positivity and reinvention for spring a sign of better times to come and a triumphing human spirit. No matter the economic climate for 2010, the future is now (and it is all what we make of it) so dress to impress! Whether it is flights of fancy, coquetteish royalty, or space age sophistication that get your motors running in the heat of spring, there's a dress out there that is sure to make you feel and look amazing.