I'm expecting/wanting to see a season full of references to the London Olympics.
Fashion journalism should be more than just a personal shopping wish list based on little more than empty whimsy. Because let's face it when we talk of 'the season' we mean the output of USA, UK, Italy and France - the West.
What cultural message is being sent to the rest of the world? At a time when the West is in absolute turmoil, what are we saying via the language of dress - does the West have a future? When there's zero confidence anywhere else, does the fashion industry dare to lead up a message of hope in the future?
Can we at last get away from backward looking nostalgia, escape the grip of all too much retro, and find faith in youthfulness.
This means I want to see this 'Lady' thing be a one season phenomena. Out with the old. Goodbye 'antiquism'. It's similar in a way to what Formichetti was saying. Faith in the new.
In terms of dominant bodyshape/silhouette - not waifs, nor curves. The narrow hips of the athlete; the strong hamstrings of the gymnast/dancer; the powerful shoulders of the swimmer; the toughness of the boxer; the lean worked abs of all of them. Neither laziness nor bloatedness - lean, fit,
muscular and ready for action.
We saw a nod to this kind of muscular silhouette with the nipped in waist and hard almost exoskeletons last season in the trend identified by Crying Diamonds above to which I'd add Giles and Stella Mac.
It's always a lure for summer to go light, floaty, ephemeral. But enough hippies already. I'm looking for-
Sports references
Sports fabrics
Future fabric technology
Bodycon silhouettes - (Donatella to return Versace to it's signature forms)
The raglan sleeve
Colour can be bold - brights again, neons, ok - no wishy washy nature based palettes. And perhaps an emphasis on red, white and blue. Apart from the bit of green for Italy, the colours of the flags of the Western alliance - and the sports kits for the Olympics. Gold can work too.
An emphasis on the core of the West - so anglomania. And of course the US is still the big kahuna so references to Americana but avoiding over-reliance on the 50s. Denim, ok. Faith in the American dream. British country heritage ok so long as it can be done without backwardness or ladyism. Equestrianism, ok.
Grecian references too - ancient Greece, the roots of western civilisation and birthplace of the Olympics. Mythology.
If there's a retro decade it's ok to reference (without literalism of course) - it's the 80s. The sportsy, technology wielding, strong-shouldered futurism aspects of the 80s. But not too much to do with corporatism or banking - no boardroom tailleur or backward looking conservatism, no 50's. Unless those aspects are being deconstructed.
We've already seen this summer coming up from London streetwear a nod to 80's referenced sportsiness with ie the prevalence of the hyper wide bateau necked (sometimes cropped and/or roughly hewn) sweatshirts or tops worn off slouched off one shoulder.
Stemming also from the muscular, hard body, silhouette, a sense of androgyny is also permissable. But not too much smarts, not LeSmoking but street tough, sportsy - vitality, energy, casual, youthful.
So away with too much fussy embellishment. Clean lines to the body. But neither the sterility of minimalism. Boldness. A sense of inventiveness.
I remain of course open minded to the fabulous ingenuity of our best designers and to being led to a whole new understanding of the sartorial zeitgeist. Let's hope it's an interesting season. We need something positive from somewhere. Come on fashion let's see you lead the way and create some confidence beyond the depressing mess of the 'real' world and the failure of the 'olds' who've led the West to the edge of the precipice.
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