The New York Times: The Times of the Eighties by William Grimes

Author:William Grimes
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers
Published: 2013-07-10T16:00:00+00:00

APRIL 16, 1989

If Fashion Is Changing, it Must Be Almost 1990

Bernadine Morris

Working on the collections introduced in Europe last month and in New York last week, fashion designers had more to think about than just making pretty clothes that sell. For those who see themselves as pacesetters and who try to anticipate how women would like to look before women think of it themselves, there was another consideration: These were the first collections that would be sold and worn in the 1990’s.

The 1980’s were a fairly nondescript period, which helps explain why Christian Lacroix’s poufs and bubble skirts, brilliant colors and inventive designs captured the attention of the fashion world two years ago. His wildly exuberant designs and costume party look loosened the shackles of restraint from other designers, and fashion was off on a binge. The bubble burst, but the Lacroix legacy remains: he has made the world safe for short skirts.

Most designers in this country and abroad have stopped their skirt hems just above the knees.

But hemlines alone do not make lasting fashion news. The next major change will come out of the test tube, says Geoffrey Beene, one of this country’s most innovative designers.

He foresees new fabrics that bond together, are warm without weight or are cooler for summer.

He has been focusing on short skirts for the last five years on purely logical grounds. Short skirts are easier to get around in and weigh less than long ones, he points out. He has sought out the lightest fabrics available.

It is a look already adopted by fashionable young women in the streets of Milan and Paris, and it has been featured by other designers, including Jean-Paul Gaultier in Paris and Donna Karan and Carolyne Roehm in this country.

The disappearance of the skirt and the unencumbered design of clothes in general will influence the look of the early 1990’s, at least. They may pave the way for truly modern clothes that reflect the new roles of modern women.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.