Way back when I first started this blog, I featured a post dedicated to the theme of Retro-Futurism and its place in the fashion world, specifically in an avant-garde manner. As fashion week recently came to a close, I noticed more and more futuristic elements popping up on the runways of several shows. When science meets style, it goes beyond superficial and into a spectacular, exciting new realm. Designers have managed to place futuristic elements by incorporating power shoulders on dresses, tops, and jackets, metallic finishes on handbags, accessories and clothing, as well as bold, graphic hardware and embellishments on accessories.
Some futuristic designs are far more exaggerated than others being on the more simplistic, ‘wearable’ side. Faced with collections that propose dystopia and evolutionary change, topics of science fiction were clearly embedded into the threads of these designers’ collections for Spring 2013, while others based their designs on more traditional views of futurism and sci-fi.
We’ve seen re-interpreations of the sixties views of space-age fashion, including raised collars and metallic fabric, as well as reptilian eco-evolutionary creatures a la Alexander McQueen back in 2010. The continual streak through this futuristic vision is a deep reflection about what the future might hold for us in the fashion world. As we’re dealing with something that, well, doesn’t exist yet, it makes it all the more exciting to wonder the many possibilities that may come about. Futuristic themes are definitely not just black, white, and silver, they can be playful and colorful as well, as seen on Burberry above.
This trend spans multiple styles and endless influences, but there are some key elements that play into most of the designs and visions we see, including: fish/reptile scales that make up futuristic structures, metallic fabrics, plating, or detailing, robotic looking elements, exaggerated and unusual silhouettes like pointed power shoulders and cocoon shapes, and circuitry, sharp inspired patterns.
The key to dressing in a futuristic manner is to be bold and fearless, embracing things that may be out of your element and, well, alienesque. If any of these components are too far out in your fashion spectrum, you can still wear the trend by playing the elements down and pair futuristic pieces with more classic ones. Keep in mind that when it comes to the future and anything dealing with science fiction, as I previously mentioned, we are dealing with something that doesn’t even exist yet… so the possibilities truly are endless and up to your creative imagination!
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