When grunge and glamour meet
It may be summer outside, but at Brown Thomas AW show this week, things were perfectly chilled, writes Grace Cahill
THE traditional runway show will always be at the heart of fashion but like everything else, fashion brands have has to evolve when it comes to telling their stories. Competing in the digital age now requires integration between the virtual world and reality. And this week, Irish fashion media got a very modern show indeed with the launch of the Brown Thomas Autumn/Winter collection.
Firstly, we were handed iPads instead of the usual paper pamphlets outlining the running of the show and detailing the collection pieces.
Set in the darkened designer rooms,
the runway show was streamed though social media channels.
But what of the clothes? Well, for AW18, certain key themes are set to shape our winter wardrobe.
Expect lots of 1980s and 1990s nostalgia, courtesy of labels like Miu Miu and Balenciaga.
Oversized shirts and knits with exaggerated shoulders clashed with print dresses, while T-shirts with logos made a comeback at Versace.
The femininity of the Winter Nomad trend was translated from labels like Isabel Marant and Zimmermann — silky floral prairie dresses were among show highlights, set apart from the show’s darker, grunge-inspired prevalence.
It’s definitely a season that celebrates femininity in a rebellious way, explains BT’s creative director Shelly Corkery.
‘I adore all the sartorial tailoring this season. It’s so elegant,’ she says.
‘We saw it today at Stella McCartney, Calvin Klein and Givenchy — masculine fabrics and tailored suits, oversized jackets in Prince Of Wales checks. There’s deconstructed tailoring, cinched waists, asymmetrical necklines.’
Autumnal hues with pops of colour were certainly to be seen on the catwalk, but for the upcoming season black seems to be back.
Another highlight for me was Prada’s utilitarian layered pieces meshed with tulle — just beautiful.