Getting Started

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Although I'm still not sure how I intend to carry out this project, I have decided upon the basic goals: that it will deal with principles of fashion design in relation to historical circumstances and that I hope to ultimately produce my own fashion show.

Arguably, a wise place to start in investigating something such as historical change over time would be at the beginning of the timeline. However, I feel instead that perhaps moving backwards--tracing change over time from the familiar present to the foreign past-- may be more effective in understanding how such changes in culture and society have their impact on the aesthetic world. Or perhaps even moving about with the liberty to teleport at any given moment to some point in time on a evanescent whim; there are many paths to take that will all lead to the common final destination. Which path this blog will take can only be determined by time itself.

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I had some free time today, so I spent two hours following Paris Fashion Week online at http://www.parisfashionweek.com. I'm especially impressed with the Fall/Winter 2011 collections of Zac Posen (who makes elegant use of sheer and gradient dyes), Alexander McQueen (which employs fabulous creativity in variety and implementation of inspiration), Givenchy (which seems to be focusing on sleek animal prints and black and white color schemes), Hermes (a leathery Western theme), Lanvin (whose flowing, zipper-embellished designs were both elegant and also dangerously bland in their monochromatic colors), and Valentino (who delivered, as usual, stunning formal pieces).

My favorite collection though, was that Elie Saab's Fall/Winter line. I have always been a fan of the designer's loyal engagement to flowing, elegant patterns and eye-catching prints, and this collection, like so many others, did not disappoint.

I will start to compile design trends sometime in the near future, and start separating the years into general eras by which to investigate characteristics.