This season, designers are propelling the fashion industry into the future. A possible derivative of our technological time, styles by the likes of Balenciaga and 6267 make Jane Jetson look positively prehistoric. Commonly used industrial materials such as plastic, latex, and even metal are being fused with more traditional fabrics to create pieces that are revolutionizing the way we see the female form. Stiff, sculpted lines that construct rather than conform to the figure have replaced silhouettes that once simply flowed with the feminine frame.
Nicholas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga (above left, left) has perfected this look, with styles that could belong in a sci-fi fantasy. He has dreamt up skirts cut from plastic and shantung, a seldom used hand-loomed silk blend that is woven using uneven yarns to create unique, textured surfaces. The “little black dress” has too been transformed, with molded bodices and peplums complete with sculpted pleating. The attention to negative space gives Balenciaga’s fall collection a futuristic geometry, using armband sleeves and dramatically angular slits in overlapping grays, blacks, and whites. 6267’s (below) use of iridescent fabrics, narrow puff sleeves, and tubing to create unexpected neckline trims makes this season’s collection unforgettably futuristic. Avant-Garde looks from these designers, both visionary and beautiful, are where tradition meets innovation in the fashion world- redefining tomorrow’s couture culture.
