Ethnic Influences on Apparel Design

Ethnic Influences on Apparel Design

Alexander Wang's Retro Spring 2009 collection

Designers are constantly influenced by different things around them. cultures,
ethnic groups, and certainly location all play an important roll in the designs and
motifs behind the designer's collection that season. But with research on these things for their latest collections they don't always have to get their passport to find inspiration. For instance, Miami is a very important destination that hot, up and coming designers go to for inspiration.
Alexander Wang's spring 2009 ready-to-wear collection was inspired by the bright and vibrant city of Miami. Miami vice to be exact was his major source of influence and this was shown through the bright and sharp colors in his collection that exuded the 80's. These bright pastel colors infused with dark blacks were very much fashion forward and an interesting take on a 80's retro redo, if you will. His mix of bright and dark colors were appealing to the eye and you could have easily seen them on the streets of New York or LA today.
So location and ethnic influence most definitely make up a lot of the influence in a designers collection whether it be Milan, Italy, Brooklyn, or Japan the cultural background is apparent in the clothes we wear every day. In American most of the clothes that we were on a regular basis are a mixture of different cultures, country's, and ethnic backgrounds. But the sad part is that probably 90% of us don't even realize this because it never crosses our minds that we could be wearing the same thing that a girl in the 3rd world country of Ethiopia would wear. It just goes to show you that such great influence goes into the way we dress everyday.

2008 New York Fashion Week

Trends of 2008 New York Fashion Week

One of the more significant trends this year at New York fashion week is “Country Chic” dress. Things like plaid, tweed, and fur were shown on the runway by Alexander McQueen, Thakoon, Michael Kors, and Carolina Herrera. These designers have taking a whole new perspective on the country life. Revamping the typical plaid blouse with lace and frill that just screams feminine and sophistication. My absolute favorite though is Michael Kors’s fall collection. His mix classic tweed and luxurious furs exudes grace and richness. Kors’s collection is very much so the classic American standard and always catered to a classy yet sexy woman.

Simple, monotone fabrics were another trend seen for this fall. Geometrical and architecturally formed clothing was shown on the runway by many a designer at New York Fashion Week this year. Classic blacks, greys, and shades of white transcended a new age of simplicity for fall fashion. Pant suits, blouses, jackets, and dress were all one note colors. Designers such as Jill Sander, Calvin Klein, and Yves Saint Laurent were supporting this new age philosophy.

My Most favorite trend shown this year has to be the superhero inspired trend. Graphic and bold prints mixed with jarred clothing made for a great comic book illustration. This futuristic, fashion forward trend can only led to better things to come. Empowering women to dress like “Super” women gives me every more reason to follow the path of designers like Balenciaga and Fendi. Their collections inspire me to lay on the dark eyeshadow, dress in my sexiest back trench coat with heels and strut down the city of New York, quietly fighting crime while doing so.

Works Cited

• http://www.style.com/trendsshopping/trendreport/072808/tendency

• http://www.style.com/trendsshopping/trendreport/072808/countrylife

Organic and Environmentally Friendly Clothing

Organic and Environmentally friendly clothing is the smart alternative to processed manufactured fabric and clothing. In today's society where entire continents are shifting and our earth is slowly becoming more and more polluted with toxic gases, people are beginning to step forward and make a change. Going "Green" has become very much in Vogue these days. You are more likely to see a person wearing a T-shirt that says "Green is the new Black" or "Be Smart Plant a Tree." In any sense the marketing and production of Organic clothing has since gone up and there are more and more lines such as, EcoGear, who's slogan is "The Most Eco Friendly Clothing in The World." With a growing consumer consciousness of our heavy impact on nature, there has been a growing demand for clothing that uses recycled fibers, EcoGear does just that. The clothing industry seems to be put on the back burner for the most part and most of the conservationists are looking more at climate change, pollution, water, wildlife, and farming. While all those areas are equally important we have to realize that if we really want to make a change then we need to attack one of the most important areas of all, the fashion industry.

My Favorite Designer

It's hard to make an exact decision on who my favorite designer of all time is but if I had to choice just one it would be Chloe. Founded in Paris by Egyptian born designer Gaby Aghion in 1952, Chloe represents chic bohemian street fashion to a T. Her organic, freewheeling patterns and designs are what draws my eyes in each and every time I see one of her collections. The first time I saw one of her designs it was a bag that everyone in Hollywood had at the time. People like Sienna Miler, Mary Kate Olsen, and Kate Moss to name a few of her devoted followers, all had the "IT" Chloe bag that everyone wanted. Chloe's designs are becoming more and more popular among celebrity's and Why shouldn't it? Everything that Chloe creates just exudes femininity and mystery, not to mention the versatility to her designs. Her 2008 Fall collection catches the eye of the late teens to middle-aged woman. Her cute and flirty designs are sure to spark the eyes of many and she will surely dominate the fashion industry to come.