Fashion weeks can be stressful events full of strong ideas and revolutionary moments, yet they can’t be compared to political revolutions.
Indeed, while the recent fashion catwalk shows have been taking place as usual, a part of the world has been (and still is) in turmoil.
Tunisian president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was forced to resign in January; Egypt is preparing to its post-Mubarak future; Gaddafi regime is falling apart in Libya; protesters are calling for greater democracy are under way in Morocco. Add to that the protests in Bahrain and Iran and you will get a picture of a world going through some radical changes.
Catwalk shows have been livestreamed on the net, bouncing from screen to screen, yet the echoes of these revolutions never arrived on the runways in New York and London (many people involved in the industry - critics, buyers and other assorted professionals included - probably don't even know what has been going on in the rest of the world since the menswear shows started...).
So there were no revolutionary echoes at least until designers Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos showcased their collection.
The Autumn/Winter 2011 designs looked indeed at revolutionaries and political unrest through degrade chain prints, layered looks and bright colours.
Violence was evoked via strong shades and slashes around the upper chest area.
Sharp military coats characterised by rigid shapes contrasted with the prints while there was a certain emphasis on liquid and fluid shapes that, twisting on the body, incorporated different fabrics or garments (such as tailored blue shirts) in the same design, maybe hinting at fast social transformations.
While a fashion collection is definitely not enough to explain a political revolution, it was good to see a young design duo looking at what’s happening off the runway and trying to evoke through their designs the power of youth.
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