Fashion: To Infinity (But Not Beyond)

Existence and progression is cyclical (or so theorists and philosophers have proclaimed within the past century or so). If life itself should be depicted as something tangible and two-dimensional for our brains to process, it would resemble a circle. Perfectly round, perfectly shaped, perfectly perfect as the inky black line never ceases in its cyclical path to the beat of the “Circle of Life”. Undeniably cliché but wholly suitable for the occasion, no? And since life encompasses (no pun intended) everything that exists on this Earth, we assume all else within the boundaries of life follow a similar, circular pattern. History repeats itself as we are born and dying; it would only make sense to speculate so.

As beings bound to the Earth and our humanity, we fall within the realm of what is defined as life. Our materialistic selves need to be clothed in the least for humility’s sake, and since clothing is a part of fashion, we then deduce that fashion is cyclical. The process, however far-fetched, is no logical fallacy. But where most analyzers of this world of fashion (if there is such profession) would declare fashion to be circular, I must beg to differ, as I always have been a bit deviant from the norm of beliefs.

Fashion is no circle. It is a figure eight of  i n f i n i t y .

At one point in time – in the very beginnings of the development of fashion far before runways and catwalks and Fashion Week were invented—it showed no sign of being cyclical. It was headed down a one-way avenue of unbelievable innovation and creativity that sometimes was so unique it seemed to veer off of this particular path—forming a slight curve away from its starting point. Now if fashion were supposed to be a circle—it would have shown the beginning stages of overlapping or similar characteristics. But it had shown no sign of going backwards. Instead it strut forwards, hips a-sauntering and so caught up in all its avant-garde progression it continued off track of the predicted path.

Buckle up, mes chéries, for a long ride.

The roaring twenties was duly noted as fashion’s beginning on a large-scale stage. Rest assured this comes not out of my own bias, as the 1920s were my favorite time period; it was during the twenties when corsets and other such mechanisms meant to bind and oppress women were shed and a new era of fashion and lifestyles began. The risqué and unabashed luxuriousness overturned completely what women (and men) and once known. Coco Chanel brought the LBD into existence, and Paris was enlightened as the future coeur of fashion.

Then came the forties. Practicality and conservatism reigned back those drop-waist fringed skirt and slinky jazz bars with the war; there were only one practical efficient means of providing a solution. Thus the tailored and lean silhouette was born to replace the decadent drapery and excessive opulence of the decades past – evidence that we are most creative when we have the least. Fast forward a few years, post the War Board’s strict regulations, and couturier Dior has invented the “New Look”—the A-line skirt, cropped jacket, and tiny nipped waist. A new take on femininity.

The sixties and seventies defied what was once fashion. The latest fashions were products of the anti-fashion, anti-material hippies and/or raving discos and platforms and “tackiness”. It was an utter change in course from the conservatism that, according to these fashion experts, left a tainted stain in fashion’s name. But it was this unreserved insanity that made it different. And different is what makes fashion  p r o g r e s s .

But fashion begins to take a turn that begins to form the upper loop of the figure eight of infinity. Fashion has made a name for itself as the likes of Alaïa, Jean Paul Gaultier, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein. Enter the world of Parisian couture, however crude in comparison to the extravagant likes of Galliano’s Dior. An extravaganza of luxurious fabrics from afar, layered and draped, and draped and layered without regulation. At the same time Japanese couturiers prevent fashion from a seemingly circular path; they brought with them a new chapter of innovation with origami-inspired knots and pleats and ubiquitous holes in sweaters to a rather surprised Paris.

The crossroads and the makings of the lower loop of the figure eight begin in the nineties. Simple, minimalist, nostalgic nineties—a decade defined by a relapse towards the less ostentatious fashions of years past, back to it’s starting point. But here is where they say fashion as at the start of its continuum: lap two, so to speak, of a rather circular track, for are we not back to seventies boho, and eighties Japanese-inspired slashed fabrics meets Greasebiker chic? Surely if today’s designers re-marketed nearly precise copies of vintage fashions, calling it cyclical would be more than sufficiently descriptive. Despite its similarity, it is being re-styled with a touch of modernism that does separate fashions revisited from the past.

So it would only make sense that the nineties would resurrect into coming runways (if we should trace our fingers along the, literal and figurative, infinity insignia), leading us to the crossroads path once again. I do have faith in our ability to create, rather than simply restyle the past—I do. Already I see such little explosions of uninhibited creativity that will lead us upwards in progression in technology-infused clothing—a surefire sign that fashion shall abandon its recycling of styles years past to recreate a new path.

But until then, fashion is simply infinity—but not quite beyond.

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