Let's hear it for the boys
Designers veer between conservatism and courage for next season
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.How long is an epoch, in fashion terms, given that everything changes every six months?
That may not be entirely clear in this fast-paced, innovation-obsessed industry, but it feels like we're currently in the middle of a distinct era – what we might call the age of uncertainty. There's been shake-ups at many big houses in the past year, with Hedi Slimane showing his first collections for the newly-renamed Saint Laurent, Raf Simons being replaced at Jil Sander with the brand's namesake, a new CEO at Fendi, a temporarily empty seat at Balenciaga (where Alexander Wang will report for duty next season) and a mildly confusing chop-and-change of show schedules, which, this season, saw Kenzo at Pitti in Florence and McQueen coming home to London.
So much change, and in a relentless period of recession where designers don't seem entirely sure whether they're better to go for blog posts and bag sales, palatable clobber for the masses or gut-wrenchingly extravagant status-wear for the super-rich. The result of all this, in the men's shows for autumn/winter 2013, was a season that veered between conservatism and outrageousness, self-conscious consolidation and damn-it-all flights of scuzzy fantasy.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments