1980's

1980's New Romantic

The 1980's was all about tight fitted clothing to give the body a nice silhoutte for the top section of the body along with flowing wider clothes for the bottom. Medium length hair cuts were popular diring this decade, towards the end of this decade however it was more fashionable to grow your hair long, due to the inluence of heavy metal music. Brand names were becoming popular such as Ralf Lauren and Calvin Klein;. Women were refering to singers such as Madonna after she reased one of her singles named 'like a virgin' in 1984. Films also played a huge part within Fashion as oversized shoulder pads were becoming common die to television shows such as Dallas and in particular Dynasty.

New Romanticism was a manufactured scene within London nightclubs in the early 1980s. People who dressed in this way wereassiciated with being more creative people who had always been more interested in the sartorial aspects of dressing up than the anarchic statement of punk anti fashion. These kind of individuals always wanted to stand out and be different.

The early designers of the romantic look were Vivienne Westwood, Colin Swift, Stevie Stewart and David Holah. Westwood began her romantic ideas with adaptations of dandified Regency designs which later she developed into a Pirate look. She designed especially for Adam and The Ants.

  

The look rapidly dubbed New Romantics by the media, moved quickly into mainstream fashion and was reinforced by hot chart topping pop groups of the time such as Adam And The Ants, Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran and Visage. David Bowie, Bryan Ferry and Boy George were all influential singers of the era.

Adam Ant

Boy George

Furniture

• The 1980s were definitely a distinctive decade of big hair, big shoulder pads, clunky jewelry, leggings, high tops and over-sized shirts. When it comes to interior design, the '80s were just as distinctive, featuring bold colors and designs. If you're throwing a 1980s retro party or are trying to get rid of all the 1980s elements of your house, there are definite areas to focus on.

Wall Decor

• The first type of wall decor that abounded in the 1980s was a particular palate of paint colors, notably salmon pink and peach. Other common colors were teal and hunter green as well as color schemes that mixed shades of blue, mauve and gray. Mirrors in the shape of octagons framed thickly in brass were common as well as ceiling-to-floor mirrors in bathrooms. Homeowners also used walls consisting entirely of glass blocks for rooms

Lighting

• In bathrooms in the 1980s a common type of light fixture was the Hollywood dressing room style, with light bulbs surrounding the entire mirror. Other features that were ubiquitous in the the 1980s were etched glass and brass chandeliers, often found in entry halls or in dining rooms. Track lighting was popular in the '80s, though the light fixtures were significantly larger than what you normally see today. In the 1980s track lights were the size of tin cans and had large round bulbs.

Splashy Prints

• Eighties decor schemes notably avoided solid colors in fabrics, opting for splashy prints for couches, armchairs and window treatments. Common patterns were swirls and bold strokes of pastels, which gave a vibrancy and energy to rooms but which many consider too busy by today's standards. Window treatments had this busyness not just in color and pattern but also in structure. It was common to see ruffles as well as intricate, overdone valances on curtains.

Drives of 2010/11

Political

Student Fees has been a much talked about political aspect that many feel strongly about involving an increase of University Fees. Nick Clegg and David Cameron had debates about this topic since 2010 and at this present time we are seeing student fees increase to £9,000. This has caused a lot of controversial issues and on the 30th December London had individuals protesting on the streets of London. It has been revealed today in the Guardian (2011) that only the wealthiest families will be able to allow their children to apply for the most competitive Universities. I personally feel this is highly unfair as this has made degrees solely based on materialism and not giving individuals who have intelligence, drive and motivation a chance to pursue their intellect.

Moving away from increased tuition fees and onto employees who work within the public sector will be seeing an increase in wage states Tim Ross (2011). There is already a considerable amount of difference between the public sector and than in private firm where employees are doing the exact same thing. If we refer to the report it states that 'primary school teachers in state education typically earned £33,140 after banking a pay rise of 2.1 per cent, compared with a 12 per cent pay cut for the same job in a private school, where the average salary was £21,159 in 2010'. This is a huge difference and should be addressed to.

Economy

From coming across different types of media on a regular basis we are familiar with how the economy is at an all time low affecting every one of us and why? Davies (2010) states Interest rates are the lowest they have been in 315 years at 1.5%, which means a number of things. For instance people that are investing money with their building society are worse off, whereas customers who have mortgages this is a positive aspect as they are paying less. Interest rates has effected peoples jobs and has made 1.3 million people struggling during this recession period states Telegraph(2010) there were a staggering amount of people that were made redundant too. This not only makes individuals struggling financially but puts strain on all aspects of life.

The graph below shows the decrease of interest rates since 1951:

Socio Cultural

To tie in both aspects I have spoken about previously I thought social class would be an ideal socio cultural topic. Social class within the UK is split up into 3 different categories: Upper, Middle and Lower working class but this not really refereed to. As I mentioned earlier in regards to the public and private sector, it seems that Britain is being divided. Additionally it seems that the UK is inequality from birth, education and work place. Anushka Asthana(2010) states 'theirs deep divisions in Britain's classrooms, different experiences of the criminal justice system and a stubbornly large pay gap between men and women. In full-time work, women are still paid 16.4% less than men, a figure that rises to 55% in the finance sector. '

References

Anushka Asthana (2010) Equality report slams Britain, 2010 00.10 BST
Charlotte Davies (2010) Interest rates hit all time low, 8th January 2010[online] Available from: ttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7817453.stm(Accessed 9th May 2011)

Telegraph(2010)1.3m people have lost theirs jobs in recession finds report, 24th Jan 2010, [online] Available from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jobs/7066404/1.3m-people-have-lost-their-jobs-in-the-recession-finds-report.html(Accessed 9th May 2011)

Tim |Ross(2011)Workers within the public sector are more than 40% better off, Telegraph, 8th May[online] Available from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8501369/Workers-in-the-public-sector-are-more-than-40pc-better-off.html (Accessed 9th May 2011)

1960's Givenchy

Comte Hubert de Givenchys work really catches my eye and referring to the 1960's his work is inspirational .He was a designer who dressed women immaculately during this decade and additionally throughout four decades- incorporating elegance, style and aesthetic glamour. His work is easily recognised with his use of fabric and colour and additionally with his signature pieces. As a clothing designer he was dressing the famous including Audrey Hepburn, where his designs appear in her films "Funny Face," "Breakfast at Tiffany's," "Charade," and "Sabrina."

This image below is once of his signature pieces named the sack dress, which has an amazing fabric pattern and additionally is a very flattering simple dress which complements the figure. The simplicity of the design is what I feel makes the outfit immaculate looking.

Sack Dress(2009)

I love this extravagant dress with amazing flower detail and fullness worn by Audry Hepburn 1957. The image was taken to advertise s perfume.  Hubert de Givenchy explains ' perfume is a final touch of elegance, its identity card' Guerlain (2007)

Audry Hepburn(2007)

Audry Hepburn Muse (2010)

McCalls (2008)

 

Audry Hepburn was a fashion icon and people during this period would be strongly influenced by her way of dressing. Givencys designs were perfect for Audrey's Hepburn physic as she was tall and slim. This black sheath dress was worn during the film Breakfast at Tiffanie's.

The independent (2011) states "Fabric is the most extraordinary thing, it has life. You must respect the fabric". This was a quote that Hubert de Givenchy said which really shows the passion he had for his career.

Feeling Audry(2010)

References

Audry Hepburn(2007)

[online] http://fashionmodel.mtx5.com/2008/designers/givenchy/audrey-hepburn-givenchy-muse/(Accessed 9th May2011)

Feeling Audry(2010) [online] http://rarevintage.blogspot.com/2010/12/feeling-audrey.html (Accessed 9th May2011)

 Guerlain (2007)Perfume review and mustings [online] available at: http://www.mimifroufrou.com/scentedsalamander/2007/10/le_de_by_givenchy_perfume_revi.html(Accessed 9th May2011)

Independant(2010)It was always my dream to be a dress designer [online] available at:

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/features/hubert-de-givenchy-it-was-always-my-dream-to-be-a-dress-designer-1993047.html(Accessed 9th May2011)

Informat Inc (2011) Hubert de givenchy Biography [online] available from:

http://www.infomat.com/whoswho/hubertdegivenchy.html (Accessed 9th May 2010)

McCalls (2010)[online]http://vintagepatterns.wikia.com/wiki/McCall's_3625 (Accessed 9th May2011)

Sack Dress(2009)[online] http://swankvintage.blogspot.com/2009/03/amazing-couture-givenchy-sack-dress.html (Accessed 9th May2011)

Boudicca

Boudicca  label was the arrival of only the fifth British designer label admitted to the hallowed Chambre Syndicale, French fashion's governing body, which consisted of only 11 pieces which were very well tailored and incorporated black fabric with flashes if silver and gold make-up.

Zowie indroduced us to all her scrap books where she would draw information from and  plays and experiments with thoughts that she has. As designers neither of them look at designers work for inspiration but really look at the world around them to sketch and record objects that are inspirational.

 These two images of their designs are from 2006, I love the way in which the two designs have such symmetrical shapes. Their two statement pieces which really draw the eye. The fabric used for these designs really complements the designs, additionally with the use of silver fabric used within the skirt to highlight its shape. The foundation of the dress had allowed it to have the volume to create a very unique piece. Boudicca’s work reveals a  brusquely tailored designs and incorporates designs which really experiment with proportion and fabric manipulation.

 

This is another design which I was really drawn to, due to its geometric shape and the way it reminds me of architecture. The different textures incorporated within this design really make it a fascinating piece and the use of keeping the fabric black and white make it a very elegant piece.

2007 couture

These two outfits from Spring 2008 reveal something special and unique, with diverse use of fabric and pattern. Zowie kindly brought the skirt (shown below) in for us to see all the construction. The amount of detail and time that must have gone into the design makes it such a one off piece. The rich red fabric grabs your attention and really works well alongside the floral leggings and black shirt.

Spring 2008

V&A Fashion in motion

Paris

Broach and Kirkby launched a perfume in 2008 called Wode. The perfumes container appears like a graffiti can which sprays out a wode colour and evaporates in a matter of minutes on skin and fabric. Below is an image of their advertisement for the perfume, which really encapsulates what the perfume offers.

Boudicca has created a unique installation in Matches' Notting Hill Gate, store which tells the story of the development of a sculptural dress called "The Tornado" dress, held in the central window to present the inspiration for this project, whilst the A/W 09 collection is show-cased alongside the installation

 

 

1970's

Punk

What Was Punk Fashion in the Early Days of the 1970s?

Punk is a well known fashion, but during this century it was just becoming popular. Punk first emerged in the mid 1970s in London as quite an aggressive way of dressing and expressing yourself as an individual. This way of dressing suited youngsters with limited cash. The way in which they dressed was highly theatrical with unique hairstyles, cosmetics, tattoos, jewelry and body modification. Pucks would often rip up old clothing and hold them together using safely pins,leather vinyl and rubber were 3 popular materials that were used.








Sex Pistols





Vivienne Westwood




Punk Hairstyles

Towards the end of the 70's, The Sex Pistols were being focused on as they were a popular punk band, along with the Sex Pistols Promoter Malcome McLaren's partner designer Vivienne Westwood created this look that people aspired to look like. They owned a shop named 'Let it Rock'. The story behind this look was based on a sexual fetis for black leather, along with ripped t- shirts. Many clothes within their store offered bondage. Bleached Clothing was also part of the look, this Punk appearance continued into the early 80's.

Gwen Stefani wearing Vivienne's Punk dress.

Vivenne Westwood Punk style heals.

Punk Style

3 Day Week

Inflation in the 70s was a huge problem. Everyone talked about the cost of living. A series of strikes lead to power cuts and the Three Day Week. The 70s was not the best time for Britain's economy. Britain finally joined Europe in 1973. This was meant to improve things, but left our home market vulnerable to imports. 

The Three-Day Week was one of several measures introduced in the UK by the Conservative Government to conserve electricity, the production of which was severely limited due to industrial action by coal miners. This would mean that commercial users would be limited to the specific days. This was put in place January  1st until March 1974. Services which were essential such as  restaurants, food shops and newspapers were not allowed. Television companies were required to cease broadcasting at 10.30pm during the crisis to conserve electricity

1990's

Eco Fashion

In the last few years eco designed fashion has found its way out of specialist boutiques and onto the high street. Designers such as Stella McCartney and Katherine Hamnet were introducting this way of dressing. ‘Eco chic’ can be seen paraded on the catwalks. The fact that Top Shop, Debenhams and Marks & Spencers all now stock eco fashion ranges shows it’s big business, and taking up increasing wardrobe space in eco homes.

Eco Fashion came about due to people were having growing concerns on how clothing is made, the effects of the consumers health, poor working conditions andlastly the poor working conditions. 

The roots of eco fashion can be traced back to the 1970s when woolly leggings and rugged tie-dyed hemp fabrics were trendy amongst the eco conscious. Initially concerns focused on the use of pesticides on cotton crops. But by the 1980s these fears grew to include the harsh chemicals used to make synthetic textiles, such as nylon and polyester, and their potentially damaging effect on people’s health.

 Big clothing brands were under pressure to find ways of cost saving. This meant many moved their manufacturing abroad where they could take advantage of cheap labour.However, this led to a backlash when the working conditions in foreign ‘sweatshops’ starting becoming exposed in the media. Many of the big brands were implicated, as cheap throwaway fashion was shown to come at a high human cost.

Since the 1990s many brands have been pressuring their manufacturers to improve wages and working conditions. Many of them now promote their eco designed clothes as coming from Fair Trade sources where the manufacturer is a paid a fair price and the workers aren’t treated like slave labour.

Environmental concerns

Cotton is the most widely used textile, grown in over 60 countries and covering 5% of all cultivated land. It’s also seen as the most polluting, due to the huge quantities of pesticides used to kill insects. In fact, cotton crops are estimated to use a quarter of all the world’s pesticides, which harm the health of farm workers, seep into the water supply and damage the soil, making future crops potentially dangerous to eat.

Organic cotton, on the other hand, is farmed without pesticides, making it far less environmentally damaging. And whilst crop yields are typically lower than conventional cotton, the farmer can sell them for a higher price to balance their income.

At the moment nearly half a million tonnes of clothing is added to British landfill sites every year. Hopefully, as the eco designed fashion trend continues to grow in popularity, there will be far less throwaway fashion polluting our planet in the future.

 

Katherine Hamnet Slogan T-Shirt

Gary Harvey- Newspaper Dress

Brazilian workers

Cotton Crop Field

Landfill

Levi Eco Jeans

It take 2,866 gallons of water to make a single pair of jeans. From growing the cotton, bleaching, dying and repeated washing. These particular jeans use 28% less water which is 3 gallons.

Week 20 - Sub Trends

Mini Skirt

People were more acknowledged about feminism and fashion was therefore changing. Women were beginning to go to work and attending University, additionally the 1960's was the decade when marriage and divorce was empowered. It seems that ll these factores were giving women a different image, one which shows confidence and power and highlighting their youth and fashion was a major aspect of this.

The miniskirt would express—and serve as a tool for—this growing woman’s movement.

Mary Quant 

1966 Mary Quant invented the mini skirt, she made a success as it was so differnent to any other trend. Her designes we very simple, clean and youthfull. It was designed so young girls could have the freedom for move. She named the mini skirt after her favourite car, being the mini.

Mod & Hippie

The Beatles ad a great influence on the fashion tends of the the 1960's . They were the most cultural revolution in history. Many people believe they were the ones to change attitudes, relationships, clothes, music, art, love, peace, war etc.

The Beatles influence many, hairstyles were a major factor that many were influences by. This hairstyle was named Mop-Top which consisted of long lengthy hair.

The Beatles introduced leather glad and greasy hair.