Out With Outré

The Modern Kati Nescher

The fundamentals of fashion. And the phenomenon copied and embraced by designers and the common glitterati alike. Though the monomania has caused screams of style revolution it's still oh so quiet. The absence of extravagance and grandure, the tranquility, deviated by the in vogue hysteria of the celebrated practise of sheer art. Minimalism. The gentle approach. As I like to call it, 'form over fancy'. The dexterity of creating a striking pièce de rèsistance with a short palette of colour & the concentration of folds, creases and constructions? Basic, brilliant, bringing boldness and cleaning up the sticky glitter stream of pop culture inspired flamboyant designs and prints. The challenge is set, to attract attention using only a classic tricolor, give or take, few layers, using simple, classic pieces. Not a challenge? Well what's harder?; attracting attention in a pop art print Katie Eary number, or a basic white shirt and jeans? The contemporary change in scene is that now the outrageous is met by nonchalance and boredom , while a classic shift dress, crowned with a satin kimono is au courant. 

Last year saw the rise of pastels in the summer, neutral shades in autumn, with their gorgeous transition taking place in spring. White-washed fabrics, low hemlines and tea-length dresses. Bankini galore covered by monotonous satin and chelsea collar necks. Incorporating form and complimentary shape proved popular. As these monotonous and simple designs became more abundant, this prompted designers to focus on fitting. The male and female form tend to be embraced by this blazing trend. And here comes monochrome. Silhouettes of black and white, ebony and ivory in perfect harmony. A far cry from the shocking array of ornate and flamboyant garments. With precision in tailoring and stitching to the exact measurements there's absolutely no room for error in this trend. It either works or it simply doesn't. Over this current S/S13 season minimalism has proven the belle of the bracket. 

Examples of minimalism in fashion (SS13), simple yet divine.

The naked obscurity of the mania allows beauty to speak for itself, applauding the human form, giving fashion the breath of life and a modern touch. The fashion world finally feels alive. Clothing all the more human and all the less quixotic is a significant move. Once it was seen as a bold act to don cluttered concoctions and scary prints, things that had never been done before. Boring. The constant need to stand out and be vintage seems childish in the world of high-fashion. Increasingly passè. Though the genius of Alexander McQueen's fanciful creations and the peculiar styles of pop sensation Lady Gaga have been celebrated, in modern everyday wear and on the catwalk - the general preference is clear. There is no longer the need to insist on the bizarre in a bid to stand out, this is accomplished now through the simple. The plain pea coat and black dress among 3-D floral skirts and embellished fabrics is the one that stands out. For it's pureness and genuine grace, the style of minimalism is one to be marvelled at. Not limited to those who are shy with creativity, not limited to those who are above and beyond queer. We love it.■

Au néon

Louis Vuitton: Spring/Summer 2013

What on earth are you wearing? You look ridiculous!
The common reaction to the suggestion of neon clothing is all too familiar. The normal association of neon being a wild 'neon rave' full of glow-sticks, flashing colours & the odd snapped heel of a girl splattered on the floor trying to search for her lost dignity. For some time now, wearing neon as part of a common outfit has resulted in the brave soul wearing it becoming a temporary social stigma within seconds. Not even specifically just neon; the whole bright colour miscellany of some 'flower-power'-esque outfits is shunned. With the ever rising popularity of wearing duller tones, particularly the 'all black' phenomenon which many are lionized for pulling off, there's no room for the man in the bright pink polo or the girl in the bright green dress.
However, I smell a trend coming on.

Now to those of you who are closer to fashion it may be knowledge to you that stores like to stack the best clothes of one season, two seasons ahead. In August you'll find a gorgeous cashmere sweater, plan to buy it in winter and poof - it's gone. If my prediction is correct, around late February or early March there may be a rise of a neon implement in outfits to foresee a possible trend for summer 2013. Bright sneakers & vibrant yellow heels will replace leather jackets & grey cashmere shawls. This is evident enough from Louis Vuitton's spring/summer 2013 collection which was heavily paraded at a Marc Jacob's show back in October. Although not necessarily 'neon' the signal was clear. Piercing oranges & fierce yellows are 'in'. This comes quite into contrast with the popular 'pastels' trend of 2012 which boasted modesty in pale lilac tee's & mildly toned lace skirts. So will you be donning bright pink nails added to the gentle touch of a turquoise maxi number? Will you dare to rock new collection neon sneakers and white shell tops in attempt to blind but dazzle? A vivid stella McCartney sweater for chill summer nights or a phosphorescent addition to your handbag collection could be in order. Will you comply to the trend or rebel against it?

Nike Hyperfuse

Personally I feel that the trend could be embraced, particularly by those that wish to retain the sophistication that monotonous outfits tend to bestow.  However, outfits that are totally neon will look garish. The best way to go about neon is adding it as a touch to an outfit. Just a touch. A simple touch on neon could do black on black number with subtle additions such as bright soles for boys or quirky heels for girls. Little hints of colour could work their way in to your outfits from the beginning of spring until the dawn of a spectrum circus in early july & illumined chaos in the sultry month of August. We already know that bold green is on the way but there's still the question of whether neon will prosper as it failed to make a rise in 2012. How will you go about it?
The rise of hyper-real brightness & flourescent shades may me unavoidable.■