Fashion and Space - By Patrizia Molechino, the Oracle on Buying
Above, Pierre Cardin outfits, left and extreme right (1967) - centre, red dress by André Courrèges. Source: WikipediaFashion looking to the future is obviously inspired by space, the "last frontier", as it's generally referred to, and by astronauts' suits and gear in general, in particular headgear, the most instantly recognizable item of clothing.
It all probably started with Pierre Cardin,
the French designer, who created a futuristic collection in 1967 -
bright-colored mini-skirt dresses, flat boots and space-inspired
headgear, with chubby bonnets framing the face gracefully. Remember 2001: A Space Odyssey,
Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece released in 1968, in which the space
stewardess is wearing a white outfit, with slacks and a very chunky
head garment? Cardin was the pioneer of space fashion or "la mode
futuriste", as it was known in the 1970s. He is quoted as saying, back
in 1967, "The clothes I prefer are those I invent for a life that
doesn't exist yet - the world of tomorrow".
Another designer inspired by space was André Courrèges, originally an engineer. His 1964 collection consisted of mini-dresses, often with a cut-out midriff and back, trouser-suits, flat peep-toe boots, goggles and helmets, as worn by astronauts, stark shapes in white and silver, the colors of space-ships, which earned the name of "Space Age Fashion", very popular in those days. Courrèges also liked to claim being the inventor of the mini-skirt, though that can easily be disputed, as there is plenty of evidence to the effect that Mary Quant got there before him. He did, however, introduce slacks into everyday wear with his trouser-suits, as pants, before him, were only worn by women on informal occasions. We all know that, in space, slacks are more practical than skirts. The space trends, in the 80s, were mostly Moncler and similar puffed-up jackets, mostly a cross between space and the ski-slopes, though some Thierry Mugler outfits, and jackets in particular, also had an extra-terrestrial look.
And now, what about the present? Enough of looking in the rear-view mirror, let's see what Today has to offer.
Above, Hussein Chalayan, left to right, 2007, 2008 and 2009 collections. Source: Hussein Chalayan's website.
The most space-oriented stylist of the day must certainly be Hussein Chalayan, who has designed outfits consisting of simil-plastic-material tops, worn with skirts or slacks made with more currently-used fabrics, such as wool or cotton. His robot-woman is very feminine and most attractive - a reminder of Fritz Lang's Metropolis movie's android (a film released in 1927, but still very up-to-date in most respects, definitely a classic in its "genre"). The moulded tops are like suits of armor, antique and futuristic at the same time, and very, very sexy, in particular if you want to believe that the shape of the breasts you can't see corresponds to what's showing in the mould. The headgear, too, looks to the future in space: hoods, often tied below the chin, plastic mushroom or lampshade-shaped hats, lit from the inside, to make you visible as a brightly-colored lamp-post in the night. The final result is stunning and shows that clearly Hussein Chalayan is one of the most brilliant designers of the early third millennium.
This is today's view of tomorrow, we'll have to wait for tomorrow to see what tomorrow's view of the day after is going to be...
Left: Hussein Chalayan's 2005 collection "Genometrics". Source: Hussein Chalayan's website.
Another designer inspired by space was André Courrèges, originally an engineer. His 1964 collection consisted of mini-dresses, often with a cut-out midriff and back, trouser-suits, flat peep-toe boots, goggles and helmets, as worn by astronauts, stark shapes in white and silver, the colors of space-ships, which earned the name of "Space Age Fashion", very popular in those days. Courrèges also liked to claim being the inventor of the mini-skirt, though that can easily be disputed, as there is plenty of evidence to the effect that Mary Quant got there before him. He did, however, introduce slacks into everyday wear with his trouser-suits, as pants, before him, were only worn by women on informal occasions. We all know that, in space, slacks are more practical than skirts. The space trends, in the 80s, were mostly Moncler and similar puffed-up jackets, mostly a cross between space and the ski-slopes, though some Thierry Mugler outfits, and jackets in particular, also had an extra-terrestrial look.
And now, what about the present? Enough of looking in the rear-view mirror, let's see what Today has to offer.
Above, Hussein Chalayan, left to right, 2007, 2008 and 2009 collections. Source: Hussein Chalayan's website.The most space-oriented stylist of the day must certainly be Hussein Chalayan, who has designed outfits consisting of simil-plastic-material tops, worn with skirts or slacks made with more currently-used fabrics, such as wool or cotton. His robot-woman is very feminine and most attractive - a reminder of Fritz Lang's Metropolis movie's android (a film released in 1927, but still very up-to-date in most respects, definitely a classic in its "genre"). The moulded tops are like suits of armor, antique and futuristic at the same time, and very, very sexy, in particular if you want to believe that the shape of the breasts you can't see corresponds to what's showing in the mould. The headgear, too, looks to the future in space: hoods, often tied below the chin, plastic mushroom or lampshade-shaped hats, lit from the inside, to make you visible as a brightly-colored lamp-post in the night. The final result is stunning and shows that clearly Hussein Chalayan is one of the most brilliant designers of the early third millennium.
This is today's view of tomorrow, we'll have to wait for tomorrow to see what tomorrow's view of the day after is going to be...
Left: Hussein Chalayan's 2005 collection "Genometrics". Source: Hussein Chalayan's website.
