After 40 years after first breaking into (and disrupting) the fashion scene, British design legend and activist Katharine Hamnett has returned. And in full force at that, with no punches drawn or hidden. The relaunch of her independent namesake brand comes into light at a moment of peak relevance capturing the l’air du temps of, especially youth movements who are angry at the development of current events. Catapulted to fame through her bold political t-shirts in the 1980’s, she is back to make a statement; to share her message in motivating action. With for example the house of Paul Poiret relaunching next month at Paris fashion week and Hamnett’s iconic pieces now available for sale, it is interesting to note the current revival of influential brands who made fashion history to be introduced and enjoyed by a new generation.
Her Spring 2018 collection was presented at the Liberty London department store, followed by an enticing “in conversation with” lead by Vogue chief critic Sarah Mower. The collection was understated and casually cool, featuring those famous parachute-silk pieces and other celebrated designs reborn from the archive. There was a satisfying friction between the lofty silks and the utilitarian silhouettes, nurturing an overall feeling of urban refinement. The colour palate was mostly muted: dark greens, navy, tan, save from a couple red pieces adding a spicy punch. Especially the t-shirt pronouncing “Protest and survive” - the mantra for this season. Of course next to her studio collection those iconic t-shirts are also up for offer, now revamped with appropriate messages including “Stop Trump” or “Cancel Brexit”. Hamnett stated, “Brexit is the stupidest idea that ever happened (well since we invaded Iraq).”
Through fashion, Hamnett hopes to inspire action although she shared her disappointment with the lack of progress by resistance. “We have to up our game. Marches and t-shirts aren’t bringing much. 30-40 years of activism and we’ve achieved bugger all… Marches and T-shirts they have no teeth.” Instead, Hamnett suggests directly contacting local representatives. “You need to not email, but WRITE to your MPs and ask for a reply. They represent you… If everyone did that, in a week we would have a different world.”
She is not one to shy away from anything, especially a cause that she believes in. Case and point, the famous image of her with Margaret Thatcher taken in 1984. The image immortalised her, making political history with a T-shirt reading: “58% DON’T WANT PERSHING”. The t-shirt protested the installation of U.S. nuclear warheads on British soil. According to Hamnett, when Thatcher noticed the T-shirt she stated - “Oh, we haven’t got Pershing here, my dear. We’ve got Cruise. So maybe you’re at the wrong party.”
Next to her involvement with political activism is Hamnett’s dedication to sustainability. Ever since auditing her business in 1989 and being completely shocked at the manufacturing process, she has taken action to promote sustainability in fashion. She nods at the irony as she is the founder of the stonewashing textile process (an extremely polluting process due to excessive chemical and water usage). “I am the Eichmann of the clothes industry”. You can tell how energised she is about being a change agent by implementing sustainable material in her collections (such as organic cotton and silks) and encourages her colleagues to do the same. In reference to the “me-too” movement in comparison to the devastating effects of chemicals and pesticides she jokes: “He touched my bottom! I mean get the --- over it. The real feminist issue is the garment industry and slavery.” She advocates that we should focus more on the tens of thousands dying of pesticide poisoning as victims of the cotton industry in India and Africa and the national and international consequences that provokes (e.g climate change, food shortage, mass-migration).
I have tremendous respect for Katharine Hamnett as she does not just talk the talk… She is fearless, elegant, confident and incredibly talented. She makes people listen (even from 100 meters away thanks to her t-shirts) and always strives in pushing the narrative forward. It was a pleasure to speak to a role model. To someone using fashion to generate action in a time where many think it is enough to complain and passively “like” a photo instead of going out and doing something about it.
And opening the 2018 Spring Couture collections is but of course Schiaparelli. If it were true that a debutant can set the tone of the season, one can deduce a desire for nature, the organic, and in short- the real. Bertrand Guyon argues for a return for authenticity, not meaningless hype. Enough with the retina-burning screens and swipes in all directions. Guyon is bringing us back to the roots - in a way to humanity’s roots: back to Africa. In regards to the continent, the designer says he wasn’t referring to a particular culture but more a longing for a direct relationship to nature, clearly outlined in the vast choice of materials including raw linens, silks, straw raffia, and driftwood. The natural purity reflected throughout the collection provided a balance which was equally as raw as it was refined, a welcome contrast to a clichéd couture connotation for prim and proper. Another well-executed balance was the relationship between day and evening wear, where both sets complimented each other well. While the daywear was particularly strong, including the grey-blue Prince of Wales check dress, couture clients are sure to queue for the evening wear numbers which softly seduce the soul of the eye of the beholder and the (lucky) wearer. Even in the most organic of contexts, shocking pink is always a Schiaparelli prerequisite and here it was not bold as expected - it refreshed like a breath of crisp mountain air - a very bearable lightness of pink. An additional point which stood out for me was the promotion of model diversity - in race and age- on a couture runway - a big deal in terms of moving forward. This Out of Africa collection was a success and a strong start to the season.
It was the friction between “the artificial and the organic” which made for an absorbing narrative at Iris Van Herpen. This season was based on “Ludi Naturae” or “Games of Nature” with models slinking down the runway looking like magnificent otherworldly creatures - thanks to the familiar futuristic materials resembling reptile scales. The outlandish creatures from deep within another galaxy were complete with the alien strut courtesy of sky-high geisha-esque platform sandals. Like Schiaparelli who embraced the organic, Van Herpen too kept to a natural palette of subtle browns, gold, and teal. However, it was what was above the models’ heads which set the tone of the show: large, paper-thin cellulose, floating sculptures by Dutch artist Peter Gentenaar. The shapes provided the context to the liberated silhouettes on the ground and made the clothes appear larger than life; collective pieces part of an entire art installation.
Today marks Maria Grazia Chiuri’s third couture collection for Christian Dior, and it was without a doubt, best to date and a reaffirmation that yes she is the right gal for the job. This was Chiuri’s first couture home run for the house and has proved that she can not only deliver clothes which are short-term sell-out sensations and trendsetters (the tulle strap dresses, the statement t-shirts, the newsboy navy caps…) but similar to her reign at Valentino together with Pierpaolo Piccioli, Chiuri can conjure iconic pieces; timeless craft yet capture the je ne sais quoi of the present. The collection took influence from surrealism (surrealist clothes for surrealist times no?) inspired by longtime Dior friend, Leonor Fini. Fini, the infamous Argentinian surrealist painter, designer, illustrator, and author known for her representations of powerful women. The brilliance of this collection was that the feminist spirit was not branded nor stifled- the symbolism and mastery were all in the detail. The entire collection would be worn by a confident, independent woman. A woman of intrigue, mystery, risk, and perhaps a little naughtiness underneath those delicious shadowy masks by Stephen Jones (very appropriate for tonight’s Dior Masked Ball). In sum, we saw a beautiful friction between the rigid masculine forms and the light femininity captured by tulle and organza, which played well onto a background of optical illusions. The experimentation in form and material paid off- Brava!
Most distinct on the runway was the unabashed return of glamour and overall pomp. Over the years we have seen a slow ascend towards maximalism, mostly thanks to Alessandro Michele’s cosmic transformation at 
An additional antithesis to the passé aesthetic of “normcore” is the the return of the bold retro print. The favourites of the season were featured in the homage to Gianni Versace, where early 90s prints for jumpsuits, dresses, and coats were adapted for today. With the 80’s in full revival mode (partially thanks to TV shows such as Stranger Things), more brands are leaning on their heritage, celebrating their legacy by staging homage collections and resurrecting pieces and prints of yesteryear. Nostalgia?Building upon last season’s triumphant debut by Raf Simmons for Calvin Klein, who presented the It coat of 2017 in yolk yellow covered in plastic, PVC has risen to become the protagonist of the season. Most used for preservation and packaging, the synthetic material was wrapped generously around stilettos as seen at Off White or transformed into boater hats, gloves, boots, coats and more at Chanel, thus shielding the precious tweeds underneath from the unpredictable atmosphere.Speaking of protection, was the prominence of the trench coat. With news blasts coming at us 24/7 and where at times it seems were are all living in a reality TV show, there is a serious growing desire for security - no matter in what form. (Even last season various collections such as Cèline began to feature blankets in place of handbags!) It was the unique interpretation of the trench which made it so pleasing, most notably by John Galliano for Maison Margiela and at Balenciaga applying deconstruction and abstract layering respectively. 
However in contrast, there was also some fantastic feminine touches including the rising trend of “see through” through lavish use of organza, which in particular played a leading role at Fendi. If you ask me, my guess is that see through is an extension to the rise in modest fashion. While the hems remain long, see through offers that whisper of sex appeal if desired.Other Spring Summer 2018 trends include the dominance of plaid (a reference to the UK exiting Europe?), denim on denim (the return of Twin Peaks and it’s classic Americana style?), and the bitter tinge of pastel tones (millennial pink and co. continuing its world domination?)Of course the true beauty of seasonal trends is that each of us interprets them in our own way. We have the freedom to unravel these curated codes and adapt them for our own needs and desires, so we can achieve our fullest potential. Trends are not a set of rules, they are fluctuating inspirations for us to communicate to the world loud and proud who we are and what we stand for.
