Soho Street Style

This week I hit the streets of Soho. Street style now, more than ever plays such a crucial role in current trends. From the streets, to the high street, to the high-end brands. The trickle-up effect is becoming increasingly common. Designers no longer call the shots. With my camera at the ready and Bill Cunningham eye, I set out to explore the quirky corners of Soho. 

As I'm sure you will see from my below shots, street inspiration comes from all different types of people. Creatives, students, women, men, young, old…Soho really is an artistic bubble, bursting with style!   

Tailoring the Trend

"I am aiming to bring more modernity to Dior, I think that's what Dior has really missed" - Raf Simons, Creative Director of Christian Dior, Pre-Spring 2013 

Modernity, a powerful trend emerging throughout the Spring/Summer 2016 shows. Simons tailored jackets and loose fitting trousers are a far cry from Dior’s 1947 ‘Bar’ jacket. But, this functioning, modern aesthetic descended long before Dior’s structured silhouettes. 

August 3rd, 1914, the First World War. A defining moment in women's fashion. Practicality, independence, freedom and equality. A new world needed a new wardrobe. Coco Chanel’s revolutionary suit symbolized the 1920‘s social and political advances. Masculine inspired couture garments embraced the emancipation of women. "The fashion statement of the century". Indeed, by 1928 the first-wave of feminism was accomplished. Western women were given the right to vote. Feminism and fashion walked hand in hand. A new wardrobe for a new woman.  

Coco Chanel, Signature Cardigan Jacket, 1927

Yet, three decades later in 1947 Dior’s vision of femininity abolished the Modern Woman aesthetic. Corseted silhouettes restricted women, trapping them into pre-war fashion values. Women were once again objects, to be looked at. 

Christian Dior, Bar Jacket, 1947

And breath. Today, the oversized jackets and slouchy trousers mark an entirely new vision. Simons aim to ‘bring more modernity to Dior’. A controversially masculine edge applied to a feminine brand. Clean cut, sharp tailored suits hit the runway. Juxtaposed against cropped tops and feminine accessories. Simons relaxed two-pieces creates a fresh, cosmopolitan look. A modern city style with a sprinkle of classic Dior femininity.

Relaxed masculine tailoring is a look which goes far beyond the realms of Dior this season. A new silhouette is spotted all over the SS16 catwalk. Chloe, Gucci, Saint Laurent, Versace and of course Chanel present interpretations of the menswear-inspired trend. 

Spring/Summer 2016 is all about embracing a new mood of femininity. Todays trouser suit is not only a practical, political statement. It’s a style. A style no doubt influenced by Saint Laurent’s iconic 1967 three-piece evening suit. Masculinity made sexy. This season Hedi Slimane teams the oversized suit with a glossy camisole and sparking tiara. Karl Lagerfeld presents comfortable boucle jackets for the glamourous traveller. Clare Waight Keller mixes romantic feminine lace with seventies inspired cut and wellington boots. Alessandro Michele presents shimmering shades and geometric prints. And Donatella Versace combines bold, print two-piece with minimalist bandeaus. Defining her striking collection as “the way women live their lives today, mixing tailoring with sportswear and effortless glamour". This season the suit has been pulled apart and re-imaged. Vetements and Public School take the slouchy, relaxed attitude one step further. Infusing street style edge. A fusion of masculine power, comfort and style. A reinvention of a timeless trend.

Saint Laurent, Le Smoking, 1967

Of course, this is a trend influenced by current social and political advances. 30% Club’s five year goal to increase the amount of women at the top of UK companies has been achieved. Meryl Streep, Helena Bonham Cater and Carey Mulligan team together in the  Hollywood blockbuster, Suffragette. A movement still painfully relevant today. But, both feminism and fashion have come a long way. The relaxed suit embodies these advances. As the infamous blog Man Repeller celebrates, fashion has become experiential, expressive. Women no longer dress for men but for themselves. Long gone are the days of Georgio Armani and Ralph Lauren’s 1980’s ‘Power Suit’. No longer confined to the walls of the boardroom, todays relaxed tailoring marks a contemporary vision. Designers response to the demands of the 21st century Modern Woman. 

Sensitivity and Strength

"At Dior I feel especially responsible for what I've created myself, and at Dior I feel responsible for what Christian Dior has created, his goal, his philosophy and aim."

- Raf Simons, Creative Director of Christian Dior, Pre-Spring 2013 

Heritage, an inherent theme which runs throughout Raf Simons Spring/Summer 2016 collection. The overtly feminine feel, decorative flowers and reinvention of Dior’s classic ‘Bar’ jacket. Simons undisputedly draws inspiration from the past whilst looking to the future. 

“Purity and precision”. Simons goal, to “concentrate on a line that expressed an idea of femininity, fragility and sensitivity without sacrificing strength.” As the clean-cut, minimalist garments hit the runway, the feminine essence of Dior engulfs the catwalk. Dior’s designs explored a language of flowers that exalted a woman's beauty. This floral theme is inherent in todays show. Surrounded by a lavish garden of flowers, the collection evokes Christian Dior’s impressionist influences. The stunning set immerses the audience into the magnificent scent of 300,000 delphiniums. Like John Galliano so respectfully did before him, Simons pays tribute to Dior’s flower-like women. Appearing on the catwalk as tall stems amongst a garden of flowers. Delicate pastel fabrics, rounded hems and detailed embroidered pieces. As Dior intended, the garments offer women a feeling of elegance, luxury, and most importantly, femininity.

Yes, the core of the collection fulfills Christian Dior’s obsession for sophisticated elegance. But, Simons injects a modern touch. The straight-line jackets, bold vertical stripes, cropped sweaters and flowing skirts. A renewal of femininity. The show is encapsulated by the eerily powerful Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) background music. This victorian influence diffuses into the collection. Numerical ‘1947’ chokers tie the looks together. A subtle reminded to the history of Dior. 

Let’s look a little closer into the modern aesthetic. The collection opens with the ‘Bar’ jacket. Paired with a clean scalloped hem two-piece, the jacket draws parallels to the master’s debut collection. The 1947 ‘Bar’ suit displayed Dior's desire to restore the values of femininity lost during the Second World War (1939-1945). Carmel Snow, editor of Harper’s Bazaar coined Dior’s debut collection, the ‘New Look’. 

But, the originality of Dior's designs has long been contested. Balenciaga’s 1939 hollywood inspired, silk ‘Velasquez’ dress draws a distinctive resemblance. Look back further to Paul Poiret’s, 1913 kimono-styled, lampshade-skirted dress. Perhaps Dior’s ‘New Look’ wasn't so new after all. Yet, the affliction remains. On the runway today, Simons pays tribute to this. Notably, the reworked ‘Bar’ jacket does not share Dior’s architectural silhouette aesthetic. But, the dropped black wool reinvention cleverly incorporates the 1947 collection. Titled 'Corolla', the name represented Dior’s hourglass figure eight structures. An arrangement of lines which brought overall harmony to his designs. Simons details the victorian chokers with the number '8', symbolising this. Fusing together past, present and future. 

Yes, Simons has achieved his responsibility. Staying faithful to the cruxes of Dior, whilst paying homage to the past. A revival and renewal of the couture house. The collection projects empowerment, movement, modern elegance. A strength Simons did not care to sacrifice.

The Authorship of the Artist

“The latest fashion...is absolutely necessary for a painting. It’s what matters most.” - Edouard Manet, 1881 

Dior, a brand obsessed with flowers. Silhouettes, materials, catwalks, photo shoots, collection names, perfumes. The list goes on. Captivating the senses, flowers immerse us into the dream-like world of Dior. Embedded deep within the roots, the influence has made Dior the iconic brand it is today. Growing and flourishing into beauty and elegance. Dior’s connection with flowers stems back to a time before the existence of the brand. Granville, a seaside villa on the cliffs of Normandy. Where Christian Dior grew up, surrounded by landscape and beauty. "By nature I am drawn to the past". Childhood memories, immortalized into garments. But, Dior wasn't alone in his tranquil garden. Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, Paul Cezanne and Pierre-Auguste Renoir (to name a few) walked before him. The great impressionists. An artistic movement enthused by contemporary colour, enriching landscapes into thick oil impastos. A revolutionary style in modern art. A movement which encompasses the essence of Dior. 

Take Raf Simons debut collection at Dior for example. Christian Dior, Haute Couture, Autumn/Winter 2012. A breathtaking collection, closing with a strapless white organza dress. A dress which draws parallels to multiple impressionists. Oscar-Claude Monet springs to mind. Like Dior, Monet was also inspired by Normandy’s landscape. Monet’s The Artist’s Garden at Giverny, 1990. A sea of lilac and blue shades bring nature to life. A colour pallet which no doubt inspired the petals covering Simons design. The dotted chiffon formation evokes similarities to the pointillism of George Seurat. A Neo-Impressionists who created his works through tiny dots of colour. Colours, shapes, patterns, the impressionist influences are endless. Impressions Dior, 2013 exhibition paid tribute to this relationship. But, Simons takes the connection between fashion and art one step further. His AW12 couture show also incorporates the work of multidisciplinary artist Sterling Ruby. Simons innovatively translates Ruby’s abstract canvases into haute couture. A collaboration which makes us question the line between art and fashion. 

Of course, Dior is not the first designer to be influenced by the impressionist movement. The relationship dates back to the 1860‘s. As impressionism emerged, Paris became the fashion capital of the world. No, this was not a coincidence. A time when mass media and elaborate fashion shows didn't exist. The elite found inspiration in art. Fashion became direct copies of the impressionists depictions of modern life. The artist became the designer.

Claude Monet, Madame Louis Joachim Gaudibert, 1865 - American Day Dress, 1865
Claude Monet, Women in the Garden, 1866 - French Day Dress 1862

It’s fair to say that Dior respectfully extracts elements of impressionism into his designs. Unlike the 19th century, Dior does not draw directly from the art works. But, this is not always the case in 21st century fashion. Take Victor & Rolf’s, Haute Couture, Spring 2015 show. The architecturally constructed dresses act as works of art in themselves. But, the designs borrow patterns and pallets from Van Gogh’s trademark pieces. Rodarte’s Spring/Summer 2012 collection also copies the work of Van Gogh. Less of an influence and more of a direct replica. Authorship, authority and ownership come into question. The impressionists presence in fashion, as evident today as it was in the 19th century.   

As Raf Simons steps down from Dior this week the artistic direction of the fashion house is left in question. Will Phoebe Philo add a youthful edge to the brand? Will Alber Elbaz continue the impressionist influences? Only time will tell.