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The first time I watched The Devil Wears Prada, Miranda Priestly's Cerulean Sweater monologue felt like a personal attack. Like Andy Sachs, I too had been guilty of dismissing the world of fashion as frivolous and unimportant.
Growing up as a small-town boy, I never thought much about fashion or brands - my mother did all the shopping. But when I started attending a posh boarding school, I couldn't help but notice the obsession with brands and trends. It was a culture shock, to say the least. My salvation from the pressure to conform came in the form of uniforms, which provided a much-needed respite from the chaos of trends and brand names. The experience left me with a deep-seated disdain for brands and a disregard for fashion trends.
It wasn't until I moved to France that my fashion awakening occurred. I was struck by the stylishness of every passerby. They exuded a certain je ne sais quoi through the way they dressed, a panache that revealed to me the true power of fashion as a form of self-expression, and I was inspired to elevate my own fashion game. Inevitably my curiosity drove me to delve deeper into the science and art of fashion.
At the heart of our existence is a profound appreciation for beauty, which permeates every facet of our lives. Whether we recognize it or not, our sense of beauty points to a Designer that imbued the world with intricate detail and profound purpose. For many, that Designer is God. Fashion is just one way to appreciate the intricate nuanced way the world works at the confluence of science and art.
The SciArt of fashion is a delicate balance between purpose and beauty, that ultimately defines possibilities. Art sets the vision, but it is the science that brings it to life. Let me break that down for you, the way I see it: Science determines the 'what' and 'when' of fashion - the materials, patterns, and the technology of our time. But it's the art of fashion that determines the 'who', 'why', and 'how' - the designers and businesspeople who bring it to life with their creativity, vision and execution. It both reflects and shapes our society, telling the stories of who we are and where we are going.
Fashion designers, for this reason, wield a lot of power. What they create is beyond the mere creation of clothing.
As I watched 'The Devil Wears Prada', I was struck by the profound meaning behind Miranda Priestly's iconic monologue about the history and significance of the cerulean sweater - it was more than just a commentary on the fashion industry. It was a moment of realization that designers are not simply creating clothes, but they are shaping our culture, influencing our choices, and impacting our lives. It was like a magician revealing his trick - the choice of clothes I thought I had made that morning was actually made well in advance by a small bunch of designers and business people. The annual Pantone colour selection is just one example of how their creatives dictate which colours will saturate the market.
All this alludes to the fact that what is on the runway today will soon be off-the-rack and then on our backs. It makes me wonder, what does the future of fashion look like?
In order to find out what’s next, we must understand how SciArt defines fashion trends. An approach that may help is by delving into the "why" behind past trends. We can apply the inverse of this framework to discover the trends of the future.
All trends have an underlying reason attached to them, some may be easy to identify, especially when they are technology or resource-based. Such as:
Why has denim continued to be a staple in wardrobes worldwide?
It is because the technology of mass production, combined with the practicality and durability of denim, created a fashion trend that has lasted for over a century.
Why is purple the colour of royalty? Or why did the British Army adopt the red jackets?
Tyrian purple dye, made from the mucus secretion of a species of snail, was extremely expensive and, because red wool was cheap and available.
Other more artistic choices may require a deeper dive into culture and history. Such as:
Why did the Gingham (picture a typical checkered picnic cloth) become a classic pattern?
Thanks to the influence of the 18th century French Queen Marie Antoinette and her personal preference for country fashion.
Movies set in the future offer us glimpses of what fashion could look like in the future. Movies of the 20th century often predicted a future where we all wear uniforms and spandex suits. More recent films of the 21st century such as ‘Blade Runner 2049’ and ‘Hunger Games’ depict a hyper-personalized world - one where clothes are a blend of the digital, the material, and the experiential.
The shift in our perception of the future of fashion may be attributed to the possibilities and priorities of our time. The yearning for self-expression and supreme comfort is propelling the rise of personalized fashion. One of the most pressing priorities for the fashion industry is sustainability, from design to production to consumption. As we continue to explore the frontiers of technology, we discover new horizons of possibility.
But this future is not only a product of our imaginations. It's being brought to life by fashion designers partnering with science and technology experts, through the development of futuristic materials that are lighter, stronger, more sustainable and with unique properties that were previously unattainable.
From smart textiles that adapt to the environment and have the potential to enhance and augment human performance, to experiments such as spray-on fabric, to leather made from cacti and mushrooms, the possibilities are endless. And with the help of AI-assisted design and innovative techniques like 3-D printing and bio-design, fashion is becoming not only sustainable but regenerative.
The future of fashion is shrouded in mystery, yet one thing is certain: it has evolved beyond mere utility. It has become a language of the soul, expressed through fabric, texture, and colour. It is an oracle, foretelling the shape of things to come. The only way to truly know what the fashion of the future will look like is to embrace the present, stay curious and adventurous, and continue to push the boundaries of what we believe is possible.
Disclaimer: The information posted here represents the views and opinions of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of PurpleBlue House.
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