Splendor in the grass
The coming of age. It is an idea in one’s mind of the awakening — a movement towards elegance and eloquence. It is the gradual yet inevitable bloom of one into maturity. And as with one’s personal growth, our wardrobes, too, undergo certain stages of evolution. There was that time when blinding neons were worn with pride. At one point, just the same, the oversized sports T-shirts matched with an ill-fitting pair of designer jeans were, for some unexplainable reason, considered in vogue. Only the universe and its forces will ever know how that came to be.
Fashion’s memory — albeit often hazy, if not plain selective — will remind us of particular eras that we embraced at one point and simply detested in another. If one were to archive an individual’s style evolution (or lack thereof), a conspicuous looking number from around a decade ago will, without a doubt, merit a cringe or an embarrassed squeal. It is precisely because of these so-called birthing pains that a classic piece is considered priceless. To find a number that we are certain will surpass time, trend and yes, even the most unlikely occurrence on the fashion fore, would be nothing short of a miracle.
This season, intellectual and grown-up femininity is driving the design aesthetics of the most influential collections to hit the international runways. While Fall is often associated with all things fancy and full of flounce, this year rather celebrates the somber, subtle and bespoke. Take for instance the pragmatic tailoring of Raf Simons for Jil Sander. It is in its precise cut and craftsmanship that the very essence of sophistication is reinforced. A consistent propagator of minimalism, purist Narciso Rodriguez, reinterprets sensuality through seamless construction and architectural silhouettes created to fit like second skin. At Balenciaga, Nicolas Ghesquiere worked with highly structural pieces that infused subtle details such as statement jewelry to give his collection for Fall that of-the-moment, spontaneous feel. Givenchy’s Ricardo Tisci, most notably, stepped up this season as he composed a most provocative symphony of grays, blacks and other melancholic shades to merge gloom, goth and grace. Further proof of a more grown-up style sensibility for the season is the emergence of pieces — even from often daring labels like Louis Vuitton under the direction of quirk master Marc Jacobs or Lanvin with Alber Elbaz on the head of the drawing boards — that opted for hushed hues, well-thought out detailing that focused more on quality workmanship instead of visual showdown.
As with the legendary coming of age ‘60s film Splendor in the Grass, fashion this Fall has grown up. It has not necessarily lost its innocence. If anything, style has become testament to the coming into one’s own. It has, perhaps momentarily, left the realm of grand standing and let go of the ostentatious. This Fall, we celebrate a new brand of confidence — created through the most subtle yet utterly brilliant infusion of details, muted yet soothing tones and impeccable workmanship.
