Trendwatch: Trompe l'oeil

Trompe l’oeil isn’t just a snooty-sounding, hard-to-pronounce French term, it also happens to be one of the hottest trends right now.

First things first: how to say it. As I am nothing like and nowhere near speaking with the same recognizable lilt as, say, Audrey Tatou, I did some research and called on my bon ami, Emilie.

Now put on your best Gallic accent and repeat after me: TRomp ‘LoY. Make sure you do the guttural “tr,” round your mouth for the “omp,” and stress on the “loy.” And there you have it.

The basic premise for this art technique is that it creates the optical illusion of any object to appear in 3-D. The designs are so remarkably realistic, they mimic depth, suggest mystery, lend humor, and so on and so forth. Simply put, this meticulous method is nothing short of magical.

Interior designer Juan Pablo Molyneux best describes it as a “fantasy that provokes reality.”

As with all things in the cyclical world of style, trompe l’oeil (which literally translates as “fool the eye” with origins dating back to ancient Greece and Rome) has made a comeback. From sidewalks to catwalks, it’s everywhere.

Famed graffiti artist Bansky and chalk artist, Julian Beever (aka Pavement Picasso) have both delighted and duped international crowds with their masterpieces.

Wall projections or printed wraps on buildings are installed to give the public a glimpse of what is to become of any construction site and to stir some interest at the same time.

The fashion industry is, as expected, all-agog with the trend. Givenchy has its limited oversized chain jersey shirt. Zara has its vest-and-tie tees. And yes, even Forever 21 has its own series of trompe l’oeil shirts. In Manila, the new label Heather Miss Gray (a Bleach Catastrophe and Cecile van Straten collaboration) carries a tongue-in-cheek shirt called “I was beauty queen sass!”

The look has also graced many designer runways — Chanel Couture, Sonia Rykiel, Phillip Lim, Alberta Ferretti, Zac Posen, Proenza Schouler, Louis Vuitton, Anna Sui and Tsumori Chisato.

Iconic concept store Colette’s online shop carries sought-after pieces by Comme des Garçons, Hussein Chalayan, Viktor & Rolf, Martin Margiela, and Mary Katrantzou.

Bags by Longchamp, Marc by Marc Jacobs and Roberta di Camerino are in on the trend, as well as shoes by Comme des Garçons, Band of Outsiders, Sperry Topsider and Fendi.

Trompe l’oeil is indeed ubiquitous, and it’s not just limited to the streets and fashion shows. The trend extends all the way to home goods and furniture.

You have the Maison Martin Margiela line, wallpapers by Deborah Bowness and Trove, home accessories like faux book collection prints from Front, frame napkins by Kyouei and wall decals — lots of them. My top picks for online decal shops are Whatisblik, Loxii and Areaware.

With the dismal global economic downturn leaving everyone’s amount of disposable income at an all-time low, this trend is turning out to be a very timely boon. If you’re eyeing particular items but can’t bear to pony up the cash, you can at least have some semblance of owning them by purchasing the trompe l’oeil version.

It is for its ersatz nature and novel appeal that many have taken to the trend and/or are contributing to its resurgence.

Most design offerings have been sublime, others playful, while some just border on cheesy (those aprons with the Statue of David print on them come to mind). So choose and spend wisely.

Trompe l’oeil succeeds where other trends have failed — feeding our need for the consumption of cool at the right price.

So I say keep on with the trend, folks. Feel free to trick our eyes, just please don’t mess with our minds — or our wallets.