Trend Tracker: Future Boho By Becky Lyon
25-09-2007
Future Boho is the oxymoron of the season. ‘Futuristic’ and ‘bohemian’ are two looks you wouldn’t necessarily think of putting together but it happens to form one of the hottest looks of the season. You no longer have to decide if you’re a free-spirited, neo-hippy or a slick and sexy techno-tough-gal; you can have the best of both worlds!
Designers were revelling in the opportunity to fuse two winning styles together to form a fresh look for the twenty-first century woman. The perennial futuristic style what with its structured silhouettes, rigid panel details and miles of metallic clashed with its alter ego i.e. slouchy, whimsical cuts, global prints and home crafted techniques.
Balenciaga owned the aesthetic on the catwalk and should be the first reference point. Multi-ethnic prints were clashed and then re-mixed with military jackets and equestrian jodhpurs- with a few jangly coin-fringed scarves thrown in.
Prints are drawn from all corners of the globe from Aztec geometrics, Egyptian graphics, Indian paisley and Peruvian colours. These global prints are then scattered and adorned with western embellishments- metal rivets, hardware details and jumbo plastic jewels add modern glamour. Take a look at Matthew Williamson’s luxury sportswear adorned with ethnic prints formed of neon embroidery and sequins and Christopher retro velvet with jumbo gems.
There are contrasts aplenty with easy shapes surfaced with futuristic, geometric panels at Hussein Chalayan and Marc by Marc Jacobs and natural feathers meeting industrial metallic on evening wear.
Accessories carry on from where the ubiquitous Arab ‘tea-towel’ scarves left off with printed, fringed scarves adding exotica to the winter wardrobe. Gap-year traveller finds inspired jewellery; charm bracelets, ‘friendship’ bracelets, and tribal talismans.
By Becky Lyon
