In light of Brexit, what IS British style today and where is it going?
Beats me. All I can say as a bystander (and direct product of British involvement in globalization, thanks King George ) is that the question of British identity was a loaded one this week.
The tension between the political, social, and economic reality of Britain’s impending exit from the EU and what the international nature of British fashion was eye-rollingly palpable. How can isolationism coexist with an industry that is not only economically globalized, but creatively so as well?
Global Role Call
There’s Emelia Wickstead – herself from New Zealand – who drew her inspiration from Sofia Coppola’s character in The Godfather Part III. How many nationalities are represented in that last statement?
Duro Olowu, via Vogue
There’s Duro Olowu, a Nigerian designer, also based in London, whose inspiration came from South African singer and activist Miriam Makeba.
One of the modern gems of British design, Mary Katrantzou, continues her reign as a demi-couturier. She was born in Athens and educated in Rhode Island. And she’s very nearly considered a British national treasure.
Erdem
Then there’s Erdem Moramioglu, who is Turkish/Canadian. His collection was inspired by Principessa Orietta Doria Pamphilj of Italy, who came from the most classically Italian family ever (well, I don’t know for sure, but read this article published in the Telegraph after her death in 2000 and you’ll see what I mean). She visited London in 1963, married a British Lieutenant, and adopted two British children. So naturally, his collection was full of rich, Baroque prints in bright, swinging 60s color.
Richard Malone
Richard Malone, an Irish national who naturally is slightly anxious about what the pending Brexit deal could mean for his ability to work and employ people in England (Vogue‘s review sums it up here.) He coped by escaping into nostalgia, staging the type of community-style party I am familiar with through my Call the Midwife obsession. You know, the community hall, florescent lights, 2-liter (or should I say, litre) bottles of store-brand soda, and you have to clear out before the 8 o’clock bingo folks show up?
It was a fun bit of very British camp. His decision to stage the show this way was a poignant reminder of the cultural fabric and memories that Britons share, regardless of the borders and troubles and Brexit messes. And I might add that while the staging was nostalgic (one could say backward-looking), Malone is a leader in sustainable fashion. I believe one of his dresses was made out of recycled dog beds (not kidding). So, in that regard, very forward thinking.
Peter Pilotto
Peter Pilotto staged his presentation at the Reform Club in London, which according to Vogue is the most British venue possible with the exception of Buckingham Palace. Apparently, Sir Conan Doyle was a member – think tobacco, velvet, and wood panels. There were lots of traditionally English elements to his show, like woolen checks. While reviewers from Vogue and Women’s Wear Daily emphasized his return to British lines, I still find it noteworthy that he drew inspiration from traditional Hungarian ceramics brand Zsolnay.
Burberry
If there’s any one show that dramatically pointed out the rifts in British society – it was Riccardo Tisci at Burberry. (Yes, another Italian name because fashion is GLOBAL, people! But we’ll get back to that in a minute). Unbeknownst to the audience, there were actually two different stages with very different ambiances: one cushy, like a “luxury private cinema,” according to Vogue, and the other a brutally austere space with scaffolding on the walls and – weirdly – kids in “generic tracksuits, shorts, and hoodies” hanging off of and climbing all over it.
Given that Tisci’s goal with his collection was to highlight the contrasts in British “culture and weather,” it’s not a stretch to see what he’s doing here. He had two different groups viewing the same models and same clothes under different conditions, each in their own bubble, unaware that there was any other way of seeing the show. The intrinsic comparison to how we create our own echo chambers and entrench ourselves in our beliefs (get it? en-trench and its Burberry? Maybe I’m the only one to think that’s funny).
Fashion is global, people
I’m still left with the question – what is British fashion in the shadow of Brexit? At the very least, it seems a world apart from the mindset of isolationism. In my view, this is one of fashion’s greatest strengths. We have Greeks becoming British icons, Sir Conan Doyle’s club playing host to Hungarian-inspired patterns, and Nigerian designers paying homage to South African icons in London. There is simply no breaking away from how connected all this talent is, all around the globe.
I think what is going to happen is that British designers will continue doing what they do best (dare I say “keep calm and carry on?” Or is that so 2012?). None of us can untangle ourselves from global influence – and I’m glad that these designers aren’t even trying. They’re embracing their international identities while paying tribute to where they live, work, and build their lives. Just look at how beautiful their clothes are – doesn’t that speak volumes?
love
Stig.
