Vibes #32: Fashion’s Dystopian Future
Kooky experiments weird out shoppers, Tokyo kawaii queens rule the roost and bubble skirts are so brat
‘Vibes' is a place to get the lowdown on what the f*ck has been going on in fashion recently. Good, bad, and everything in between — this is where it's at.
‘Vibes’ is a place for you to discover all of the fashionable things that should be on your radar.
If you didn’t know you needed to know these fashion tidbits, well, now you know.
It's a place to discover the news you may have missed and peek behind the scenes to see wtf has been going on in fashion recently.
Let’s get into round #32.
Fashion is getting a little trippy if you ask me.
Philosophical fashion experiments are putting the onus on the consumer, getting them to question their purchasing motivations in do-or-die scenarios.
Designers are making experimental creations for a futuristic world where war runs rife, dystopia is the norm, and things are a little chaotic.
And turning trash into treasure has become a future-facing way to reinvigorate and repurpose clothing for a new era.
Through ups and downs, fashion has always stood for something more.
But this current wave questions what the point even is and it's predictably unhinged.
Brand chit chat
MSCHF drops a philosophical fashion experiment: if MSCHF has managed to escape your attention, then I've got to wonder where you've been. The NYC collective is at it again and this time around they are turning Angus the cow into leather bags – but you can save him by showing a little compassion.
Gwam turns trash into treasure: you know the saying ‘one man's trash is another man's treasure’? Well, designer Gwam has taken this sentiment to heart as they breathe new life into and repurpose old watches and hats by cutting, glueing and melting something old into something new.
Aojie makes armour for the future: a young student designer from the Royal Academy of Antwerp, @aojierou is inspired by the fear of war. His work revolves around themes of war being integrated into everyday life and dress in an avante-garde, dystopian kind of way. Feels appropriate.
News you might have missed
Olympics upped its fashion game: sharpshooting style went viral, with South Korea serving ‘main character energy’ while Team China’s cyberpunk leathers were a vibe. And that's not to mention the normcore Japanese manga and Telfar uniforms – but 'Annal Wintour' is the absolute icing on the fashion cake.
Long live preppy fashion: if one trend appears to defy all odds as it gets rebranded and recoded for a new generation every couple of decades, then that trend would be all things prep. This new prep era is detached from status signalling and showboating and is a little more down-to-earth in its approach.
Nike is suing the Shoe Surgeon: is this petty drama because Nike has fallen off recently? Is it an attempt to claw back market share and protect its reputation to become more profitable? Either way, Nike is suing the Surgeon aka Dominic Ciambrone, for running an “illicit ‘Nike’ empire.” The tea is hot.
Icon moments and eye-roll behaviour
Bubble skirts are so brat: bubble skirts have taken over summer 2024, seen everywhere from Copenhagen Fashion Week to on the bods of celebrities such as Sabrina Carpenter and Selena Gomez. They're also very brat coded, and I'm sure Charli XCX would be proud of this puffed-up, bubble moment.
TikToker scores Ye belongings: this fashion story is pretty wild. Over on TikTok, @/lockerblocker20 seems to have hit the jackpot and unearthed a storage locker full of items belonging to Ye – finding everything from Sunday Service Clothing to Yeezy Season 1&2 magazines to music equipment.
Baby Mary is a kawaii queen: Harajuku legend Baby Mary has made kawaii style a high-end, fashionable experience for all to enjoy. The pink castle she reigns over in Omotesando, Tokyo, Miss Faline, is filled with cute clothes, cute souvenirs, and a tea room - she's the cool aunt we deserve.
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