FASHION FORECASTING AND PRODUCT DEVELOPEMENT

Question: - Differentiate between any two famous designer on the basis of their parameters. (Non- Indian)?

Answer:- Alexander McQueen   (1969-2010)

Alexander McQueen was a British fashion designer and couturier who pushed fashion’s limits to a different extreme. He is known for his dramatic designs and fashion shows that are said to be raw and powerful. Even after his death, he is considered a legend and his designs still live on. I think he has helped the fashion industry evolve and really proved that there is no limit when it comes to art. I chose him because how could I not chose him? He is one of the most perfect examples of an influential designer.McQueen is most known for his theatrical designs and powerful runways shows. His runway shows were always anticipated and would leave a trail controversy afterwards. He is one of the designers who are bold enough to present collections that shocked spectators and held qualities that other refer to as “disturbed and raw”. He has brought many elements that impacted the fashion industry with things like his bumster pants, skull print, theatrical runway shows, and extreme silhouettes.

Critical Analysis

 Many events in the 1990's brought along controversy and chaos. At this time, the gay-rights movement was going on which fought for the protection of civil rights for homosexuals. It is also during this time period that the Mad Cow disease and many died after consuming infected beef. Scandals happened during this decade various times including the Bill Clinton scandal and the Heaven’s Gates cult took the lives of thirty nine people through a mass suicide.

It is within all this anarchy and turmoil that McQueen found inspiration. Each collection he presented and runway shows were based off a certain theme with a deep meaning.

The last runway show he did which was his Spring/Summer 2010 line where he introduced his famous “armadillo shoes.” The runway show properly named “Survival of the Fittest” featured models walking in elaborate and dangerously high-heels that resembled an armadillo.

Many thought it was just part of the design, but these shoes are actually part of the moral of the show. These models are fighting to walk on the runway with these glamorous but potentially harmful shoes and putting on an incredible exhibition. In other runway shows, he uses different themes that relates to current times, such as his political, fantasy, theater, and much more. McQueen looks at anything for inspiration. Whether it be people like stylist Isabella Blow, or events that occur at the time. He also like to mix in elements to his designs like nature. He has one catwalk show based off on water and futurism, and another based off of moths.

  McQueen is iconic because he was not in the fashion industry for long but for the time he was, he managed to blow everybody away.

His gift for tailoring allows to him to create the imaginative designs he is known for and to construct breathtaking runway shows.

He has set new trends not just in the clothing itself, but also on how designers present their collections. He is the first to use models who do not fit the stereotypical mold.

He once even used a former Paralympian, Aimee Mullins, to wear a pair of hand-carved wooden prosthetic legs on his catwalk. He never cared for working with supermodels and when he does, he often enjoys messing with them and getting them out of their comfort zone.

His mixture of extreme silhouettes on theatrical catwalks truly put on a performance you would never forget. This “wow” factor in McQueen is what made him stand out and is one of the main reasons why he is so missed. You can always expect the unexpected from McQueen and that is why he is an icon. 

Analysis of Future Trends Alexander McQueen touched many lives before and even after his death. I truly believe that we can all take something for him not just because of his genius designs but his overall presentation. McQueen makes us think more in depth about the fashion world and touches on subjects that the fashion industry never strayed near before.

Many designers to this day carry on his influences. One of these influences is McQueen's bumsters pants. He showcased them to the public in his first ever runway show, "Highland Rape" which was based off political incidents happening in Britain.

They are extremely low-cut pants that show off the hip bones of the body. Another one is his use of skull prints. These skull prints reflect the darkness in McQueen's designs. Ever since McQueen's usage of skull prints, it is seen more frequently on runways and on the streets than ever before. He also started to use these skulls around when grunge was all the rage. Lastly, his use of culture and history is one of the most important trends.

He uses past styles to remind us that they were there and gives them his own little twist to make it more modern. He loves using past, present, and future trends to open up the minds of his audience and show them all the different sides to fashion. 

McQueen has inspired numerous trends that we can expect to be around for a long time. Even Dolce & Gabanna have followed his examples and store-brand name Abbey Dawn by Avril Lavigne.

His influences can be seen on couture runway shows and on your average teenager. He has left an everlasting imprint on the fashion industry and we will never forget him. The most we remember about McQueen is his extreme silhouettes and shocking runways.

Other designer's fashion shows cannot be compared to his because not only do his shows demonstrate craftsmanship and master tailoring, but true art and morals as well. I do not personally own anything that is the Alexander McQueen brand but I carry a lot of skull prints in my closet.

Since McQueen’s design is so theatrical, I do not own anything costume-like. Many would kill for his incredible designs including myself, and maybe that is what he wanted. Therefore, Alexander McQueen is one of the most influential designers in fashion history. 

“Clothes….Speak many languages….

And have to be seen on the outside….As well as felt on the inside”

_Miyake

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As well as felt on the inside”

'Pleats' was introduced into ISSEY MIYAKE in 1989, and has been developed every season thereafter. By 1993, it was ready to be launched as a complete and standalone brand and appeared as PLEATS PLEASE ISSEY MIYAKE for the Spring- Summer collection.

(In this technique the garments are cut and sewn first, then sandwiched between layers of paper and fed into a heat press, where they are pleated. The fabric's 'memory' holds the pleats and when the garments are liberated from their paper cocoon, they are ready-to wear.)

He did the costume for Ballett Frankfurt with pleats in a piece named ‘The Loss of Small Detail’ of William Forsythe and also work on ballet ‘Garden in the setting’.

_Miyake

In 1998, Miyake embarked upon a new project called A POC (A Piece of Cloth) with Dai Fujiwara and a team of young designers.

A-POC, is an industrial weaving machine programmed by a computer that creates continuous tubes of fabric within which lie both shape and pattern. The customers can cut exactly to the length they want.

The concept is a revolutionary way of making clothes, accessories or even lately furniture.A-POC process reduces any leftover fabric that would have been eventually garbage that filling up our landfills. Also it lets the costumer to have a role in the final design of the final outcome.

Miyake uses the traditional techniques of dyeing, draping, pleating, wrapping & overlay consistently in his work. This reinstates the ancient art forms of shibori or tiedye, and origami, or paper folding into contemporary dress.

Issey Miyake and his design group, the Reality Lab, have created a line of ecoconscious "Origami clothing" using recycled PET fabric. Each garment is made from a single piece of fabric, which is folded flat into one of ten basic collapsible patterns. The sharp creases in the fabric are made flexible but permanent, so that as you open the garment a multifaceted 3D form emerges.

PHILOSOPHY…

Issey Miyake does not want to be called an artist. Nor does he want to be labeled a ‘Japanese Fashion Designer’. However from a Western point of view, he is both.

He argues that stereotypical boundaries limit the possible concepts of design.

By challenging convention an aesthetics stance, he states, “I believe in questioning.” He has promoted an integral liaison between the fine arts, photography, the applied arts & fashion and shown the world the true meaning of collaborative effort.

Miyake has been dubbed “The Picasso of Fashion”, presumably in relation to the diversity of his work, his propensity for discoveries new artistic methodologies and his challenging of traditional concepts of design.

For over forty years, Miyake has reinvented form, redefined the boundaries of clothing in both functional & aesthetic contexts, & rejuvenated new modern methods of clothing production.