Chained to Perfection

Kendall Glavan

Chained to Perfection The trend Chained to Perfection will play a major role in Spring/Summer 2012. As women become more and more “obsessed” with body image, they become banded to this idea of per-fection. Women are becoming obsessed with body image and this is starting to transfer into fashion. As eating disorders are on the rise, the thought process and feelings are starting to leak into the styles of fashion. Women ob-sess over how they look and their body image and take extreme measures to reach their ideal body. Chained to perfection is the ultimate image and all the stages of the progress to this dream body. It has it’s ups and downs, and it certainly not healthy, but it leads to a beautiful fashion image. Chained to perfection reflects the emotions of women with eating disorders and the struggles with perception and emo-tions. It shows to struggles with the mind as well as the body through fashion. Chained to perfection reflects emotions that normally one feels while struggling with a distorted body image. When one looks in the mirror they may see a huge belly, when really it is all bones. This is reflected in fashion with accentuation on the hips and belly regions.

Broken Reflections: Concept

The concept of broken reflection is focused on the idea that while looking in the mirror women see a broken image of what is actually there. They see something totally different. Also, the concept of broken reflection is shine. Reflections shine and therefore the fashion fabrics shine. In the clothing the fabrics shine and the patterns are sometimes broken up so that it looks like a broken reflection. In fashion the clothes reflect what the rest of the world sees. This may be different than what the woman actually sees herself.

Armani Prive 2009Chanel 2009

Broken Reflections: Backcast

In 2009 broken reflections started to show the sheer fabric mixed with the shiny fabrics. In 2010, shinier fabrics started to be mixed in with beads which eventually became just the metallic color. The broken reflections all started with shiny material and beads, and sleek sil-houettes. Colors started out dark and will start to incorporate some brighter colors.

Armani Prive 2010

Broken Relfections: Forecast

Armani Prive 2011Carolina Herrera 2011Alexis Mabille 2011

For the future forecast of the concept broken reflection, in 2012 the fabrics will still be shiny, and will start to have added sheer-ness to them to break them up a little bit. Just like a broken re-flection would be broken up. Colors range from bright to darks.

Distorted Image: Concept

The concept of distorted image is that wom-en often think that they are larger than they actually they are. Women obsess over this image of what they think they look like in their minds when really they are usually a lot thinner. This is reflected in fashion when clothing is exaggerated. The hips may be larger or the shoulders showing that the body is distorted and disfigured. The en-largement shows the distorted image that women who struggle with perfection often have. This concept has shown up in fashion more and more. Often hips appear larger. This may have to do with the fact that wom-en are usually most unhappy with that area of their body.

Distorted Image: Backcast

Christian Dior 2010Elie Saab 2009Chanel 2010

In 2009 distorted image started to show with shorted dressed and skirts or jackets. It would focus on “fluff” rather than harsh lines. The clothes bubbled out from the body to add width and the dis-torted effect. In 2010, harsher lines started to come in. New points were made and this carries into 2011 and will carry into 2012. The length of the garments are also a major part that carries into the later years.

Marchesa 2011Christian Dior 2011

Disorted Image: Forecast

Oscar De La Renta 2011

In Spring 2012, distorted image will carry in the length in the dresses along with the pastel and feminine colors. The feminine touches add to the distort-edness because it shows how the women usually struggles with her body. Harsh lines and well as bubbles will appear. Volume will take on new heights and widths.

Inner Turmoil: Concept

The concept of inner turmoil is that women often struggle more with themselves than with anyone else. They go back and forth in their minds about the perfect image. In-ner turmoil focuses on pattern. It is sporadic as well as chaotic. It shows the traumatic thoughts that go through women’s minds when they struggle to be perfect. In fashion the patterns tend to be out of this world and black and white. The prints are bold and graphic which leads to a more traumatic feel.

Chanel 2009

Inner Turmoil: Backcast

Christian Lacroix 2009Versace 2010

nner turmoil started with bold graphic patterns in 2009 and continues through 2010 and 2011. colors were popular in 2009 and 2010 which will not be as noticed in 2012. Patterns are mostly seen in swirls and lines. The silhouette of the garments are short, but will start to become more varied in 2011 and 2012.

Marchesa 2011Ann Demeulemeester 2011

Inner Turmoil: Forecast

Prada 2011

The future forecast for Spring 2012 shows inner turmoil continuing the patterns being broken up, and also the patterns showing swirls. The colors will stick to mostly blacks with some pops of color. The patterns are bold and large. They are not seen in small prints, but instead blown up.

Precision: Concept

The concept of the trend precision is that perfection is all about everything being in correct order. Women tend to strive for this perfect body and this perfect life. They are chained to this idea of exactness and they do everything to have it. They have a very precise idea of what they want. It shows in fashion through tailored gar-ments and precise lines. Everything is very clean and put together. Excess is taken away and is taken back to what is basic.

Perfect Precision: Backcast

Chanel 2010Jean Paul Gaultier 2009

In 2009 and 2010 the concept of perfect precision most pertained to neutral and pale color pallets. It was still all about the clean, precise lines; but it stayed in a lighter more feminine color tones. This kept it body conscious and very female. It starts to move towards more drastic lines with less feminine touches. It gets less female and more edgy. As perfect precision grows it becomes edgier.

Armani Prive 2010

Jason Wu 2011

Perfect Precision: Forecast

Alexander McQueen 2011Narciso Rodriguez 2011

The future for perfect precision in spring 2012 is going to become very edgy. As women become more obsessed with their body image, cuts will be come more precise in coats and in shirts. If the coats and jackets are lose, the shirt underneath will show some of the precision. The colors are going deeper and more masculine possible leading towards the turmoil that they are feeling inside of themselves.

Obsession: Concept

The concept trend of obsession is that women that are chained to perfection obsess. They obsess over their bodies and their body image. They want complete control over their lives. If they start to lose control in one aspect of their lives, they try to control something that they actually can; such as weight. This affects their whole lives. This impacts fashion in the sense that clothes become very controlled. Patterns are subdued and in control. Everything lays nicely and the model seems to have complete control over what she is wearing instead of the other way around. It is more simple than nor-mal.

Obsession: Backcast

Alexis Mabille 2010Christian Lacroix 2009Jean Paul Gaultier 2010

In 2009 and 2010 dark colors and basics are the concept of obsession. Women ob-sess about how their bodies look and when they have less distracting fits on their bodies, they feel it is more flattering. They wear dark colors to camouflage and this continues into 2011 and 2012. Peek-a-boo portions are also a part of obsession be-cause it is an inside “look” into the body and soul of a women.

Obsession: Forecast

Jean Paul Gaultier 2011Alexis Mabille 2011

In spring 2012 obsession will continue to keep darker colors and will keep up with the peek-a-boo. Sheer fabrics will be used to give others an insight into the women’s mind. Obsession will grow into a meticulous trend that focuses on a women’s simple pleasures. While the silhouettes and colors may be simple, the fabric choices make the garments more complex. Obsession is all about control.

Oscar De La Renta 2011

Color Story : Inner Turmoil

Inner turmoil is all about pops of color mixed with black and

white. Most of the patterns are bold and graphic with pops of

bright, bold colors tied in.

Blush Skin

Blink

Fate

Violence

Night Sky

Fabric Story: Broken ReflectionsMetallic’s and silks are used

for broken reflections. All the

fabric choices shine and give

off reflections. They show off

the image on the inside and the

outside of the women to the

outside world. They reflect her

emotions. Sometimes beaded

fabrics are also used.

Lame Metallic

Lame Metallic

Silk

Silk

Sources:

www.style.com www.wgsn.com www.trendstop.com www.flickr.com