Last week, my groupmates and I scoured Bonifacio High Street and Greenbelt on a mission; trend watch. Searching for trendsetters-at-large on a random Wednesday afternoon was not easy. Most of them would have likely been at work, at school, or still in bed recovering from the previous night's party. Even places normally overflowing with Manila's most stylish felt like ghost towns in the time between the lunch-hour rush and the evening cocktail hour. Eventually, however, we managed to find a few stylish souls and convince them to strike a pose for us. Here are some of our interesting finds that either reflects our local zeitgeist or its just something new.
Introducing:
ECO-GRUNGE
Debbie
Along the ocean of loneliness at a very dead hour of the day at Bonifacio High Street, waiting for her ride, we spotted Debbie V. With a laid back look, a bag sling-ed on her back, a really loose shirt with grungy print, plus a simple boyfriend trousers, the whole look caught our eyes. Her garments including her shoes are made from mostly cotton except for her bag. But the eco movement does not stop there, she is holding a Freitag bag. And how did Freitag bags become so eco friendly whilst their of synthetic material?
Brothers Markus and Daniel Freitag were in search of a bag that was both heavy-duty and functional. They later on decided to create what they are looking for on their own. Crafting bags from purely of recycled materials, such as old tarpaulin, seat belt webbing and bicycle inner-tubes, this gave birth to the brand Freitag. Since its founding in 1993, Freitag has invaded the globe with an online shop and 300 stores worldwide. Its being cool and earthfriendly at the same time.
In the fashion leadership cycle, Freitag bags are following the trickle-down theory. The bags were popular amongst the designers (mostly industrial and graphic designers) and students. The bags are ironically expensive for something that up-cycled a.k.a. came from trash. Oh well, as they say, someone else's trash is another person's treasure; with Freitags, it was a matter of re-imaging, up-cycling and putting some design magic to a forlorn tarp and seatbelt and now we have a cool bag.
Even though Freitag bags were introduced for such a long time, being a bit of a niche brand, makes its popularity on mainstreams and movement in the trend cycle, go slower. Even if there are recycled tarp bags locally, or in other part of the world that is not part of Freitag, they don't get imitated as much as Louis Vuitons are. So, i consider them still increasing in popularity.
Here is our take on the eco grunge look. A mixture if textures that rough rugged unfinished look is their but inspired with Debbie's look with a minimal silhouette.
LACED with POWER
Chen
Chen, on her way to work coincidentally passing by High Street, we were caught in awe by her power dressing. Whilst channeling the 2010 spring look of the dandy oh so lovely lace into a bit of a rock chick style with her black body fitting skirt. We loved her lace top and her feminine but professional look.
Speaking of lace tops...
Originally, Lace tops were said to have evolved from the lingerie or undergarments.
Thus, see-through clothing, such as lace tops, were taboo for it reminds people of the intimate, sensual, and some seduction. It was not until the soap operas of the 80s, namely Dynasty and Dallas, gave light to the trend. Major trendsetters of this 'era' were Cindy Crawford, Demi Moore, and Brooke Shields. By 2006, see-through clothing took center stage in the fashion runways and later on transitioned to a noir lace trend in a/w 2008 and a happy puffy dandy comeback on the s/s 2010 runways.
We'd consider lace part of the trickle down for the 06, 08, and 2010 seasons, since it was all designers idea to hype up or use sheers and laces massively in their collections.Now shops that cater from contemporary to junior has it. Which also implies that this trend is at its peak of the trend cycle.
Here is our take on Chen's look. Biker leggings and some daintily detailed killer heels.
The Watch, The Chef and The CROC
Carl
Carl was waiting outside a restaurant on Bonifacio High Street when we spotted him. At first glance he looked like he's wearing a tailored polo or something...(Or maybe its was just our eyes. 20/20 has already came with deductions for our eyes)... going towards him, we realized that he was wearing the generic chef uniform. However, we still continued asking him to be our subject since he have this kind of "SWAG" since he made the typical chef outfit so ...hm... full of Swag? After the interrogation, we realized that his nice rectangular wristwatch gave him that sartorial vibe and added to that is his pair of crocs. It was not just an ordinary pair of crocs, it was more flat than bloated , which made him look like he was just wearing sneakers.
Carl would have not have a cool utility/accessory if wristwatches were'nt created. Lucky for Him and other wristwatch lovers, Patek Phillippe created them in 1868. First mass production by 1880 when Girard-Perregaux developed the concept for two thousand German Naval officers, as ordered by Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany. It was mass produced mainly for utilitarian purpose.An aviator watch was developed in 1904. John Harwood invented the first successful self-winding watches in 1923. 1950-1969 became a period of electric watches and by 1969, the quartz watch was introduced.
Nowadays, brands like Kenneth Cole which started out during 1982 as Kenneth Cole Productions with women’s footwear and today, sells fashion items from Menswear and Womenswear, to footwear, to bags and accessories: They market watches not as utilitarian but as a fashion accessory with a range of designs, shapes and colors.
Watches leads a trickle down movement, if you view military officers and aviators as elite. It was used as a timepiece and not as an accessory at first. Nowadays, its popular on mainstream and even the 'poor' can have one. technology and mass production is sweet!
All these mas production has also put wrist watches in all parts of the fashion cycle. But if we look at it as utilitarian, a classic, then it is always at the peak of the trend cycle.
we can't defy this uniform kinda look, so we thought of sailor palletes if we were to put this look on magazine. brown-ish and navy blue... and if a girl wears it, add floral on the side. a pair of nice tan bermuda shorts with a white polo would complete the look.
Nerdy and Cool
Nixon
We spotted Nixon at Greenbelt, with his friend RCXY (also featured below by 3 of our classmates). They were all well style. Quite a looker I must say! Nixon got the essence of Singaporean street dressing with his top and the nerdy feel and that Japanese street Shorts over man leggings. It was quite clever and he can pull it off.
In women's wardrobes, leggings came from leotards and or stockings. Men Leggings or Meggings, evolved from the designer's addiction to skinny jeans. as if the ultra skinny jean from Dior Spring Menswear 09 that in Lanvin, those skinny jeans turned into leggings. IT came back on the runways 2010 for Comme De Garcons and Y-3. It came back with amore modest and stylish arrangement, similar to Nixon's look.
The trend came from the streets of Japan and after the runway, back to Japan. Its kind of trickle up since it came from the streets and went into the runways and back.
Inspired by Nixon's ensemble, we'd go for something wildly printed, androgynous with atint of gender bender and interpretations of geekery, Argyle and stained glass hybrid. (reminds me of fangires in Masked Rider Kiva 08), of course some band memorabilia, chuck taylor looking shoes and a small hint of quirky fabrics.
by: Marielle Baysa, Irene Subang, Rakiel Talan
Sources:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/mar/09/fashion-mens-leggings
http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/profile?id=772864 (rakiel's polyvore)
photos courtesy of marielle
http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/profile?id=772864 (rakiel's polyvore)
photos courtesy of marielle
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