Hot trends for the chilly weather
It’s inevitable that you’ll be wearing some of this season’s hottest trends.
Once an item has been declared a wardrobe essential there’s no escaping it and, conscious decision or not, you’ll most likely leave the mall with one of the things paraded up and down the runways this fall.
The decisions that get items onto runways happened almost a year ago, said Audrey Wilson, owner of Gemini Models and one of the region’s largest fashion show co-ordinators.
Wilson says many things can influence upcoming trends, but for this year the looks are all about being girly.
“This fall fashion season fashion is very reminiscent of the ‘50s. If you’re a TV watcher, the Mad Men series has certainly inspired women’s wardrobes to become a lot more feminine,” she said.
Anne T. Donahue, local writer for fashion blog 29 Secrets, thinks the return to our past makes fashion more exciting.
“We’re really bored with our state of everything,” she says.
Both Donahue and Wilson agree that boots are a must-have addition to any wardrobe.
“They’re one of the only fashions with practicality and tying an outfit together,” said Donahue. “They don’t have to try, they’re always cool. They have a bad-ass quality.”
Boots this fall will be ankle-length with jeggings or leggings or over-the-knee with longer skirts.
“I think what designers were looking for this year was trying to capture women in their most beautiful state, which is the women’s body and by moving to a more feminine silhouette. It does capture that and it looks beautiful,” Wilson said.
Fashion forward: Check out these related stories
Fair trade: For the globally conscious
Once designers have decided the Mad Men look is the new “it” thing, getting from the TV screen to the runway to fashion blogs or magazines takes a lot of work.
Simon Dowrick works with Grand River Shows and produces six fashion and art shows throughout the region including two bridal shows and the Total Woman’s Show.
Dorwick said many of the long hours spent producing a fashion show are spent coordinating with local businesses to make the show look visually appealing and be relevant to local consumers.
“If you take up space in a show, space is money, so it has to be a feature that will draw the target audience to the show so that they will spend money,” he said.
More than just considering the final sale of a product, a show has to be entertaining to draw a crowd.
“We live in a very diverse fashion community. My first goal for the product that’s in the show that it’s current, it sends a message and it’s going to allow people to be creative in their fashion. It should capture an entire realm of feelings,” said Wilson, who is coordinating two shows in the near future: Oct. 6 and Nov. 21, both at Bingemans’ in Kitchener.
Creativity determines what gets written about, as well. Donahue looks for unique fashion choices when she’s shopping and blogging.
“For me fashion has always been a fun thing,” she said. “I like shopping, but I don’t like shopping at chain stores.”
Determining what people will be wearing next may seem like an impossible job to get, but Wilson and Donahue disagree, encouraging those who want this kind of job to just keep trying for it.
“You just have to be relentless. It’s throwing shit at the wall and hoping something sticks, except it’s not shit, it’s your writing,” Donahue said about getting published.
“Eventually your work just begins to speak for itself.”
That relentlessness is the same for working in shows as a model as well.
Wilson holds monthly casting calls at Gemini and said it’s a myth that only the super-skinny, super-tall girls get chosen.
“People think the first thing we look at is their appearance, but instead of appearance it’s first impression, how they have put themselves together. Next would be their personality,” she said.
“When I hire them to do a job for a client, they now have to represent me to the client. I need them to be professional, polished and well organized.”
Wilson said Gemini represents over 200 girls from size two to over size 22.
They even look for unique or interesting features, some which are also influenced by television.
“The gap in the teeth is big for fall, it’s everywhere right now,” Wilson said.
For more information on Gemini Models go to geminimodels.com and to read Donahue’s column visit 29secrets.com.