Warning, extra long post, this has been mulling in my head for over two years so left crack it open and inhale the heady must…
It first started with Marios Schwab‘s A/W 08 catwalk show, a collection Sarah Mower described as “new and “out there” in a way “few designers dare in these days of commercial constraints”. She went on to use the word ‘bellwether’, which Wikipedia told me is an “entity in a given arena that serves to create or influence trends or to presage future happenings.” Bang on.
When I watched the show I was completely in awe, but I also felt a bit sorry for Mr Schwab. This wasn’t a collection that press and buyers were going to fawn over in the way they all fell head over heels with his 3D collection just one year later. As the models baby-stepped off the catwalk I got the feeling that it was time for long skirts, maybe not yet but soon. There’s a saying that goes it doesn’t matter if you’re first to unearth a trend, you also have to break it at the right moment.
Rachael walking me to the train station from her house was also food for thought. Long skirt (paisley?), orange and fuchsia quilted ballet pumps, rock tee. Girl can carry off a look. Apparently the long skirt earns her the most compliments ever from men, more food for thought.
Fast-forward to this summer, a torn out picture of Miranda Kerr from some random slagmag. I’m not really sure what she does, but she can hella carry off a long skirt. The important thing is the column shape of the skirt. Being 5″8 doesn’t really lend itself to wearing billowing Coleen Rooney style maxi dresses, but a column shape I can deal with. Kerr looks relaxed and stylish, and I added this skirt onto a mile high list of things to make. Jessica Biel is another sleb who can really carry off a long skirt, hers is more billowy, but the proportions are the same. The Olsens are also known for their long skirts, but most of the time they’re a bit grunge luxe which isn’t really my thing, this outfit is rather nice and brings us to the next designer.
Haider Ackermann popularised long skirts even further with his bias cut silk offerings, teamed with matching biker jackets. It was a brave man who could bring back long bias cut skirts but Ackermann managed it brilliantly. Also, Helena Christensen is a fan.
This isn’t the end of the long skirt outpourings so keep your eyes peeled for further posts this week…
