Selfridges takes fashion into a new space.
In a society where woman are equally adept in boardrooms as men are raising the kids; the lines between genders are far more blurred than ever before, so naturally fashion too had to follow this disintegration of wooden gender expectations. Sure we have seen Boy George and Lady Gaga do it in the past and seen it plenty of times on the runway, but for the first time ever a high street store, Selfridges has introduced gender neutral shopping to the masses by opting for the allure of ambiguity, the excitement of androgyny and the wow factor of the indefinable for its Oxford Street branch.
The store will no longer be stoking gender specific clothing; instead all pieces will be left to be chosen by taste and no longer merely to conform to old gender stereotypes. Talking with The Times Faye Toogood in charge of spatial design at Selfridges has been quoted as saying “We want to take our customers on a journey where they can shop and dress without limitations or stereotypes…a space where clothing is no longer imbued with directive gender values, enabling fashion to exit as a purer expression of self”. Sacrificing gender specific design is by no means a sacrifice of quality and artistic foresight, because costumers as well as celebrity fans like Rhianna on March the 12th can expect fashion visionaries likes Yohji Yamamoto, Ann Demeulemeester and Nicola Formichetti as part of the creative sparks that will ensure gender natural design is a fashion trend that will continue to burn for a very long time.
Selfridges takes fashion into a new space.
In a society where woman are equally adept in boardrooms as men are raising the kids; the lines between genders are far more blurred than ever before, so naturally fashion too had to follow this disintegration of wooden gender expectations. Sure we have seen Boy George and Lady Gaga do it in the past and seen it plenty of times on the runway, but for the first time ever a high street store, Selfridges has introduced gender neutral shopping to the masses by opting for the allure of ambiguity, the excitement of androgyny and the wow factor of the indefinable for its Oxford Street branch.
The store will no longer be stoking gender specific clothing; instead all pieces will be left to be chosen by taste and no longer merely to conform to old gender stereotypes. Talking with The Times Faye Toogood in charge of spatial design at Selfridges has been quoted as saying “We want to take our customers on a journey where they can shop and dress without limitations or stereotypes…a space where clothing is no longer imbued with directive gender values, enabling fashion to exit as a purer expression of self”. Sacrificing gender specific design is by no means a sacrifice of quality and artistic foresight, because costumers as well as celebrity fans like Rhianna on March the 12th can expect fashion visionaries likes Yohji Yamamoto, Ann Demeulemeester and Nicola Formichetti as part of the creative sparks that will ensure gender natural design is a fashion trend that will continue to burn for a very long time.
The world of fashion has always been a show stopping flame that music artists can’t seem to resist. It may be as a means of increasing earning ability, gaining credibility or another creative realm to explore their talents, either way you’re as likely to see Kanye West or A$AP Rocky collaborating with designers and fashion houses. Kanye West’s latest collaboration with Adidas brought us the much coveted Yeezy 750 Boost; so at PAUSE it got us thinking what other music artists already extort their influence on fashion.
Source : Mr Porter
Tinie Tempah
The 25 year old South East Londoner has not only been making leaps and bounds in his music career, with effortless flow and lyrics even your mother can’t help but sing along to. His dapper spin on simple tailoring and dab hand at picking bold eccentric prints to pair it with, has also placed him firmly on the style savvy rocket ship destined for the high fashion stratosphere.
While also being a permanent fixture around the London Collections; Men circuit, his presence is always expected at front row at labels like Burberry Prorsum and more. But Tinie Tempah’s interest in fashion doesn’t merely remain on the voyeuristic side, he is also rumored to be launching his own clothing line this year.
Harry Styles
Harry is the standout individual from his band One Direction, when it comes to personal style. If being in the biggest boy band on the planet is an arduous task, he makes it look easy and effortless. His predilection for paring big coats with skinny jeans and Chelsea boots makes you think Axl Rose meets David Beckham. But it isn’t just his personal style that predestines him for runways and high street rails, is the fact that Harry has been moving and shaking among the fashion elite with the likes of Kendall Jenner and Cara Delavigne for a few years now, coupled with his legion of teenage adoring fans who are sure to buy anything he puts his name too, Harry’s fashion ascendancy will be inevitable.
Tyler the Creator
Domo Genesis, Earl Sweatshirt, Frank Ocean, Hodgy Beats and Jasper Dolphin, no they aren’t part of the latest trading card game adorned in every school boys back pocket, instead they‘re just a few of members of the alternative rap collective known as ‘Odd Future Wolf Gang kill them all’ with Tyler the Creator acting as their ring leader. OFWGKTA’s unique blend of psychedelic beats and head scratching metaphors -that you can’t help but nod along too- has allowed them to become cult mainstay with mainstream successes providing them the platform to launch a merchandising and an apparel brand that encapsulates their bizarre genius.
Despite shunning the world of high end fashion, Tyler’s personal style and clothes collection is an unorthodox concoction of bright tones, unusual prints and unconventional aesthetics will endure him despite his reluctance towards being a part of high the fashion. So okay you won’t be seeing Tyler the Creator teaming up with H and M or Topman anytime soon, but collaborating with other offbeat fashion brands that also shy away from commercialism in the ilk of Izzy Meyakke and Alexander McQueen might be able to tempt Tyler to the world of luxury fashion.
Justin Bieber
No doubt in the last five years Bieber’s music has matured and so has his sense of style. Using his latest work with Calvin Klein and his commercial style, it could possibly be the spring board for Bieber to have a more significant presence on planet fashion. Maybe not launching his own fashion label, considering he hasn’t really shown a substantial flair for design as of yet and it would be difficult for him to be taken seriously as an independent considering his less than favourable possession in music, but his immediate future could lie in possibly launching his own line within a already existent fashion house as away to prove himself.
A$AP Rocky
It’s rare to catch A$AP Rocky not looking his absolutely flyest. It wouldn’t be such a tall order to see more collaborations between A$AP and other fashion labels after a successful one with Jeremy Scott for Adidas. Another reason we at PAUSE tip A$AP for fashion success is that he always has one consistent vision that he likes to communicate with everything, he says, does and wears, which is exactly the type of thing that fashion is always looking out for.
Alex turner
At PAUSE we admire both Turners music and his dresses sense. Turner is his music and his music is him; so you can see how his musical style has influenced his senses of style, albums like Whatever People Say I Am That’s What I’m Not and Favourite Worst Nightmare, epitomize a garage rock and post-punk revival feel and his clothes are a full reflection of those forgotten times. What other front man can dress everyday like a 50s rocker mixed with mod and yet make it feel so current? The trend at the moment is turning back the clock and sampling trends from bygones eras, so it won’t be too long before the design houses turn to Alex Turner for advice and creative contribution.
Kid Cudi
When you think Cudi only one word should instantly fly into your mind, eclectic. Out of all the names on the list, in terms of picking just one distinct style from the man from Cleveland it would be virtually impossible, he’s style is just one strange paradoxical concoction. One minute he wears an outfit that reflects the refined feel of the Hamptons when he adorns a Calvin Klein Collection suit, another minute he’s swaggering around with a black T-shirt and Levi’s jeans giving of the slightest hint of Harlem and then the next he’s a laidback hipster when he rocks A Bathing Ape T-shirt. With the ability to effortlessly pull of such a varied wardrobe, you get the sense that moving into the fashion industry would be a seamless transition for Cudi because he could easily fit in anywhere; think from Versace to Primark and of course designers would love him because he has no fear in what he wears – the guy had the balls to wear a crop top at his own gig!
Macklemore
“I’m gonna pop some tags, I only got 20 dollars in my pocket” well you can consider that $20 well spent, because before that song fur coats hadn’t been cool since the 80’s; then the Thrift shop video gets released and all of a sudden people are dropping unconscious on the street because of heat excursion from wearing fears coats in the middle of the Arizona summer. We can’t really see Macklmore fitting anywhere in the world of high fashion, but his predilection for ostentatious garments at student friendly prices certainly mean if he launched his own label, we would happily build a tent outside the shop and thug it for a week until it opened.
Bruno Mars
Similar to Alex Turner, Bruno Mars’s outfit choices are a reflection of the very best the past of music has to offer, think Elvis with a hint of Michael Jackson and a smothering of Buddy Holly. Accompanying his wardrobe and listening to his music which is so heavily influenced by Motown and Blues, its plain to see that Bruno Mars likes to look to the past for inspiration and being in a generation of fashion designers that are intent on bringing back old trends, it would be the ideal time for a Marc Jacobs to give him a call.
