Street Fashion 2021: What to expect?
2020 was a roadblock to the fashion industry in term of sales and shows. But what we have witnessed is accessories becoming an integral part of every outfit and the face masks turned out to be the favourite among designers. So, what to expect in 2021 when it comes to street fashion?
If your New Year's Eve was at best anticlimactic and at worst absolutely depressing, you weren't alone. What is the significance of a new year where too little has changed? Six months ago, we were confident that 2021 will be different. We'd probably be planning for Fashion Week by now. Unfortunately, for most of us, that's still a big no.
During the last half of 2020, through our friends in Paris, Milan, London, Shanghai, and Tokyo, where socially-distant shows resumed, we had to witness fashion shows digitally and vicariously. The query persisted until the schedules were out: What does the street style look like? What will editors and influencers wear to zig-zag through a town on foot, bicycle, or train after years of frequent wardrobe changes and heels? Intense moments like these, what sounds suitable?
The trend was for simpler, more relaxed garments that combined pragmatism and individuality, aside from masks, which became the main visual shift in our street style coverage. We saw a lot of fantastic blazers and denim, mostly flared or bootcut, and grounded, hard-working boots and shoes for a little more shine. Showgoers wore these sensible shoes with silk dresses and suits and favoured generous cuts over body-conscious ones (do not believe the "tailoring is dead!" headlines). Our eyes skipped over the "total looks" borrowed from the runway, once a common occurrence that this time around seemed forced. We zoomed in on unexpected specifics and artfully thrown-together outfits instead: retro pieces combined with new, outsize proportions and random layers.
The last full-throttle fashion season was covered to the colours of street style. It reminded us that some of these changes were already underway: individuals like Maggie Maurer, Nicole Atieno, and Alton Mason, who stuck out most to the photographers of the fashion world, Phil Oh, had their own original, unfussy style and confidence to spare. Fashion was becoming more personal and less trend-driven; the transition was only hastened by the pandemic. We'll mark it one of the silver linings of the year.
We are expecting some dramatic shifts in the street fashion wear industry before another month of fashion collections, beginning with fall 2021 menswear and spring 2021 couture, followed by women's shows in Paris, Shanghai, Copenhagen, and beyond.