| BETHANY HALBREICH
says she has been reading Lucire
for as long as she can remember, which on the face sounds like an
unlikely claim, till one reads her bio. Halbreich is 20, and considering
Lucire has now been around for 12 years, we now finally face
the possibility there are fashionistas out there who really have read
us for much of their lifetimes. And
her biography is remarkable: she has travelled to 35 countries
in her lifetime, fought cancer in her youth, and now creates fashion
that takes inspiration from some of the cultures she has encountered.
The idea about seeking inspiration from different
cultures has arguably been around for as long as fashion itself—after
exhausting one’s immediate surroundings, designers turn to
the next place for a dose of exoticism. But it’s the 21st century
that has seen the idea of altermodernism,
as humankind reaches a sort of global awareness. It’s now almost
conceivable, through technology, to touch any other part of the
planet, and to get inspired from afar. Rather than take inspiration
from only one culture, it’s possible to be inspired by dozens.
Halbreich has arguably done this with her gowns,
with Spanish, Moroccan, Indian, and Chinese inspirations, among
others; and one should bear in mind that at 20, this sort of repurposing
from other cultures is perfectly natural and normal. And that we
should expect to see a lot more of this in years to come, as today’s
teens become tomorrow’s established designers. Halbreich has
what appears to be a mixture of youthful exuberance and a drive
that can only come from knowing how fragile life can be, so that
sets her apart; but watch the industry for a few more years, and
these globally inspired designers may emerge en masse.
The flip side—designers in countries which
serve as inspiration reaching the occident—has been happening
for years. Karishma Shahani is the latest in this line: hailing
from India, and a globetrotter herself (she studied international
brand management in Monaco), her Princesse K label (telephone 91
989 213-5331) has a range of totes and hobos that have an international
style.
The current collection, Indian Monsoon,
has bright turquoise, pink and melon shades, and has used, according
to Shahani, ‘Indian fabrics and elements such as tie and dye,
ikkat, bandhini, khaadi.’ Unsurprisingly, Shahani has the Riviera
in mind with her range.
Anna Killick thinks similarly: her Annie Blackberry
jewellery, hailing from New Zealand, is designed with an international
market in mind. Maintaining a
blog that showcases her designs, Killick takes the idea of travel
that all global voyagers possess at their heart. Jewellery with
motifs of aircraft and nautical steering wheels, as well as birds
in flight, are part of the Annie Blackberry designs for the spring
2009–summer 2010 season.
The message for the fourth quarter of 2009 is
travel—whether one romanticizes and dreams about it, or flies
off to exotic climes. And in fashion, accessories and jewellery,
it seems to be present. •
Above Industrial motifs from Annie Blackberry.
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Left Bethany Halbreich’s Spanish inspired design signals a
globally minded culture. Below The Princesse K range blends Indian
inspiration with French Riviera chic.
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