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We expect a year of quiet turmoil for the fashion industry here and overseas, with the global credit crisis set to make extravagant spending tres tacky. International designers are tightening their belts - Marni, Vera Wang and Betsey Johnson have all pulled out of doing traditional (and expensive) fashion shows at international fashion weeks - and consumers are rethinking spending unnecessary amounts on clothes. But let's look past all that doom and gloom shall we? Here at Viva we think there are still plenty of fun and fashionable things to get excited about for 2009 - here are some we predict will take your fancy this year.
1 Emilia Wickstead
New Zealand-born designer Emilia Wickstead has featured in UK Vogue and society style bible Tatler, worked in the design studios at Giorgio Armani, Luella and Proenza Schouler, and interned as a fashion assistant at American Vogue - and she's only 25. We predict we'll hear much more about her this year. Wickstead launched her namesake label last year after graduating from prestigious London school Central St Martins, and now runs a studio in London. Her pieces are all made-to-order for private clients, and include lots of pretty day dresses, cocktail dresses and separates, made from luxurious fabrics sourced from Italy. Vogue's fashion editor, Pippa Holt, clearly likes what Wickstead is doing: she featured her as "one to watch' in a recent issue of UK Vogue. If you want to get in on the Emilia Wickstead action before everyone else does, she does private viewings in New Zealand every six months. Email info@emiliawickstead.com for more information.
2 Politics of fashion
Michelle Obama's credentials as a fashion plate just keep on growing with every public appearance, with the inevitable comparisons to that other very stylish former First Lady, Jackie Onassis. Obama clearly possesses fashion nous: during her husband's successful presidential campaign she was photographed wearing an Azzedine Alaia belt, pieces by talented under-the-radar designers Thakoon, oversized pearls and a very cute peace-sign pendant. Obama's election night outfit _ a black and red dress by Narciso Rodriguez _ may have upset some fashion watchers, but it hasn't seen her fashion star dim. Just last month a huge list of high-profile designers, including Karl Lagerfeld, Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta and Zac Posen, jumped at the chance to design a dream outfit for Obama to wear on Inauguration Day after being asked by fashion bible Women's Wear Daily. Also, she already has numerous style blogs dedicated to following her sartorial choices. We expect Obama fashion fever to extend into the year and beyond. And our own local political scene will also have a welcome injection of style this year, courtesy of John Key's 15-year-old daughter, Stephie Key. She was a finalist in last year's Newmarket Young Design Fashion Award, and for her father's swearing-in ceremony teamed a Karen Walker dress with thick rimmed glasses and an oversized bow in her hair.
3 The 90s rule
Plaid, ripped denim, oversized knits, sloppy sweaters and lots of layers all make a comeback as the grunge look of the early 90s returns. And while grunge itself was an anti-fashion musical movement, that hasn't stopped fashion designers and hipsters jumping on the look and bringing it into the noughties. At NZ Fashion Week last year, a collection wasn't complete without a plaid print of some form, appearing at Stolen Girlfriends Club, Twentysevennames, Lonely Hearts, Nom*D, Huffer and more. The 90s are set to be a major source of inspiration, with the new grunge sitting alongside acid wash, chambray, tie dye, bustiers and crop tops (we're not joking), amongst other 90s favourites.
4 Recession chic
Most of us are probably going to be incredibly poor this year, thanks to that pesky recession - which means less to spend on luxuries, including clothes. But that shouldn't spell the end of style. In fact, we find that those with less money are often more creative and interesting with their sartorial choices, as they look beyond the usual designer shops. Vogue editor Anna Wintour agrees, recently saying that tough times make people "a little edgier". The fashion media have been bandying about the term "recessionista" for a while now, but expect it go mainstream this year as people buy less, buy high quality and buy locally. We say go out and support our local fashion designers. Well-made craft will also see a huge renaissance in 2009 - there are plenty of craft markets locally, and craft/vintage online market Etsy.com is like Ebay without the designer rip-offs.
5 The future is online
Predictions of online overtaking print may be untrue so far, but fashion still loves the virtual world. Online shopping is growing - Hailwood is selling T-shirts online, GeneralCucumber.com sells pieces from Zambesi, Lonely Hearts and more, and PullYourSocksUp.co.nz is an online vintage store. There are literally thousands of style blogs right now, and there are a few local sites also worth checking out. Indie publications like Black, Karen and 1AM all have blogs, Turnedout.tv is a street style site launched by LA-based ex-pat Maya Villiger, and IsaacLikes.com reports on local fashion industry gossip. Everyone, it seems, has a blog - local designers Cybele Wiren, Alexandra Owen and Kathryn Wilson all have blogs at TheWire.co.nz, Australian brand Lover have a very sweet blog (visit www.loverthelabel.com), and Viva's fashion writer Zoe Walker has one too (Ilovewelove.blogspot.com). Of course, with local fashion website Runway Reporter being "largely disassembled", it's worth noting that this online fashion explosion could very well be an independent thing.
6 Who wears the pants?
The dress has been ubiquitous for so long that it is strange to consider it's reign could be over. But we think 2009 is set to be the year of the pants _ and yes, we realise how silly that sentence sounds. We think that the dress has become a little bit boring. Throwing on a dress doesn't exactly require much sartorial know-how; pants require a bit more creative dressing. Plus they look far more serious and powerful. Pant suits are also set to be big this year. But instead of looking to Hillary Clinton for inspiration, we say look to the catwalk: Stella McCartney's loose tailoring and Karen Walker's quirky electric blue short suit.
7 Zippy
Let's be honest, New Zealand's success rate on the international modelling circuit hasn't exactly been stellar. Yes, there's been Rachel Hunter and Kylie Bax, but that's about it. Model Zippora Seven could change all that this year. The hip young thing has been compared to Kate Moss (she's only 1.74m), and caused controversy last year posing topless for a photo shoot in Russh that was an homage to the supermodel. She's also done photo shoots for French Vogue, Swedish chainstoreH&Mand See by Chloe-amazing for a girl from Auckland's North Shore.We expect to see much more from the pretty blonde in 2009.
8 Yellow
Pantone has declared "Mimosa" the colour of 2009, and judging by all the yellow in the winter collections, we agree. The warm shade, similar to that of the sun and sunflowers, will be a bright spot among all the grungy looks of the year. Overseas the hue has been seen in collections from Christoper Kane to Ossie Clark, and locally it appeared in the form of yellow cardigans at Deborah Sweeney, woollen scarves at Huffer, grunge inspired dresses at Sylvester and sculptural knits at Cybele.
9 You will love love
Katie Grand is a massively influential stylist and all-round fashion icon who has styled shows for Prada and Louis Vuitton, among others, is friends with hip London designers Luella Bartley and Stella McCartney, and began her career at Dazed and Confused. She also launched the cult fashion magazine Pop a while back, and 2009 will see her fashion star become even brighter with the launch of her new magazine, Love. Fashion insiders are eagerly awaiting the first issue to drop in February; you should be too.
10 Fashion gets a sense of humour
The fashion industry may be famous for taking itself too seriously, but it's set to take a lighthearted mocking this year with the release of Bruno. The film, from Sacha Baron Cohen (better known as Borat), follows a gay Austrian fashion reporter. The movie has already made a stir at international Fashion Weeks: Bruno crashed the catwalk at Milan Fashion Week, and was seen pushing members of the front row out of the way at Stella McCartney's show in Paris. But instead of pissing people off, Baron Cohen won over some new fans. "Editors began to look for him with an almost gleeful excitement uncharacteristic of such a constitutionally jaded group," wrote Hadley Freeman in New York Look. In other fashion film news, we're very much looking forward to a planned fashion film festival, which will feature a film from designers Viktor&Rolf, a Desperately Seeking Susan dress-up night and seminal fashion films chosen by key New Zealand designers including Kate Sylvester, Karen Walker and Elisabeth Findlay.
