A Dive Into the Archives
Much of fashion was, and still heavily is, influenced by the designers and creative minds of the 90’s. Some of the most iconic runways and collections debuted, and many worked tirelessly to create a name for themselves in a cutthroat industry. In addition, this was the first decade where fashion shows began to be more accessible to the general public and many future supermodels graced the runways of numerous fashion houses. We’ll now take a dive into the archives of some of fashion’s most coveted and iconic work from the 90’s!
Versace FW91
Gianni Versace was no stranger to the supermodel, and his Fall 1991 show made sure of that. It stands as one of the most iconic shows ever executed by Versace, with Donatella even recreating the finale of the ‘91 show decades later, as a tribute to Gianni and his legacy. Black, yellow, and gold have always been staples in the Versace colour palette, with no lack of it in this collection. Sweetheart necklines, bejewelled corsets, and tweed blazers dominated Gianni’s runway, as did Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, and Naomi Campbell. Gianni’s show still has influence today, with YSL’s FW17 show very reminiscent of Gianni’s collection from ‘91. His influence has transcended fashion and without a doubt will continue to impact future collections, regardless of the designer.
Perry Ellis SS93
With one of the most controversial collections of the season and the one that sent Marc Jacobs packing his bags as creative director of Perry Ellis, his SS93 show was clearly ahead of its time. Although the collection was ripped apart by critics and journalists, it stands as one of the most important of Jacobs’ career, and is a harsh reminder that fashion is and always has been subjective. The first half of the collection plays with pastels and fun prints, while the second half leans towards more cooler tones of black and navy. The resurgence of crochet knit and sheer dresses in today’s fashion trends are eerily similar to some pieces of Jacobs’ collection; the trend cycle is circular, after all.
Anna Sui SS93
To much dismay of critics, grunge nestled its way into the ‘93 mainstream. Although it may not be evident while looking back at the collection through today’s eyes, it was drastically different to what the rest of the fashion world was used to at the time. The resemblance to “flea market finds” is what made collections such as Sui’s so disliked amongst the masses, especially when the high fashion world was just becoming more accessible to the general public. Anna Sui’s shows have always been nothing shy of theatrical and whimsical, with bright coloured stripes and silk dresses comprising a large portion of her ‘93 collection. Star and butterfly appliques made their way onto the runway, and a few outfits that would be most definitely found in the closet of a modern-day witch.
Gucci FW95
One of my personal favourite collections and one that I (attempt) to draw inspiration from through its colour palette. Gucci’s FW95 show was directed by Tom Ford, and arguably is the show that most accurately exemplified his skill set as both a designer and creative director. The influence of 70’s fashion is ever so present within this collection, with bright oranges, greens, and blues amongst fur, leather, and satin. Madonna is largely to thank for Ford’s recognition, as she donned one of his looks to the MTV Video Music Awards in ‘95. This collection screams fun, flirty, and fabulous in every way possible and my closet would be nothing short of lucky to be graced by any leather jacket from this runway.
Prada SS96
Miuccia Prada redefined the standard sexy 90’s runway and painted a more refined picture of beauty. Greens, browns, and yellows had a dominant prominence, with fitted dress shirts paired with mid-length skirts and chunky sandals. With very little resemblance to today’s Prada, Miuccia’s ‘96 collection challenged the trends of the time. There’s no better definition of her exploration of the collection than her own, “the good taste of the bad taste.”