With the exuberant ’80s making a comeback, we ask stylistas if they’d warm up to the decade’s high-octane aesthetic...
The recently-concluded Fall Winter 2018 shows in Milan, London, Paris and New York saw designers toying with tailoring techniques and exaggerating shapes and silhouettes. Think massive shoulder pads, which almost dwarf the face of the wearer, jellyfish fringing and an orgiastic overdose of iridescence. The decadent ’80s are having a moment right now with designers like Marc Jacobs, Alessandro Michele and Anthony Vaccarello paying homage to the era of excess by sending out looks with pronounced shoulders, micro leather shorts and sequinned minis.
Fashion critic Cathy Horyn noted in her review of Marc Jacobs show on The Cut, “But the scale of the clothes — the linebacker dimensions of the shoulders, the bulk of the many coats, the ampleness of pleated leather pants — also made them grotesque.”
Fashion is cyclical and it all comes back in the wheel of time but the moot point remains — how many fashion lovers can pull off these daring looks? We ask a section of style arbiters on their take.
Would wear it all again!
While the ’80s are often criticised for its outre glamour, no other era matches its unsurpassed glam appeal. Entrepreneur Kalyani Saha is happy about the ’80s comeback. Says she, “I think it was the most glamorous era in fashion history. Of everything big — big hair, big shoulder pads, glitter and sequins, make-up and the best music — that was my time.”
“I love Gareth Pugh personally and absolutely in love with Calvin Klein and what Raf Simons is doing. I would wear it all again. This is a much sophisticated version. Going back to history but keeping it current. That’s the beauty of these creative geniuses,” adds Kalyani.
Need to be tall and skinny
Even at Paris Fashion Week, there was a strong to nod to the decadent decade with the likes of Balmain, Alexandre Vauthier and Isabel Marant experimenting with power shoulders and holographic pieces. Couture buyer Sheetal Mafatlal opines that to wear exaggerated shapes one needs to be super tall and skinny. “A definite NO. I would not wear exaggerated shapeless pieces. I would wear giant shoulders if it’s on a slim-fit tailored jacket. I would style it with skinny jeans, stretch leggings (sequinned is for the evening) or a pencil mini skirt and super-high heels,” says Sheetal.
Not my style
Artist Michelle Poonawalla sees the runway trend a far cry from her personal style which is rather classic and understated. “This is not my personal style and hence, I would not wear something like this. While I do think it looks great on the runway as every designer has his/her vision, but personally, it is not something that would be a part of my wardrobe,” says Michelle.
Nostalgia-tinged
Love-Gen Founder Bhavana Pandey is all for the extravagance. “Fashion throwback to the 80s are always fun and exciting — brings back a lot of memories. I’d love to wear an exaggerated shoulder blazer with a slip dress or a puffed shoulder shift dress,” says she.
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