Fashion for 2011: Tribal Trend Enjoy Fashionistas! Designers take a grown-up approach to the tribal trend in this year’s Resort collections. A few years into its life, the tribal trend has come of age and the likes of Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen and Christopher Bailey for Burberry Prorsum made the 2012 Resort season its graduation ceremony. Ethnic prints, beads and shells were all present to see their baby grow up into a more gentle and subtle creature, albeit one who still knows how to bring the wow factor.
Alexander McQueen Resort 2012
Alexander McQueen Resort 2012 Sarah Burton used a touch of tribal across her smart and sober olive green and black jackets in her romantic utility-inspired collection for Alexander McQueen. Brown and black animal print belts cinched the waists, the jackets themselves decorated with over-sized pockets in ethnic patterns, edged with lines of cowry shells, instantly taking the city to the Souks in a bold, yet wearable, way.
Burberry Resort 2012
Burberry Resort 2012 Christopher Bailey took Burberry’s heritage traditions to Ghana: the bright prints of purple and orange geometrics, sat on speckled blues and greens that featured in his dresses and shirts were inspired by the country’s traditional wax print technique, but they were most effective when used in a stealthier way, slid under the collars and across the storm flaps of the label’s signature trench coats. A few feet below, the shoes followed suit; high platform heels were adorned with a few rows of bright beads, like a tribal necklace for the ankle.
Givenchy Resort 2012
Givenchy Resort 2012 But Givenchy’s Riccardo Tisci took it all a step further. He gave dazzling florals an ethnic spin, edging the bright red Hawaiian print on a green military-style dress with tribal embroidery and splaying white petal patterns around the top of a fitted black dress like tribal tooth necklace.
Thakoon Resort 2012
Missoni Resort 2012 Derek Lam, Thakoon and Missoni all dipped into tribal, too. Lam put Bhutan front and centre with woven belts and embroidered skirts and brought Thailand home with him for a scarf-print halter dress, whilst Thakoon’s gypsy themed collection used tiny florals lined row upon row in zig-zag patterns. Missoni’s collection took the trend to the shore, where calf-length dresses, skirts and even tote bags had an ethnic skew to their prints. With its continued presence on the high street, as well as on the backs of celebrities like Beyonce, Rihanna and J-Lo, tribal is here to stay, albeit with some refreshing twists if Resort 2012 has anything to do with it. Dare we say goodbye to fashion for 2011 so soon. Fashion for 2012 is looking strong.