Fashion Merchandising Trend Journal Jessica Ogden
Table of Contents Week one: The two-in-one shoe
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Week two: Snakeskin
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Week three: Party Denim
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Week Four: All tied up
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Week five: Deconstruction
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Week six: Fishnet
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Week seven: The Fur Collar 26
Week eight: Fashion with a Message
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” -who what wear
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-REFINERY29
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” -THE ZOE REPORT
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” -MARIE CLAIRE
The Two-in-One Shoe Week one: 1/8/17
In this day and age women want to do it all, and
in fact they do, do it all. They have the job they want while also maintaining a home life and social life. With that said, women are constantly looking for that same mantra to be mirrored back in their clothing and accessories. The outfit they wear to work ideally is the outfit they can move one or two pieces around to create their look for going out. Which introduces the day-tonight wardrobe craze.
You see this phrase everywhere in regards to clothing. “Classic silhouettes that have day-to-night appeal.” “Velvets are a more versatile option for dayto-night looks.” “Foil-printed metallic finishes for day-to-party.” This is what the average consumer wants therefore it is a major trend seen in stores currently. The newest trend that stems from this mentality is that of the two-in-one shoe.
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Yes you heard me right, a two-in-one shoe! Traditionally the hardest component of an outfit to swiftly change from day to night is the shoe, but this may now have a solution. The age-old debate about whether to wear flats or heals may have been solved by none other than Alessandro Michele of Gucci. This surprisingly practical shoe was presented in Gucci’s Spring 2017 Ready-to-Wear collection. The miracle shoe is comprised of a various mix of flats or traditional Gucci loafers, strapped on to a platform shoe. This design can actually be made into potentially three shoes: the strappy platform, the loafer, or the combo of the two.
Spring 2017 Ready-to-Wear collection
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Spring 2017 Ready-to-Wear collection (Full Outfit with shoes)
Why do I, Vogue, and other major fashion sites think this is going to be a trend? Because there is a need for a shoe that can go from day-to-night but until now there hasn’t been a solution. I also think as far as practicality goes, I would much rather spend my money on one shoe that can turn into three than just one shoe, if I am going to be purchasing an expensive shoe anyway. Not to mention the idea that I can wear something for both day and night guarantees more bang for my buck. Before you know it, high and low fashion brands alike will take the hint and follow along.
Sources http://www.whowhatwear.com/guccispring-2017-two-in-one-flats-heels/slide4 http://www.vogue.com/13481394/guccispring-2017-two-in-one-flats-heels/
WGSN Essential Cut & Sew Jersey – Winter 2016
maria dueñas jacobs ELLE accessories director’s instagram
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Week two: 1/15/17
Snakeskin
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nakes, snakes, and more snakes! It is harder then ever to avoid snakes this season, as it seems to have taken the fashion world by storm. It is hard to pinpoint exactly where is started, seeing as though everyone has taken to the trend now, but most signs point to Gucci. From handbags to pumps, and everything in between, Gucci has stuck a red snake on it in some form or another. The snake normally matches the brands signature red and green color scheme. But the snake does not stop there by any means.
gucci
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S/s 2017 RtW (left to right): Altuzarra, Baja East, 3.1 Phillip lim
In addition to a snake motif like Gucci accessories, snake print is also included in this trend. Snake print was all over the Spring 2017 Ready-to-Wear collections. Altuzarra, Baja East, and 3.1 Phillip Lim were just a few to design clothing feathering snakeskin. The collections proved snakeskin could also be fabric for just about any garment whether it be jackets, dresses, or skirts more the merrier. This trend also goes hand and hand with the revival of 70’s style.
hannah bronfman for who what wear
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In one way or another snakes also are popping up on magazine covers as well… and I don’t mean through clothing. The two most recent examples are on Complex magazine’s December 2016 / January 2017 issue and V magazine’s January 2017 cover. On the Complex cover, Sofia Richie is draped in a plethora of different colored snakes, some red, looking identical to those used by Gucci. As for V magazine, Kendall Jenner strikes a pose with a giant faux snake tattoo on her thigh. Not only is this a big deal because January magazines usually set a tone for the year to come, but also it develops a further saturation of the snake trend.
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And this is why I feel it is so important that merchants recognize and take advantage of this trend. From putting it on bags, to clothes, to magazines clearly the snake print is being eaten up by consumers. If that wasn’t enough, throw lux cosmetics into the mix as well. YSL, Marc Jacobs, and Sonia Kashuk are a few brands that are featuring snake-themed beauty products in their lines. Which leads me to believe, merchants should make this connection: snake sells.
Sources WGSN Stylefile New York Apparel S/S 17 Women WGSN Best of S/S 17 New York Women Collections http://www.vogue.com/13502722/snake-beautymakeup-products-trend/ http://www.gq.com/story/snake-print-embroidery-trend http://www.whowhatwear.com/hanna-bronfman-statement-coats-2015/
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party Denim Week three: 1/22/17
Lucky Brand
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ood news everyone: casual denim is so over!! The days of jean jackets being meant exclusively for sundresses and daytime looks has come to an end. What is now referred to as “Party Denim”, is taking over the nighttime-look scene. It is not even a matter of “dressing up” denim, though I will show you an example of that from manrepeller.com. “Party Denim” comes fully stocked with decoration and detail and is a current trend that has been taking over retail stores.
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Art Basel 2016
Speaking of decoration, a huge trend with “Party Denim” is embellishment, especially beading. Rhinestones, sequins, and metal accents are stitched onto jackets and pants to add a bit of fanciness to the classic blue hues. Adding fun motifs and designs take normal denim to exciting statement pieces. Typically “Party Denim” jackets also have either exaggerated fuzzy collars or large eye-catching subjects on the back. These subjects can be anything from pictures to written statements. Such trends also became evident after showing up multiple times at Art Basel this year.
mother
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But your denim does not need to have extra bling in order to turn it into “Party Denim”. Manrepeller.com showed on their blog that just by simply paring regular denim with fancy pieces in your wardrobe can turn your look from day to party in a snap. They worked with two denim staples: the denim button down and denim jean. For the shirt, manrepeller.com picked statement jewelry, a sparkly jacket, and fancy heels to dress it up. As for the denim jeans a lot more imagination/layering went on. Gold bangles combined with a velvet backless jumpsuit, flashy pumps and sequined skirt over the jeans completed the look. This concept hones in more on the idea of actually “dressing up” your denim in order to make it “Party Denim”.
ManRepeller.com
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The age old question, why should merchants care about this though? The reason is simple; “Party Denim” breaks the usual rules. Rules normally say denim is solely casual. But I think the consumer doesn’t want that. Similar to the two-inone shoe, people want their money to go farther. If the customer knows that buying this one piece of denim can not only be worn during the day, but at a party AND can be on trend they are way more likely to buy it. Also similar to the snake print trend, “Party Denim” can be in any form: jackets, pants, heels, jewelry, and bags. Customers want denim for parties in every form therefore it would be smart for merchants to Baraboux’s clutch, pick up on this and incorpo- Sam Edelman’s heel and Bill rate it into their plans. Blass’ slides
Guess
AGL Gianni Mazzotta
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Bill Blass’ boots, Mignonne Gavigan’s chocker and bracelet and Guess’ heels
Sources WGSN Party Denim Retail Analysis By Delivery WGSN Festival Street Style 2016 Art Basel Miami http://www.manrepeller.com/2016/12/how-to-wear-denim-to-a-party. html http://wwd.com/accessories-news/accessory-trends/gallery/ spring-2017-accessories-trend-denim-10734401/#!5/denim-trendss17-05
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all tied up Week four: 1/29/17
Seventeen Magazine
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kay, don’t freak out. We all know that 2016 was the year college girls killed the “lace up front” shirt trend. Through DIY or fast fashion facets, young women especially wore out this high-low trend. For those who loved the trend, but got annoyed by the thousands of copies, do not fear. 2017 has brought this trend back but in new and fresh ways. In the U.S., several women contemporary brands have shown this in their s/s 2017 press previews along with s/s 2017 Ready-to-Wear collections.
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S/s 2017 RtW: alexander wang (two left), Altuzarra (two Right)
A very popular form of tying is the sporty knot. The sporty knot is one of the more blunt knots because of the size of the knot between the two ends. I consider it to be sportier because it mimics tying up a gym/sports shirt into a knot to make the shirt shorter. This is seen in both Altuzarra’s s/s Ready-to-Wear collection and also Aritzia’s s/s 2017 press preview. If you’re leaning toward more girly mixed with sporty, the shoelace tie might be your best pick. I refer to it as a shoelace because of its small width and perfect bow. The small dainty bow represents an innocent and feminine accent.
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Michael_Michael_Kors
old navy
Then we have the more traditional “lace up front”. What has changed in 2017 though, is it now represents more cool, nautical looks. Shirts with this feature now are being seen with lighter fabrics, like linens. Likewise the material being laced up is comparable to rope harping back on the nautical undertones. Old Navy’s s/s 2017 press preview shows this the most, adding a blue and white striped element. While Michael Michael Kors s/s 2017 press preview example focuses in more on the “cool” aspect mixing the shirt with “party denim” (!).
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Another version that stood out to me was the “lace up the side look”. This look is the perfect option for the effortlessly chic shopper. Having the tie on the side makes for a less obvious accent but at the same time a fresh new take on the trend. Michael Michael Kors and Old Navy showed this in their s/s 2017 press preview, both of which were styled completely differently. And that’s what I’m getting at, this isn’t a hard or out-there concept to understand or adopt. Most of the time it just involves simple, clean details. Plus there are so many ways to do this trend that it makes it very accessible to the average consumer. It is not exclusive to one style or one type of dresser. As seen in the examples, the trend lends itself to anyone who is willing to give it a try! old navy
Sources WGSN US Press Previews S/S 17 – Women Contemporary
Michael_Michael_Kors
http://www.seventeen.com/ fashion/trends/a42175/thegirl-who-is-bringing-styleto-your-everyday-t-shirt/
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Deconstruction Week five: 2/5/17
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n 2017 it is not a matter of seeing a garment as a whole anymore: we want to see it in pieces. One of the newest trends that is coming to the surface this year is the deconstructed garment. This look can be achieved many different ways but the element that they all share is that the piece looks miss matched. Whether it is like Alexandre Vauthier’s dress that is made up of a deconstructed jacket, Ivanman’s suit that has drawn on tailoring notes which shows deconstruction in a literal way as well as the sweater being a combination of two sweaters, or Vladimir Karaleev’s dress that drapes contrasting fabrics with raw edges. All of these runway looks fall under the trend of deconstruction.
Spring 2017: Couture Alexandre Vauthier, Berlin fall 2017: ivanman (Menswear), vladimir karaleev
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Similar to Ivanman, many menswear runway shows have been featuring this phenomenon. For men, this is especially seen when it comes to sweaters. Exposed stitching, sloppy patchwork, and contrasting textures are just a few characteristics that go along with the trend. I like to think of deconstruction as “copying and pasting” because normally how designers and stylists alike achieve this look is by having elements of a garment look out of place or like they are in the middle of being made. In my opinion, the three examples shown go from the least destruction to the most destruction (left to right). Vivienne Westwood’s design , being the most avant garde of the group, looks as though it is literally about to fall apart showing a more extreme version of the trend.
MILAN A/W 17/18: Damir Doma, No. 21. London Fall 2017: Vivienne Westwood
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Refinery29 Fashion instagram post
Dorothy Perkins’ collaboration with Tres Monikh stylist, Monikh Dale, on Instagram
The garment does not have to be originally designed to look deconstructed however to fit in with the trend. Deconstruction has lent itself to styling as well! Dorothy Perkins and Monikh Dale created a perfect example of this by taking a classic button down shirt and turning it into a deconstructed masterpiece. By simply changing the styling of the shirt, through making one side sleeveless and using that sleeve as a sash, they were able to create this “copying and pasting” effect. Likewise, recently on Refinery29’s Fashion Instagram page they posted a styling of a jacket where simply by removing one arm out of their sleeve they still were able to captured this miss-matched look because of the shirt underneath.
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Acne
Jacquemus
Ports 1961
As shown in the previous example, deconstruction is not limited to just runway. Deconstruction is evident in street style, styling, runways and what’s in stores. This means that this trend is accessible for all. What also makes this trend unique and important for merchandisers to take note of is the fact that it also spreads across genders. These are realistic pieces that can be mixed in with the rest of your wardrobe whether you’re a girl or a boy! Not to mention it has been seen on Berlin, London, Milan, Paris, and New York runways just to name a few again reinforcing the idea that it is both understandable and universal.
Sources WGSN The Deconstructed Shirt WGSN Crafted Deconstruction http://www.vogue.com/article/fashion-week-berlin-news-trends-recap-julia-seemann-dorothee-schumacher http://www.vogue.com/article/fashion-runway-london-mensfashion-week-trends
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FishNet Week six: 2/12/17
By
no means is fishnet tights a new concept. With that said, boy are they making a comeback. Accessories are known for completing an outfit, but sometimes it is hard to mix them in without looking forced. This is where fishnets come in. Like a second skin, fishnets can be incorporated seamlessly into your everyday outfits to add a little extra glam. Though fishnets traditionally have been worn under skirts to cover the legs, like Jason Wu’s Fall 2017 Ready-to-Wear looks on the next page, I will be pointing out various other ways the fishnet trend has emerged in the fashion scene.
Dazed_&_Confused
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Starting off of course with the runway shows, fishnet was everywhere for Fall 2017 Ready-to-Wear. Like I mentioned before, a lovely example of fishnet incorporation was in Jason Wu’s collection. Many looks dawned the wide version of a fishnet under skirts, dresses, and pants alike. This took on a very feminine, chic look that played off of the other elegant fabrics that were chosen. Then to give a completely opposite interpretation of fishnet I included examples of Jeremy Scott’s Fall 2017 Ready-to-Wear collection. Jeremy Scott channeled a woman’s edgier side pairing the fishnet with black, metal, and leather accents. What I also enjoyed about Jeremy Scott’s show was how he used fishnet not only Jason Wu fall 2017 for tights but as a shirt and dress as Ready-to-wear well.
Jeremy Scott Fall 2107 Ready-To-Wear
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Fashion Blogger, TinA M’s Instagram
SUKEBAN MAGAZINE’s Instagram post Refinery29 Fashion instagram post
After the luxury fashion houses have spoken the instagram style gurus put their own spin on the trend. The trick that they use is to make fishnet the focal point not just an accent. Starting with Sukeban Magazine their model rocks black fishnet under her skirt, but then she pulls it over her shirt so that it is visible at the top of the skirt as well. Being able to see the fishnet at the top of pants or skirts has been another trend seen constantly in the fashion world. There is also a fishnet effect on her belt. Refinery29 spotlights bedazzled fishnet as a way to spice up the fishnet look by adding some extra sparkle. And lastly fishnets in sock form have also been embraced in enhancing and drawing attention to your choice in shoe.
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Refinery29
zara
Huf_x_Penthouse
This trend is extremely important to look at from a merchandising perspective because though it may come off lux on the runway, and can be made lux with extra embellishments, it is extremely easy to implement in mass fashion. It dominates on social media and needs little convincing for people to recognize how nice this trend really is. It is an extremely versatile, easy to style trend as seen in my examples above, and it is something that is not going to go away easily. It can even cross over seasons especially with the fishnet sock. And if all of that wasn’t convincing enough, it is projected to be the next big thing to be incorporated into active wear in the next two years due to its tough yet feminine qualities. Long story short, it is definitely a trend worth adopting.
Sources WGSN Freedom 90! – Design Capsule Pre-Fall 17 WGSN Key Items A/W 18/19 – Active Women Wgsn Regional Retail Checklist – Europe Women January 2017 http://www.vogue.com/article/fall-fishnets-nude-pantyhoseopaque-tights http://www.refinery29.com/2016/10/127752/fishnet-tights-trend-best-outfit-combinations#slide-4
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The Fur Collar Week six: 2/24/17
though fur might be an obvious choice for Autumn/ Winter 2017, it was seen in full force this runway season. It is hard to pinpoint exactly why this fascination with fur recently skyrocketed, whether it was Fendi’s take on fur puffballs or Gucci’s fur loafers, it is safe to say, people are obsessed. One area in particular it is seen accumulated in, would be the collar area. By mixing both the fur and oversized trend together, designers were able to create this fashion phenomenon.
Mary_Katrantzou_aw17/18 London
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Marc Jacobs
coach
Michael Kors
Thom Browne
Since Fall 2017 Ready-to-Wear is currently going on, I find it only appropriate to take a look at a few key examples from different designers and cities. I will start in New York. From Hip Hop to Western influences a trait that linked the shows together was that of the fur collar. Marc Jacobs show had a gorgeous plaid jacket while Thom Browne also chose a bold print with his fur collared striped jacket. Coach and Michael Kors chose to go a more classic route pairing the fur collar with a leather vest and camel colored jacket.
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Mary_Katrantzou
Christopher Kane
Now on to London where I believe the most awe-inspiring use of the fur collar was created thus far. I give this award to none other then Mary Katrantzou. Her designs were shown on the first page as well, but the utter emphasis on color and texture brought to her jackets by adding her fur collar was inspiring. Other mentionable wow-factor collars were on Christopher Kane, Anya Hindmarch, and Peter Pilotto’s coats. All of which matched the furry collar with contrasting fabrics to accentuate the collars even more.
Anya Hindmarch
Peter Pilotto
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Emporio Armani Versace
Lastly I will take a look at Milan. Though Emporio Armani and Versace had the same idea as we’ve seen before, pairing a fur collar with a large overcoat, Fendi and Prada chose a different route. Fendi paired the collar with a long dress while Prada had it on a jacket that was part of a fuzzy skirt suit. Not only can the fur collar be combined with many other trends that we’ve seen; for example power red, oversized coats, and the fur trend in general, but also it can be applied to different silhouettes. Vests, dresses, jackets, suits, shirts you name it, and the fur collar would go well with it. With that said these examples also show that completely different styles and fabrics can pair well with this trend. And that is why it is so powerful.
Sources WGSN Best of London A/W 17/18 Collections WGSN Stylefile A/W 17/18: New York – Accessories http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows
Fendi
Prada
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Missoni Fall 2017 Ready to Wear
Fashion with a Message Week six: 2/27/17
In
completing my last trend journal entry I wanted to touch on a trend that is going on right now that I think is very, very important to fashion. This trend is having actual visuals and words be incorporated into clothes that are a direct reflection of the times we are living in. Clothes have always been a form of expression but this runway season has proved it can also express your opinions in a fashionable way. Fashion week was not only meant for showcasing collections but also gave a venue for people to voice opinions and protest.
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Prabal Gurung
Opening Ceremony was one of the first to embrace this approach when they did their ballet performance. Dancers donned clothes that said “change”, “shout”, “defy”, “protest” and so on. This suggests a reaction to the presidential election and the uproar and upset that so many people faced after the outcome. Similarly, Prabal Gurung’s A/W 2017 finale had his models wearing t-shirts that read “The future is female”, “I am an immigrant”, “Nevertheless, she persisted” and so on. The models also wore white bandanas which brings up the “#tiedtogether” movement.
Opening Ceremony
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#tiedtogether
The #tiedtogether project was a means of showing unity throughout the entire fashion world. Mainly sponsored by the Business of Fashion, the concept was that by wearing a white bandana you would show your “support of solidarity, human unity and inclusiveness…wear a white bandana as a sign to the world that you believe in the common bonds of humankind — regardless of race, sexuality, gender or religion.” This movement was picked up instantaneously in runway shows like I mentioned before but also in street style. Street style was a breeding ground for this “fashion with a message” trend. A shirt that was seen especially often was Dior’s “We should all be female”.
Vogue Street Style
Aimee Song
Chiara Ferragni
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Versace
Two fashion shows specifically stood out to me when it came to this trend though, and that would be Versace and Missoni’s. Though they took two very different approaches I thought they both did a phenomenal job of incorporating the trend into their designs. Starting with Versace, small words like “unity”, “equality”, “love”, “courage”, “loyalty”, and so on were incorporated into her designs. Where as Missoni had pink pussy hats (a symbol/hat used in the Women’s March and other women protests) “in the brand’s signature zigzag knits on every seat in the house (the models wore them during the finale, too).” Angela Missoni also closed by saying a few words including “Let’s show the world that the fashion community is united and fearless.” And what better way to show this then embracing the trend. Because so many luxury and mass customers have embraced this already, merchandisers definitely have to pay attention to it and incorporate it.
Missoni Fall 2017 Ready to Wear finale (Angela Missoni in front)
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Missoni Fall 2017 Ready to Wear
Sources WGSN Prints & Graphics A/W 18/19: HumaNature – Nature Activist https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/30/fashion/opening-ceremonyswaps-the-runway-for-the-ballet-stage.html?_r=0 https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/fashion-show-review/ politics-at-prabal https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/editors-letter/whatis-the-white-bandana-tiedtogether http://www.vogue.com/article/new-york-fashion-week-fall-2017street-style-political-slogan-t-shirts-bags-hats-woke http://www.vogue.com/article/milan-fashion-week-fall-2017-readyto-wear-missoni-pussyhat-hair http://www.vogue.com/article/milan-fashion-week-ready-to-wearfall-2017-missoni-pussyhats
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