All the Fashion News You Might Have Missed in 2021
After the tumult of 2020, it seemed as though all might be lost for the fashion world, that the damage that had been wrought could never be undone. The industry was crippled by the pandemic, its labour force eviscerated, the economy in freefall, and inhibited by the prohibition of the star-studded, widely-publicised events in which many brands trade. This shattering international crisis also laid bare the many faults of the fashion world — a shocking lack of diversity among leadership and creatives alike and the environmental catastrophe spurred on by large designers across the globe. It became clear that the industry would need to make real change, and fast; otherwise, it might not survive.
But survive it did. The fashion world came back in a big way in 2021, powered by online sales and innovative digital solutions to the limitations of a life locked down. Did the pandemic have the transformative power many industry leaders promised, though? Did the fashion world learn from the chaos that enveloped the world in 2020? As 2021 draws to a close, we can look back at the major news stories of this year to find answers to these queries.
Peruse below for the stories that absolutely everyone in the fashion industry was talking about in 2021.
Gucci x Balenciaga and Fendace
2021 brought us to the peak of ‘collab culture’, a fashion phenomenon that brings together two powerful entities to create a newer, even more powerful, even more conspicuously branded collection in what can only be described as a veritable capitalist orgy. The most notable of these was the collaboration between hype-beast favourites Gucci and Balenciaga, in which the two brands reinterpreted the logos, silhouettes, and colour schemes of one another. Basically, it meant ugly beige Hourglass bags and the once-iconic Gucci print splashed across chunky sneakers.
Not to be outdone, Fendi and Versace quickly got to work on a collab of their own, showcasing their similarly horrifying collection at Milan Fashion Week this past September. It featured fashion’s loftiest figures bedecked in garments that can only be described as straight out of a Real Housewives-themed fever dream. Here’s hoping we don’t drag this trend into 2022.
Phoebe Philo’s Return to Design
Good news for all of the obnoxious self-proclaimed ‘minimalists’ in your life! An outlet for all of their pent-up monochrome angst is coming: Phoebe Philo, the famed creative director of French brand Céline, is re-entering the fashion world with a new collection, to be released under her own name. She led the former brand for a decade before leaving in 2017, in a move that shocked turtleneck-and-slacks-wearers everywhere (I’m not downplaying her genius — I, like the rest of you, follow @oldceline and despair over the loss of Phoebe’s chic Parisienne sensibilities daily). The brand took a sharp turn to the left with new director Hedi Slimane, who prefers sequins over silk and mini dresses over trench coats. But perhaps he will be inspired to get back to the roots of the brand upon Ms. Philo’s reemergence? Only time (and Kate Moss’ Met Gala looks) will tell.
Kerby-Jean Raymond at Paris Couture Week
Though this is a distinction only a Condé-Nast intern would care to make, fashion and haute couture are not interchangeable terms. There are strict rules, enforced by the French government itself, over who can designate a collection as ‘couture’ and show in Paris. Garments must be handmade in an atelier with more than fifteen members of staff, and they must be one-of-a-kind. Private clients are involved. It’s all very Victorian and French and, unsurprisingly, elitist. So it likely isn’t difficult for you to believe that it was not until this past July that a Black designer’s show was featured on the calendar of Paris Couture Week.
That designer? The visionary Kerby-Jean Raymond, whose brand Pyer Moss consistently makes headlines for its provocative, high-concept collections. Their most recent debut was no different, featuring models clad in oversize jars of Moss-branded peanut butter, replicas of 80s-era cell phones, and giant leather hands clutching mops. The show paid tribute to Black inventors, and was met with both rave reviews and Twitter memes of the garments gone viral — the best feedback a designer can get in today’s fashion landscape.
The Long-Awaited 2021 (2020?) Met Gala
Fashion commentators and tabloid readers alike despaired over the cancellation of 2020’s gala benefitting the Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute, fondly referred to as the ‘Met Gala’ (have you heard of it?). The event provides an annual reminder of two things: first, that Anna Wintour still keeps an iron grip around the throat of the global fashion press; and second, that few celebrities actually know how to dress. By few, I mean Sarah Jessica Parker and Zendaya, with the occasional rogue stumbling upon a theme-appropriate ensemble.
Image source: Billie Eilish Met Gala 2021 Look: See Photos | Billboard
This year, thank God, served as a return to form for the Met Gala: not a single celebrity quest attended in an outfit that even neared the theme Ms Wintour and her lap dog, Costume Institute curator Andrew Bolton, set out for the event dubbed ‘Fashion’s Night Out’. Arguably, this year’s direction was easier to interpret than it had been in years. ‘In America: A Lexicon of Fashion’ gave attendees a simple prompt: reference American fashion. That’s it. Gone were the complexities of ‘Notes on Camp,’ gone were the nuances of ‘Manus x Machina.’ And yet, only a nineteen-year-old Billie Eilish, in dreamy peach Oscar de la Renta, seemed to understand the assignment. I guess we’ll just have to wait for the second American-themed Met Gala, happening this May. I, for one, can’t wait to see which celebrities decide to show up in a French designer’s interpretation of a Belgian actress’ costume from a famous British movie (looking at you, KJ).
Daniel Lee Leaves Bottega Veneta
For those who love messiness — I mean you, readers of Andre Leon Talley’s memoir — this last week has been a dream come true. A nightmare, however, for Kering executives, as unknown-turned-golden-boy Daniel Lee is leaving Bottega Veneta. The split was a shocking one, and came just weeks before several high-profile awards ceremonies at which Lee was scheduled to be honoured for his work at the brand.
It’s hard to believe that there was a time when my feed wasn’t crowded with girls clutching oversize pouches attached to chunky gold chains, their feet clad in quilted-leather mules. But such an era did exist, and existed before Daniel Lee orchestrated a mission of brand revitalization, the likes of which had not been seen since Tom Ford turned around the House of Gucci. Suddenly, you couldn’t call yourself a fashion influencer if you didn’t own a plethora of lime green purses, or at least one giant tan blazer. However, all that came to a screeching halt in early November of this year, when Bottega’s parent company announced that Lee would be leaving the brand. No other information was given, leaving his avid followers to draw their own conclusions. Will the designer end up on his own? Or is his abrupt exit related to a certain fellow minimalist mentioned above? None of us know for sure, but we’ll wait with bated breath, Daniel!