Fashion Influences from 80s-90s

Josephine YapLisa

Events, Social Change and driving factors of change

• Western economy boom, women dress for success in the perfect suit for the corporate ladder (androgynous dressing)

• Soap operas like Dynasty and Dallas had a large influence • Growth in designer and private labels in response to growing middle

class’s affluence

• Youth fashion evolve mainly from music and streetwear:– Start of MTV – pop music, London influences– Michael Jackson popularises the leather jacket in his music video “Thriller”

(1983)– Young women started copying her “street urchin” look from Madonna “Like a

virgin” single– Dance wear (tail end of Disco era from 1970s) & hip hop wear (Def Jam

Recordings artists such as LL Cool J and Public Enemy)

(Sproles & Burns 1994)

(Fashion Era)

Notable Designers of the 80s1. Calvin Klein

2. Giorgio Armani

3. Ralph Lauren

4. Christian Lacroix

• Simple sportswear: successful advertising (Brooke Shields ‘Nothing comes between me and my Calvins’).

• Power suits: Dress celebrities to create buzz (Richard Gere in 1980’s American Gigolo) triangle-shaped, strong square shoulders, suits with skirts.

• Sportswear: All american dream, referencing upper class Ivy League or preppy look, polo shirt.

• Couture Revival (high fashion): French label, glamorous & dramatic, use of sumptuous fabrics (velvet, satin, taffeta) and overlapping patterns (patchwork, stripes), one of his signature pieces is the bouffant or puffy skirt (pouf)

(Baudot Francois 1999,Vogue UK 2011, Notable Biographies 2011, NY Mag 2011)

Influences on fashion & stylesCharacteristics• Hair

– Females: Multicoloured, side ponytails, crimp, glitter, ultra-teased, platinum blonde

– Males: Long & layered, frizzy or curly, mohawks

• Clothing– Oversized clothing or work suit:

shoulder pads/ broad shoulders, skirts knee length

– Youth street wear: ‘Fashion Rebellion’, Neon colours, strong prints, tie-dye, acid wash tight and ripped jeans

– Sports and workout clothing: Exercise gear & leg warmers, torn or off-the-shoulder t-shirts, parachute pants

Where did it come from?• Power dressing: Margaret

Thatcher, Princess Diana• Youth wear:

– Pop music: Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, Billy Idol, Duran2, Culture Club, Olivia Newton John with Let’s Get Physical, Prince and Michael Jackson.

– Street dancing: Break-dancing

• Movies: Fame, Flashdance, Dallas, Dynasty

(Buxbaum Gerda 1999, Hill Daniel Delis 2007, The people history 2004, Fashion Era/1980s Lifestyle & Fashion, 2001)

Ralph Lauren 1983

Christian Lacroix

Soap Opera Dynasty

Ralph Lauren

Christian Lacroix S/S1988

Giorgio Armani A/W 1984-85

Bibliography• Changing Appearances – Understanding Dress in Contemporary Society, Sproles & Burns 1994.• Ralph Lauren image of father & sons from: pg 294

– BAUDOT Francois, A Century of Fashion, Thames & Hudson Ltd, London and Universe Publishing, New York 1999• Giorgio Armani Donna Advertising campaign Dress for success image pg 125

– BUXBAUM Gerda (ed), Icons of Fashion – The 20th Century, Prestel Verlag, Munich, London, New York 1999.• Christian Lacroix, Paco Rabanne & Vivienne Westwood images pg 131

– BUXBAUM Gerda (ed), Icons of Fashion – The 20th Century, Prestel Verlag, Munich, London, New York 1999.• Giorgio Armani black and white pictures pg 127

– HILL Daniel Delis, As seen in Vogue – A Century of American Fashion in Advertising, Texas Tech University Press, 2007• Fitness wear Leotards pg 121

– HILL Daniel Delis, As seen in Vogue – A Century of American Fashion in Advertising, Texas Tech University Press, 2007• Day wear 1982-84 pg 205

– PEACOCK John, Fashion since 1900 The Complete Sourcebook 1250 Colour illustrations, Thames & Hudson Ltd, London 2007.• Day wear 1987-90 pg 213

– PEACOCK John, Fashion since 1900 The Complete Sourcebook 1250 Colour illustrations, Thames & Hudson Ltd, London 2007.• www.vogue.co.uk viewed on 26 July 2011• www.nymag.com viewed on 26 July 2011• www.notablebiographies.com viewed on 26 July 2011• www.thepeoplehistory.com viewed on 26 July 2011• www.fashion-era.com viewed on 26 July 2011