STYLE ETC. The Art of Appropriate Acquisition Clockwise from top: Gucci taffeta one-shoulder ruffled dress; Isabel Marant top and ruffle-wrap skirt; Ungaro print ruffle top and bi-colour skirt; Balenciaga draped jersey top and Spandex boot-leggings; Saint Laurent leopard devoré one-sleeve dress; Kenzo parachute silk jumpsuit i l l u s t r a t i o n s b y SPIROS HALARIS FASHION FLASHBACK BACK TO THE FUTURE Shoulder pads, primary colours and animal prints! AVRIL GROOM reflects on the return of the big, brash 1980s to the catwalk There are two universal truths when it comes to the progress of fashion. The first is that any period will come around again as inspiration at some point – and not just the decades of the 20th century, as recent seasons prove with their whiffs of both the medieval and Victoriana. The other is that in order to see what might be coming next, gaze at what is currently most reviled and you can bet that some super-hip designer will soon start mining it for key looks. And who that designer is will have a bearing on whether the era succeeds or remains in fashion Siberia. So it is that the 1980s » DEPARTURES-INTERNATIONAL.COM 43
