Early 1940s/WW2 Runway Trend Report - Essay Example

To answer the question how the popular fashion of 1940 has influenced the modern design, it is imperative to analyze the designs that were used in 1940s and the trend the modern design has assumed. A comparative approach will play a key role in understanding the different fashion trends around the globe and help in making a clear point on the popularity issue. The timing was during the Second World War and the fashion mostly revolved around drab colors, functional cuts and a limited edition of cutting-edge military swag that embraced military restrictions.

This was how the 1940s generation paved their way through the fashion world. The war was on and there was no time to create or design new fashion trends. The absence of designers and the wartime restrictions motivated the women to adapt, improvise and get along with the existing fashion. They became designers in their own way, used their own undocumented ways to implement their designs which became the talk of the day by the people who cared anything about fashion. The main challenges that influenced fashion during this time were the shortages in nylon, rayon, wool and leather.

High production of anything around the globe relies on the availability of raw materials, and how the manufacturers in this case designers would easily get them at a cheaper price. The challenge of inadequate materials was making the fashion industry unprofitable, because low production brought in less profits. The fashion industry recorded a slow progress that turned out to be inspired by the war that was tearing different countries aside. However, people needed to dress and impress the nation.

The ideology of function seemed to overtake fashion though it did not last for long. The color of fashion was dull and seemed to coincide with the war and was defined by patriotic themes as ladies wedges replaced the traditional heels due to lack of stockings. The war significantly affected the development of the fashion industry as women were confused on what to implement and best suit the needs of the time. However, despite the wartime restrictions and the availability of few designers, cutting-edge fashion trends still emerged and were embraced by all people.

Modern designers find it easier and lucrative to play along with the 1940’s fashion because of its visual appeal to the outside world. Any fashion lover would agree that vintage brings the other side of an individual and it is with this reason that the 1940s design has had a great impact on the modern fashion.Vintage has had a great impact on the modern fashion. The modern man and woman are peeling back the mask by going for the 1940s fashion and design. The impact is appreciated all over the world by designers and fashion promoters who believe in the beauty of the old.

The development of the modern fashion based on the fashion that existed in 1940s during the Second World War is alive and adopted in all corners of the world. People adore any design that was adopted s=during the war, and belief that it reflects the struggles people went through to achieve a free society, a society that discourages discrimination at all cost. 1. Andre Zuca, 1940s. Check out Andre Zuca’s formal outfit design that was formalized through restrictions and rationing caused by the Second World War.

Modern designers who dwell in Aloha prints and leopard designs were inspired by Zuca. http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/blogs/544203/1940s-fashion-the-decade-captured-in-40-incredible-pictures.html 2. Off duty clothes, 1940s. Trousers were widely accepted by the women in 1940s. This was evident from the high number of women who wore unfussy fabrics outside the workplace. Wide-leg trousers are enjoying a renaissance today as a key silhouette. https://thewartimewoman.wordpress.com/2014/01/27/1940s-factory-fashions/3.

Sporty Style, 1940s. It was during this time that pants were gaining a wide acceptance into the women’s wardrobes. However, dresses and skirts remained very essential. Midi-skirts are emerging today as a viable fashion that has dominated the market in recent times. http://www.retrowaste.com/1940s/fashion-in-the-1940s/4. Men’s Sportwear, 1940s. Merril Woolens was a preference among the men weren’t at war. Plaid shirts, wool jackets have become an apparel trend in modern men’s fashion. http://www.ebay.ca/csc/i.html?_sop=2&_nkw=merrill+jacket&_frs=15.

Reigning Rayons, 1940s. Floral and foliage prints remain key references to modern print and apparel designers. They are relevant for summer/spring and they from splashy, medium to large scale motifs.https://www.etsy.com/market/1940s_rayon_dress6. Leopard Odyssey, 1940s. It is arguably the most classical design in the 20th Century. It is an enduring motif that exists both as a skin and an illustrated pattern. Various prominent designers like Dolce & Gabbana and Roberto Cavalli have embraced leopard prints.

https://thewartimewoman.wordpress.com/2014/01/27/1940s-factory-fashions/7. Fancy feet, 1940s. The 1940s era introduced a wide range of wedges and platform-soled footwear into the market. This has seen designers such as Salvatore Ferragamo forever ailed by the 20th century. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/236790892882841690/ 8. Hot headed, 1940s. Perfectly coiffed hair and dashing headwear was an essential component of everyday dress in the 40s, as women strove to remain elegant in the austere conditions (and clothing) of the era.

The headwears and scaryes are back on the streets as women embrace the 1940s style once again. www.totalbeauty.com › Beauty Tips › Hairstyles 9. Post-war and Prêt-a-porter, 1940s. This came after the end of the Second World War where design was on its gradual path to greatness. Manufacturers of military uniforms learned how to mass-produce stylish clothing, and the post-war years saw the birth of Yves Saint Laurent who conceptualized the prêt-a-porter (ready-to-wear) design, changing the industry forever.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Yves_St_Laurent_early_gown_deYoung_Museum_San_Francisco.jpg 10. Aloha Wear, 1940s. The war ended and brought everything to a stand-still. There was no pressure anymore from the military and soldiers had an all-time morale for travelling and exotic fashions. Exuberant fashions ranging from sarong dresses for women to casual shirts for men were stylish options for summer clothing and resort wear. In modern times, S/S 11 runways continue to record a huge demand for the Hawaiian prints whose customers draw an inspiration from the 40s styles.

http://vintage-aloha-shirt.com Works CitedArnold, Rebecca. The American Look: Fashion, Sportswear and the Image of Women in 1930s and 1940s New York. London: I.B. Tauris, 2009. Print. Craats, Rennay. Fashion. New York: Weigl Pub, 2009. Print.Dirix, Emmanuelle, and Charlotte Fiell. 1940s Fashion: The Definitive Sourcebook. , 2013. Print. Laboissonniere, Wade. Blueprints of Fashion: Home Sewing Patterns of the 1940s. Atglen, PA, USA: Schiffer Pub, 1997. Print.Martin, Tracy.

Collectable Names and Designs in Womens Fashion: Past and Present. Havertown: Remember When, 2011. Internet resource. Milbank, Caroline R. New York Fashion: The Evolution of American Style. New York: Abrams, 1989. Print. Peacock, John. The 1940s. London: Thames and Hudson, 1998. Print. Polan, Brenda, and Roger Tredre. The Great Fashion Designers. Oxford: Berg Publishers, 2009. Internet resource.Rau, Petra. English Modernism, National Identity and the Germans, 1890-1950. Farnham, England: Ashgate, 2009. Print.Scharoun, Lisa.

Western Fashion Advertising in Mainland Urban China and Its Effects on the Self Image of Youth. , 2009. Print.