In 2010 experts have predicted that we start to emerge from the financial crisis, resulting in a boost in funding throughout many industries particularly in fashion. From this we are set to witness a new standard of fashion emerging.

Many collections are set to be inspired from traditions but with a large infusion of the sex and skin! 

Maybe fashion designers and the fashion houses have opted for this fusion as everyone knows that SEX sells! and what better time to introduce this, when emerging from a difficult climate. People will have been eased into spending once more, but will still feel a little pinch from the doom and gloom of the past year, and many people especially women will attempt to pick themselves back up, and what better way to do it then purchasing a sexed up outfit! 

So can Sex and Skin help to drive us out of the recession?

In my opinion Sex and Skin will sell! 

A scary new fashion occurrence has began to raise its unwanted ugly head! Men wearing articles  of women’s clothing, and I’m not talking about drag acts I’m talking everyday heterosexual men.  

Women dressing in men’s clothing is fashion norm and most women look great when doing so, wether it be in designer collections, when raiding your boyfriends wardrobe in the morning for his comfortable slouchy hoody and jeans or when slipping on his shirt. This being so popular with women all around the world, fashion brand launched boyfriend jeans. 

But when this scenario is turned the other way round, it just looks hideous and ever so slightly strange, for example I pose the question to our female followers, would you walk down the street with your boyfriend if he was wearing your hot-pants or skirt? I think it would be likely that you would receive one or two glares or comments thrown your way. 

The Telegraph recently pressed an article regarding “Girlfriend Dressing”. The article featured a picture of Jamie Hince (Kate Moss’ boyfriend) in what looked like her short shorts and fitted blazer. Now we all know that Kate Moss is a huge fashion icon, but seriously come on! Even David Beckham sporting his sarong a few years ago, could not pull of a woman’s look and he would look good in a bin-bag, aswell as being a fashion icon to most heterosexual males. So this leads to the question why can women pull off mens clothing and be taken seriously, but men can’t seem to pull off women’s clothes without being mistaken for a drag queen?

Reports this week claim that the number of applicants for shop floor jobs are rising at a rapid level. This has left young people snubbed by high street retailers, as more experienced industry candidates are being employed on a temporary basis.  

So this poses the question when will young people be given a chance to prove themselves within the industry? At present it looks like it won’t be any time soon, due to the current climate. Which is a shame as a lot of young people would work extra hard, in order to make a good impression and to make a good name for themselves, perhaps more so then the over experienced and over qualified candidates, as they are just looking for whatever they can to get by and to pass the time until they can get back into higher positions. 

Are there any retailers and companies out there at the moment that are willing to buck the latest trend by actually giving young people a chance?

For the latest job post in retail and fashion see our recruitment section…

http://www.manchesterfashion.com/recruitment/

This week Drapers reports that young high street fashion retailer River Island are set to launch a range of maternity wear later this month, for all those fashion dedicates who are mothers to be. 

River Island will launch the range, which will be made up from a 79-piece collection simply named River Island Maternity, across 16 selected outlets and online. The collection will consist of tees, knits, jeans outwear and also quirky extras such as sequin pants and wet look leggings.  

In recent years maternity wear has become a fast growing market, with a current estimated worth of around £139m. Other young high street retailers such as Topshop and New Look have already set out to capitalise on the growing market, by launching maternity ranges. Perhaps the underlying reason why these traditionally trendy, young retailers are dabbling in some market diversification is  due to the alarming fact that the age of mums is continuing to fall year on year. Expectant teenage mums especially will still want to look fashionable and on trend, in order for them to still fit in with their friends.      

I have always wondered where young mums-to-be shopped for their maternity clothes during their pregnancies, as up until recently none of the stores in which they would usually shop have featured maternity ranges. In the past girls have just squeezed into the brands the normal on trend tees and jeans etc, or gone to retailers who stock maternity ranges, these tending to be brands/retailers targeted at middle aged women, whos ranges can be a little frumpy. 

It was inevitable that at some point the young high street retailers would spot a gap in the market and begin to generate profit from the increase in teenage pregnancies, I’m just suprised it has taken them this long!

For 2010 fashion trends we are expecting a year of subtle and traditional garments/collections. If you want to stand out amongst the crowd of classic silhouette and somber colour wearers by making these ensembles pop, then the way to go is thigh high! 

Thigh High boots are set to the hottest shoe trend for Autumn/Winter 2010, and are already beginning to creep in, in the last remaining weeks of summer.  

I remember in my younger years boots being placed into two main categories horse riding boots and ‘come f*&% me’ boots. These days society’s issues with women in knee-high boots have been resolved. A good job I say as women’s boots in 2010 are set to be anything but traditional and sensible.

Over the knee boots and thigh high boots undoubtedly scream ‘sex’!! so just be careful what style you choose as you could end up screaming help, when someone mistakes you for a lady of the night! I assume you will want to avoid this occurrence so it is recommended that you avoid PVC, Patent and Red boots, these are a big no go! Instead opt for leather in colours such as black, brown, grey and cream/neutrals, and you won’t go wrong.  

I can’t wait to you thigh high! can you? 

I am constantly browsing the internet and magazines for interesting fashion news or debates. Today whilst doing so I came across a quite striking article entitled ‘Tracie Egan Blames Gay Men for ‘Many’ of the Fashion Industry’s Problems.’ 

She writes that ‘gay men are actually the most to blame for many of the problems in the fashion industry, like the absence of womanly curves on the runway, and the hideous, figure-assaulting trend that is the tent dress which no women who have boobs, and no straight men who have an appreciation for boobs, have any use for.’ 

I do agree with her feelings towards tent dresses, in the way that they steal womens figures and proceed in making us look as if we are about to pop out a sprog at any given moment, but I don’t necessarily think that the blame can be put on gay fashion designers, as many designers be it women or straight men have embraced this trend and many more that have been introduced by gay designers.

In terms of the weight issue with models it is argued by several fashion followers that gay designers don’t care about our weight issues and insecurities, because why else would so many gay male designers be opposed to the idea of enlisting a weight requirement on the runway? I think that this is unfair as after all fashion is swamped with models who could fit an elastic band around their wastes and thighs the size of my arms, they are not just used by gay designers they are circulated around all the top designers. Also, recently some designers are slowly starting to embrace natural/curvier women, such as Marc Jacobs who recently put Daisy Lowe, who resembles real women much more than the typical catwalk models, in his campaign. 

There are so many issues in relation to the fashion industry at the moment, but it is unfair to put all of the blame on gay designers, as there are also plenty of female designers and straight male designers within the industry, who are just as guilty and involved in the topical issue, agreed?? 

A brand who are very close to us at The Fashion Network have been discussing with us this week their concerns about the lack of good, young, creative talent within the Industry, this comes after their failing ongoing search for a new menswear designer. 

We hear about and read stories that claim that there is a new generation of ‘style savvy’ men that spur new fashion careers, in menswear, but most brands are failing to find these hidden gems. Is this because designers consider the womenswear to be a more lucrative market? Or perhaps there is more scope within womenswear design. According to a recent article published by Fashion School Review, this claim is false as ‘careers in menswear design have become more interesting offering more freedom as today’s men are more adventurous in their clothing choices’. 

Maybe then this only applies to the high end established designers and top fashion houses, are these the brands who are plucking out all the innovative, young, talented designers that are out there and going on to letting them exploit creativeness and be adventurous! With some up and coming fashion designers I believe that they do not want to associate their name and egos with any brand that can’t succeed in making them a world renowned fashion force instantly, this in my opinion is boiled down to us becoming fame obsessed generation! Are they just taking themselves and their egos straight to the top to the likes of Valentino, Gucci and Armani, instead of starting in the general, everyday fashion brands. Of course though many of the new style savvy designers are going on to set up their own indie brand, and proving to be quite a success, and hats off to them.  

Several sources claim that fashion-forward men who wish to differentiate themselves from their casual t-shirt-and-jeans brethren create a larger market and more interesting career choices for menswear designers, does this mean an end to creative and dynamic designers working within the casual clothing industries? These days some (not all, before you cry out in offense) high street retailers can often copy or base their collections around the top fashion houses pieces anyway, so this leads to the designers have less creative input, are high street designers the less talented designers because of this, it may seem that way.

So I pose the question, are there any innovative, style savvy Menswear designers out there anymore and if so where are you hiding?? 

One fashion topic that is always sure to cause a stir amongst the die hard fashionistas is fur. To wear or not to wear is the question. I am raising this ongoing debate as fur is set to be a key trend for Autumn 09, as a profusion of real fur was present on the womenswear catwalks for Autumn 09, whilst high street brands will be favouring faux fur versions for their Autumn 09 collections, where their faux fur has been toned down to be used as trims on long length tweed coats and cropped  jackets. 

Some fashion fashionistas, especially celebrities ones swear by fur whether it be real or fake, mostly perhaps because in their minds they believe that it will add that touch of glamour or drama to an outfit. Personally I have and never would purchase a fur garment whether it be real or fake, I’m just not keen, its all a bit too Pat Butchery for me, and that just isn’t my style.

This week Drapers Magazine features Faux – Fur as its trend of the week, so I was wondering which side would you take on the debate?  Will you be wearing it real or fake?