In Celebration of Couture

In celebration of the couture fashion weeks, here are TWO wonderful videos that transports one through the couture experience. Dior is really synonymous with Couture since it's inception. From the moment it opened it's doors in 1946, Christian Dior (now simply Dior) has amazed the world with their craft and attention to detail. Couture, or really Haute Couture translates from French for "high sewing". The "haute" translates as "high". It is the creation of exclusively custom-fitted clothing. It is hand made from start to finish. It is not mass produced but more like the female equivalent of men's bespoke. It is of the finest quality and done with attention to detail. It is only done by the most experienced of craftsmen and craftswomen. It is very TIME CONSUMING and very, very expensive. A couture dress can be as cost as much as a house. It is like purchasing a Monet. The clientele that buy it are in the upper stratosphere of economic privilege. The haute couture garment is made taking into account the wearers measurements, body stance and figure flaws. The designs may be deceptively simple to look at but often very painstakingly produced. Budget is not of consideration in couture. Artistic impact is of the utmost importance. Many garments utilize precious jewels, including diamonds, in the embroidery for maximum impact and reflectivity.

 

The Haute in the Haute

From a legal standpoint, the words Haute Couture are defined by the Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Paris. This regulatory body determines which houses can be declared "haute couture". To be legally "haute", a designer must meet a few simple criteria. 

• Each design must be made-to-order for a private client and require more than one fitting.
• The workroom must have a staff of 15 employees working full time in Paris
• The workroom must also employ 20 technical staff working in at least one workroom
• The designer must produce 50 original designs for the public in a collection twice a year.

Few fashion houses have the mean to be considered "haute", however to be considered couture is another story. Couture gets slung around a lot and is often mistake for a luxury ready-to-wear. The two are very different. A high end, ready-to-wear (or pret-a-porter) is often misinterpreted as haute couture and many will align the term with couture. The two are not the same. Most, but not all, couture houses have a ready-to-wear collection that is available to the affluent public. However, that trend is really changing particularly in the last year. Economists take note. Two houses, most recently  Viktor and Rolf and Jean Paul Gaultier have dropped their lucrative ready-to-wear lines and to concentrate on couture. Other fashion houses like Versace have added couture lines to their ready to wear. Thus, there are uber rich shopping as the economic divide has widened. 

The two videos posted are from Dior. The garments are from two distinctly different creators. The first is under the creative vision of the current director Raf Simons. When one looks at it, it appear as a simple top with a striped poof skirt. Don't be deceived. Watch this creation being made and you will see, it is not so simple. 

The second video from Dior is under the creative leadership of John Galliano. A master is creative vision, he has re-entered the design world after a long absence. I can't express how much he was truly missed in his absence. The fashion world was a bit dull and bleak without something to look forward to each season. His new collection for Maison Martin Margiela Margiela was outstanding and showed off his creative talents.

Winter 2015/2016 Trends for Menswear

Scouring the runways for the next trend is kind of a pass time. Some folks look at hockey scores, I prefer to look at shoulder points. This year sparked some nice trends that I am seeing across the board. I first noticed it in the UK, then it popped up again in Paris and Milan.  It is a relaxing of the shoulders and an easing of the shoulder structure.  In recent year, that ultra skinny look with narrow shoulders and tight leg pants has dominated the runways for men as well as most department stores. This was especially true in the young mens market regardless of the price point. There is now a dropping of the shoulder point, in some cases as much a a couple of inches. Where it used to sit square at the point of shoulder were the arm attached, it is now moving slowing away and down the arm. (Previously some designers even brought it in a little closer to the neck making the shoulders look more narrow.) This added width gives a more relaxed look. This new trend started in areas of sportwear where comfort and movement is a concern. But it is now moving into outerwear and some special occation wear. This was especially true over at Balmain where the volume of things really got ramped up as well as Armani.

Return of the Raglan

A favorite for outer wear, it has been missing for some time. Now it is cropping up everywhere and in most collections. For some designers, they are using that angular seam line to further accentuate a funnel-like neck or sloping shoulders. They are adding piping or contrast sleeves to make the chest more prominent and the shoulders more strained. There were many, many pieces of outer wear with raglans. Canali had a lovely double breasted, yellow jacket that stood out. God Bless Canali. That is one company that is not afraid of using color. It sets the color standard in my book.

Turning Up the Volume - Pants!

Pants are also moving away from that extra skinny look to a more relaxed silhouette. With the relaxing of the shoulders, designers are noodling with the volume of pant legs and playing with proportions here as well. For the most part, there are many men (particularly in the US) that should have stayed away from the skinny tight pant look. It is not flattering on a lot of body shapes. With that in mind, retailers will have to start looking at their market bases and seeing which trend will predominate. If a guy has a butt, a skinny pant accentuates it (sometime in a good way and other times not so much). A skinny jean is not flattering on a guy with a guy. A fuller pant can hide a skinny leg and make a guy more proportional with even just a little bit of volume. A taller guy can wear a fuller leg pant more easily than a shorter guy. Pant proportions are something that is unique to each guy. A truly... and I have to say this... ask your best female friend. Woman know pants fit. Many guys are clueless on this. They look at the waist size and inseam length and then call it a day. Woman look at fit. A good friend will tell you if those pants you are wearing will make your butt looks sexy or sad. Trust a woman to look at your ass with an objective opinion. Spout a pair and ask her what she thinks.

Wrapping Things Up.

Men have been wearing scarfs for a while... or at least those who know fashion have. I'm not talking about the muffler you wear to go shuffle snow. I am referring to the accessory that is now becoming oversize. What do I mean by oversize? HUGE. Sofa throw size. In some cases, it is a poncho or a wrap. And these puppies are immense and long... usually hitting about mid knee even when wrapped around the neck. Think Dr. Who if you need a reference. When wrapped around the neck, they accentuate the sloping-shoulder look as if to make the guy appear as if he is wrapped in a cocoon. It is a warm and cuddly silhouette that is soft and more approachable while still being effectively masculine. That Matrix edgy-look is really giving way to a more calmer, outdoorsy guy who is more like someone people want to hug instead of run away from. The thug look is leaving. Also think texture. These long throws are oversize but they are also quite LUX. Many I saw were fur and sometimes being sheared beaver or mink. Others had mohair fringe that was quite long. It extends the size without adding too much weight and says luxury in a way without getting stung on a price tag.

A manly shade of....

Yeah... I know. Most guys in the Midwest United States wouldn't be caught dead in PINK. It was interesting to go into stores during this past holiday season. I truly hated some major retailers in Chicago (most notably the one that rhymes with Stacy's) as it was like I walked into a funeral home. The predominant color for men in the Midwest was black... or dark grey. Pity the intellect that equates manlyhood with a lack of color or better yet, one that can only match shades of black, white and grey. Blue would be an exception as it is the color of denim. While men are the only sex that is affected by color blindness, it doesn't mean the majority of men are stupid. London Fashion week turned up the heat considerably with the one color that makes men run to cover their gonads.
 

Know your Color History

During the Rococo Period (1720 to 1775), it was the most favored shade in Europe. It was and still is the "Navy Blue" of Portugal and India. Many public buildings were built with a pink facade or stucco. In the 19th century, it was the color for BOYS... considered young men. Prince Arthur of England was painted in pink and white.


The idea that BLUE being equated for boys actually developed in the late 1900s with the popularity of the sailor suit for boys. Color dye technology also changed the way people look at colors in the 1950s as color fastness was developed. Prior to that time, white was more often used for kids regardless of gender because one could bleach it to death as kids clothes needed to be washed more often. One can see pink in Chicago at the Edgewater Beach Condo Building. A landmark, this building was the epitome of style and sophistication in the 20's when Les Brown used to play in the ballroom. One still thinks pink when thinking hot summer days on the beach... though it still doesn't show up on men. Currently, pink is a color is reserved mostly for seniors. Men over a certain age will wear it in defiance of convention. Those are the smart ones - but why did they wait so long to don the color?

Most color analysts will tell you that it is equated with charm, politeness, sensitivity and romance. Those same analysts will say pink does not have a negative connotation but does not rank in the top choices. It has been know to stop traffic when worn by celebrities like Brad Pitt at Canne. Canali introduced an amazing selection of color sportcoats and suits in Spring 2012. They made me drool. The color that stood out from the pack was pink.

When mixed with an orange shirt, the result is electric energy. It screams youth, vitality and exuberance. It is the one color that also looks good on many skin tones. So why don't we see it more often? Occasionally one will see it paired in the palest of shades with a navy blue or black suit. This winter season, London says YES to pink in a big way.  Some designers like Burberry, Sasir Mazhar and Hardy Aimes had pink in more muted shades. The major portion of designers showed pink more boldly (including Astrid Andersen, Casely-Hayford, Richard Jones, Katie Eary and Tiger of Sweden). Sibling, going extremely fashion forward, showed an entire collection in pink. I will admit, THAT was a bit overboard. Shown is a suit that is one of the more subdued selections. Pink is a color that commands attention but also says warmth in personality. I am excited about seeing it more. Granted, London is much more adventuresome than the United States, particularly the Midwest. One can hope this is a trend that will catch on and move this way.. We will wait to see how long it takes before pink shows up.

Do we know how to be Eye Candy?

My mom can never understand why I always bolt to Europe when I go on vacation. Even if I have to stay at a dive (ok... ya know that doesn't happen), I always find Europe to be a wonderful place for the senses. One of the reasons I go is for visual excite of dress. I have commented in the past that people in Europe dress more and dress better than their American counterparts. Wow. That statement usually manages to stir up a hive of bees. I have been called a snob by my mother... and we won't touch the fiber content of fabric issue. Many of my male friends think I am crazy when I mention men in Europe dress. They don't believe me as many of them have not spent any considerable time there. If a men were to perhaps agree to with the statement it would be with the caveat saying they have nothing to get dressed up for.

REALLY? Come on... REALLY?Do you guys really buy that? Oh come on! Do you really buy into the statement that there is no place to go, anyone to see or be seen by or any reason to get to get dressed up? THAT's CRAP. I don't buy it.What about the sheer joy of LOOKING HOT... and knowing it. What about having the confidence in know that while one may not be George Clooney, one can still look breath-takingly startling to someone else... even if that person is a total stranger and one may never see them again. I had that very event happen to me in Venice one year. A beautiful bespoke tan and russet plaid-suited gentleman was a feast for the eyes. His face, I truly can't recall... but the suit. OMG. I just had to have it (the best I could afford however was the sportscoat, but I digress). But it wasn't loud or obnoxious. It was incredibly sexy and totally masculine at the same time.

I remember recently going to the markets in Madrid and Seville. The produce market... veggies, meats, etc,... nothing special or out of the ordinary in some respects. But is was a stage of fashion. I saw men in jackets, suits and women in dresses, suits and with gloves. YES, suits. It was lovely to see. I felt visually at peace. I felt calm. The people shopping weren't trying to show off. They had stuff to do and errands to get done but they had an air about them that was dignified and beautiful. They were just picking up their groceries but they were great eye candy in themselves. Have we lost that art? Do we know how to be eye candy anymore? In another instance in Madrid at the Royal Palace Garden. The gardens were filled with people from offices on siesta. Visually it was fun. Guys in business suits peeling down to sunbath. Ladies doing very much that same but with more modesty. It was hot. It was sexy. Americans just let it all hang out so there is nothing left to the surprise.

Of major concern.
So much of what we wear defines who we are. Many men wear rugged looking clothing because we want to look macho and tough. Most don't know about style. Perhaps style was not taught to them as a child. I can understand that. Typically, a boy in Europe (particularly Italy) will go to the tailor with his dad at a young age. He learns about fit and style from day one. It is not uncommon to see father/son outfits like one finds mother/daughter dresses here. But here in the U.S., we tend to take our kids to sporting events and skip the personal grooming. BTW - I didn't know this but Armani makes children's wear and so does Lanvin. Can't find that in Chicago. Answer any female this question: Can a typical man buy a pair a pants? More than likely, she will answer that with a resounding "NO." There is also a terrible trend that we have grown accustomed to seeing. It is of men wearing pants/jeans that expose more than we want to see — butt crack, underwear, pubes... or more. What are we instilling in our children? What sense of pride are we displaying by not allowing ourselves to look good and by teaching them what is appropriate dress.

I am sure I will get flack for that statement.Often I hear that people don't have the cash to look good. Let's think about that statement. Author Pam Powell of Tailored Fashion Design is from Australia and lived in London before coming to the US. She says American's don't buy quality. They mass merchandise and don't make investment purchases for their wardrobe. They view garments as disposable and only wear them a season. Personally, I think that is the case and it can be supported by looking at just one company — WALMART. 40% of the American retail dollar goes to Walmart. It is a sizable chunk. One Walmart fashion executive in Bensenville, AK recently told me that when people get enough disposable income, they stop shopping for clothes at Walmart and go to other more trendy stores. But analyze that statement from another point of view — 40% of the retail dollar goes to Walmart. That is significant chunk of the Americans that do not consider fashion important. While Walmart is known for economy, it is not know for fashion. It does not believe in designer merchandise or merchandise that is in anyway related to a specific designer at all. That is part of their policy. It has not been as successful in many portions of Europe as it had hoped partly because the views of many Europeans do not buy into the Walmart mentality and many Europeans are very fashion forward. Germany is a good example as Walmart pulled out completely after disastrous sales. H&M and Zara, economy brands of Europe are not coming into the US. All I can say is THANK GOD.

Also consider this small fact: the United States only has ONE major fashion hub. LA really doesn't compare as it doesn't have the volume and the US has 50 states. Europe by contrast has many fashion weeks in many major capitols. Milan, London and Paris are joined by many other major cities that host major fashion events and weeks devoted to style... not just ready to wear, but also couture, men's wear, fur and leather weeks too.

OUCH! Do I sound harsh?I don't think so. I think I sound honest. The US has lost it's stylish edge. When Claire McCardell came up with the Popover Dress, she was trying to give the American consumer an affordable option for looking good. She made American sportswear at a time when we made 95% of our clothing in this country. Now that we make 5% domestically (according CFDA). Have we exported our design and sense of taste as well? Have we gotten rid of style for economies sake? If so, what does that say about our values but more importantly, what does that say about where we are going?

But all this is subjective right? Well... see for yourself. I posted a few images from two of the most contradictory sites in the bloggisphere. It is very easy to distinguish between the two. The images of the European men come from The Sartorialist - Scott Schuman at www.Sartorialist.com This man as the most gifted eye for taking images of the most handsome people around the world. In his travels, he takes candid images of people on the street in their regular clothing. He is in many respects our leader for those who have lost their design eye. His images inspire but they also teach. He is brilliant at capturing the moment and also defining elegance. The other images are from www.peopleofwalmart.com. Three people (AJK, ADK, LDW) - started the site. It was "founded in August of 2009 by three friends and roommates after an inspirational trip to Walmart." It was not exactly what I would call "inspirational"... like Walmart, they are making money off it. I'll let you be the judge and decide for yourself if we have lost our edge. Take a look at the contrast. See if you don't find the differences positively startling and perhaps just a little scary about our future.
I really would like to thank Scott Schuman. I get inspired by is photographs. He lets me know style is not dead. One just has to look elsewhere to find it.

http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/
http://www.thesartorialist.com/

Street influences

Influences in fashion can come from many places. Recently I have written about a few like films and art. But fashions influence can also come from everyday people. It can come in the from of a work uniform that is somehow appealing to the the masses. It can be a design element that is functional that somehow transcends and causes hysteria of copy-cat wearers. An example could be those sexy little spandex shorts that grace the behinds of bike messengers that suddenly cross over into club wearing kids. Perhaps it’s the legions of business women sporting Nikes with their Donna Karan or Armani business suit while toting a huge Fendi bag. These trends are usually born out of a combination of necessity, envy, a light touch of the practicality and a heavy dose of design flair. But these trends are also a movement that point or reflect where society is going and how it is reflected most often by youth as they, unlike their parents, have more disposible income. Below are a short list of some pretty cool trends that have boiled up from the populace and how they still influence design today.
The Zoot Suit.
A ethnic mixture of Puerto Rican, African, Filipino and Italian style that could only be mixed in America during the late 1930 and 1940s. The look which featured a generously cut, widely padded shoulder jacket with equally generously cut (almost baggy) pants that tapered in a the cuff. It gained a strong hold in Harlem and became synonymous with jazz.
It even spawned a play of the same name. In the 80’s MC Hammer brought a re-interpretation of the Zoot Suit with his Hammer pants. They were extremely popular in the gym with the weight lifters. They were everywhere. I must confess, I still have a pair (in fact I wear them a lot as pjs - they are so comfortable.) John Galliano used the Zoot suit as inspiration for his 2002 Spring Collection

http://www.stageandscreenwriters.com/Paul_Glitter.html
http://www.chicano.ucla.edu/center/events/Sleepy_Lagoon/SleepyLagCol.htm
http://www.chicano.ucla.edu/center/events/Sleepy_Lagoon/SleepyLagCol.htm
Teddy Boys
After WW2, Savile Row in London tried to reintroduce Edwardian period clothing. (Edwardian... aka Teddy - get it?) The style features a long frock coat, sometimes with a velvet or contrasting lapel. It is worn with tight formfit trousers (or currently jeans) accompanied with a vest and perhaps a skinny tie (maybe even a bolo tie). The hair is usually a overdone and big, gelled with aa duck tail cut in the back.
The style was picked up by rockers and became a subculture. A side note: It seems pretty apparent that most trends in clothing seem to stem from the young. Each generation tries to put a stamp or mark on fashion with it’s own unique joie de vivre. One could call this look classically now. Junya Watanabe also reintroduced this look in Spring 2007 Jen Laugesen trotted the Teddy Boy look out in early 2008 as did the Topshop in 2009.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teddy_Boy
http://www.rockabilly.nl/general/teddyboys.htm
http://www.fashion-era.com/1950s/1950s_4_teenagers_teddy_boys.htm

Beatniks
Also in the 1950’s, but moving into the early 1960’s, the Beat or Beatnik generation was philosophically grounded and as partly a reaction to capitalism. The fashion movement was counter-cultural and lofty in idealism from many different and diverse viewpoints. It has a huge influence with the writings of Jack Kerouac and kind of a “F.U.” mentality.
One common thread however was dress… think a French beret, black turtlenecks, and very tight, skinny (usually cropped jeans). It was a symbol for years of intellectualism…. In fact, go on many college campuses today and you will see professors sporting the looks… at least the beret and the turtleneck. In 2006, Gap used original footage from the film Funny Face to introduce it’s reissuance of the skinny leg jean from that time period.
The film featured fashion icon Audrey Hepburn as a Beatnik.

http://www.backinskinnyjeans.com/2006/09/model_too_skinn.html
http://propagandica.wordpress.com/2008/12/15/knowles-hepburn/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gap_%28clothing_retailer%29
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/danny-miller/audrey-hepburn-dead-is-th_b_29484.html

Mods
Running at the same time as the beatniks was the Mods. Like the decades previous Teddy Boys, the Mods were a British inspired movement. This movement is a bit more difficult to nail down as it was defined as anything believed to be Modern, fashionable and popular. It was a reaction to the early 50’s James Dean look of the greaser /rural town rocker. This was also a style that was more androgynous with women wearing men’s trousers and little makeup and men wearing black eyeliner.
This was also a subculture that had a noticeable use of amphetamines as a recreational drug. Twiggy was the visual spokerperson for this movement as was Mary Quant with her micro mini skirts. Giles in Spring 2006 and Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein in Spring 2009 took a huge stab at creating very modern clothing for today’s crowd. Both were very successful in something that is very difficult… modern can be hard without looking kitchy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mod_%28subculture%29
http://www.fiftiesweb.com/fashion/mod-fashion.htm
http://www.retrowow.co.uk/retro_style/60s/60s_mods.html

Hippies
Drugs, sex and rock and roll. The sixties hippies was a falling out of society in that fashion was anti-fashion. Jeans and t-shirts was the norm. Crochet and patchwork, the look of poverty mixed with the music of Janis Joplin and a few mild altering drugs, this subculture also brought us psychedelic clothing and the tie dyed t-shirt.
This generation, like our current one, was reacting to war and the ugliness of the world. The previous generations has a lot of economic problems as the result of war. This generation did not like the war from many grounds and thus checked out.
Sidenote #2 Not that I am a prude by any standard, but I do find it odd (and perhaps a little sad), each generation has found a new drug of choice.
Balmain brought tie dye into the collection in Sprint 2007 as well as a recent 2009 sexy collection by Proenza Schouler.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/1960s-hippies-fashion.html
http://www.syl.com/articles/thehippiesfashion.html
http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Hippie-Fashion-Statement&id=743650

Punk
By the time the seventies hit, punk was a total reaction to society’s previous sentimentality of 1970’s rock. This mid 70’s trend, started with the followers of the bands the Ramones and the Sex Pistols. Design-wise, it was the brainchild of Vivienne Westwood in London.
The style was in-your-face, rough, tough and abrasive. Much like the original etymology of the word which ment “a young male hustler, a gangster, a hoodlum, or a ruffian.”
Like many of it’s predecessors, punk’s look featured tight pants but also heavy makeup, body piercings, Chuck Taylor shoes and at times, multicolored Mohawk hairstyles. Galliano brought out a punk collection in 2000. Vivienne Westwood always has a punk element in her collections… even when she isn’t even trying. Junya Watanabe got the vibe down in Spring 2006.
http://punkskamusic.suite101.com/article.cfm/punk_fashion
http://www.eightyeightynine.com/culture/80s-punk-hair.html
http://www.fastnbulbous.com/punk.htm

Disco
Thank god we have arrived at something I can relate to… dancing on a box til dawn. Disco was all about just that… dancing. It was sexy nightclub gear almost painted on tight. Can clothing get any tighter? Spandex was in full reign in this decade of non-stop dancing, and of course, cocaine (the drug which kept you dancing until all hours of the morning.) Fabrics were shiny, often times metallic. Quianna knit was a fiber that Dupont had developed and it was everywhere. Body hugging but with drape, this clothing allowed movement but showed the body to it’s best advantage…. Ok, this design trend I miss. Unfortunately, Rafael Lopez in Spring 2002 did a really hack job at trying to bring it back. It was as pretty as a bad acid flashback.
http://www.fashion-era.com/1970s.htm
http://coutureallure.blogspot.com/2009/09/disco-fever-fashion-1978.html
http://www.life123.com/beauty/fashion/disco/disco-fashion.shtml

Hiphop
As distinctive as the music, hip hop style has an African American origin. It was an urban dress that started with a mix of track suits, heavy jewelry, leather jackets and Puma or Adidas running shoes. Over time, this has morphed into throwback jerseys and baggy pants and jewelry. There is lots of bling, layers and layers of bling in this fashion movement. This movement has also been very long lasting. It has also spawned many, many fashion designer who were rappers and music celebrities like Baby Phat and, Queen Latifah. This style movement really is celebrity and musician-based and developed. Other designers have tried really hard to catch this bandwagon.
Everyone from Louis Vuitton, Prada, True Religion, Rock & Republic, Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren have worked really hard to cash in on this phenomena. Thus it has become a very lucrative target market and design style for many design companies. Many hip hop artists have since come out against all the commercialism that is so prevalent in this genre of dress. To that point, this is a design trend that seems to be fading as the rappers age and become more lucrative in their own right. The most recent collection that was rapper/hiphop inspired seems to be Chirstian Dior in 2000.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hip_hop_fashion
http://www.kingice.com/hip-hop-fashion.aspx
http://24hourhiphop.com/features/Fashion/

The next trend?
Skinny jeans and skin tight clothing…. What a surprise. Less jewelry – I think the recession and a backlash against the bling of Hiphop I think will be the cure. On a more serious note, I think this will take more research to find a real clear trend. Trends in clothing, particularly street trends, grow from the ground on up and are not dictated by someone in Paris on a runway. Today's youth seem to be quiet. Like preceeding generations, they have found their own drug of choice it seems in CristalMeth as it is readily available and cheap to make. This may change with the legalization of pot in California. The last time I heard, pot was the number one perscription drug in the state now.
I would think the younger trend setter would be feeling a bit more disenfranchised similar to the folks of the early 70's. I think there is some anger their with regards to the state of the economy and lack of jobs. The 70's was a huge time of inflation and a time of war...hmmmm. Sounds familiar. I am seeing some more tie dye garb. But I haven't seen any evidence of a new design trend. Music is more downloaded than bought in a store. Monitoring music trends could be a source to point to but with the pluralism that is now in the music market, everyone has a chance to 15 seconds of fame. There are no clear trend setters... except Lady Gaga whom I see as a flash in the pan.
With that, the music of Evanescence, with it's gothic overtone, that seems more of the direction and style I see coming down the road. This would explain the huge growth in her business in the past few years. But that could also be the result of the museum exhibition that has been traveling the world and the subsequent book. Even so, those two events also point me into the direction of a more punk oriented urban trend coming down the pike.
I will keep you abreast of any new trends I see.