Forecasts: Overview
Our overriding influence for autumn/winter 2008-09 is that of the strong woman. She is the empowered icon, colouring our three moods for the season as well as driving our consumer trends with her far-sighted vision. She has emerged from last season’s reflective cocoon, a stronger wiser individual who knows her own mind and is not afraid to speak it. This new assertive self is mirrored in the protection of a strong silhouette – think the armoured qualities of military-inspired looks or the biker jacket – with a return to a defined shoulder line and decisive belted looks. It is one of the strongest influences to emerge for several seasons with inspirations drawn from such diverse sources as medieval crusaders like Joan of Arc, the glamazons of the post-war 40s, or 20th century pioneers in design and literature. They all have one thing in common – a belief in self. They are leaders not followers and it is that sense of strength that is at the core of the season as we realise that we are empowered to make our own choices, be it in what we wear or what we buy, the cause we espouse and indeed the way we live our lives.
