It’s perhaps fitting that famed Vogue editor Diana Vreeland was the one to coin the phrase “youthquake”. Because apart from the music, it was the fashion of that period – the Swinging 60s – that is still sending aftershocks today. Centred around London, England, it was a time when teenagers ruled the scene. As a result, the clothes were fun and a little rebellious. For the girls, it was all about miniskirts, jumpsuits or skinny trousers borrowed straight from the boys, who in turn popularised winklepickers, tailor-made suits with narrow lapels and thin ties.
For A/W 2011, womenswear designers looked enthusiastically to the youth of the 60s for inspiration. Best example? Dolce & Gabbana. Alternating between a girl look and boy look down the runway, the “fellas” were mod-ish in their crisp white shirts, trousers, braces and sharp jackets, while the “gals” were in close-cut sheaths or printed dresses in star or musical note patterns. Meanwhile, Marni popped with colour and prints as usual – some clashing, some matchy-matchy – but the gloves, embellished collars and cropped sleeves added another playful element. At Sonia Rykiel, the youthful vibe was evident in the bright colours, creepers and shiny, shimmering fabrics. The models even hung around the chain-link fence after the show, huddled together and giggling like excited teenagers.
Going back to the 60s, the vivacious spirit of the youthquake is encapsulated in models Peggy Moffitt and Edie Sedgwick particularly. In photographs, each expression or pose showed off their vibrant personalities. They came to represent a sense of freedom and confidence. Their short, sassy hair and dramatic eye makeup were copied endlessly. They were It-girls and modern women. And as our muses for this coming autumn, a reminder to have fun in fashion again.
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