fashion 1980 - 1990

In the 1970s, the shape of fashion was usually characterized by close fitting clothes on top with wider, looser clothes on the bottom. This trend completely inverted itself in the early 1980s as both men and women began to wear looser shirts and tight, close-fitting trousers.

After the release of her single "Like a Virgin" in late 1984, Madonna became a fashion icon for many young women around the world who copied her "street urchin" look with short skirts worn over leggings, brassieres worn as outer wear, messy hair, cross jewellery, and fishnet gloves.

 

The 1980’s saw a rise in the popularity of the designer fashions, while high street fashion had greatly dropped during the 1960’s and 70’s. Fashion shows were more important than ever and were transformed into shows and televised with alot of media coverage.Power and money controlled the styles of the 1980’s and clothing was a sign of power. The well-off people around the world were literally rushing to pricey New York boutiques and Paris fashion shows to buy straight from designer’s lines.

Thierry Mugler and Azzedine Alaia were the two French fashion designer who best defined the look to that time. Thierry Mugler produced fashion designs that combined Hollywood retro and futurism, with rounded hips and sharplyshaped shoulders

On the other hand Azzedine Alaia was known for his inspiring combinations and was the master of all kinds of techniques that had previously been known only to haute couture. He included in his designs many new and underused materials, such as Lycra and viscose.

Beside the prevailing fashion image of the time two Japanese designers such as Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto offered a very natural look and marked a total break of the extravance and glamorous fashion designs. Flat shoes, no make-up, reserve, modesty, and secrecy were the hallmarks of their modern look.In American fashion, Donna karen and Ralph Lauren dominated the ready to wear styles in the 80s.