2018 – A Year In Fashion
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The Golden Globes
For the very first red carpet event of the year, Hollywood’s most powerful men and women stepped out in January to attend the 75th Annual Golden Globes, only this time they stood in solidarity in the Time’s Up initiative wearing black from head-to-toe. Celebrities who shunned colour in favour of black gowns included Meryl Streep wearing Vera Wang, Angelina Jolie in Atelier Versace, Emma Watson in Ronald Van Der Kemp and Claire Foy in Stella McCartney. This was a moving global statement that remains to be one of the most memorable Hollywood red carpet moments of all time.
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The Royal Wedding
In May, all eyes were on Windsor Castle as the now Duchess of Sussex walked down the aisle to marry Prince Harry. Taking the fashion press by surprise, Meghan chose to wear a minimalistic haute couture gown by British designer Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy, complete with a 5-metre-long silk tulle veil featuring hand-embroidered flowers representing each of the 53 commonwealth countries. Queen Mary’s diamond bandeau tiara completed the look, which was lent to Meghan by the Queen.
Copenhagen Fashion Week Reigned Supreme
Like most show seasons, fashion month dominated our Instagram feeds, but there was one city that undoubtedly took the crown for best sartorial inspiration, both on and off the catwalk. 2018 was the year that Copenhagen emerged as the ultimate destination for trend spotting. We’ve no doubt we have Ganni to thank for this one, after continually throwing up cult buys season after season. The brand has shifted our attention to CFW, introducing us to the likes of Stine Goya, By Malene Birger and Saks Potts, not to mention the impeccably dressed Scandi influencers in high attendance.
A Step Towards A New Way of Thinking
This year, much like the last, the fashion world has been moving towards becoming more economically inclined. . No surprises, then, that as a result we’ve each begun questioning our own shopping habits and consumption. Key influencers have been encouraging us to consider buying second-hand pieces instead of stockpiling seasonal trends, in turn reducing waste and investing in pieces we actually want to wear again-and-again. Alongside re-sale giants Vestiaire Collective and eBay, a new online destination was launched, further tempting us away from high street giants. The Resolution Store, created by Alicia Waite and Anna Sutton,joined forces with some of the industry’s leading street stylers to offer a platform to sell pre-worn pieces. You can expect to find Lucy Williams, Pandora Sykes and Camille Charriere here, selling barely-worn items from Ganni, Rixo, Realisation Par and more.
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Hedi’s New Celine Revealed
In September, after what felt like an eternity of waiting, the fashion press finally took their seats as Hedi Slimane revealed his debut collection as creative director for Celine. Gone were the minimalist, expertly cut separates in wearable palettes that so many had come to depend on from Phoebe Philo, and in their place came directional party dresses complete with micro hemlines and ultra-skinny suits. The reaction was of great disappointment to long-time Philo followers. So much so, a hashtag #oldceline was quickly formed, complete with the now-missing aigu accent above the E, and a wave of devoted Celine fans followed en masse – think Leandra Medine, Stephanie Broek and Hanna Stefansson - to celebrate what once was.
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Melania’s Jacket
When it comes to controversial fashion moments in 2018, Melania Trump’s Zara jacket could be the most controversial choice made during her short time as FLOTUS. Seen visiting a Texas detention centre for migrant children, the first lady chose to wear a khaki utility jacket from Zara which read “I don’t really care, do you?”. The choice was understandably widely criticized as tone-deaf amidst president Trump’s zero tolerance approach to immigration, and in a later interview Melania addressed the backlash, suggesting the message was in fact in response to ‘fake news’.
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Princess Eugenie Married Jack Brooksbank
It was in October that we enjoyed the second royal wedding of the year, as Princess Eugenie tied the knot with Jack Brooksbank. Set in the very same castle as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, this time there were fewer flowers (just), a lot more A-List guests – Demi Moore, Kate Moss and Lila Grace, Naomi Campbell and the Beckhams were just a few famous names in attendance - and the bride chose an entirely different style of wedding dress- a beautiful creation by British design duo Peter Pilotto and Christopher de Vos. Much like the Duchess of Sussex, Eugenie’s gown featured design detailing nodding to important aspects of their life together as a couple. A thistle for Scotland, a Shamrock for Ireland and York Rose and Ivy to represent the newlyweds home. Eugenie completed her look with Charlotte Olympia heels and a diamond tiara lent to her by the Queen.
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Meghan’s Pregnancy Style Revealed
Ever since we first spotted the newly-appointed Duchess of Sussex step out with Prince Harry back in 2017, we’ve watched on as she’s expertly mastered the difficult dress codes of a number of official engagements. Then, ahead of their very first tour together, and just five months after their wedding, the announcement came that a royal baby was on the way, and no doubt, a fresh wave of maternity style inspiration. So far, we’ve seen the Duchess experiment with high end designers, namely Jason Wu, Givenchy and Roksanda, alongside some lesser known, lower priced labels including Reformation, Self-Portrait and Castañer. Of course, being one of the most-watched women in the world right now, we expect plenty more stylish moments to come.
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Chanel Bans Fur
Joining the likes of Gucci and Jimmy Choo, Chanel announced in December that although currently minimal, they would no longer be using fur in forthcoming collections. As the industry moves towards reducing the use of exotic skins and embracing sustainable materials, Chanel also announced they will no longer make products with animal skins, which includes crocodile, snake, lizard and stingray . H&M, Topshop, and ASOS have already banned use of any exotic skins, while Burberry, Armani and Zara are just a few of the mainstream brands also turning their back on fur for future creations, hopefully encouraging other leading brands to follow suit.
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Holly Willoughby
She’s been on our screens for some time, but this really has been the year that Holly Willoughby became an unexpected style icon. While the term Icon may be a little extreme, there’s no denying the impact Holly’s high-low wardrobe has had on a number of major brand’s sales. The Grenson ‘Nanette’ hiking boots worn recently by Holly while presenting an episode of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here reportedly sold out at lightning speed, while Marks & Spencer report items worn regularly by the newly-appointed brand ambassador sell large volumes within a matter of hours of being seen. As Holly’s super-stylist Angie Smith continues to experiment with higher-priced labels – think Isabel Marant and Rixo London – Holly’s style status only looks set to soar.
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The British Fashion Awards
It’s always the most dazzling night on the annual fashion calendar, and this year certainly didn’t disappoint. Victoria Beckham, Kaia Gerber, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Kendall Jenner were just a few of the stellar fashion names that stepped out to attend the ceremony , with Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy taking home the award for Womenswear Designer of The Year (presented by none other than HRH The Duchess of Sussex , wearing a sleek one-shoulder Givenchy creation), and Miuccia Prada winning the highly coveted Outstanding Achievement award.
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