Frontier Style: Futurism

Last year the dawn of a new decade sent 2010's fashion trends into sci-fi and futurism overdrive. This year the trends seem to be less about gadgetry and more about future environments, with slogans and images from science fiction splashed across t-shirt fronts everywhere you look. Numerous designers are also weaving the tenets of evolutionary change into their clothing, creating garments that would be well placed in a future dystopia. 

Whilst it may be said that the more traditional views of futurism are a thing of the past, such as the Space-Age trend and much-loved 60s designers championing the style like Pierre Cardin, Andres Courreges and Mort Garson, you only have to flip over your copy of 'Heat' to see that this movement is certainly not dead and buried. The glossy back of every copy advertises Lady Million, the most recent perfume by Paco Rabanne, a designer who made his name in the 1960s. His first revolutionary collection, “12 unwearable dresses”, featured a series of bizarre, futuristic garments made out of unconventional materials like metal and plastic which seemed more like space-age prototypes rather than high fashion products. Whilst the garments in the Spring 2012 collection, “rebirth”, featuring fitted, panelled chain mail dresses, might be a bit too outlandish and expensive, you can still get a taste, or rather a whiff, of Rabanne's futuristic vision with the aforesaid cool, new fragrance, priced at £29.99 for 30ml.

Futuristic fashion can even be seen creeping into popular high street shops. American Apparel are champions of psychedelic colours and lycra. These Shiny Nylon Tricot Legging in charcoal straddle the present climate and futuristic trend perfectly with the lycra detailing and urban, understated colour. Get them online or in shops for £30 and wear them with an ovesized t-shirt or oversized blazer and high-top trainers.

The Banana Heel has long been used by designers like Alexander Mcqueen, but with the recent take off of the space-age/futurism trend, the style is becoming more and more popular and thus more and more accessible. Now you can march into Topshop and get yourself some PACO Banana Heeled Suede Platform Court Shoes in either black, burgundy or dark green for £90. 

You need only step into Cyberdog in Camden to see that the space-age trend is not dead. Hooded tops and snoods are bang on trend at the moment, but still reasonably hard to find. The Star Sailor Fleece promises effortless cool and comfort, with cropped detailing and an oversized hood. The Fleece is priced at £40, but if you don't want to spend that much just to get the hooded effect, get a Unisex Hooded Scarf from American Apparel for £18, it comes in loads of different colours, my personal favourite being forest.

By Greta Hedley-Miller