I’ve never been particularly ahead of the curve when it comes to trends, maybe because I haven’t bothered to do my research. I know the general patterns, sure: fashion is cyclical and tends to reprise every 20 years, such that the 90s did the 70s, and the 70s did…certainly not the 50s. But overall it’s reasonable to expect the re-emergence of trends at about the 20-year mark (hence the current y2k oversaturation). But popular styles also tend to mirror economic booms and busts, which is maybe why the 80s are known for eccentric silhouettes and iridescent colors and the late 2000s are known for…chevron print and distressed skinny jeans. Among other things. We find ourselves now at a crossroads: while there are some indications of a post-pandemic “boom,” it’s undercut by constant reminders that we’re living in an empire in decline. Earlier this summer I was living in Montreal on the day it had the worst air quality in the world, as Canada was smothered in smoke from unexpected forest fires. Now, I’m living in Los Angeles, which just experienced the first hurricane in recorded history on the West Coast (although to be honest, it was just a drizzle in Northeast LA). I keep arriving at the same conclusion, though it’s just as shameful each time, which is that the only logical pursuit is becoming a hedonist. I’ve started seeing this reflected (literally) in one emergent trend.
A few weeks ago the secondhand store I work at was flooded with requests for chrome and metallic items. The occasion was Beyonce’s birthday concert, for which she had apparently changed the dress code last minute: in keeping with the aesthetic of her (aptly titled) album Renaissance, the audience had been asked to dress only in silver, chrome, or metallics. The metallic trend is not exempt from the 20-year rule, it’s in keeping with an early 2000s reprisal (think TLC, Christina Aguilera), but it also feels independently relevant to the economic and cultural moment.
For once I felt a bit ahead of the curve too, although maybe I had just tapped into a current that was already in the air. A few weeks before at the monthly trend meeting for my job I had expressed my own desire for a silver slip dress or top, ideally, one that looks like it’s melting off of the body. This was inspired by a silver dress I’d seen on Depop, although I’m usually not drawn to metallics. In the last few weeks, I’ve started seeing silver and chrome everywhere. When I think of my associations with silver and metallics, I find that it’s evocative of two somewhat opposing aesthetic nuclei. One: futurism, extraterrestrial extravagance (spaceships lol), 22nd century architecture, etc. The other: old world expressions of wealth, medieval battle regalia, silver chalices threatening to oxidize. At a distance, these two associations feel like capsules of entirely different values, external circumstances, and on an aesthetic level, feel contradictory in terms of the silhouettes, shapes, and textures they bring to mind. One is rooted in the past, one in visions of the future. The metallics in question differ between the two as well: medieval silver evokes tarnished chain mail, boxy sillhouettes and stately structures. In contrast, a futuristic take on the metallic aesthetic is angular in a different way, increasingly sleek, and opts for brighter, shinier silvers (examples to come). Despite these differences, when I look at the current cultural landscape, I can see what makes now an appropriate moment for the emergence of both. Rather than occurring in parallel, today’s moment creates precedence for an intersection of these aesthetics.
For one, an aesthetic that harkens back to a simplistic, clean, and streamlined vision of the future is comforting when the reality of that future is increasingly uncertain. Historically, silver was a signifier of wealth (or else a badge of bravery in the case of chain mail), so the proliferation of silver across economic tiers feels like a subversion of that expectation, particularly when wealth is now often communicated through minimalism rather than excess. This inverse adoption of silver, coupled with the fact that it still succeeds in evoking wealth and elegance, reflects the tension of living in a time of extreme disparity, both socially and economically. Basically, these two conceptions of silver are on a collision course, and the conditions of our current landscape make this year a fitting setting for their impact. A brief detour back to hedonism: hopefully I’m not alone in this, but I’ve also been feeling an internal conflict between the pressure to put my head down, save money, and live (at least somewhat) frugally, and a panic-tinged desire to pour whatever remains of my resources into uninhibited extravagance, while I still have the chance. I feel like the silver trend reflects this desire to turn to luxury as a last resort.
Okay, one more thought which is that there is a third association of silver which is also appropriate for the moment: trash! Aluminum cans, the shiny interiors of chip bags, half-crushed bottlecaps in the gutter. This feels particularly relevant when I think about the inevitable trickle-down of the metallic wave into fast fashion, when silver pants, belts, shoes, and tops will end up in landfills along with their single-use plastic counterparts. Okay, that’s all! Here are some photos.
xoxo
Metallic Futurism
Moodboard:
Examples:
Coach Tabby Shoulder Bag, $395
Diesel 1DR Shoulder bag in “mirrored” leather, $650
Medieval Opulence
Moodboard:
Examples:
Celine Dysfunctional Bauhaus Necklace CA$5,900 (chain mail vibe…)
Urban Outfitters Cross Chain Halter Top, $39 (lower tier retailer example)
Litter-core
Moodboard:
Examples:
Maison Margiela Silver “Broken Mirror” Split Toe Boots, $1190 (the texture on these looks like a crumpled chip bag I love it)
Ganni Silver Recycled Shine String Swimsuit, $235
That’s all! <3