London label "Theatre de la Mode" took a break from the traditional catwalk presentation by introducing their Autumn/Winter 2008 collection through nanoscaled bespoke mannequins.
Entitled, "Willows", the debut collection launched during the London fashion week featured miniature woodland creatures wearing "Theatre de la Mode's" womenswear and menswear pieces. Unlike Viktor & Rolf's fanciful miniature couture pieces, the London label drew inspiration from the fusion of the Jewish costume and '90s anti-fashion rule to create itsy bitsy versions of highly wearable avant garde clothes.
"Theatre de la Mode" is a joint venture of designers Chris Kelly and Sara Flamm. To combat the financial difficulties of establishing their own brand, they decided to utilize the same concept that revived the Parisian fashion industry after World War II. Through "Theatre de la Mode" post-war Paris designers were able to creatively battle through the scarcity of fabric and materials by dressing up wire-made mannequins on a 1:3 scale.
Nanoscaled Fashion Presentations
Willows by Theatre de la Mode
Trend Themes
1. Nanoscaled Fashion Presentations - The use of nanotechnology to showcase fashion collections in miniature form presents new opportunities for designers to showcase their work and engage with audiences in a unique way.
2. Miniature Avant Garde Fashion - The creation of wearable avant garde clothing in miniature form presents an opportunity for designers to experiment with new styles and materials without the cost constraints of producing full-size collections.
3. Revival of Post-war Fashion Trends - The resurgence of post-war fashion trends presents an opportunity for designers to draw inspiration from historical fashion movements and reinterpret them for modern audiences.
Industry Implications
1. Fashion - The fashion industry can leverage nanotechnology to create unique and engaging presentations for fashion collections that can set their brands apart from competitors.
2. Technology - Nanotechnology companies can partner with fashion designers to create customized and innovative solutions for showcasing their collections.
3. History - Historians can explore the resurgence of post-war fashion trends as a cultural phenomenon and its impact on modern fashion design.