The Spring/Summer 2014 menswear collection recently shown by Reserva at Rio Fashion week gives new meaning to the phrase "off the rack clothing."
The Brazilian menswear brand took an unusual approach to displaying their garments at fashion week. Models had clothing racks harnessed to their backs and were sent down the runway with costumes to hang in front of them as they walked. Normally, you would do a double take if you saw Shrek on the runway, but this was one of many recognizable character costumes that preceded the models. Clowns, sailors, pirates and wizard costumes were also featured at the show.
All costumes aside, Reserva's latest collection of ready-to-wear looks provides stylish warm weather basics that could be mixed and matched without the worry of looking like you're dressed for Halloween.
Costume-Hanging Runway Shows
Reserva's SS14 Collection Has Models Wearing Racks on the Catwalk
Trend Themes
1. Interactive Runway Shows - The trend of incorporating interactive elements in fashion shows such as using clothing racks to display costumes on models while they walk the runway presents an opportunity for brands to make their shows more engaging to the audience
2. Branded Costumes - The trend of including recognizable character costumes in runway shows presents an opportunity for fashion brands to create branded costumes that can be sold to consumers as part of their collection launch
3. Mix-and-match Collections - The trend of designing ready-to-wear looks that can be mixed and matched without the worry of looking like you're dressed for Halloween presents an opportunity for brands to provide more versatile and practical clothing options for consumers
Industry Implications
1. Fashion and Apparel - The fashion industry can experiment with incorporating interactive and engaging elements like costume-hanging runway shows as a way to reconnect with their audience
2. Entertainment and Events - Using recognizable character costumes in runway shows presents opportunities for event planners and entertainment brands to incorporate fashion as part of their offerings
3. Marketing and Advertising - The trend of creating branded costumes can be an opportunity for fashion brands to collaborate with marketing and advertising agencies to launch creative campaigns that showcase their collections