2020 Hot List
2020 was quite the year. Even though most in person fashion shows were cancelled, fashion weeks looked incredibly different and things like cruise collections felt largely redundant due to travel restrictions, there were still a few fashionable highlights that I think are worth mentioning. Here’s my 2020 Hot List, here’s hoping 2021’s list will be a lot longer.
JANUARY – FEBRUARY
Billie Eilish’s Award Season Style
At just 19 years old Billie Eilish is already a style icon. Her wardrobe of oversized fits saturated with brand logos, and her neon green roots, make her instantly recognisable on any red carpet. Each awards season Eilish challenges the standards of fashion that critics and the public expect from celebrities and it was no different this year.
At the Grammy’s in January, Eilish wore a lime, sequinned roll neck top underneath a Gucci black shirt and trouser co-ord bejewelled with lime green rhinestone interlocking G’s. Accessorised with a matching face mask and fingerless gloves that showed off her infamously long, matching acrylic nails.
The month after, Eilish attended the Oscar’s in an oversized Chanel boucle suit. Seeing stars in Chanel on the red carpet is nothing groundbreaking, but this take on a look from the AW19 collection, completely reinvented to Eilish’s style was refreshing. The suit was adorned with brooches of the brands’ interlocking C’s and lace fingerless gloves were tactically worn to showcase Eilish’s infamous long acrylic nails that always match her outfits.
8 days after the Oscar’s, Eilish was back on the red carpet at the BRIT’s this time opting for a head to toe Burberry look. The look consisted of a beige coordinating top and trousers set with silver chain details. Eilish completed the look with the classic trench coat, synonymous with the heritage brand. Not only was it a cool choice to wear a British brand to a British award ceremony, but the look was also in keeping with the direction Burberry creative director, Riccardo Tisci is trying to drive the brand.
MARCH
Animal Crossing Fashion Show
After its releasee date in March, Nintendo’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons has gone on to sell more than 13 million copies. Unlike any other avatar based game before it, New Horizons allows users to design their avatars outfits from scratch and make them completely original. Users can ensure their avatar’s outfit is entirely unique with full control over details such as, hem lengths, colour ways and patterns. With this in mind, it would come as no surprise that the game was warmly welcomed by the fashion community. A number of Instagram accounts popped up showcasing avatar’s runway-inspired outfits from the likes of big names such as Dior and Louis Vuitton. Valentino and Anna Sui created custom garments for the game, showing the significant marketing potential for brands if utilised correctly.
At a time when in person shows for September were starting to look increasingly unlikely and various other fashion events were cancelled, some creative relief was much needed. Berlin-based fashion organisation, Reference Festival, took this idea one step further when they curated a virtual fashion show. The show was conceived by photographer Kara Chung, who runs the, Instagram account @animalcrossingarchive, and stylist Marc Goehring of o32c. The two were introduced by their mutual friend, curator Evan Garza, who had contacted them for an Animal Crossing piece on Art Forum. Chung and Goehring later connected on a call and thought the virtual fashion show would be a fun way to collaborate. The 3 minute long show was soundtracked by Michel Gaubert, fashion’s leading sound director, featured clothes from Craig Green, Chanel Paco Rabanne and more and was watched by an eclectic audience of foxes and cats not usually spotted at fashion week.
SEPTEMBER
Versace Spring / Summer Collection
In September, the majority of in person fashion shows were cancelled and designers were tasked with finding new ways to showcase their collections. Digital presentations, especially live streams, proved to be the most popular option.
Donatella Versace, live streamed her show, attended by staff only, in an underwater, Atlantis themed setting. There collection featured shimmering, sequinned, starfish, coral and seashell motifs from Gianni Versace’s ‘trésor de la mer’ collection in 1992. The references to her brother’s past work were beautiful, but for me, the most shining spectacles were Alva Claire, Precious Lee and Jill Kortleve the first ever ‘plus size models’ to be cast in a Versace show. (About time.) Donatella Versace told Vogue that she felt her challenge was to give fashion meaning in a historical moment like this.
The collection that Versace described as having an ‘upbeat soul’ featured vivid colour clashes, powerful blazers paired with shorts and heels and deliciously ruffled skirts.
When Vogue writer, Anders Christian Madsen how Donatella envisions Versace’s role in the post-pandemic landscape, she answered; “an example of inclusion, of mutual support, and acceptance of what is different from us.”
Moschino Spring / Summer Collection
“The best thing I could do for everyone who is stressed about the election, the pandemic, social unrest, and the future was to give the gift of fantasy and take us away from all of it for a few minutes; let us enjoy this little fashion world of ours.” – Jeremy Scott told Vogue.
For his Spring/Summer 2021 show Scott created marionette puppets to model all 40 of his S/S looks. The designs had to be made in life size versions first and were then scaled down to fit the 30 inch puppets. Models, however, weren’t the only ones to be recreated in marionette form. Puppets of Anna Wintour, complete with sunglasses, Edward Enninful and a whole host of other magazine editors made up a start studded front row, with some even pausing to take notes.
The clothes were just what you would expect from a real life Moschino show, bustiers, embellishments, bows and the iconic Biker bag in a variety of Spring shades. With Scott even coming out to give his bow in a “I don’t speak Italian, but I do speak Moschino” t-shirt.
OCTOBER
Lizzo’s Vote dress
In the lead up to the US presidential elections, celebrities took to social media to encourage their fans to go out and cast their vote. Lizzo decided to take it one step further when she wore a custom made Christian Siriano black minidress covered in the word ‘vote’. Not wanting her message to be missed, she also opted for matching black acrylic nails also emblazoned with the word ‘vote’.
NOVEMBER
Harry Styles On The Cover Of US Vogue
On the 24th November Harry Styles’ American Vogue cover hit news stands and it was gorgeous. The cover of the December Issue, shot by the immensely talented Tyler Mitchell, features Styles blowing up a baby blue balloon dressed in a delicately pale blue dress with intricate lace detailing and tuxedo jacket all by Gucci. Styles is the first man to ever appear solo on the cover of Vogue in the magazine’s 108 year history.
Styles’ style has come a long way from his preppy polo shirts and skin tight jean clad days when he was first starting out in One Direction. This cover really embodies the journey he’s been on with his style. With the help of stylist Harry Lambert, Styles has gone from teen heartthrob to avant-garde icon. Just like Styles told Vogue; “Clothes are there to have fun with and experiment with and play with.”
The Rise Of Emma Corrin
Emma Corrin’s appearance in the Crown has been subject to much discussion amongst the fashion set. Her revival of iconic looks worn by Diana sparked a number of articles like this one from Vogue.
But it’s not just in her role as Princess Diana that the actress is making waves, Corrin’s own personal style has also attracted a lot of attention. With the help of her stylist, Harry Lambert, she lit up The Crown’s, mostly virtual, press tour with an array of high fashion looks from some of the most daring British designers, Richard Quinn, Molly Goddard and JW Anderson to name a few. Corrin’s style has already garnered a wealth of fans, including Miuccia Prada, Miu Miu dressed Corrin for the Venice Film Festival in September.
