^^
H&M Fall 2012 magazine article, “All Eyes on Asia”
“With Asia becoming a more important fashion player as each season passes, it could be no surprise that designers turned to the east for inspiration this fall/winter. At Proenza Schouler, it was the martial arts culture that fueled protection-inspired jackets, wide kendo-style pants and gorgeous kimono motifs.In London, Peter Pilotto cherry-picked inspiratons from recent travels - from Japanese “light trucks” to patterns abstracted from Chinese opera masks. Dries Van Noten was perhaps more literal, making dresses out of a mix of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean prints taken from robes he’d found in London’s Victoria & Albert Museum. Obi-styled belts cropped up everywhere from Cacharel to Haider Ackermann; Balenciaga’s Nicolas Ghesuiere matched kimono shapes with high-waisted sports-influenced pants, and Hermes took on the colorful vests of Central Asia.
But the Asian influence was felt off the catwalk, too, as many brands dedicated sections of their front rows to editors and celebrities from the continent. For instance, Burberry but South Korean girl group Girls’ Generation next to Hollywood royalty such as Kate Bosworth, a sure sign of how valued Asian customers are.
As China is tipped to become the world’s largest luxury market sometime this decade - thereby overtaking Japan - all eyes are fixed eastwards. Industry trade journal Women’s Wear Daily started up its ChinaFile section recently, another fact that points to Asia being where it’s at.
With the continent’s rich sartorial traditions and beautiful patterns and materials, who can be but delighted about the prospect of more exciting style cross-pollinations in the near future?”
