Functionality is fundamentally at the root of fashion, but it feels like we’ve taken it a bit far. This season, we saw high-vis vests at Junya Watanabe; wading boots at YSL; and mesh outerwear at IM MEN - all functional pieces, but designed for the runway rather than the purpose they’re originally intended for.
High fashion appears to have hijacked functionality, and we’re wondering: why? One of the few places we still see functional clothing that really is functional is in brand’s designing for blue-collar roles, like Carhartt which gained popularity thanks to its durable materials and plethora of pockets (much needed in more hands-on jobs).
But when we see Carhartt on the runway at Junya Watanabe’s FW25 show — with pieces like the Mackinaw cruiser jacket transformed into an elevated take on workwear-meets-high fashion — it’s hard not to feel like we’re losing sight of the point of functionality.
Why is that? Nowadays, in a society where everything is just easier, clothing doesn’t have to be as functional because everything else is. The active roles which involved movement, freedom, function have been replaced with desk jobs and working-from-home.
Maybe it’s this lack of real need for functionality in our clothing that has taken it to the extreme. One designer in particular who regularly plays with functionality in the extreme is Nicole McLaughlin, who creates clothing and footwear from found and recycled materials.
From jackets with an insane amount of pockets to all-purpose sneakers that basically have as many functions as a multi-tool, Nicole subverts functional clothing by making it so functional that it’s kind of ridiculous.
Whilst we still love the aesthetic of functional fashion, most of us don’t really have a need for it on a daily basis. That’s where trends like gorp-core which play on functionality as a fashion statement rather than for its intended purpose come in.
From IM MEN’s mesh jackets to YSL’s knee high boots, we want to dress like we’re prepared against the elements, when in reality the only time we step outdoors is briefly on our commute, on the walk between the tube and our front door.
Featured image via Junya Watanabe©
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