Winter 2011, heralded by designers, ladieswear wholesalers and wholesale clothing manufacturers alike as the return of pure, unadulterated, high-octane glamour, sees the fashion revival of a time when glamour was at it’s peak – the 1940s. On the subject of her collection for the season, Donna Karan, American fashion designer and creator of the Donna Karan New York and DKNY labels had this to say; “This collection was about the empowerment of women, their words of wisdom and their ability to be strong and take a stand without giving up their femininity,” a sentiment shared throughout the pre-war forties. The signature look of the trend is centred on a single piece, the timeless elegance of the pencil skirt, with a style that harks back to one of perfect sophistication.
The pencil-skirt is actually a relatively simple design, made for easy production by wholesale clothing manufacturers. This season’s iterations hark back to their 40′s inspiration in dropping the hemline below the knee for a elegant, feminine appeal, though many designers and ladieswear wholesalers have forsaken the piece’s usual black or navy colouring in favour of winter 2011′s palate, with many in neutral, sophisticated hues or the head-turning glamour of metallic or jewel tones, two of this season’s hottest trends.
As the centrepiece of forties glamour, and a material as synonymous with luxury and wealth as silver and gold, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that winter 2011 would be a massive season for fur. Though designers and ladieswear wholesalers have given made a refreshing take on the coats, matching the luxury of fur with the dazzle of on-trend metallic or the elegant understatement of matte black, a major colour this season’s trending palate, fur loses none of its glamorous credentials in the process, and gains a modern, almost avant-garde edge in the process.
Winter 2011′s signature twist continue throughout the outfit, with many designers and wholesale clothing manufacturers adding a high slit to the pencil skirt to keep the look sexy, while other ladieswear wholesalers and designers draw from this season’s expansive palate of tones to create unexpected colour combinations for a refreshing change to the styling.
Outfits are accessorized with pearls for the authentic forties look, with the wide-brimmed hat, gloves and oversized sunglasses reserved for the die-hard revivalists. In a season so glamour-obsessed, it comes as little surprise that the forties would make a revival, in all its refined pretension and elegance, but one that women everywhere will remain grateful for.
