WARDROBEs DIARDLUOWI

Her 70s British-gone-Parisian style is the perfect balance between classy and risqué that makes for timeless pieces that I would happily steal today. Birkin has subverted the expectations of style by the way she uses more unconventional items. Despite the iconic Hermès bag being named after her, Birkin had a similarly infamous bag; one that was a little more budget friendly. Her iconic wicker basket went everywhere with her. No matter the formality or practicality of it for wherever she was, the basket was always spotted on her arm. Claiming that the use of the basket was due to how normal women’s bags weren’t big enough, Birkin used the basket to enforce practicality into her outfits. Paring it with a classically chic fur-coat, we see how Birkin gorgeously combines the classy with the convenient. Her evening wear was just as revolutionary and iconic. Birkin’s dress for a French film premier places her with other icons Kate Moss and Marilyn Monroe in the competition for most iconic (almost) naked dresses of all time. Loosely accessorised with flowing hair, hippy-style necklaces and the iconic basket bag, Birkin blurs the line between formal and casual – her originally simple outfits becoming unforgettable.

WordsbyRub ySmith

And this quite perfectly sums up why Jane Birkin’s style is so appealing; it is both aesthetically gorgeous and, at the end of the day, really quite practical too.

Fashion has always heralded innovation. Designers like Issey Miyake and Alexander McQueen are known for their immersive, experimental runways. However, as fashion becomes virtual, are designers losing sight of who their audience really is? AI become a popular topic in the fashion industry recently. With NFT fashion houses popping up left and right. The idea of ‘digital fashion’ is nothing new. For many of us, it was introduced during childhood by beloved video games. But lately, the fashion world has been getting on board, with both Burberry and Louis Vuitton creating their own through NFT video game avatars and skins. In 2023, it is clear digital fashion is going nowhere. In fact, it’s expanding. AR fashion houses are becoming their own established entities with virtual fashion that you can buy and superimpose on yourself through your phone for the ultimate selfie. Brands are already investing big in digital fashion through the current craze for NFTs, which translates to ‘non-fungible-token’. Essentially is it digital assets (like a drawing) that represent real-world objects that can be bought and owned virtually. The latest fashion house to get in on the trend is the athleisure brand Fashionhouses have also gotten involved, with NFT fashion becoming a staple in the 2021 Paris Fashion Week. Last year, Gucci sold its first-ever NFT called “Aria” for $25,000 through Christie’s in the form of digital art and a video clip of a runway show by Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele. Whilst it can be difficult to understand the purpose of NFTs, it is clear there is a market for them.