Fashion
LEFT: Stella: body and tulle wrap, both from Zuzana Kubíčková | shoes, Converse Mia: dress, Zuzana Kubíčková | shoes, Converse Mária: skirt and top, both from Zuzana Kubíčková | shoes, H&M
Not long ago wearing sports shoes with an evening dress was taboo, and now we awake to a world in which normcore is chic and Nike’s new limited edition generates the same excitement as Dior’s latest collection. Instagram is the most influential guide on what’s in, allowing the hippest outfit a lifespan of a few seconds. And what of tomorrow’s fashion? Nanomaterials, wearables and smart technologies will stand shoulder to shoulder with tradition, craft and slow fashion. There are few rules, and what rules there may be are changing so fast it’s impossible to keep up. But one thing is for sure: children will always play dress up and their parents’ wardrobe will be their playground. Do you remember the day you used your mother’s lipstick for the first time or when your father taught you how to tie a perfect knot? The day when a little girl became a lady and an awkward boy a man? It’s a bit different today. Mums no longer want an Alessandro Michele jacket only for themselves – they want their daughter to match – and they buy men’s D&G moccasins in two sizes at once: 29 and 44. It’s hard to say whether children have become fashion mavens thanks to their parents or thanks to the influence of social media. Children like the seven-year-old Japanese fashion icon Coco (@Coco_pinkprincess), who has endeared viewers with her brand of casual Harajuku elegance. Or Ivan (@thegoldenfly), the son of fashion designer Natasha Zinko, who with his mother has created their first joint collection for Harrods. These children don’t care which sports shoes are for outside play, assuming they are not thinking about the latest Yeezys, which they’ll wear to meet their equally stylish friends. Where? At the playground or the front row of the spring fashion show? It’s no surprise that luxury brands are courting youngsters while still in their prams. Today’s children are tomorrow’s customers and being hip across generations is simply in. Turning our attention back from the world of luxury fashion and mini influencers, we realise that not much has changed in our classrooms and school yards, even if Barbies have been replaced by smart phones, and YouTubers and street wear culture rule as early as the first grade. That’s because our youngsters are also returning to home-grown culture, traditions and craft, thinking about sustainability and promoting individuality. No matter in which direction our young trendsetters set the course of fashion, we must remember to teach them the most important lesson: what matters most is what’s on the inside! ■ For their help with this fashion story we thank Ferenc, Mária, Bruno, Stella, Mia, Jan, Matyáš, Johan, Františka, Antonie and Thea, and their mothers Lela Geislerová, Aňa Geislerová, Ester Geislerová, Josefína Bakošová and Lucie Václavková.
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