(4/2018) Despite God’s sense of humor while orchestrating snowstorms across the east coast, masking any sense of blossoming energy and optimism for spring, as of March 21st the warmer weather season is ahead of us. Spring has officially sprung. Regardless of the temperature, 2018 fashion trends begin to bloom just in time for April Fool’s Day, and the order of events are far from coincidental. The 1st of April is the one and only day on the calendar that pardons tricks and playful pranks of any sorts. As we approach this month and experience a day of jokes, in the same spirit let us not forget fashion and its comical and most outlandish statements its followers craze over. The most serious of fashion statements are at most times the most unconventional and bizarre; that is the biggest paradox of fashion.

An Artful Trench Coat

At the forefront of clothing design shows, progressive statements are the most favorable fashions. Although ever-present, slowly vanishing are the days of Audrey Hepburn’s Burberry trench coat from Breakfast at Tiffany’s, or Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly’s Singing in the Rain’s school bus yellow rain coats, two statements of classic fashion. An interest in the costume-like pieces, dramatic, and at times overbearing, statements have redefined the meaning of fashion. As a result, the ordinary, non-ostentatious designs are overlooked, but this season fashion meets new versions of the plain Jane beige belted trench coat.

Novel variations of the design included Alexander McQueen’s olive decorated piece with black illustrations of leafy greenery, sparrows and floral accents. This was the most delicate of the trench coat updates. Maison Margiela showed a classic button down style, belted with a beat red vest, and Loewe deconstructed its coat by braiding tassels at the hem of the dress. This Spring 2018 fashion season shows that the most endearing attribute of the trench was never its classic style of dress, but rather its ability to transform and still remain a trench. That is the best response to any temporary stunt to its authoritarian statement.

A Transparent Look

Within the last ten years labels in the fashion industry have gone through periods of re-branding to focus on the relationship with their clients. In its high pressure and competitive environment where the consumer has shown growing interest, education and advocacy towards material sourcing and production, new fashion labels launch with social impact, leaving the existing to change their ways and promote ethical initiatives and social responsibility towards production and care for wildlife and our ecosystem — designs are responding with full transparency. On the runway, this intention was taken into full effect as multiple perspectives sheer, opaque materials fabricated full-length transparent looks.

A black-ruffle floral printed dress from Gimabattaista Valli, and a mint-colored v-neck design from London’s Thornton Bregazzi’s Preen represented the sheer design aesthetic among evening gowns, as Pringle of Scotland took the trend into sportswear by showcasing a hooded poncho and the beloved Chanel sent a round plastic transparent rain coat down the runway for their couture Spring 2018 Collection. A sheer dress code has become an overwhelming trend this season as it demonstrated resonance among different styles: formal wear, athletic wear and made-to-measure designs. Although it appears seemingly questionable when the season’s weather gives all reasons not to dress with less coverage, the decision to wear see-through fashion on the daily appears incongruent in this climate.

More Than Just A Rain Boot

European brands Balenciaga, from Spain, and the Christopher Kane label, named after the London-based designer, have separately started a trend that is big enough to replace the rain boot. The Balenciaga Croc, a formal collaboration with the American rubber shoe label has spearheaded a trend towards a liking for the ‘ugly shoe.’ Other designs that support the fad include, Christopher Kane’s design of the rubber slip-on, as well as the pointy-toed sneaker presented by Loewe.

The Balenciaga x Croc Collaboration launches in a platform shoe in a rainbow of colors – yellow duck, pink, dark purple and black pairs adorned with bold, and playfully loud pins including flowers, Balenciaga brand logo, and a rainbow peace sign fashions an official collaboration with the rubber shoe beloved by American families.

Another version of the fashion Croc was presented by British designer Christopher Kane. The designer changed the classic solid color to a marble and animal print design accented with crystals and gems in replacement of the pins at the shoe’s surface; almost changing the appearance of the shoe to questionably function as a water shoe rather than the unforgettable, non–disputable Croc. This ugly shoe trend became a fashion forward statement with sentiment for a not so fashionable item in the market. The relationship has been consumed by fashion’s ability to market something as outrageous as a rubber flat into something glamorous and is not only comical, but is a trick of the fashion trade.

Amid all the goofy and zany forms of fashion, there is also a perspective on design less commercial. Runway references include Rick Owens, Comme de garcon and Versace’s Spring 2018 collections that brought an extravagance to fashion. With an honorary dedication to founder Gianni and his work, Versace’s sister Donatella sent bedazzled pop art dresses and jumpsuits, which fashioned more like onesies printed with Vogue Magazine photograph covers, typography and paintings. Difficult to conceptualize as outfits worn in the day-to-day, this perspective on fashion was presented as a piece of art work that brings its audience to not only experience fashion through the seasons, but timeless pieces holding meaning beyond the practicality of dress. Such statements were seemingly academic and far less fleeting as a trend, or a joke.

As the fashion industry moves into the Spring 2018 fashion advent, just in time for April Fool’s Day, the nature of abominable snowstorms and cloudy days makes any thought of sheer spaghetti strap dresses and translucent ponchos comical without the sunshine. Spring fashion took the season quite literally, refurbishing the statement of rubber shoes, coats with less coverage and the less practical trench. As long as the sun decides to hide, these fashions will remain not just impractical, but unrelatable. Gone are the days where classic wellingtons and solid color trench coats present as fashion. The exception to such statements is the art pieces that showed at Milan and Paris fashion week. These fashion trends will continue on proudly producing statements that inspire an experience.