Knock, knock. Who’s there? Fashion. Yep, the industry that takes itself seriously is shedding the pout in favour of a smile. From the digital savants at Gucci communicating via meme to Raf Simons’s droll Friday the 13th hockey-mask shoes for Calvin Klein and Emporio Armani’s childish crab motifs, the mood is lightening.
Wit, of course, is different to comedy. Unlike Charlie Chaplin slipping on a banana peel, wit is more comfortable with the connection of two previously unjoined dots. Think practical trainers with a fantastical elf flick at the toe (Loewe) or built-for-purpose cycling shorts under It statuesque ballgowns (Saint Laurent). These become a wry commentary on how we consume fashion today — scrolling feeds on screens. Vying for our attention as we scroll, designers are keen for us to be arrested by creations that initially baffle us and then cause us to raise a knowing eyebrow. These are clothes that say something witty about fashion. Like Dada and the Surrealists, we’re all in on the joke.
Victoria Beckham may have taken an extended break from smiling but fashion can still be a laugh. Here are a few jocular ideas to get you through the silly season with tongue firmly in cheek.
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