2016 was undoubtedly a year of flux, instability and uncertainty, with a widespread feeling of fragility that was reflected in the fashion industry as well as the world at large. As in the previous year, in 2016 we saw a significant number of major departures from fashion houses: Hedi Slimane exited Saint Laurent, Peter Copping left Oscar de la Renta after just a two-year stint, Maria Grazia Chiuri moved from Valentino to Dior, Peter Dundas left Roberto Cavalli and the Public School boys stepped down from their roles at DKNY.
This year we saw leading brands begin to operate in an entirely new way, shaking up the traditional schedule, whether it was merging menswear and womenswear collections on the catwalk or showcasing in-season collections (rather than presenting designs six months before they hit the shops) with the advent of the “see now, buy now” movement.
British Vogue celebrated its centenary while we witnessed first-hand the unpredictable future for print magazines, as InStyle folded in the UK. We also said goodbye to the most stylish First Lady, Michelle Obama, who championed both established and emerging designers with her elegant and sometimes experimental style.
2016 was the year that Demna Gvasalia affirmed his title as the King of Fashion, ruling the runways with his directional designs at Vetements and Balenciaga, despite disappointingly white-washed casting at his shows. Alessandro Michele continued to hold the fashion world in his thrall with his geek chic, clashing patterned, vintage-inspired vision, and Jonathan Anderson's accessories at J.W.Anderson and Loewe were carried in the hands of every editor during fashion weeks.
Just as gender fluidity became almost fully integrated into the mainstream, we lost two of the 20th century's greatest music and fashion icons, David Bowie and Prince; both were breaking gender boundaries decades earlier.
Thankfully, despite some designers' decision to include no non-white models in their shows and campaigns, andKanye West's controversial casting call for "multiracial" women only, in 2016 we saw much more celebration of body diversity and plus-size women.
In short, 2016 was a year of seismic change. Ahead are just some of the biggest fashion moments from the past 12 months...
The rise and rise of the Hadids
At this year's Fashion Awards, supermodel sisters Gigi and Bella went head-to-head for the Model of the Year title. Gigi scooped the award but it's safe to say Bella is also one of the most influential faces of fashion at the moment, having fronted campaigns for Calvin Klein, J.W.Anderson, Nike and Dior Beauty, as well as covering countless magazines and walking for the world's leading fashion houses.
Big sis Gigi gained 16 million new followers on Instagram this year alone, officially giving her the most new followers of anyone in the fashion industry.
Not bad for the siblings aged just 20 and 21.
Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images for Victoria's Secret.
The death of Bill Cunningham
In June we lost the father of street style photography, Bill Cunningham, who pioneered the field with his candid fashion images. Beginning his career at the New York Times in 1978, the legendary photographer was adored by the industry, not only for his unique eye but also for his humility, with his daily uniform of a blue workman's jacket, khaki trousers and black trainers.
Despite his modest trademark style, he certainly brought out the best in those he captured outside the shows. Anna Wintour famously said: "We all dress for Bill."
PHOTO: GARETH CATTERMOLE/GETTY IMAGES.
The merging of menswear and womenswear on the catwalk
Typically, men's fashion weeks have taken place in January and June while the women's shows happen in February and September. In 2016 some of the biggest brands in the industry turned the schedule on its head by consolidating men's and women's collections into one show. Gucci, Burberry, Bottega Veneta and Tom Ford all made the leap and will be followed by Paul Smith, Calvin Klein, Kenzo and many other brands in 2017 and beyond.
Photo: Victor Boyko/Getty Images
The Met Ball
The fashion calendar is studded with key events but none is quite as impressive as the Met Ball, attended by the biggest names in fashion, film and music. For 2016's gala, celebrating the Manus x Machina exhibition, the world's most famous faces dressed up for a technological theme. Who can forget Zayn's robot arm? However, we were most excited about Zadie Smith's attendance and the author shared all the details with us the next day.
PHOTO: DIMITRIOS KAMBOURIS/GETTY IMAGES.
Streetwear reached new heights
Call it the Vetements effect but 2016 quickly became the year of the hoodie, when the tracksuit finally went high fashion. Thanks to other cult brands like Off-White and Gosha Rubchinskiy, as well as the popularity of skate labels, the style set embraced casual, oversized silhouettes and sportswear. There's still time to dig out that Fila and Champion from your youth.
PHOTO: DIMITRIOS KAMBOURIS/GETTY IMAGES.
The boom of 'see now, buy now'
For decades we've seen designers present collections six months before they become available in-store. We've seen summer clothing showcased in autumn and winter clothing presented at the start of spring. By the time the collections are shoppable, they've been posted all over Instagram for half a year. It was only a matter of time before this tired format was questioned.
And so in 2016, during fashion weeks in September, Tom Ford, Topshop, Tommy Hilfiger, Burberry and Ralph Lauren all switched things up by showcasing collections that were available to buy immediately.
It's too soon to see if this change will be beneficial for brands in the long run, generating more customer interest and instant sales, but the old schedule certainly needed to be challenged.
PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES.
The popularity of celeb merch
When once music merchandise and celebrity product was the indicator of a die-hard fan, 2016 was the year merch became mainstream.
People queued in their droves for Kanye West's Life of Pablo merch (according to Yeezy, he sold more than $1 million worth in two days at a single pop-up). Justin Bieber's Purpose tour collection was available at Selfridges and ASOS and at the beginning of December Kylie Jenner, the Queen of Instagram, launched an e-store of her own merchandise, including T-shirts emblazoned with her catchphrase "Like, Realizing stuff."
The popularity and impact of merchandise was confirmed when brand du jour Vetements included a “justin4ever” sweatshirt in the AW16 collection, returning the love to Bieber, whose merchandise was heavily influenced by Vetements' designs.
PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES.
The Victoria's Secret show in Paris
The annual parade of impossibly pretty models with eye-popping bodies, uniform long, wavy hair and mega-watt smiles wearing next to nothing took place in Paris in November 2016. Despite being arguably archaic and anti-feminist, the Victoria's Secret show is one of the biggest "fashion" shows of the year, where the leading supermodels strut down the catwalk accompanied by performances from the number one chart-toppers, later screened to millions on TV. Like it or loathe it, it's never anything short of spectacular, this year graced by The Weeknd, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars.
PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES.
Chanel's Cruise show in Cuba
Just hours after the Met Ball in New York in May, Chanel staged its Cruise show in Havana, Cuba, against the backdrop of the historic boulevard, Paseo del Prado, which leads to the city's cultural centre. Gisele Bundchen, Carine Roitfeld, Tilda Swinton, Vin Diesel and Fidel Castro’s grandson Tony watched from the tree-lined front row as models such as Binx Walton, Mariacarla Boscono and Lineisy Montero hit the catwalk in a vibrant collection, including T-shirts emblazoned with the phrase 'Viva Coco Libre.'
Chanel shows are always theatrical with incredible, intricate sets but this one was particularly epic, taking place on the Caribbean island so soon after travel sanctions had been lifted.
Photo: ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP/Getty Images.
Raf Simons confirmed as Creative Director at Calvin Klein
After almost a year of speculation surrounding the next move for Dior’s former creative director, Raf Simons, in August 2016 PVH Corp., the company which owns Calvin Klein, confirmed that the Belgian fashion designer would be taking the creative helm at the American fashion house.
As one of the most lauded designers within the industry, all eyes will be on the Calvin Klein catwalk on February 10th, when Simons will make his debut, combining the men's and women's collections into one show at New York Fashion Week.
Photo: Courtesy of @calvinklein.
Hedi Slimane's departure from Saint Laurent
On April 1st, Kering announced that designer Hedi Slimane was parting ways with the French fashion house, following a "four-year mission, which has led to the complete repositioning of the brand."
The former Dior Homme designer left an indelible mark on the legendary French fashion house, transforming the brand with his trademark rock and roll, grunge glamour aesthetic. Critics initially questioned whether his skinny chic signature style would appeal to the traditional YSL customer but his reinvention of the house in fact saw sales soar, and Saint Laurent became one of the fastest-growing luxury brands in Europe.
Since his departure earlier this year (and his subsequent replacement by Anthony Vaccarello) we wait with bated breath to see Slimane's next move.
Photo: Stephane Cardinale/Corbis via Getty Images.
Maria Grazia Chiuri's Dior debut
In July 2016, Dior announced that former Valentino co-creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri would be taking over creative direction at the French fashion house. The announcement was monumental, not only because a successor to Raf Simons had finally been found (after a couple of shaky seasons designed by the team in-house) but also because a female designer was taking over at one of the world's biggest luxury fashion houses – the first woman to hold the creative reins at Dior in its 70-year history.
And as we might have hoped, Chiuri's debut collection reflected the significance of her appointment and centred on feminism. The show notes explained that "feminism is a recurring word for [Maria]" and "her boldly feminine outlook explores the rules of modern beauty to transpose them into a collection shaped by the sensual tension that exists between the body and clothing... She explores the form and shape of a silhouette that's contemporary, agile and Olympian." Chuiri's take on the Dior woman was modern and empowering with the perfect measure of sensitivity.
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