Paco Rabanne, late 60s: If you’re going for the human-disco-ball vibe this NYE, pretty much every one of the mid-century French maverick’s super short, sculptural creations make for perfect outfit inspo. Say your night calls for a time trip to the space age 60s: try recreating Richard Avedon’s iconic Vogue snap from 66, or one of Rabanne’s iconic costume designs from the sci-fi classic Barbarella. If you’re looking for length, let Françoise Hardy’s 1968 stunning silver jumpsuit be your guide.
Velvet Versace à la Tupac Shakur, 1996: There’s no better time to break out the velvet than New Year’s Eve’s frigid festivities (unless you’re Stevie Nicks, then keep on doing summer velvet). Long before trap trio Migos professed their love for the storied Italian house, Tupac traded Dickies overalls and Karl Kani campaigns for a spot on Versace’s catwalk. Flanked by two bodyguards, the seminal gangsta rapper cruised down Gianni’s 1996 runway clad in a gold velvet suit, paving the way for hip-hop and high fashion’s present day love affair. Pac pulled off the sartorial statement rather effortlessly, but use velvet responsibly this NYE.
Today’s archive: Our AW07 ‘Artisanal’ faux fur coat made of Christmas tinsel to celebrate the holiday season. pic.twitter.com/JlcL6JjfA2
— Maison Margiela (@Margiela) December 19, 2014
Margiela haute couture, fall/winter 07 : No one recycles quite like Margiela; the mysterious Belgian collective has created couture collections that re-purpose everything from playing cards to baseball mitts. But for fall/winter 07’s artisanal offerings, the avant-garde gods used Christmas cast-offs to fashion the ultimate New Year’s staples: jackets made entirely of tinsel. Margiela’s team layered the decorations to mirror a faux fur coat’s folds, remixing a familiar silhouette with even more ubiquitous holiday fare.
Throwback: @LilKim & @LilCease (@CHANEL Soho Store Opening – 2000) pic.twitter.com/fsCBuLR1P5
— LilKimUK (@LilKimUK) December 9, 2014
Chanel fall/winter 2000: New York had a weirdly tropical Christmas this year, but make no mistake: it’s about to get cold up in this. And when it does, you’ll thank me for reminding you to revisit Chanel’s fall/winter 2000, a season which marked the house’s first foray into ski-bunny style. Kaiser Karl rang in the new millennium by pairing pearls with snow white puffa styles and cream colored cable knits. If you’re thinking that sub-zero silhouettes don’t look club-ready, try treating your slope style to a Lil’ Kim twist. Shortly after the looks stepped off the runway, the rap royalty arrived at an NYC store opening in 2000 clad in head-to-toe double-C ski-wear, from Chanel-branded snow suit to goggles (and an icey blonde weave to match).
Ashish, spring/summer 14: The fate of the sequin industry rests on the assumption that you’ll cover yourself in yards of shimmering plastic one night a year (the remainder of the year, its economic welfare is squarely in the hands of Taylor Swift). Lucky for you, London-based designer Ashish Gupta has reimagined everything from tube socks to bodega bags using sequins, sequins, and more sequins. Ashish recently celebrated his eponymous brand’s 10 year anniversary by opening up these glimmering archives to the public through a Victoria & Albert Museum retrospective exhibition. Every season is rich with NYE inspiration, but we suggest a sharp (Canadian) tuxedo — a slightly shorter time travel to spring/summer 14.
Credits
Text Emily Manning