It’s probably good that Karl Lagerfeld wasn’t around for the coronavirus pandemic. The French fashion icon who died in 2019 famously said that wearing sweatpants is a sign you’ve lost control of your life.
But with everyone stuck at home, the one-time style sin is now a fashion favourite – and will likely remain one for a while.
Carl Tillessen is a trends analyst from the German Fashion Institute. In an interview with us, he explains how sweatpants have enjoyed such a 180-degree turn in popularity and how the pandemic has fundamentally altered the way we all will dress going forward. – dpa
What will be the big fashion trends this year?
Generally speaking, the entire spectrum from homewear to true sports gear, and everything in between. That’s to say, pretty much anything that you can wear between the sofa and the yoga mat.
Athleisure is still the big thing, and it perfectly fits our lives – there’s the tendency to be as comfortable as possible at home.
Will this also be reflected in the street style?
Absolutely. Maybe not exactly pyjamas or homewear, but history teaches us that people don’t give up a comfort once they have it. And we’ve become accustomed to this new comfort – for a year, we’ve worn the most comfortable and easy to care for clothing available at stores, and we’re not about to give that up again.
Even if every fashion designer in the world decided to try to bring back the high heel at the same time, consumers would refuse. That’s because they’ve come to appreciate the comfort of trainers, flip-flops, etc, and this is the case in many areas of fashion.
Which part of the fashion industry suffers most from these changes?
Our casual wear has changed far less than what we wear for work, especially for office work. That’s been very, very drastic.
In just one year, we have moved away from the classic business look – suit, shirt, tie, or suit and blouse. Simply because there’s no need for such clothing when working from home.
And I think that, as I said, it will not return in this form. We will remain with this new comfort. Casual Friday has now spread to include the entire week.
And in contrast, which part has profited most from the change?
Homewear manufacturers, obviously. But also real sports clothes brands like Nike and Adidas, as these clothes are no longer worn just for sport, but also while working at home.
And that’s also what people need in their free time: They simply want to feel good.
Fashion is becoming more comfortable. Does that also hold for accessories?
My impression is that wearing a mask basically takes attention away from the face, which is covered, and turns it downwards. That means shoes will receive more attention than earlier; the shoe has become the most important fashion statement of all.
What role does the mask play as an accessory?
In the beginning, people tried to have a little fun with the masks. But now the issue isn’t as important, because people are taking the threat [of the coronavirus] much more seriously.
Many now prefer to wear a medical FFP-2 mask rather than a silly cloth mask.
That said, the glove is experiencing a comeback at the moment. For a long time gloves were considered uncool and old-fashioned, but against the backdrop of the pandemic, which has made us more aware of all the invisible viruses lurking around, we prefer to open the door with a glove on. They have a dual function: To warm and to protect.
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