Fashions Turning to Civil Unrest for Inspiration

QUESTION: Mr. Armstrong; I am in the fashion industry and it becomes painfully obvious that there are cycles in fashion. You have mentioned before the economic correlations of the rise and fall of women’s skirts and how men’s ties widen and then narrow. What do you make of this year’s fashions that seem to be very political and disturbing?

Anonymous designer

ANSWER: It certainly appears to be in line with our cycle of civil unrest. I must admit, the black face one is one thing, but the hoodie with the hangman’s noose is hard to explain as just coincidence. The designer for Burberry claimed to be following a “nautical” theme. I can only take a guess at this one and assume it reflects the polarization within society. There are clearly cycles in fashion. There were cycles in fashion among women that are clearly identifiable even on the coinage.