'08 in review
’08 was a mixed year for alternative fashion. With up’s & down’s across the country, from the “crunch” biting hard on businesses’, to a boom in online trading.
Trends over the year saw a rise in Rockabilly style. Already a staple to the scene, ’08 saw companies take on the rockabilly look.
From printed frocks & skirts, & prom frocks a plenty from Hell bunny & Criminal damage; checks & crop jeans from Dead threads, & more rockabilly attire from staple brand Collectif; hitting the look head on with a cheerleader inspired range, & poodle prints.
As well as new sites cropping up, including the latest launches’; Deadly is the female & Lady luck’s boutique, both stocking staple brands & items.
Another look that was a hit across both the scene & mainstream fashion was leopard prints.
With a mountain of skinny jeans adorning the print, to cardigans (Collectif), shoes (Underground), frocks (Collectif), & a plethora of accessories.
The trend is still at large currently with some fabulous attire at Retro rebels, Little black cherry, & Cx london.
Other staple looks included, Gothic lolita; with Phaze producing some new loli friendly frocks, Emo; still a strong hold with the young’uns in the scene, & Steampunk slowly creeping onto the radar.
But it’s not all about the trends, there’s also been other flurries of activity within the alternative scene in ’08.
Little black cherry. Providing a stealthy mix of both scene/emo attire , & alternative favourites. From skinny trews to accessories galore.
Alternative emporium also launched in the spring. Stocking a mix of gothic & cyber attire with alternative companies, Technodolly, Cute and evil, & Cyber spirit at the helm.
New designers & companies also launched throughout the year. From the gorelesque creations of Gore couture, to the monster printed tees of Squishi.
’08 also saw some changes in the scene too. With the changeover of Affleck’s in the summer to new ownership, seeing a shake up to the Manchester scene.
But this also saw new shops in the area with Kiku boutique on Tib street; & the expansion of shops inside Affleck’s such as Extreme largeness’s larger shop on the ground floor.
There was also a short change to the Leeds shop scene just last month. With rumours circulating about changes at the Corn exchange to a food hall, December saw the exchange close its doors as an alternative emporium. With such a short change to the exchange at the present time re-locations of shops inside still remain in question. With just Hippy potter mouse seeming to have relocated
to Boar lane. Not to forget the closures of Wednesday’s wardrobe & Burn within the market too.
The scene has seen as many closures as launches in ’08. As well as a wide a mix of styles as ever present within the scene.
We predict that ’09 will see a sharp rise in online shopping. With such a wide range of choices available at present. As well as a rise in interest in streampunk fashion, more one-off, diy fashion’s, made to measure attire, & on the mainstream front lots of bright neon colours, more elaborate accessories, & leathers to leatherettes.
