Exotic Fashion Trend
Global Style Unites Safari & Tribal Flair, Bollywood & Asian Charm
Globe-trotting trends borrow elements from African, Asian & East Indian fashion like tribal prints, safari clothes, bold colors and patterns, chunky jewelry and turbans.
The global village of fashion is one of the hottest places to be this spring, and designers primed your wardrobe for a safari adventure with a wild assortment of African field jackets, safari suits, zebra and leopard prints, khaki, and chunky tribal jewelry. And round out the style with a dash of colonial military attire. Once you've had a taste of tribal styles, the fashion powers that be sent you off to the Far East for a taste of Bollywood glam.
The global fusion fashion trend juxtaposes earthy neutrals with brilliant ethnic influences, and makes for an exciting ride.
Safari Down the Runway
Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez – the talented design duo behind Proenza Schouler – rocked the trend, sending safari and tribal styles down the runway for their spring 2008 collection. The designers showed tailored jackets and vests vaguely inspired by colonial military garb and a touch of ethnic style. Tightly cinched hemp waistcoats and abbreviated vests were paired with sexy short skirts and stilettos, and the look was completed with cavalry hats, brass buttons and shiny buckled belts. The duo also delved into Asian style with the use of gorgeous ikat patterns.
Mixed in amid the brightly hued and ultra glam black and white designs of the Lanvin spring/summer 2008 collection were a few tribal offerings of nude and neutral silky numbers punctuated with leather belts and garnished with chunky ethnic jewelry.
Diane von Furstenberg also hopped on the tribal train for spring/summer 2008, with a full collection of vacation-friendly, flowing prints from Africa and other tropical hot-spots.
Fashion history and global street style from all over the world come together to form one single trend as fast fashion giant H&M celebrated tribal style. In a breakdown of their spring/summer 2008 collections, H&M explained how they mix and match Oriental, Asian and African inspiration to form a modern ethnic look that can be combined with tailored and sports-inspired pieces. Think 1920s Oriental with patterned and embellished shirts, tunics and dresses, worn with harem pants, and linen or khaki separates. Or create combinations that work by painting African patterns and finishes on couture classics.
Safari Fashion
Key features of the trend include:
- Waistcoats, jackets, double-breasted blazers, vests, trousers, riding pants, walking shorts and skirts made from breathable natural fabrics like cotton, khaki, hemp, raw silk and linen, sharply tailored and cinched with leather or woven belts.
- Smart layering: if you were actually embarking on a safari you'd want to wear many light layers that could be piled on for cool nights in the wilderness and peeled off under the day's blazing sun.
- Neutral, sun-bleached colors found in nature, like skin tones, khaki, olive green, beige, brown and black contrasted with crisp white and splashes of wild colors like bright red, yellow, and orange.
- Colonial military details and accessories such as cavalry hats, wire-frame sunglasses, brass buttons, riding boots, gauze weave, cravats and neck scarves.
Tribal Trend & Bollywood Style
To master the tribal trend, incorporate some of these key African and Asian elements:
- Let some wildlife into your closet by tastefully tossing in a few splashes of animal print; black-and-white wonky zebra stripes and giraffe prints are especially hot, as are snakeskin, leopard and cheetah spots.
- Spice up your style by wearing bright, eye-popping colors – like fuchsia, purple, vermillion orange, fire engine red, and emerald green – and large-scale daring abstract prints.
- Add some ethnic flavor to your vacation wardrobe with a dress, blouse, kaftan, tunic or scarf in an exotic and bold African or Asian print. Look for African geometric prints or a dazzling, multicolored West African kente cloth. Imitate this basket weave by picking a fabric with a kente-style print or track down beautiful zigzag patterns of Asian ikat weaves.
- Feathers and beads are a fabulous and dramatic way to embellish the tribal look.
- To accessorize the tribal style, look for wooden jewelry, chunky necklaces and bracelets, large hoop earrings, and stacks of bangles. Top it off with a straw hat or go all out and wrap up an African headdress or East Indian turban.
- Take some inspiration from the Indian sari and Japanese kimono next time you're looking for a formal outfit. Raw silk, bold, rich colors, intricate embroidery and unique wrapping will give you a chic, sophisticated look that sets you apart from the crowd.
