Fashion for 2011: Tribal Trend

1. Fashion for 2011: Tribal Trend
Enjoy Fashionistas! Designers take a grown-up approach to the tribal trend in
this year’s Resort collections. A few years into its life, the tribal trend has come of age
and the likes of Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen and Christopher Bailey for
Burberry Prorsum made the 2012 Resort season its graduation ceremony. Ethnic
prints, beads and shells were all present to see their baby grow up into a more gentle
and subtle creature, albeit one who still knows how to bring the wow factor.
Alexander McQueen Resort 2012

2. Alexander McQueen Resort 2012
Sarah Burton used a touch of tribal across her smart and sober olive green and black
jackets in her romantic utility-inspired collection for Alexander McQueen. Brown
and black animal print belts cinched the waists, the jackets themselves decorated
with over-sized pockets in ethnic patterns, edged with lines of cowry shells, instantly
taking the city to the Souks in a bold, yet wearable, way.

3. Burberry Resort 2012

4. Burberry Resort 2012
Christopher Bailey took Burberry’s heritage traditions to Ghana: the bright prints of
purple and orange geometrics, sat on speckled blues and greens that featured in his
dresses and shirts were inspired by the country’s traditional wax print technique, but
they were most effective when used in a stealthier way, slid under the collars and
across the storm flaps of the label’s signature trench coats. A few feet below, the
shoes followed suit; high platform heels were adorned with a few rows of bright
beads, like a tribal necklace for the ankle.

5. Givenchy Resort 2012

6. Givenchy Resort 2012
But Givenchy’s Riccardo Tisci took it all a step further. He gave dazzling florals an
ethnic spin, edging the bright red Hawaiian print on a green military-style dress with
tribal embroidery and splaying white petal patterns around the top of a fitted black
dress like tribal tooth necklace.

7. Thakoon Resort 2012

8. Missoni Resort 2012
Derek Lam, Thakoon and Missoni all dipped into tribal, too. Lam put Bhutan front
and centre with woven belts and embroidered skirts and brought Thailand home
with him for a scarf-print halter dress, whilst Thakoon’s gypsy themed collection
used tiny florals lined row upon row in zig-zag patterns. Missoni’s collection took the
trend to the shore, where calf-length dresses, skirts and even tote bags had an ethnic
skew to their prints.
With its continued presence on the high street, as well as on the backs of celebrities
like Beyonce, Rihanna and J-Lo, tribal is here to stay, albeit with some refreshing
twists if Resort 2012 has anything to do with it. Dare we say goodbye to fashion for
2011 so soon. Fashion for 2012 is looking strong.