Minimalism vs. Maximalism

A fashion movement that has a great contrast with Minimalism would definitely be Maximalism, where both were opposing each other in terms of styles and attitudes.

While Minimalism shows the subtle beauty with forms and space, Maximalism presents the aesthetic of being loud and bold. Being less about practicality and form as compared to Minimalism, Maximalism leaned more towards sensual and designs with rich visuals. Both movements have adapted themselves to fit in with the society at the time repeatedly throughout the years. (Kim, 2014.)

Since 2009, designers like Céline, Jill Sander and Raf Simons have applied Maximalism on the runway of Dior. Phoebe Philo, creative director of Céline said she was inspired by Brassaï's photographs of graffiti. While Mrs Prada got her inspiration from street murals.  (Fox, 2014.) Here it shows that the styles of Maximalism was inspired by street art, which is very much an expressive movement, having much contrast with Minimalism that opposed the idea of Expressionism.

Some argued that Maximalism is taking over Minimalism at this era, as fashion weeks were mostly promoting Maximalist fashion, claiming it as the New Thing. The inspiration from art into fashion aesthetic seemed to be setting the agenda for this year.

Say It Loud: Chanel, Paris fashion week, Spring 2014.

[Say it loud: the Chanel show at Paris fashion week womenswear spring/summer 2014.] 2014. [image online] Available at:<http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2014/jan/01/minimalism-dead-long-live-maximalism-fashion> [Accessed on: 17 July 2014]

Céline, Paris Fashion Week, Spring 2014.

[Céline, Paris Fashion Week, Spring 2014.] 2014. [images online] Available at:<http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://konnikim.com/2014/01/10/goodbye-minimalism-hello-maximalism/> [Accessed on: 17 July 2014]

Maximalist Fashion, Topshop.

[MAXIMALIST FASHION] 2014. [image online] Available at:<http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://konnikim.com/2014/01/10/goodbye-minimalism-hello-maximalism/> [Accessed on: 17 July 2014]


From the pictures above, it was cleared that Maximalist fashion plays with a lot of bright colours and intense decorations, it was bold, playful and very much art-driven.

It may seemed that Maximalism is taking the lead on the fashion industry this year, however Minimalism is stilling running its course as being wide accepted in the culture aspects. Lau points out that we are subconsciously reacting more to the Maximalism style, but Minimalism should always be tripped up with its subtlety. (Fox, 2014.)

Especially where Malaysia is considered as a more conservative country where the people here do not promote loud fashion as much compared to the Western culture. Minimalist fashion remains a trend in Malaysia as many local fashion bloggers were promoting more to the minimalist styling approach.




References:
Kim, K. (2014) Minimalism vs. Maximalism (Say goodbye to minimalism.). [Online] Available at<http://konnikim.com/2014/01/10/goodbye-minimalism-hello-maximalism/> [Accessed: 17 July 2014]

Fox, I. (2014) Minimalism in fashion is dead – long live maximalism. [Online] Available at<http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2014/jan/01/minimalism-dead-long-live-maximalism-fashion> [Accessed: 17 July 2014]

Influence of Minimalism on me

As I've mentioned, I'm quite a fan of Minimalism (both 60's and new Minimalism). I adore the concept of Minimalism with the reductivism, deconstruction and anti-figurative forms, and I do applied these into my personal lifestyle, in terms of fashion, work and lifestyle.

Also, as being extra thin on my appearance itself already proposed the idea of minimal, giving me advantages to pull off the Minimalist fashion, like André Courrèges's idea in his "The Moon Girl" collection which he chose tall (although I am not very tall), weak and long-thigh girls that will harmonize the design in maximum. (Stoykov, 2008.)



My Fashion
My fashion attitudes and ideas were very much driven by the concepts of Minimalism in the 60s, however not as extreme as that time, due to the environment I'm living in that would be unappropriated to do so. Below are some of the photographs of what I wear, a.k.a. ootd.

I am very much inspired by the non-emotive design concept in Minimalism with the repetition of lines, shapes and geometrics. Besides, designs like these would blurred the line of my actual body shape and gave an impression of not being underweight as well.

The idea of anti-figurative forms gave an influence on me as well. I like the idea of unisex as I was never a girly type of personality and I believe independence in woman. I'm also very much into oversize clothing and thick material of garments like knit or wool.



My Works

These are my digital artworks which implied the Minimalism concept. The drawings were based on the idea of Reductivism which use only the essentials and reducing design to its core (shown in the clothes where I removed the outline leaving only the main colour and pattern of the shirt).

These are some spreads of my publication design which again influenced by the concepts of Minimalism based on space, shapes and lines.



My Lifestyle
I like the idea of reduction to its core as I am a person who work and live based on the essentials. I enjoy living in the minimal lifestyle, simplifying everything in my daily routine and focus only on what it needed to be done by the day itself. Less is more, working in this way allowed me to work more productively and being more positive in living.



Reference:
Stoykov, L. (2008) André Courrèges Or The Futurism In Fashion. [Online] Available at:<http://www.fashion-lifestyle.net/designers_en_broi12> [Accessed: 17 July 2014]

The Evolution of Minimalism

Like every other movements, Minimalism went through an evolution and its concept and attitude in fashion and body had undergo some changes.

Elyssa Dimant explains in the book Minimalism and Fashion, “In many ways, Minimalism transitioned from a 1960s high art movement to a persisting presence in contemporary artistic vernacular due to its appropriation within the field of fashion, and to the many fashion designers who have equated reduction and abstraction with beauty and progress.” (as cited in Fashion and Runway, 2010.)

New Minimalism focuses more on the idea of consumerism. People nowadays wanted items that were durable, easy, unrecognisable and versatile to be worn repeatedly at anywhere, the previous habits of disposable clothing that were more noticeable went on a down track. Minimalism became more functional to the mass market in the practical way.

The design of clothes became plainer,  so to their messages. Examples for designers like Stella McCartney and Hannah MacGibbon at Chloé followed suit, with practical tailoring in neutral palettes; Alexander Wang and London's Heikki Salonen (who focused on grunge style streetwears previously) began showing minimal sportswear in greyscale; even celebrity designers like Victoria Beckham who was more of the conspicuous look, has turned to a minimalistic approach.
(Walker, 2011.)

 As for the concept of body, the modern Minimalism allows more casualness to the human body in a reductive manner. This attitude now that embraced on the body forms itself was opposing the anti-figurative idea of the traditional Minimalism (60's). Most designers nowadays came up with easy and simple cutting to the garments, one of them would be Calvin Klein. He identified his version of Minimalism as ‘an indulgence in superbly executed cut, quiet plays of colour tones and clean, strong shape.’ (Ventus, 2013.)

Today's Minimalism.

[Defining Minimalism In Fashion: Part 2] 2013. [images online] Available at:<http://the-rosenrot.com/2013/09/defining-minimalism-in-fashion-part-2.html> [Accessed: 17 July 2014]


Some argued that this interpretation of Minimalism which literally reducing clothes to its very basic (almost nothing) lost its true meaning of the movement. As Minimalism was simply an easy title to attach to almost everything simple now, things that are monochromatic and clean were being associated with the term, even T-shirts and jeans were being considered. (Ventus, 2013.)

As the fashion world evolves fast, eventually one fashion moved on to another. I would say the new Minimalism was simply fitting in to the society today, where we demand for fast, easy and convenient for everything.




References:
Fashion and Runway. (2010) MINIMALISM AND FASHION: Reduction in the Postmodern Era by Elyssa Dimant. [Online] Available at:<http://old.fashionandrunway.com/fashion/article.cfm?id_articolo=24001> [Accessed: 17 July 2014]

Ventus, G. (2013) Defining Minimalism In Fashion: Part 2. [Online] Available at:<http://the-rosenrot.com/2013/09/defining-minimalism-in-fashion-part-2.html> [Accessed: 17 July 2014]

Walker, H. (2011) Less is more: The new minimalism. [Online] Available at:<http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/features/less-is-more-the-new-minimalism-2236966.html> [Accessed: 17 July 2014]

Who wear them?

Pierre Cardin and André Courrèges, both of these successful fashion designers which contributed to the minimalistic fashion have dressed some big celebrities during the 60s.

Some of them are:

The Beatles

The Beatles in the Cardin Cylinder Suit

[The Pierre Cardin Period] 2012. [image online] Available at:<http://www.voxsartoria.com/post/34049534982/the-pierre-cardin-period-the-beatles-in-douglas> [Accessed on: 14 July 2014] 

This collarless suit was a design by Cardin Pierre in 1964, it was a style that became associated with the Beatles. (Vintage Fashion Guild, 2010.) 

Patrick MacNee

Character of John Steed in the 1961's The Avengers.

[John Steed: The Man Two Girls Left For Bond] 2013. [image online] Available at:<http://thesuitsofjamesbond.com/?p=2159> [Accessed on: 14 July 2014] 

The costumes for the character of John Steed in the famous TV series ‘The Avengers’ were designed by Pierre Cardin. (Cardin, n.d.)

As for André Courrèges, celebrities that he dressed included the duchess of Windsor, Jacqueline Kennedy, Lee Radziwill, and Jane Holzer. (Design Index, n.d.)

Lee Radziwill, Courreges suit by Henry Clarke for Vogue, 1967.

[Lee Radziwill, 1967 - Courreges suit by Henry Clarke for Vogue] 2013. [image online] Available at:<http://www.pinterest.com/pin/27162403976179473/> [Accessed on: 17 July 2014]

Jane Holzer

Jane Holzer by Penn, vogue 1965, Courrèges

[Jane Holzer by Penn, vogue 1965, Courrèges] 2013. [image online] Available at:<http://www.pinterest.com/pin/358388082817415001/> [Accessed on: 17 July 2014]

Reference:
Vintage Fashion Guild. (2010) Cardin, Pierre. [Online] Available at: <http://vintagefashionguild.org/label-resource/cardin-pierre/> [Accessed: 14 July 2014]

Cardin, P. (n.d.) Couturier. [Online] Available at:<http://pierrecardin.com/pierrecardin_createur_en.html> [Accessed: 14 July 2014]

Design Index. (n.d.) Andre Couureges. [Online] Available at:<http://www.designerindex.net/designers/andrecourreges.html> [Accessed: 17 July 2014]