Goodbye boring old leather. Glossy and sleek vinyl material is about to explode in the fashion marketplace. Made out of synthetic rubber once used solely for rain boots, vinyl is now manufactured into every style item ranging from pants to trench coats.
And it totally works.
Already it has appeared on the high fashion runway shows of Isabel Marant, Lanvin, and Dior. Fashion professionals cannot stop talking about the vinyl trench coat featured in the recent Loewe show in all its pitch black, flashy glory. The vinyl trousers also made quite a hit in the Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini runway collection.
Frankly, we see no limit to how the material can be used. The quintessential leather mini-skirt is now moving on from leather to vinyl. Doc Martens are now vinyl. In a period where technology, minimalism, and futuristic films are killing it in today’s consumer markets, people are becoming more taken with modernism. Vinyl material encapsulates the country’s growing fascination with the modern movement. Vinyl achieves a futuristic vibe, reminiscent of costumes worn on Star Trek or Power Rangers.
We predict that the vinyl fabric will predominate looks for pants, tights, and skirts, though they pop up as jackets in street fashion on occasion. Suiting up in all vinyl attire may be a bit much for the regular customer, but fashion and lifestyle video bloggers like Allegra Louise clearly demonstrate how the fabric can vamp up an otherwise dull outfit. Youtubers and bloggers alike are including them in their fashion hauls, and their viewers can’t help but agree that it may be worth the fashion risk.
Fashion is progressing and staying experimental, seeing that people ready to work with a material that is altogether daring and unusual. When most people type “vinyl” on Google, pictures of record players and umbrellas are more likely to show up than actual clothing. Yet here we are, with vinyl and its sidekick patent leather becoming the fabric of the season.
Who knows, maybe metal mini-skirts are next.
Leslie Lee, Fashion Writer
