the alternative trends of oh nine

The catwalks of Spring 2009 didn't show us an awful lot that we haven't already seen before. In fact, the lack of dominant trends combined with the uncertain economic climate makes this year feel both significant and in a way exciting for fashion.

Yes, small designers suffer and that some are having to opt for presentations rather than full shows at fashion week in order to keep prices to a minimum isn't something to cheer about but Vogue UK editor Alexandra Shulman recently said something that makes a lot of sense. "You do get new names, new businesses, during recessions. Things happen. It can be quite an exciting time creatively. And old names often die. At that time (the recession of the early 1990s) a whole slew of new designers bubbled up – like McQueen, Stella McCartney, Hussein Chayalan, Clements Ribeiro"

While this year is likely to be a tough one, and we may have to expect some of fashion's talent going out of business, I'm eager to see how designers will be inspired and what they can create. I'm always interested in how social, political, economic context effects the designers. Look around at advertising campaigns and fashion editorials (notably Drew Barrymore in POP Magazine) and you may notice the references to early 1960s America in the form of old track tops and cheerleader get ups. A coincidence that fashion has looking to some of the styles from the time that Kennedy became President, just as Obama, who many have placed on a parallel to JFK (in terms of hope and change) has come into office?

As spending large sums of money on updating our wardrobes may be out of the question this year, there'll be more making do and mend, finding old pieces from the backs of our wardrobe and wearing them in new ways. Even more scouring through the charity shops and vintage stores and rather refreshingly a desire to create our own mood in fashion, with an influx of micro and underground trends. These are some of the trends that I'm personally desiring and over the next few posts I'll be predicting more.