JADE ROZAL
From high fashion to hype-wear to vintage, it seems like there’s an aspect of utility/utilitarian/military style in almost every single collection on the marketplace. Whether its a jumpsuit, a vest with a million pockets or a pair of overalls, it’s clear that in the past few months the utility trend has made quite a name for itself and connoisseurs of fashion and functionality alike are loving the common ground. Personally, I too love the trend (how could one ever hate multiple functional pockets or baggy trousers?!), but I’m also very interested in where it’s come from and how promising its influence has become.
WHERE DID IT COME FROM?
To provide some history behind the fad, Forbes explains that “the utilitarian style came back into fashion in the 1970s during the rise of second-wave feminism when the U.S. Senate passed to ratify the Equal Rights Act”, and was representative of a victory for women and gender equality. Following this appearance, military style popped up once again during the 1990s and early 2000s, as documented by unending photographs of rap and pop musical artists in overalls and cargo pants.
WHY IS UTILITY HERE TO STAY?
As we know, the history of fashion continually demonstrates that popular trends both come and go (some of my love-to-hates include dresses over jeans, skinny eyebrows and sweater vests). However, I think that this utility trend holds much more potential to prolong its stay in the fashion world due to the fact that it is beginning to play a role that is becoming so much greater than simply looking good. What began as a fashion trend is now also a trend of functionality and practicality, in which contemporary clothing is not only fashionable but also useful.
With rapid developments in fabric technology, the best parts of outerwear (like waterproofness and multi-use) are now transferable into day-to-day clothing for the average city person, without the excessive bulkiness. The common use of a neutral palette including black, green and grey allow those that already love their basics colours (like me – I struggle to not wear black some days) to add something a little different to their wardrobe.
What began as a fashion trend is now also a trend of practicality, in which contemporary clothing is not only fashionable but also useful.
An example of a company that capitalizes on multifunction clothing is Nike, which has transformed sportswear from how we traditionally know it to be. With collections like Tech Fleece or their Shield wear, they enable their customers to simultaneously look clean and be comfortable in any given weather.
TIES BETWEEN UTILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY
The utility trend is often paired with designers who also prioritize the making of environmentally friendly and sustainable clothing. One example is New York City based clothing brand Hecha/做, with which co-founders Luz Angélica Fernández and Ting Ding produce garments that reflect both inclusivity and gender-flexibility, as well as the usefulness of this utility trend. As Ding stated in an interview, they “knew that these pieces needed to be adaptable to different situations for utility and convenience, focusing on the importance of being able to go from an office space to a warehouse, from day into night”.
In order to construct core pieces that reflect this utility, such as denim jackets and overalls, the duo consciously utilizes a hemp-based composite as their main clothing fabric, “which is gentle on the earth and returns 60 to 70% of nutrients back to the soil”. They also use a “recycled polyester fabric” which “reduces environmental pollution” as it “cuts back on fossil fuel and energy consumption” and “decreases carbon dioxide emissions”.
Just when you think that this brand can’t get any more sustainable, you’re wrong: Ding and Fernández also use a water-based, non-toxic formula to “paint and screen-print” the fabrics mentioned.
These pieces needed to be adaptable to different situations for utility and convenience, focusing on the importance of being able to go from an office space to a warehouse, from day into night”.
– Ting Ding (Hecha/做)
All pieces sold and hand-painted by Hecha/做. Photos: Hecha/做 NYC.
While brands like Hecha/做 are inspiring due to their efforts to conserve a healthy environment, they are also in the spotlight for encouraging opportunities of adaptability and customization. In the midst of a culture where buying expensive designer wear or purchasing pieces “just for the clout” is becoming more prevalent, it can often be forgotten where fashion comes from at its core – creativity and spaces for designers to express themselves.
Ting and Luz collaborate with local artists and creatives for many of their pieces, which I love because it cultivates an environment where clout doesn’t exist, as human connection and support are the best things that are gained from these partnerships.
AFTER ALL THIS: WHAT DO I THINK?
I’m in support of the utility trend not only because I think it looks cool, but also because I like everything that it stands for. The opportunities for positive change and progression in regard to inclusivity and environmental sustainability are on the rise, and as the fashion world attempts to move away from harmful phenomenas like fast fashion, these opportunities are becoming necessary to enable brands to move forward.
Links Used: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-finds/2019/03/04/how-to-shop-the-utility-trend/, https://www.mrporter.com/journal/the-look/why-the-utility-trend-is-here-to-stay/4525?setupsession=false, https://fashionista.com/2019/05/sustainable-queer-fashion-brands, https://hechanyc.com/
