Unrealistically Lo..ong

The oversize trend has been on the rise for quite some time now. Ramps have been overrun with anti-fit clothing and designers have been obsessed with larger than life silhouettes. This trend has gained much attention, and done well for both women’s and menswear styles.

This trend has, in fact, been carried forward for multiple seasons now, only to be re-invented with a new perspective each time. The sleeves have become Unrealistically LONG!

How long will it stay?

Like every other trend in fashion, this too has now reached its peak, and will eventually pass. The pendulum will once again swing away from volume. But, let’s not forget that this trend, like most others, has travelled a long way to reach this level of largeness, and it may be long before it comes around again in the way it exists today.

Anything could become a “thing”, when a lot of designers start believing it’s a “thing”. But have the designers gone too far with the trend just to satisfy the insatiable appetite for something new?

Indian designer Druv Kapur of DRVV also does not seem to believe that this trend is going too far and says, “I find it a little bit too involved with just fashion for that moment, as it serves no function whatsoever. The only thing it’s doing is reiterating the oversize trend.”

Where did it come from ?

This trend came to be know as Vetements sleeve in the fashion industry parlance. Vetements has undoubtedly injected some young energy and fresh direction to the sedate world of fashion. The brands Fall 2015 collection was a fair mix of classic boxy suit, blazers, bombers, and leather jackets, which had fabric that hung below the fingers and sometimes as long as the knees.

Raf Simons, in his first collection for his eponymous label, showed some dramatically oversize sweaters, but most notably the sleeves that dangled almost till the knees.

Though, it was seen on the ramp more than once, building up the ambiguity of the trend’s origin was Raf Simon’s press note for his collection, wherein he named Margiela as an inspiration. Martin Margiela, the label’s founder, caused a sensation with experiments in proportion back in the 1990s.

No matter how far the origin goes, what we do know for sure is that proportion is one of the most determining factors of a designer’s toolkit while striving for freshness. Shorten here and extend there, or tighten up to get a completely never-seen-before collection.

Why did it become a ‘thing’?

Sloppiness is the prime grunge determinant, it sure is a Declaration of Independence. Your body is hidden away in large pieces of luxury.

Another reason is the rising touch of androgyny that is driving the silhouettes to be larger and more carefree. Oversize clothes are, in a way, a sign of how content one is — so carefree that you don’t need to dress up for anybody but yourself, anymore.

Fifth season in a row, the extra-long sleeves have made a room for itself in the fashion realm, passing the threshold of a fad and becoming a full swing of a major trend.

This trend is not going away soon