Psychedelic For The Year
Recalling the style from the 1960s, psychedelic is one big print trend in the 2020. The psychedelic print has been seen everywhere throughout this year brightening garments from tops to bottoms. With its abstract and bursts of colour, the print indulges organic shapes and sinuous lines, similarly to tie dye prints.
The range of hallucinations and epiphanies induced by the chemical stimulants was a cultural phenomenal of the 1960s. It swept across the western world in San Fransisco and was further fuelled in London when Beatles opened their Apple Boutique in 1967. The aesthetic began circulating on the West Coast back and by the 1970s its reflection can be easily seen in basically everywhere; visual arts, album covers, typography, to fashion. During its year, Psychedelia became a symbol of the 1960s reordering of social, political, and artistic structures. The obligatory of this prints are the use of vivid, flashy colours, and strong contrasts.
The whirling graphics now have flooded across fashion runways and social media like Instagram. One example would be Raf Simmons’ Spring Summer 2021 collection bringing the 60s prints to the show or Kim Shui’s Fall Winter collection with psychedelic top styled in a colourful head to toe.
Some believed that the coming back of psychedelic in 2021 is a response to the lockdowns that have been happening across the world due to the pandemic. Psychedelic prints are said to hark the euphoria and liberation with a sense of escapism from the current situation. Moreover, the lockdown has triggered a ‘psychedelic renaissance’ as some suggested that it has been a boom among young people in response to their monotony lives with heavily restricted daily lives. The bright colours and crazy prints in the psychedelic fashion are sparking with its joy and optimism allowing the wearer to feel hopeful and optimistic about the coming years.
“Now, more than ever, it’s time to sartorially break the rules! Revolutionize your wardrobe by including this season’s bright, serotonin-boosting prints. It’s all about macro-dosing. Don’t be afraid to mix a kaleidoscope of cool, vibrant tones, especially prints in different scales, while keeping it modern by paring down the accessories.”–Montreal-based stylist Amanda Lee Shirreffs