Return Of The 80s - Shoulder Pads Are In Again!

The ugliest era in fashion history for some, the 80s, have managed to come back and did it with big shoulder pads.

Although the great return of the 80s has been recorded on runways across the glove, it seems that the decade`s trademark – shoulder pads – will not enter Croatia in big style, but will sneak in some of the new collections.

Seeing how the new Marks and Spencer collection is full of shoulder pads and they can be found everywhere, on jackets, suits, dresses, even regular T-shirts, we asked Croatian fashion designers and stylists what they thought of this “plague of the 80s”. Will Croatian beauties soon be marching in Downtown Zagreb with large shoulders?

- We recently launched a collection with blue and green jackets which had shoulder pads on the outside- Those who do not like to toy with the 80s can take them off – Aleks of Elfs fashion duo told us thrilled.

According to him, their fashion show was envisioned as a parody, but since the 80s are coming back, they decided to also include them in their creations.

Aleks told us that the queen of Croatian pop Severina would be wearing shoulder pads again, just like she did when she was starting out. The designer is currently creating a piece especially for her.

Shoulders that are too wide are not attractive

- Some home collections have already introduced elements of the 80s and probably, shoulder pads will surely come along, even though they were not present at this year`s Cro-a-Porter fashion show. However, shoulders were accentuated – stylist Neven Ciganovic told us, who likes this trend, because it gives the female figure a whole new dimension.

- Hips and an emphasised waist will be in the limelight. Still, this has its dangers. No matter how much it may help someone, such a style might “eat away” someone`s neck and they will look like rugby players – Ciganovic claims.

- The fact is that fashion is constantly moving in circles, but still, with some detachments. We recently had the opportunity of seeing Victoria Beckham in a jacket with elevated shoulders and jeans and this looked good on her, but one has to know how to wear this style – stylist Marko Grubnic told us, adding that trends should not be followed blindly, because elevated shoulders are suitable for skinny girls. He said that he talked out some of his girl friends from buying jackets with shoulder pads, because he thought they did not look good in them.

- One should not overdo anything, because it you exaggerate with emphasising the shoulders, you might lose femininity. It is not the least bit attractive to see a woman with broader shoulders than a man – Grubnic said and we can agree.

Shoulder pads for a night on the town, not coffee with friends

- The 80s were the ugliest period for me, but then again, they were inspiring. I will surely take a detail from this period for my new collection, but probably not shoulder pads, which I dread, personally – one of the most famous designers Ivica Skoko told us.

While Skoko is horrified by shoulder pads, designer

Hips and an emphasised waist will be in the limelight. Still, this has its dangers. No matter how much it may help someone, such a style might “eat away” someone`s neck and they will look like rugby players.

Stylist Neven Ciganovic

- I have indications of the return of the 80s in my White collection, but I don`t know whether I will be excessively using shoulder pads, because I did not force them even when they were really popular – Matija told us.

In her book, shoulder pads give an “extravagant and chic moment” to women`s fashion. She suggests jackets and suits with shoulder pads, but only for a night on the town, since they are not for every-day wear, according to her.

What`s with the 80s?

If you wondered how the 80s decided to get back to our closets and in city streets, we sought the answer with fashion expert Grgo Zecic. He gave us a brief review of fashion events in the past several years, elaborating the flow of the fashion comeback.

- The real comeback of the 80s began with the 2007 spring/summer collection of avant-garde Belgian home Maison Martin Margiela, headed by Margiela for the past 20 years. The fashion establishment calls him a fashion genius and prophet, i.e. the designer of all the designers, because everything he does in Margiela in one season, all other fashion homes, which are more exposed in the media, do in a few seasons, of course, in a milder form – Grgo told us.

Margiela also included elevated shoulders in the 2007/2008 autumn/winter collection, while the pinnacle of the 80`s comeback was the 2009 spring/summer collection launched by Balmain, designed by Christophe Decarinin, while Emmanuel Alt of the French Vogue was in charge of the styling.

From Marc Jacobs in New York, to Donatella Versace in Milan: elevated shoulders, neon colours, ultra short dresses, strict cuts produced a certain mixture of everything which great designers like Thierry Mugler, Claude Montana and Azzedine Alaia believed in. Collaboration between Mugler and Beyonce additionally raised the atmosphere, which was covered in the media all over the world.

Grgo Zecic pointed out that the 80s did not come back over night, but this was a process which was taking place in Paris for a few seasons and then had its global expansion.

- Of course, what is a hit today in fashion, it is the past tomorrow already, therefore, I personally think that the 80s have long since passed, while actually, they have not yet reached Croatia – Zecic concluded, adding that it is highly interesting for everything which was underground for a while in fashion becomes mainstream rather soon.

Therefore, all that you have in your closet, everything you may have been embarrassed about until yesterday, it is a must have today: sequins, neon colours and of course, shoulder pads. Unless Croats are late for this trend, which may not be such a bad thing after all, right?