Sublime

Fendi, F/W 2010-11

Texture and fabric choice can reinforce the desire to touch clothing, thus distinguishing it from art. Fur is the most classic example, but a similar effect is created by the contrasting fabrics used by young designers for spring.

Rodarte, S 2011

The dimensions also created tap into the larger cultural context of the moment of the rectangular layering we are increasingly experiencing through media, windows upon windows. Yet this contrasting look creates a harmony, fulfilling the post-post-modern contemporary desire for peace in contrasting identities.

Phillip Lim, S 2011

This style suggests we are reaching a new aesthetic in which identity assertion is passé to aesthetic negotiation. Only those designers who can simultaneously negotiate formal properties, seasonal demands, cultural references and can play with the aesthetic sublime will please us these days. Oh my, the bar keeps raising each generation.

Proenza Schouler, S 2011