The Y2K craze is back, bringing with it the return of low-rise jeans and juicy couture tracksuits. However, the real staple of the early 2000s wardrobe was animal print, be it cheetah, zebra, or leopard. Animal print is probably the most prevalent example of taking inspiration from nature, which got me thinking: where else has our fashion borrowed from the amazing world of flora and fauna?
Christina Aguilera starts us off, rocking that same animal print the 2000s were so fond of on the MTV Red Carpet in 1999. When creating patterns for high fashion couture, why not take inspiration from the world around us? While not many of us have personally seen a leopard roaming around, we can all appreciate the eye-catching pattern of their coat and see why they are so heavily used in clothing and décor. If you are looking for the diva of the animal world, the plains of Africa will supply you with many. Paired with a mini skirt and long black boots, this style icon knew something natural would always be chic.
As fun as it is revisiting the early 2000s, we must go back much further to make the case that fashion is influenced by our environment. Interestingly, one of the most fashion-forward eras in history had a lot to do with bugs, beetles, and birds: the Victorian era. Best known for ballgown dresses, large and elaborate hats, as well as whalebone corsets, Victorian England was also obsessed with everything you might expect to see in a naturalist’s journal. Modern science was sweeping through England, and those fortunate enough to be able to concerned about their appearance became fixated on what those curious scientists were studying. Taxidermy was becoming the proper lady’s hobby, which evolved into women creating hats and accessories made from bird corpses. Exotic beetles sourced from victims of Europe’s colonial era became necklaces and rings. In some cases, live insects, such as fireflies, were purposefully placed inside of hair to give a more profound and glittering appearance. Natural history was all the rage, and this peculiar fashion trend proved it. Those creepy crawlies were evidence of the world’s beauty, and Victorians wanted to hold on to that idea as industrialization worked to transform their lush landscapes to factory streets and grey skies.
How about nature’s influence on today’s fashion? Recently, actress and model Hunter Schafer wore a beautiful sheer dress to the Pradasphere II exhibit premiere in Shanghai, which was deemed an “ethereal” look by many. The dress itself was nicknamed the “jellyfish” dress, as the way the fabric behaves while worn is reminiscent of a jellyfish’s tentacles floating around in the open sea. I love anything marine-themed, and jellyfish are some of the most fascinating and beautiful sea-dwelling creatures. Looking to underwater inhabitants for fashion inspiration is perhaps the best way forward for all designers, considering there is plenty of creative material to pull from, like the lionfish’s captivating ruffles, punk-like starfish spikes, and a variety of colors from coral reefs. For this nettle-fish-inspired look, Schafer paired the dress with heels and a slicked-back bun, making her wispy silhouette stand out on a carpet otherwise full of boxy suits and skin-tight bodycon.
In one of the first collections after Alexander McQueen’s death, the eponymous decorated fashion brand decided to go back to basics: very basic, as in the natural world. McQueen’s successor Sarah Burton looked to fields of wheat, butterflies, woven baskets, mushrooms, flowers and a variety of feathers for the Spring/Summer collection of 2011. This is my favorite example of environmental-inspired fashion, as the whole collection flows together with the kind of cohesiveness only found in nature. Every dress is adorned with feathers, wings or some kind of sprout, perhaps conjuring images of nymphs and fairies in the minds of those familiar with aetiological myths. This collection provides my favorite example of the monarch butterfly’s beautiful wing patternin all of fashion (I mean, come on! That butterfly wing turtleneck is the coolest)! The collection is truly unique and has a wide variety of patterns and shapes that would be hard to pull off with a different source, but because of its ties to the wilderness it belongs on the runway.
Okay, now for the elephant in the room. It’s no big secret that the fashion industry and the environment have not had the best relationship. As mentioned earlier, those birds and bugs used for accessories were sourced directly from their environment, which eventually led to the endangerment, even extinction, of many of those highly coveted species. This, alongside the fashion industry’s position as the world’s second largest polluter and the rise of fast fashion in recent years, makes it hard to champion a partnership between fashion and Mother Earth. However, some designers are trying to change the landscape with a little landscaping of their own. Former ocean photographer and current bio-designer Zena Holloway is growing her own materials for her designs. Holloway uses wheatgrass roots to shape various kinds of dresses and sculptures, recently unveiling a bridal gown and several other kinds of dresses. Root couture, as she calls it, is “pollution-free, water-efficient and fully compostable,” leaving no trace on the planet after its full fashion life cycle. Holloway even has created a few accessories, like a woven collar with shoulder pads and elaborate root jewelry. Her designs are somehow both futuristic and ancient, as if the earth itself designed them for her most destructive yet creative inhabitants.
These garments are no substitute for current clothing (not yet, at least!), but they do open the possibility of changing what fashion is and ways we can innovate without destroying the world that we draw inspiration from so often. The clothes are so alluring already, and if the process of growing, shaping and sewing the root textile is streamlined, I can see a future where roots are on-trend. For something we all claim to love and appreciate, we can do a lot better in treating the Earth right. If you are a broke college student like me, it can sometimes be can be hard to find cheaper clothing that is not on fast fashion sites. I urge you to go out and thrift your simple stuff, ask around for staple pieces and support sustainable businesses when you are able. The world deserves to share her beauty and inspire generations of artists after us, and that can’t happen without a little work from the fashion forward.