2005-2006 Autumn and Winter Fashion Trends

By Dionysus Translated by Cara Steenstra

As winter approaches, what's in store for this season's fashion? Known as the "Queen of Punk", British designer Vivienne Westwood believes that, if what you wore gave others a strong impression, life would be much better. So why not take some time to think about what you are going to wear this autumn and winter season?

Isabelle Wen, a designer known for her individualistic styles and ideas of beauty, has gathered classic elegance from the '60s to '80s, and added stronger silhouettes and rebellious-yet-delicate patterns to cleverly bring together an element of streetwise quality and the unisex elegance. This brings new meaning to the mysterious yet attractive concepts of "Black Romantic" and "Glamour Rock".

This autumn's and winter's fashions see a lot of details evident in haute couture, with hints of punk rock rebelliousness. There are strapless empire line dresses, tailored tops, tuxedo, rider's jackets, trench coats, '60s style coats, leather jackets and rock 'n' roll style leather jackets. Accessories include bags with tassels, metallic evening bags, leather totes, long draping necklaces, semi-precious jewels, rider's caps and sunglasses, soft leather boots, and round-toed heels, all reflecting the uniquely individual luxurious image of this season's latest trends.

Mixes of Eastern and Western influences make this season's Esprit fashion collection rich with ethnic elements. Apart from using shiny materials like velvet and silk to go with bubble-sleeved tops and flowing skirts to create a retro Western style and mysterious Eastern ethnic looks, there are also double-breasted military-style jackets, fitted jerseys and jeans with rider's jackets. Black is still the hottest color of the season, with rich colors like deep champagne, black currant, chestnut brown, olive green, apple red, musk and strong orange to add character.

Whereas the 1881 Cerruti Blue Label and Henry Cotton's takes on a European retro relaxed style this season. For women's wear, the themes are "city oasis" and '50s retro. Smokey grays, deep browns and navy blue are the main colors. Velvet ribbons, embroideries and fur-trimmed lapels add an element of rich opulence. For men's wear, military-style jackets, high-tech fiber hooded sports jackets and specially-treated turtleneck jumpers are all new this season.

Henry Cotton's women's wear includes rider's style skirts; its over-the-knee length goes well with this season's stylish long boots. For men's wear, the look is young and colorful; the jackets are shorter and more fitted. Both brands have down jackets that do more than keep you warm. Their denim and shiny-material outer layer with its attached hoodie, the shorter and more fitted design, the detachable fur-trimmed lapel, and metallic or leather buttons and clasps are all new elements of this season's casual wear.