When Ralph Lauren—known for models with the blondest, straightest, most conservative hair—has an exotic model with wild curls, you know something big is brewing. We’ve become accustomed to seeing wild, tousled looks on the models at collections by designers like Betsy Johnson, a designer known for her whimsy. But at the Fall 2010 Collections, texture appeared in a wide array of shows, from Perry Ellis’ men’s collection to Diane von Furstenberg. It may not have been on every model, but waves, curls and kinks made an appearance.
I’d like to think that the trend is not a trend at all, but a new reality. I hope it means that diversity is being embraced as a part of fashion, and that designers have come to see texture as something to be embraced because it is a reflection of many of the people who wear these clothes. A number of stylists, models and onlookers told me “Texture is big this season.” I told them it’s never been out.
— Michelle Breyer
