While it is no secret that black and white graphic prints have been dominating the fashion scene, it is probably due to the versatility of these tones that they’ll be sticking around for another season. From classic to edgy, retro to contemporary, this trend loves being versatile. Backtrack to the sixties and we’ll find the roots of this trend are firmly placed in Op Art. In 1965 an Optical Art exhibition entitled The Responsive Eye was held in New York at the Museum of Modern Art. It drew public attention to eye altering prints and popularised an explosion of Op Art printed textiles and fashion trends.  Diana Vreeland , the Editor in Chief of US Vogue 1963 – 1971, was quoted saying “It was a marvelous time. In the sixties you were knocked in the eyeballs. Everybody, everything was new.”

Fast forward to the nineties, the era of emblazoning bold slogans on t-shirts and clashing every print known to man, and we have a revival. While the print clad mods of the sixties still had a groomed appeal to them, the oversized styles of the nineties threw this concept in the complete opposite direction mixing it up with hip hop and street style. From Mary Quant and Pierre Cardin in the sixties to Body Map and DKNY in the nineties, you can choose which decade influences your style.

GET THE 90s LOOK:

• A rimmed hat with circular shades is a winning 90s statement look
• Slightly oversized statement tees are the way to go
• Printed pants paired with Doc Martens, hightops or platform flats will finish the look

GET THE 60s LOOK:

• Statement 60s shades are a must for this edgy yet sophisticated look
• Accessorise with a two toned bangle for some interest
• A graphic print shift dress is a must have piece for this look
• An elegant pair of two toned heels finishes this look off beautifully
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To shop the items selected here, check out http://www.polyvore.com/

It was a single picture cut and pasted into my high school diary, year 2000. This was the image that, in my eyes, converted fashion into genius. I bought the magazine from a dingy paper weight store in town, and had to dig to find it. It was my first second hand Vogue.  The image was a black and white campaign photo of a giant shrine-like lantern with angular shadows playing off it’s folds. But this was no ordinary lantern because when you looked closer you’d see that it wasn’t really a lantern. It had a neckline and armholes. It was a dress, the Minaret. Underneath it on the page very neatly and minimally printed was the name Issey Miyake.

So I’m walking in Bangkok a few months ago and I spot a stylish Thai teen carrying an amazing bag. The bag was faceted and mimicked the architecture of the metropolis cities of Tokyo and Bangkok, reflecting what I was seeing around me in terms of faceted skyscapers. After walking the endless buzzing streets and malls I saw a billboard with the same bag on it. It was part of Issey Miyake’s Bao Bao range. Out of all the treasures in the world my eyes would obviously pick something Miyake. Things made sense. His hybrids of design and fashion reflect the true technology of the time and to witness it in it’s environment , next to  the architectural inspiration, seemed like art coming to life. His fashion background mixed with design has made him a revolutionary designer as he has taken fashion concepts and turned them into curated exhibitions of moving, living sculpture. In 1993 his Pleats Please range looked at revolutionary new ways of garment pleating. He is a master of taking elements from the physical world around him and turning them into fashionable art.

In this era of borrowing trends from past decades it’s refreshing to see designs that are truly unique. These are the designs that define the now and that future generations will look back on to pinpoint the origin of the futuristic designs that influence their current trends. This is the inspiration for the designs that are yet to come.

To window  shop the Bao Bao range visit http://www.polyvore.com/bao/collection?id=2417165 .