This may or may not come as a surprise to you – but I am a huge sci-fi fan. Books, television shows, movies…fashion. Yes, fashion – and I’m not just talking Star Trek costumes.
Books like Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick and Neuromancer by William Gibson offered decidedly postmodern views of the future – dystopias full of pumped-up artificial intelligence, big-brother style law enforcement, vigilante justice and grand ideas of what the future of technology looked like. Film took these futuristic views a step further by creating solid visuals we could tie to all of these ideas, including amazing clothing and set design that is just as much anchored to the definition of Cyberpunk as the original writings from which the genre was born.
It’s no surprise that a lot of modern designers have garnered inspiration from science fiction, whether through film or books, and I couldn’t help but notice that same sort of futuristic, post-industrial aesthetic coming back around in a few recent runway collections. I dug through the past and present to pull together a few killer looks influenced (intentionally or unintentionally) by 3 of my favorite Cyberpunk film characters.
Pris from Blade Runner
Runway looks from left: Rick Owens – Fall ’09, Balenciaga – Spring ’11, Hakaan – Spring ’11
Runway looks from left: Anthony Vaccarello – Fall ’11, Hakaan – Fall ’11, Ohne Titel – Fall ’10
Trinity from The Matrix
Runway looks from left: Rick Owens – Fall ’09, Wayne – Fall ’11, Mandy Coon – Fall ’11
Runway looks from left: Balenciaga – Fall ’07, Anthony Vaccarello – Spring ’11, Balenciaga – Fall ’07
Kate/Acid Burn from Hackers
Runway looks from left: Mandy Coon – Spring ’11, Balenciaga – Spring ’11, Alexander Wang – Spring ’12
Runway looks from left: Ohne Titel – Spring ’10, Alexander Wang – Spring ’12, Ohne Titel – Spring ’10
Runway looks from left: Wayne – Spring ’11, Alexander Wang – Spring ’12, Ohne Titel – Spring ’11
Feb 26, 2012, 11.24 PMby trianglesrhombuses
Thanks for including Kate Libby— my long-time fashion and beauty idol. :D
Nov 22, 2011, 09.08 PMby plookiss
This looks great!
Nov 22, 2011, 02.08 AMby conejitoasesino
Def need Fifth Element! and ditto on Kika-totally cyber punk. lol!
Nov 21, 2011, 07.37 PMby carottesauvage
hum…Milla Jovovich in the 5th element and Zoolander, interesting parallel?Has Mugatu’s range ‘Derelict’ emulated a cutting edge trend? :)
Nov 21, 2011, 02.59 PMby ichigogirl
Love it. Whenever I wear clothes this kind of style I feel really cool, like powerwoman (and also, I love Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris despite it being the worst airport but it has such cool sci-fi-architecture that I’m stunned every time I visit)! Magic, kind of. Like Sci-fi. And I second The Fifth Element-comments below…
Nov 21, 2011, 07.15 AMby laadylizz
Hackers, I recently watched that movie and loved the outfits and make-up.
Nov 20, 2011, 01.51 AMby ladykatza
You forgot “The Fifth Element”. Not only were the costumes designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier but its a HUGE favorite of all the cos-players out there.
4 Replies
Nov 20, 2011, 03.43 AMby nouvellegamine
yes! i love the 5th element!
Nov 20, 2011, 05.46 PMby oonaballoona
YESSSSSSS FIFTH ELEMENT.
very cool post!
Nov 21, 2011, 07.14 AMby laadylizz
That’s such a good movie.
They should post runway styles from that movie.
Nov 21, 2011, 03.25 PMby carottesauvage
The Fifth Element is great
Would Victoria Abril’s attire in Pedro Almodovar’s Kika be considered as cyber punk? in a parodic way?
Cool post!!!
Nov 19, 2011, 10.48 PMby urbandon
Blade Runner, Rick Owens, powerful women…Great post!
Nov 19, 2011, 03.57 PMby mlssfshn
I just did some looks for a photo shoot based on Blade Runner!
Nov 19, 2011, 03.26 PMby dottty
Blade Runner is Awesome and long been my favourite film, its the best film ever ever ever made (Ridley Scott = Geneous) the costumes a fantastic, the whole thing is fab jj:)x
Nov 19, 2011, 09.11 AMby sadienorway
Yay! Scifi fashion report! Love this :D Bladerunner is truly awesome
Nov 18, 2011, 10.00 PMby gossamerian
I cannot even tell you how much I adore this post. Now I want to put together a Molly Millions-inspired outfit.
Nov 18, 2011, 09.49 PMby nouvellegamine
omg! amazing! the sort of tragedy of my teens & twenties is how terrible i look in black. that didn’t stop me from trying to cop the blade runner look. ditto wanting to look like a harkonnen from “dune.” thanks for posting this!
Nov 18, 2011, 08.28 PMby Susan Juvet
Oh man. This may be my favorite trend report. Ever. Acid Burn!! One of my favorite characters of all time. Also, Blade Runner one of my all-time favorite movies!