Wetsuit in the city

Some trends are interesting, exciting even, on the catwalk, but in the harsh reality of the high street strip lights makes me glad that I'm not a slave to fashion.

Rosa Cha, Sao Paulo, SS11

When trend-forecasters Mudpie proclaimed that neoprene, the fabric used for wetsuits, would be turning up on the high street in spring/summer 2012, I just couldn't imagine it.

“‘Water Footprint’ examines the delicate ecosystems beneath the ocean, the value of hydro-energy and the benefits of a coastal existence,” they wrote of the emerging trend earlier this year. “Neoprene becomes a fashion fabric for skirts, shorts, ballet pumps and beach bags for a casual “surfer chic” look.

“Body-con jerseys featuring hyper-ethnic prints provide a refined wetsuit identity , while body-contouring seams display a more obvious reflection of the theme.”


Wetsuits in the city? Ridiculous, I thought, absolutely ree-dic. But, as usual, they were right - in fact the coastal invasion has already started. See exhibits A and B: Zara, Oxford Street.


Click here to see where the trend has come from.

Catwalk image courtesy of MPDClick.com