IT WAS back to the 1970s at A|wear’s “Jet Set” autumn presentation in Dublin yesterday.
Flared trousers, floppy hats and chunky shoes recreated those familiar languid shapes, but they were recoloured in modern shades like honey, ochre, caramel and terracotta.
Longer skirts and flared trousers mean changing proportions and shorter, tighter jackets. A|wear’s came in herringbone and Prince of Wales tweed for about €60. Dresses, some in vintage style prints or navy polka dot wraps, were safer, noticeably longer and had sleeves.
Though trousers had higher waists, there were a variety of leg widths and lengths for those hesitant of going the whole palazzo way. Herringbone tweed coats or black with fake fur trim had characteristic girly details while others were sturdy tartan and check duffels.
Less successful were leather lookalike shorts and aviator jackets, but slouchy, chubby knits were a better option worn over semi-circle skirts with cabled scarves or fake fur trims. “What’s important for customers is what they buy has to be both functional and look great,” said A|wear chief Annmarie Flood, adding that student discounts will be doubled to 20 per cent for 10 days until September 11th.
Contrary to recent reports, A|wear is not closing any of its 40 shops in Ireland or the UK. “We’ve put a huge investment into A|wear at a time when business is challenging for everybody,” she said.
Sales online are growing and the company claims to be the top fashion retailer on Facebook in Ireland, with 77,000 fans.