Conservative Party: Bourgeois style is back

THEY WERE HAILED as this decade's fashion outlaws - turning out highly successful collections inspired by youth subcultures from skaters to rock n' roll. But that was then. This season, Hedi Slimane, Demna Gvasalia and Riccardo Tisci have outgrown their insurgent punk lifestyle in favour of the bourgeois and suburban.

As a term, 'bourgeoisie' is basically defined as the middle class, ''typically with reference to its perceived materialistic values or conventional attitudes'', according to the Oxford dictionary. Namely, one who exemplifies wealth and social status. But fashionwise, it became a dated concept thanks to Slimane and company who subverted bourgeois style and made 'ugly' cool.

While their change in mindset with their Fall/Winter collections is refreshing, it also seems surprising. Thanks to them, sweatpants have eased its way into the corporate world and streetwear is di rigueur for the technopreneur. Being anti-trendy is trendy, and fashion has been purposely promoting bad taste. Wear whatever you like - the weirder, the more unexpected, the better, and Demna Gvasalia's influence at Balenciaga and Vetements have largely impacted this strange fashion phenomenon.