A Look in My Book: Motocross Meets Picasso

Time to look at a trend that is so near and dear to me it’s practically family. Actually, it IS family, Motocross! When Marc by Marc Jacobs broke Fall 2014 with his motocross inspired collection, I was super excited. It’s an esthetic I’ve been infatuated with as a designer since, well, since childhood really. See, on the other side of my family “pond” are a talented bunch of thrill seekers on motocross cycles. Pat Smage is an AMA NATC champion and Phil Smage holds world records in various X-Games, together they are the Smage Bros. Riding Show. Soon to join the family, much to my delight, is a female baddass ambassador on wheels, Sarah Whitmore. You may recognize Phil and Sarah from the Nationally touring Marvel Universe LIVE! show as Captain America and Madame Hydra.

 

Style Icon and fashion blogger Susie Bubble tried out the trend with smashing style. She called the trend an inevitability but later mentioned in her blog that it fell flat.

“I named motocross as a potential S/S 14 trend, stemming off of the sportswear trail and on to a pursuit that wasn’t surf or skate (done and done) and inspired by graduates like Seiya Chen from RCA.  Save for a Anne Sofie Madsen collection (whose motocross inspired padded trousers I wore in The LFW Daily), some motocross nuances coming through in Nasir Mazhar (particularly in his menswear), my prediction has largely fallen flat.” -Susie Bubble

 

” I’ll be mashing the two together in a pathetic bid to make motocross happen.  Someone will undoubetedly raise their eyebrows and say ‘Stop trying to make motocross happen!  It’s not going to happen!’”- Susie Bubble

 

I beg to favor Ms. Bubble’s initial hunch. This isn’t the first time Motocross influenced the runway or was featured in Vogue editorials. Ashley Fiolek, Women’s Motocross Champion was featured in Vogue Spring of 2012 wearing Alexander Wang. Ashley is another female ambassador of the baddass persuasion, she “feels for the engine to shift” because she’s deaf.

 

 Spring 2012 Alexander Wang was a fantastic collection inspired by Motocross. I adored it then, and I still love it.

 

I had the pleasure of designing with Nicole Miller on her Spring 2012 collection which also was largely based on women with a need for speed, a.k.a female baddasses on wheels!

 

 

 

Many of the comments left on Style Bubble’s post, favored the less obvious motocross influence:

“I have to say I like the less obvious motocross references in pieces. But I see why you love this trend. It seems the obvious next step from sports and sk8ter influences.”

This is where I see the merging of art and commerce when “Motocross meets Picasso”! The Advanced/Modern Art *slash* Bauhaus *slash* whatever you want to call it looks like it took some cues from Motocross to me.

 

 

Balenciaga has been doing it since 2010 and I’ve loved every season of it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just in case that isn’t enough evidence, Fendi seemed to take influence in 2013.

 

 

 

X-sport and art collide with color blocking.

 

Another female baddass ambassador, Angelina Jolie rocked Armani Prive in 2009 at the Bafta Awards. Is it a coincidence that  Rene Gruau’s illustration set seems to have inspired the look?

 

I personally have taken the trend and turned it on it’s more “ladylike” side with my last two collections.

 

 

 If backdating the trend isn’t enough, lets look at whats coming for 2015 and 2016.

 

 

 WGSN’s “Visceral S/S 2016” sure looks like a proper mix of art and motocross.

 

 

 

I say, it IS happening, it’s been happening and the future looks pretty baddass to me!

 

 

How would you embrace this trend, literally, artfully or ladylike? Leave a comment and links below.