Hussein Chalayan A/W 98-99. Courtesy of Seaofshoes.typepad.com

All it takes is a quick Google search to realise that the future of fashion is widely disputed. However, perhaps we need to examine our existing obsession with fashion before peering into the crystal ball.

One of the central debates about the future of fashion is its relationship with technology. The incorporation of ‘intelligent’ textiles and nanotechnology lies at the forefront of fashion innovation, allowing designers such as Hussein Chalayan to challenge and redefine perceptions of fashion.

Discussing the January 2009 launch of his exhibition at the London Design Museum, Hussein Chalayan stressed the importance of engagement on SHOWstudio.

“I didn’t want this to be a costume show – I’ve seen too many of those. I felt the figures should baptise the space, engage with the space…If you were from a non-fashion background, you may just enjoy this as an installation; if you’re from a fashion background, you may just enjoy the clothes…So I think what this creates is a situation that a lot of different people can appreciate on a different level.”

Undoubtedly, Chalayan’s contribution to the fashion industry lies in his progressive attitude. In the words of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Chalayan touches upon the “missing link”, the key to the future. We may appreciate the aesthetics of fashion, but we have lost the emotional connection. By placing fashion on a pedestal, we dilute the experience and our ability to relate to an art form.

Fashion does not need a future; it overlooks the present by searching for the next step. What is required is a shift in consciousness, a humanisation of fashion that will allow us to embrace fashion as an art form, inhabit clothes and give them lives of their own. As highlighted by Chalayan, innovating fashion through technology is only useful if engagement solicits an emotional response.

Perhaps the future of fashion lies not in mapping directions but encouraging interaction, a dynamic exchange that reflects contemporary ideals and aspirations. Define the present and the future shall define itself.

To read the complete digital supplement on the future of fashion, click here.