PART 3; HELMUT LANG

Minimalism was generally at its peak during the late Eighties and early Nineties, and another pioneer of the movement was Austrian fashion designer Helmut Lang. Although he established his eponymous fashion house in 1986, it was only towards the early Nineties that his simple but elegant designs began to gain major recognition. Lang was interested in using hi-tec fabrics in order to introduce a cleaner, more futuristic incarnation of the minimalist aesthetic. 

Shalom Harlow for Helmut Lang, F/W 1996

A lot of Lang's designs focused heavily around the use of various different shades of white, as well as the utilisation of layered sheer and opaque fabrics to create a textural quality. Texture in general was one of Lang's favourite elements - from looped woolen skirts to sequinned jackets and feathered skirts, there was usually an unconventional fabric choice that was subtly incorporated into an otherwise minimal look.