Fashion World in the Grip of Astrology Fever

    CHICAGO, IL, December 07, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- An article in the Lifestyle section of London's Evening Standard tabloid reports the fashion world "is in the grip of astrology fever."

Writer Stephanie Theobald says the zodiac-themed Christmas windows at Selfridges "have an allure that Santa and his elves will never possess... But the buzz is even bigger inside the department store, where Father Christmas appears to have loaned out his grotto to Mystic Meg.

"In a shadowy lair called the Astrolounge customers can create customized astrology T-shirts, purchase a glittering zodiac clutch bag by Greek label Urania Gazelli, or find an array of star sign specific perfume and jewelry. By night, they attend workshops on such exotic subjects as alchemy, meeting your spirit animal and making a dreamcatcher," she says, adding:

"Mysticism has become glittery and aspirational and is being promoted by design houses from Chanel to Mary Katrantzou, JW Anderson, Pucci and Givenchy."

For example, Theobald writes that Chanel's new Chance perfume promotion "was accompanied by a surreal media star sign campaign featuring GIFs designed for the astrological signs. And Mary Katranzou's spring/summer 2016 catwalk show had cosmology as its theme."

"Katrantzou admitted her Cosmology show was a quest to solve a personal puzzle. And she's not the only fashionista searching for meaning in life beyond duchess satin and silk organza," Theobald says.

Examples abound. Riccardo Tisci celebrated ten years at Givenchy with a show dedicated to peace and love that featured chanting Tibetan monks. JW Anderson's interstellar show displayed words such as Orbital and Asteroids all over knits, and Amanda Wakeley's cashmere zodiac scarves have been best sellers.

Charlotte Dellal's Birthday shoes collection helped the designer establish her Charlotte Olympia Birthday brand. "Even the biggest skeptic is interested in their star sign," the designer told Theobald.

Ruby Warrington, the 38-year-old creator of The Numinous website who helped curate many of the products in the Astrolounge, believes astrology "is like a gateway drug to a more cosmic world view. At Christmas especially we're a little more inclined to believe in magic."

Theobald writes that Hong Kong-born jeweler Sarah Ho has created a collection of gold rings based on numerology. Ho notes that consumers are becoming more demanding, seeking out personalized goods.

"Shoppers don't just want to buy something these days. Be it zodiac or lucky numbers, they want it tailored for them," she said.

Stephen Webster, rock 'n' roll jeweler for celebrities from Madonna to Ozzy Osbourne, agrees. He has designed a horoscope-themed Astro collection of gem pendants and believes the personal story contained in a star sign "makes people feel more emotionally attached to a purchase."

Theobald writes that Selfridges' in-house psychic Jayne Wallace offers an intuitive shopping service based on the astrological elements: fire, earth, air and water. Her job until Christmas is to monitor the Astrolounge, representing her Psychic Sisters in-store brand.

Wallace predicts that the future of spiritual fashion is going to get bigger, especially with straight white men. For the ladies she offers what she calls "tit stones," an assortment of inexpensive colored crystals that she advises women to put in their bras. Green Fluorite is good for stress, pink Rhodonite for fertility, Theobald says.

"For an increasing number of fashion designers an interest in the stars isn't just some shallow fashion show trend. A new generation is looking to slow things down in a bewildering speeded up world, and trying to regain a sense in the wonder of things by realizing we're just specks in eternity.

"Immersing yourself in something that's not shiny and new but millions of years old - the constellations of the night sky - will certainly help with that," Theobald believes.

She says Net-a-porter founder Natalie Massenet's favorite way to disconnect from the digital world is looking at the stars. "And that's not as hippie dippy as it might sound. It's just being connected to the world in a different way."

This news feature was prepared by the Astrology News Service (ANS). ANS is jointly sponsored by the American Federation of Astrologers (AFA), the Association For Astrological Networking (AFAN), the International Society for Astrological Research (ISAR), the International Council for Geocosmic Research (NCGR) and the Organization of Professional Astrologers (OPA).

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