:::Power Shoulders on the Runway:::

You may shudder at the thought, but you can’t deny it – big shoulders came back with a vengeance – it has been all about power dressing for the past few season, so Joan Collins, eat your heart out!

From New York to Milan, the catwalks unambiguously and unanimously presented the very best 21st Century spin on the 1980’s big exaggerated power shoulder. Tina Kalivas’s Fortune 2009 lookbook is filled with gorgeous tie-dyes and lacquer leathers, but you cannot miss those amplified shoulders popping up from the jackets and dresses. Mixed in among all the electric colours and the shiny bits of Marc Jacobs Spring 09 collection were peaked-shouldered black jackets and vests worn with wide-leg trousers cropped below the knee. Australian designer Illionaire were not even pretending to hide the strong 1980’s influences on their Fall/Winter 09 lookbook. The shoot and the power shoulders both reference the Mommie Dearest era. Even new Danish Design School graduate Anne-Sofie Madsen couldn’t resist adding some stunning height to her new looks.

And for those of us who can’t spot a shoulder pad without thinking of Dynasty, consider what Di Milo has to say: “[Big shoulders are] the closest we get to wings.”

We have compiled a gallery of runway, editorial and flashback inspirations of the Power Shoulders to archive some of the best examples of this ever-growing Trend. As with everything in fashion there are always the pioneers who introduce a trend 2 years before it spreads like a viral plague, in this case Margiela brought it back with a bang in F/W 2007 long before other designers began their interpretations.

:::Power Shoulders in Print :::

:::Power Shoulders Flashback Inspirations:::