WORLD Spring Summer 2016 - 2017

WORLD Spring Summer 2016 - 2017

The story behind ‘23 Skidoo’

23 Skidoo generally refers to leaving quickly, or taking advantage of a propitious opportunity to leave, that is to "get out while the getting’s good!" The most widely known story of the origin of the expression concerns the area around the triangular Flatiron Building at Madison Square in New York City. The building is located on 23rd Street at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Broadway, the latter two of which intersect at an acute angle. Due to the shape of the building, wind swirls around it. During the early 1900's, groups of men reportedly gathered to watch as women walked by and had their skirts blow up, revealing legs and stocking tops, which were seldom seen publicly at that time. Local Constables, when sometimes telling such groups of men to move along, were said to be giving them the "23 Skidoo!”

Fast forward to 2015, WORLD Directors Francis Hooper and Denise L’Estrange-Corbet found themselves in the concrete jungle of New York City en route to launch the official T-Shirt by WORLD for the United Nations Global Goals initiative.  Swooped with the sense of nostalgia and the mere energy of the metropolis, Hooper and L’Estrange-Corbet brought the energy and ideas of NYC back as inspiration for the next collection. The ‘23 Skidoo’ story gave impetus to bringing the emotion and spirit of the collection together. Using the colloquial slang and iconic mementos of the early 1900’s as a muse, Creative Director Hooper was able to set a ‘Nostalgic Americana’ as the backdrop for the season.

The WORLD design team endeavoured through this new collection, to reinterpret ‘23 Skidoo’ as a new identity for being sexy, confident and characterful, in an independent way.  The collection itself touches on the early ‘Deco’ period with geometric and architectural elements, giving the individual garments a graphic nature. Bold in print and personality, the collection ranges from high Summer pieces to Suiting and Event Wear – everything a summer wardrobe needs.