You could say the same thing about clothes from 100 years ago or even 500. The shapes don’t change because the shape of humans doesn’t really change.
Things like trousers, shirts and jackets have been around for so, so long. Technology has seen those shapes refined over the years. We originally had things like cravats and ties because they kept the shirt collar closed before the advent of things like buttons.
Things like buttons and zips have become ubiquitous because they work. The shapes and styles we wear have slowed down their evolution largely because they have reached an apex.
How do you make a pair of trousers better? How can we improve on the dress shirt now? What change do we need to make to a T-shirt?
The reason fashion has changed so much over the centuries is that people were refining the same basic designs over and over. In the latter half of the 20th century this is something that has slowed down as the need for refinement has decreased. Synthetic fabrics, Velcro, elastic and zippers, as well as better manufacturing techniques have all conspired to make clothes more comfortable, elegant and available.
Add to that an increasing homogeneous fashion that comes from the world just being better connected these days. Fashion used to develop differently in differing territories because cultures literally had no idea what people on the other side of the world were wearing.
These days I’d say the T-shirt is ubiquitous. Asian businessmen wear western business suits and whichever country you go to, you won’t have to search long before you find someone in a pair of jeans.
In fact rather than ‘new’ styles, these days it is more common to see fashion influenced by the past. 1960s fashions have seen a comeback in this century, as have clothes from the 70s, 80s and 90s.
I think the show that had the best stab at future-fashion recently was Foundation. Even then though, there are recognisable shapes, textures and fabrics in what they wore.
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