Design & Culture by Ed

The moment I saw Area‘s resort 2018 collection, I had Fergie spelling ‘glamorous’ in my head. So G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S.

Beckett Fogg and Piotrek Panszczyk‘s retro-meets-futurist allure is New York’s latest obsession, whether we’re speaking of their cocktail-ready evening wear or rhinestone hoops. The look-book’s highlights are definitely the intricately embellished sweatpants and hoodies in black. Don’t you agree they redefine the meaning of ‘night-out’ pieces? A peach jacket and candy-pink midi skirts are the more day-to-day elements of the collection, but equally desirable. Also, that Veruschka-inspired hair makes this seductive collection even more drop-dead gorgeous. This season, however, it seems that the designers look towards the Middle East – the fez hats were a quite literal clue. Well, I somehow can see those luxe, yet unpretentious pieces worn near Dubai’s tallest skyscrapers or around the man-made beaches. It’s kind of low-key Carrie Bradshaw / Samatha Jones in the Sex And The City’s desert escapade.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Balenciaga‘s current top place in the ranking of luxury top-sellers proves one thing – Demna Gvasalia‘s kitsch chic and trasy aesthetic is what a rich consumer likes in 2017. There’s no wonder why the Georgian designer’s resort 2018 for the French maison is a smart move of establishing classics out from previous seasons’ cult pieces: pantashoes and voluminous duvet jackets in new colours, the car mat skirt appears again, the logo fur stole keeps on popping throughout the entire look-book. Those are the pieces that sell and relate the most to Balenciaga clients. Is it bad to ‘repeat’? No, it’s a pre-collection that has to sell. Still, for those, who are still thirsty for newness, the season’s edition of XXL bazaar bags hits the total irony spot. The tourist postcard print is insane, it’s precisely what the fashion world hasn’t beautified yet. Bags coming from different capitals! Paris, London, Tokyo… I also thought the luxe hair scrunchies and plastic, grape-shaped earrings are hilarious.