Author: Design & Culture by Ed

Experimental Dandy. Hillier Bartley SS18

| Design & Culture by Ed

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Sometimes, even the most costly production of a fashion show can’t be compared to one single look coming straight out of a silent look-book. In this case, I mean Hillier Bartley‘s beige tuxedo look. The jacket with shoulder-pads was slightly misshaped, giving it a cool, nonchalant manner; the pants were cropped and given a semi-Banana silhouette to keep it equally dandy. Styled with white socks and matching-colour pointy-toe shoes, that might be one of the best (and most striking in its actual simplicity) looks I’ve seen this season.

Katie Hillier and Luella Bartley have introduced their woman as a refined, but off-beat persona, few seasons ago – the story goes on, but this time in incredibly tempting shades of lilac, saucy red and dripping liquid gold. Zebra-patterned velvet frocks and handbags with lots of fringes were another clue of Bartley and Hillier’s love for a decadent kind of chic. The designers, known for rather loosely-fitted garments, seemed to be experimental about the forms of garments in their new collection – that’s why, they topped blazers and pants with fishnet to see how the silhouettes change and evolve. The effect? Bold.

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Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Harmony. Attico SS18

| Design & Culture by Ed

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Gilda Ambrosio and Giorgia Tordini‘s brand, Attico, is like an ever-changing cabinet des curiosités that evolves with the designer’s ideas and sense of style. With a great commercial success under their belt (Attico tops the best-seller list everywhere, from Net-A-Porter to Matches), the women behind Milan’s beloved label keep it smartly small-production and very refined. Looking at Attico’s latest offering for spring-summer 2018, it’s clear what’s Gilda’s and what’s Giorgia’s. The first, master of layering and modern eclecticism, definitely put her stamp on the collection with her beloved use of sharp prints, bold colours and season’s new addition – the feathers. The second’s chic minimalist hand is felt in the feminine silhouettes of dresses and antique-looking embroideries. But what’s unique about Attico is the harmony kept between those two business partners / private-life friends. A truly well-curated selection of frocks and pajama suits await Attico’s devotees next season.

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Collage by Edward Kanarecki (featuring Allen Jones’ artwork).

On Monotony. Gucci SS18

| Design & Culture by Ed

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Alessandro Michele‘s phenomena at Gucci needs no introduction. I think his striking, even terrific style, has reached its limit a long time ago, and keeps on adding up with no end in sight. According to the brand’s creative director, ‘creation’ in itself is a poetic act, and I have nothing against that. But I found his spring-summer 2018 creation not poetic, but, hmm… overcrowded. Don’t get me wrong, Alessandro wouldn’t be him if he did something not ornamental, and I absolutely get that – it’s his aesthetic. But if that collection was a “map of signs to learn to live the world poetically, going beyond its contingency and standardizing monotony”, don’t be surprised if you lose your way with it. I find Ann Demeulemeester poetic. Yohji Yamamoto and Comme Des Garçons are insanely poetic. But Michele’s extremely lush clash of young Elton John’s tour costumes and intergalactic UFO-femme gowns feels rather operatic and dramatic, than a fashion poetry. It’s a hard study of costume with a capital C, not self-expression liberation. Shortly, if you thought that the last Gucci show was too much, you were wrong. This one is too too much. But no fears, the next season will be even more more.

P.s. I think that monotony is lethal. But isn’t Gucci already too predicatable? It’s a kitsch monotony, in fact.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.