Design & Culture by Ed

Donis Pouppis and Nina Neretina’s Nina Donis label is legendary within the Russian fashion industry. The duo met in the late 1980s while in university for textiles and started their own line, which they officially launched in 2000. The two went on to show at London Fashion Week for several seasons, but Moscow felt more like home. Now, the pair splits their time between Pouppis’s childhood home of Cyprus and the Russian capital, where the brand has amassed a dedicated following. As inspiration, they often look to Russian motifs, like Olympic uniforms and Russian traditional dress. For autumn-winter 2020, one might note a colour palette as bold as the one of Kazimir Malevich (or Pantone matching system). The duo were as well inspired by Jamie Julien Brown’s totem installations (the striped pieces!) as well as historic collars seen in El Greco’s portraits, deconstructed into verstaile accessories you can wear over a sweatshirt-dress or minimal knit. The collection’s must-have? Definitely here for the voluminous, yellow blouson with exaggerated bows down the sleeves. If you want to see more of Nina Donis, click here!

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Gradually, first collections made entirely in lockdown are trickling in. Peter Do, the New York-based designer whom I follow since his time as studio designer at Céline, doesn’t show in the regular schedule, and this season his plan was a presentation in Paris (during men’s spring-summer 2021 collections back in June). Of course, this couldn’t work out, so he released a look-book and short video. The 2020 LVMH Prize finalist and nominee for this year’s CFDA emerging designer award is evolving, style-wise, as well as improving his signature pieces. Adaptability has been one of the hallmarks of his label since its launch two years ago. An early best seller was an adjustable jacket that separated into a bolero and a backless waistcoat. This season, he applied the concept to a technical silk dress that easily converts to an elegantly draped cape-back evening top. In this strange moment, if you are capable of spending on designer clothes rather than on the home improvements, a two-in-one that will play exceptionally well on Zoom screens is a smart bet. His chic long dresses in T-shirt jersey, including one that can be worn back to front with a tank underneath, show off a softer sensibility than this tailoring-focused designer has displayed before. Do told Vogue he was eager to break his own codes and “respond to what happens.” Also, it’s worth mentioning the accessories collaboration with Medea, a brand that makes those cool, leather “shopping bag” bags. For Peter Do, the label came up with bold colours and new sizes. One thing I don’t entirely feel in this line-up is the styling. Actually, some of the looks are over-styled, and it’s a bit hard to comprehend the garments. But then, Peter Do’s clothes are all about flexibility, so it’s really the matter of how you want to wear his clothes.