Men’s / Verner Panton. Dries Van Noten SS19

June 23, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

When I was a kid, and wasn’t interested in fashion yet, I was obsessed with furniture design. And the truth is, Verner Panton was my favourite designer. I remember how I was drooling over his cult Panton chair or the memorable Heart armchair whenever I saw one of them in a magazine or some restaurant. So, believe me, Dries Van Noten‘s spring-summer 2019 collection is very special for me. My childhood love meets my current love! So, what triggered the idea? “I wanted a collection which was really fresh, and about color. So we looked to [his] estate, and asked for permission to use the prints digitally, rescale them and blow them up.” Moreover, each garment with a direct use of Panton’s work is to be co-labelled – expect this to be a very special edition line then. Colourful, bold stripes and geometrical patterns were used for velvet shorts, spring coats, loosely fit pants, moccasins, shirts… and all that beautifully balanced with Van Noten’s signature summer tuxedos and over-sized knits. What really surprises is that Panton’s contribution isn’t too ‘invasive’ or literal here, but subtly leaves a mark. Other designer would easily fall into a trap of being a slave to his or her reference. But Dries finds harmony. That’s how you do a tribute collection.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

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Image | June 23, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

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Men’s / Babel. Rick Owens SS19

June 22, 2018June 22, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

What happened at Rick Owens‘ spring-summer 2019 runway show was extremely beautiful – even if the designer’s aim might have been quite very different. Dyed smoke has suddenly appeared all over the courtyard of the Palais de Tokyo, giving the entire scene an ambiguous atmosphere. Is Owens about to send out a riot? Or some sort of angels? Well, there were models, but the clothes were far from ordinary.

Coats covered up in ‘brutalist sequins’ looked as if constructed of broken glass; the masks some of the boys wore had something fierce, neo-tribal about them. But what really made this collection so spectacular was the closing line-up garments, which were inspired by the dynamism of Russian Constructivist movement. “They’re nylon parkas,” Owens assured, “and they are going to be shipped as nylon parkas, with the poles separately. So you can build them if you want to. But what you are going to see on the hanger is a nice, soft nylon parka—the poles represent what this parka can be. That’s the idea of hope; that is what the poles represent in a way.” The effect was mind-blowing – the models looked out-of-this-world in these storm-cloud-like, floating pieces.

(Vladimir Tatlin and his apprentices constructing the model of Tatlin’s Tower, a monument to the Third International.)

The collection’s title – Babel – was as well meaningful for the designer. Babel, Vladimir Tatlin’s never-built tower, commissioned by Lenin to highlight the Bolshevik dominance in Russia. “It’s such a symbol of hope, and there is something so compelling about how it looks. A Constructivist tower is about control, and the Tower of Babel is about confusion: everybody splitting up and too much information, too.” How accurate can this also relate to our today’s world, drenched with the horrifying political absurdities and tensions. Rick is an aware designer, who speaks his thoughts and current emotions through the clothes he shows on the runway. This one certainly is a vividly, strong collection that has a lot to say.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Men’s / Interim. Lemaire SS19

June 22, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

In a way, that’s just a preview of Lemaire‘s spring-summer 2019 collection. The label has decided to show both, menswear and womenswear, in one integrated show during the usual Paris fashion week schedule this autumn. But, what to expect (and already love!) from Christophe Lemaire and Sarah Linh Tran? Delightful pajamas made in collaboration with Sunspel. Footwear produced together with sustainable French brand called Veja. The real-life look-book also shared a glimpse at raincoats, gorgeous knits and some very charming samples from the woman’s wardrobe. “We shot the pictures on the street in Pantin, just outside Paris,” said Christophe, “and a lot of passersby had something to say. Many people liked the shoes. And this one woman was really excited by the volume and the pleated pants; she said, ‘Ah, it takes me back to the ’80s!’” Fashion is fashion, but it’s the people who decide what’s in. Lemaire, without much fuss, is always in.