Collections

The Love for Details. Zanini SS20

| Design & Culture by Ed

Marco Zanini‘s name-sake label – Zanini – is the antidote for seeing too many big brands with their four or more collections a year that, simply speaking, lack any substance. Zanini is a quiet mega-talent, whose aesthetic and precision in making clothes isn’t based on random references and muses. His clothes are of the best possible quality, they are luxurious, but in a peaceful, logo-less way – they are investment pieces. His debut, autumn-winter 2019 collection, was a promise of great things to come. And here we are in the spring-summer 2020 season, and Marco impresses even more. All of the materials were uniquely developed for him, from the “crispy” checked cotton of a smock dress to the super-deluxe washed ivory satin of a tank dress, double-layered for ease of wear and comfort. Zanini pays attention to the smallest detail: the way a coat sleeve gathers at the elbow; the tie at the back of a mannish jacket that creates a womanly hourglass shape. The designer’s point of view has been at least partially formed by his roots – he’s Swedish on his mother’s side. “Scandinavia is in love with little details that you could call nothingness,” as he puts it. “But they are everything to me.” Love.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Calm Elegance. Prada SS20

| Design & Culture by Ed

No prints. No logos. Calm elegance. That’s the Prada I truly love. It’s been a while since Miuccia Prada did a collection that wasn’t focused on a motif, a fabric or a theme. Cotton tiered dresses worn with espadrilles, smooth leather suits, vintage-looking details (like 30s-inspired feather embroideries and sea-shell necklaces), soft knitted polos, a classic, black dress that isn’t too sheer or too goth… Every look involved a mix of textures (macramé, straw, velvet, calf, patent, rope, paillettes and others) and context (the beach, the office, a party, a weekend escape – you name it). Miuccia’s starting point for this collection was that “the person should be more important than the clothes,” and further, that “personal style is more important than clothes.” She was also hoping to make a point about simplicity, non-disposability, and “doing less.” After all, sustainability is also about investing in pieces you will wear for years. This is a delightful start of Milan fashion week.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Spectacle. Richard Quinn SS20

| Design & Culture by Ed

Richard Quinn‘s spring-summer 2020 collection was LFW’s theatrical finale that consisted of extremely dramatic gowns, Erin O’Connor’s appearance, and even more of signature floral prints the designer is so loved for. Quinn’s show also featured a gaggle of schoolgirls adorned in fantastical white feathers. The baby-birds walked the runway alongside a matching bridal look (Richard’s new venture) at the show’s close. The designer’s aim was for the show to be “a fashion sanctuary, where we can all come and celebrate”. While majority of the looks felt like a grand déjà vu of his previous collections, the entire spectacle was impressive. But then, do we need constant newness from designers like Quinn, who already have their well-established style and continue to thrive?

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Eco-Sexual. Christopher Kane SS20

| Design & Culture by Ed

Leave it to Christopher Kane to talk about sex in fashion. After his memorable The Joy of Sex collection, there are certainly no more tabu subjects for the designer. His spring-summer 2020 collection, entitled Eco-Sexual, was another chapter of his sex-in-fashion journey. “It’s about people who love nature,” Kane said backstage. “Making love in nature. Being in touch with the earth. Sleeping with the stars! We’ve had a lot of fun coming up with words for it in the studio.” The first looks were all about the print, which was actually a photograph he and his team took this summer in a local park. Florals for spring? Ground-breaking. But no, this wasn’t just about flowers. The next looks refered to Christopher’s past collections: 2011’s neon lace, neo-corsetry from his debut collection in 2007 and plastic, fluid-filled patches that appeared many times throughout his line-ups. All that adds up and creates a distinct Christopher Kane look. There were also outer-space prints on sweatshirts, statuesque gowns with galactic views all over them and lunar landscapes in infrared. This surely is one of the best collections from London fashion week. Just one think I would love the label to consider: it’s great we’re talking about sex, but if we also mention eco, it would be more than welcome to see some specific, sustainability-forward steps Kane’s brand can take. A good idea to consider for the next season.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Odd Elegance. JW Anderson SS20

| Design & Culture by Ed

For the second season now, Jonathan Anderson seems to be experimenting with odd elegance at his name-sake label. There’s something both ritualistic and futuristic about his draped tunics with jewelled bras tied on with rope straps, and chunky, crystal studded belts worn to one side of the hip. Who is this woman? Where is she heading to? There’s something unexplainably refined about her, and definitely elusive. Tailored jackets and coats with contrasting lapels where also embellished with rhinestones, in circular patterns, while the mainly earthy colour palette was contrasted with the least expected detail: silver and gold lamé. Non-chalance is the new norm for spring-summer 2020, that’s visible across countless of shows we’ve seen up to date. The fringed, knitted and highly crafted elements felt Loewe-ish, which is actually new to J.W. Anderson (the designer never mixes his codes between the two brands he designs at). Still, they work in this collection very well, even though they might not match at a first glance.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.