East. Ania Kuczyńska AW16

August 26, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Ania Kuczyńska is Poland’s most recognizable designer for a reason. After years of working in the industry, her signature style is distinct. Her fashion is consistent, and that’s why she’s leading in Polish fashion game. Aware of her ‘trademark’ pieces, like her take on the little black dress, or Warsaw’s street-style favourite Shanghai totes, Kuczyńska’s eponymous attitude is beloved by her intellectual customers. But don’t think she’s resting on laurels.

The newest autumn-winter 2016 look-book (presented off the schedule), entitled ‘East’, might be dubbed as one of her most refined collections to date. At the first glance it’s very stern, definitely moving away from girlie sweetness which we know so well from Ania’s past collections. Mostly kept in black, with contrasting denim accents, the collection glances at the craftsmanship of the past. With nods to traditional ‘dress-code’ of Polish noblemen from 16th-17th century, AW16 is a contemporary look on elegance of historic silhouettes. Some of the names of new season’s items – for example ‘Baikal’ for a bomber jacket – make it visible that the collection is rooted in Slavic references, which aren’t too cartoonish or literal. The designer’s vision is always open for interpretation, leaving some mystery for the viewer. I, for instance, feel a connection between those incredible black coats and turtlenecks, and Paweł Pawlikowski’s masterpiece, Ida – a story of a nun who discovers her Jewish origins, and seeks the truth about her family. The black-and-white aura of this film goes hand in hand with Kuczyńska’s elusive woman.

Space Cowboy. Ganni SS17

August 14, 2016January 5, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

Ganni‘s take on spring-summer 2017 appeared to be quite outer-space. The show venue was surrounded around a massive installation of red balloons splattered with paint – the effect looked cosmic. Meanwhile, the clothes had a lot to do with space, but rather in a sci-fi context. The collection was entitled ‘Space Cowboy‘, which, as many of the editors and street-style stars expected, ended in a line of covettable, cowboy boots (in python leather, the Ganni way). But the clothes weren’t that literal (expect the t-shirts!) – geometrical culottes styled with ribbed knit top, leg-exposing shorts in python print, floral robe dresses with ruffled sleevs and fringes. A bunch of modern-day essentials that are about to invade contemporaty women’s wardrobes, kept in an exciting, Wild West aesthetic. But if you’re still in search for astronaut accessories, then next summer Ganni will offer big, big shades to protect you from the sun’s heat.

Cool Fur. Saks Potts SS17

August 13, 2016January 5, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

If you’re a fashion insider, you must have already spotted two or three pastel-coloured fur jackets on the international. street-style scene. There’s a big chance they came straight from Copenhagen’s hottest young label, Saks Potts. The brand’s statement piece stole the spotlight this season, opening the show on Caroline Brasch Nielsen, a runway favorite. In a light-blue shade, covered with lily motif, the outerwear must-have looked charming with simple denim pants and a pair of suede pumps. Saks Potts and its creative usage of fur has many faces. Shaggy, chocolate-brown Mongolian jacket fur was styled in a casual way with vichy pants, while cute, fluffy pompoms covered a simple, black coat. 70s attitude was present in the air – take a look at the Jane Birkin-flares, and the last look (a floral, pussycat bow dress).

Scandi Attitude. Freya Dalsjø SS17

August 11, 2016January 5, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

Copenhagen Fashion Week is a great occasion to observe, how Danes do fashion. This time, I’m in love with Freya Dalsjø‘s spring-summer 2017 collection. Dalsjø has a new take on heritage techniques with an avant-garde approach in her work, deconstructing and exaggerating forms and silhouettes. The collection is quite simple at the first glance, but just have a look at the voluminous coats and parachute dresses. Raw-cut denim and pajama shirts with elongated sleeves make me think of the ‘Vetements factor’, but in a much more clean, Scandinavian version. Dalsjø’s strong point of the collection is the colour palette – lime-green jumpsuits, chocolate-brown skirts and bold-yellow, polished boots. Oh yes, the boots… too good to be true. Always unconventional in model casting, clothes with Freya Dalsjø tag live their life on diverse women with attitude.

Couture – Fairy-Tale. Fendi AW16

July 15, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

90th anniversary for Fendi is not just an anniversary. It’s an occasion to show off. And Karl Lagerfeld proudly celebrated the event during his last haute couture show for the Italian house, making the entire Rome gasp. The show was literally staged on Trevi Fountain, fresh off a $2.4 million rehab. Like in a fairy-tale, the models walked down a transparent, elevated runway, while Fellini-famed symbol of the eternal city has never looked that glamorous and fashionable. No doubt this fashion show will be remembered forever as one of the most magnificent and daring – this can be easily said about the fur creations, which graced the runway, too.

Since the very beginnings of the brand, Fendi was known for “fun fur” – the most fantastically decorated fur coats and jackets were delivered from Roman ateliers, pleasing the aristocratic Italian families and clients. Lagerfeld embraces Fendi’s specific, couture legacy through fourrure, and autumn-winter 2016 is his second one (the first one was also presented as a winter season last July). Words can’t describe the beauty of these masterpieces. A pink dress seemed to be made out of simple lace, but in fact it was Persian lamb with 5000 hand-cut holes. Mosaic-style scene of an enchanted forest was presented on a mink coat thanks to an old technique of stitching and cutting. Some dresses were appliquéd with hand-sculpted flowers from mink. Crotchet gowns oozed with antique chic, embroidered with long-hair mink and fringed leather. “This is what Fendi is all about. No other fur house in the world does it, or could do it” the creative director said during a press conference. That’s a true statement, Karl.