Rave with Chic. Balenciaga Resort’17

October 25, 2016October 25, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Here it is: Balenciaga resort 2017 collection. Logistically, the look-book has been released just few weeks before the actual clothes hit the stores – and it’s already a craving desire to see those pieces in real-life. It went public yesterday, causing my heart to skip a beat for a longer moment. So, what’s Demna Gvasalia up to for his first, fully designed pre-collection at the French maison? First thing’s first – the caps. Some might say that sending out a line of logo caps is a desperate move to become somewhat affordable, or at least relevant for a brand. But in case of Gvasalia, it’s different. His creative background at Vetements is based on underground, rave-like style. He doesn’t have to make himself look younger in the fashion industry. He loves going out with his friends on the weekends. And, I must confess – those BALENCIAGA caps work well with voluminous, striped caftans and maxi-dresses. There’s no philosophy behind, really.

The Georgian designer looks forward to the new season through smart continuity. He’s not a type of designer who flips prints and colours every season: over-sized, bazar totes are here since his first collection, just like the elevated corporate jacket. However, there are a few exciting additions, like the exaggerated flares, scuba-diving tops and beautifully ugly bermuda shorts. Gvasalia seems to understand the idea behind a pre-collection quite well – he’s aware that it’s the commercial part of his job, unlike the runway show. For some designers, who get too frustrated with all those pre-falls and resorts, it’s still a secret.

Backstage at Vetements SS17

October 15, 2016October 14, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Vetements launched its new website a few weeks ago, and a whole bunch of Christmas gifts came earlier than usual. Now, you can look back at the label’s past and current collections through the backstage lenses of Pierre-Ange Carlotti and Matthieu Lemaire-Courapied, and induldge yourself in the anti-fashion mood. I’m OBSESSED with photographs from fashion collective’s spring-summer 2017, which was presented in July during haute-couture week.

Design & Culture by Ed / July 11, 2016 / “Vetements is known for eerie venues, but Galerie Lafayette might be named as one of the most surreal choices up to date. The runway was located along the aisles of cosmetics, perfumes and discounts, letting other brands’ logos interact with the fashion collectives’ ready-to-wear. But the meaning of “collaboration” reached further than that – it was a collection made entirely with other brands, including Juicy Couture, Brioni, Schott, Levi’s, Comme des Garçons Shirt, Reebok, Canada Goose, Dr. Martens, Alpha Industries, Eastpak, Lucchesse, Mackintosh and even Manolo Blahnik. An extraordinary company equals an explosive effect. Moreover, brands listed above benefitted from this occasion – Juicy Couture’s velour track suits suddenly became ironically “cool” again, while Manolo was willing to go all the way with exaggerating his duchess satin stilettos. “We’ve done thigh-high, so we asked, could you go waist-high this time for us?” Demna said backstage with excitement. Brioni, Italian tailoring brand for men, let Vetements elongate and recut their classical blazers; Eastpak, every travellers’ favourite producer of backpacks, contributed to creation of the first, Vetements clutch.

“We thought we’d go straight to the brands who make all these things best, and ask to do something in our way with each one,” Gvasalia said. “The people who work at Vetements don’t really wear designer fashion—a lot of these are the labels they wear all the time.” The collection, in overall, is pure Vetements, even though the denim is by Levi’s and boots are from Texas’ cult Lucchesse. Styling is raw, while all beauty cannons are thrown away to the trash, looking at the unconventional models. If you’re desperate to seek the most couture-ish part of the collection, then it’s Juicy Couture’s velvet eveningwear – sleek, hooded dresses with zircon embellishments are sexy and somewhat… huh, elegant. However, a “home-made” product at Vetements for SS17 is the granny-style floral dress (worn by Lotta Volkova, brand’s friend). ‘Antwerpen’ t-shirts and sweatshirts are back, too.”

Posh Pool-Side Party. Miu Miu SS17

October 13, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

It’s not that hard to distinguish a Miu Miu collection. Saccharine pastel colours? Checked. 60’s prints your grandma wouldn’t mind? Checked. Fur for summer? Of course, CHECKED. In other words, Miuccia Prada‘s spring-summer 2017 collection is a pure definition of Miu Miu girl. Just like at her main-line this season, Miuccia cheers you up with naïve optymism. Imagining a fairy-tale of sun-drenched, Mediterranean vacations, the designer re-invents a wardrobe of pin-up bikinis, embellished swimming caps and beach-perfect retro dresses. The models, spanning from newcomers to runway favourites, wore wedge sandals and patterned (mink) robes. At first glance, most of the girls resembled Slim Aarons’ posh characters of his dreamy photographs of surreal pool-side parties in the early 70’s. He made his career out of what he called “photographing attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places.” Basically, this is quite similar to Prada’s latest Parisian outing: layers, and layers, of attraction.

Soigné. Louis Vuitton SS17

October 12, 2016October 12, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Nicolas Ghesquiere chose to show his spring-summer 2017 collection for Louis Vuitton not at the usual location (Fondation Louis Vuitton), but in the brand’s future boutique. Place Vendome store is opening in 2017, but the decision to stage the collection in this raw, yet beautiful space, was a prove that even though Louis Vuitton might go to far-fetched destinations (like Palm Springs or Rio), its spirit stays in Paris.

When Ghesquiere worked at Balenciaga, his connection to the city was reflected in flirty dresses, unconventional elegance and intriguing layers – in other words, his aesthetic was the soigné embodiment of ‘Parisian chic’ myth. Throughout his Louis Vuitton tenure, Nicolas went global, slightly forgetting about his old, good affair with the city of love. However, the newest collection is just it: an elevated wardrobe of timeless pieces with the right dose of French borgeois. Drenched-in-gold jewellery; masculine blazers; Parisian model “off-duty” look feauturing grunge (or not so, with all those embroideries) t-shirts. How good can it be?

The 80’s are continously embraced by editors and stylists of such local magazines as Vogue Paris or Self Service. While the creative director is friends with them, the mood of this decade has been present in every single detail, from the ‘night-out’ make-up to crystal-embellished slit gowns. For a moment I thought that this is what Lanvin should look like now with Bouchra Jarrar – but then, you can perceive Ghesquiere’s hand in those tailored pants and desirable biker jackets. Magnifique!

Pierpaolo’s Delights. Valentino SS17

October 11, 2016October 11, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

After Maria Grazia Chiuri’s departure to Dior, Pierpaolo Piccioli is solo at Valentino. One thing’s sure – it’s not the same Valentino we used to know during the couple’s creative co-operation. With Chiuri, Valentino was darker, and heavier in embroidery; seeing Piccioli’s first “all by myself” collection embeds a lighter vision of the brand. Although spring-summer 2017’s mood-board is covered with Hieronymus Bosch artworks and Reneissance-era obsessions, Pierpaolo’s woman is thinking about grunge and 70s West-London love affair. To prove the latter, the creative director collaborated on prints with one-and-only Zandra Rhodes (whose influence was coined by Luella Bartley of Hillier Bartley this season, too). The effect? I can’t remind myself a Valentino show, which was filled with so much joy. Just look at those jackets! Of course, old clients will find a range of beautifully embellished dresses and skirts. But Pierpaolo also introduced a kind of à la Céline softness to the brand, which will surely appeal to the young. I nearly forgot about the colour palette – from killer fuchsia-pink to refreshing lime-green, there are many reasons to fall in love with the (not so) new Valentino.