Reviews

Chic and Cool. Ami SS21

| Design & Culture by Ed

There are seasons when I love Ami. And spring-summer 2021 is definitely a highlight in Alexandre Mattiussi‘s repertoire. “Doing a physical show is a kind of political thing,” the designer said, elaborating that amid the pandemic and crumbling political situations around the world, he thinks “fashion needs to find humility in the situation.” The Ami version of humility might sound quite dramatic: veside the Seine, Mattiussi held a fashion show on a black wood runway complete with a soundtrack by DJ Jennifer Cardini and a cast of famous models like Clement Chabernaud, Amalia Vairelli, Audrey Marnay and Georgina Grenville. To counter the evening affair, Matiussi sent out clothing with a relaxed spirit. He described his co-ed, spring-summer 2021 men’s and women’s collections as “sophisticated but not pretentious.” The slim plaid maxiskirts and black wool LBDs proved the point for women, the louche seafoam and chocolate suits and baggy shorts did it for men. A series of mesh tanks, styled throughout with vacation-y beaded necklaces, emphasized the chill vibes.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

The Queen. Andreas Kronthaler Vivienne Westwood SS21

| Design & Culture by Ed

Vivienne Westwood is the queen, and Andreas Kronthaler loves to embrace that. In his homemade lockdown look book and film, Kronthaler gave Dame Viv such a powerfully Iron Lady coif he confessed that even he saw a passing resemblance. “But in the end the look we went for was more Raine Spencer,” he added over Zoom, referring to the British socialite. Perhaps it was the concentrated nature of this minimally staffed shoot – four models in all, shot by Kronthaler (who doubled as one of them) on his iPhone, with the intention of limiting as far as possible Westwood’s exposure – but it resulted in an especially intense expression of Andreas’ work to reflect that of his muse and wife. There was a lovely symmetry in the casting of Sara Stockbridge, a longtime Westwood model, who joined what looks like a fun day of dressing up. Garments to love include the Buy Local London map–print shirt worn by Stockbridge, VW in full “Acid Raine” mode, and Kronthaler in leggings and a wig that harked back to Flashdance. The clothing was as archetypally of the house as the expression was divertingly barking. Sustainable, sensational, confrontational, and uncontainable. And the look-book is a visual treat.

Collages by Edward Kanarecki.

She’s A Lady. Nina Ricci SS21

| Design & Culture by Ed

It seems that Rushemy Botter and Lisi Herrebrugh are finally finding their ground at Nina Ricci. In the storied salons of the maison‘s headquarters on rue Francois 1er, its designer duo had a generational confession to make: they use their phones for all kinds of creative tasks, including sketching. “They’re not beautiful sketches. Just quick things,” Herrebrugh noted, while her partner Botter added that he does observe “old school” procedures, too. In contrast, perhaps, to some members of the Paris establishment, these young designers’ natural relationships with their phones were what made this season’s digital show format so instinctive to them. They presented their Nina Ricci collection through the (imagined) recorded screen of an iPhone, scrolling the viewer through their research process, from Google searches to YouTube clips and exchanges on iMessage. What it didn’t reveal was the actual inspiration behind the collection: L’Air du Temps, the institutional fragrance Nina Ricci launched after the Second World War. Light and elegant, it cut a decided contrast to the dense perfumes of the old world. “It was a message of hope, optimism, and revival. That’s what we wanted to bring with this collection,” Herrebrugh said. Its flacon, designed by the Art Nouveau glass artist René Lalique, informed the cuts, colors, and movements of dresses. They had the inimitable touch of this designer duo: a splicing between the couture heritage of Nina Ricci and the swimwear techniques that are their personal obsession. The nature of that marriage – not unlike L’Air du Temps itself – is confrontational, but Herrebrugh and Botter are sticking to their guns and continuing to refine their take on Nina Ricci. “I feel like there’s a balance in this collection between our tailoring background and the codes of the house. We’re finding our own fluidity,” Herrebrugh said, referring to the menswear label they run on the side, which carries Botter’s name and earned them the Nina Ricci gig in the first place. Ironically, the most unassuming garment made the biggest impact: a tech-y pleated translucent blue blouse, which had the digital lightness expressed in the meeting between iPhones and the L’Air du Temps flacon. It was quite hypnotizing. Much like both of those inventions, the simplest designs are often the most enduring and made for a modern-day lady.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Genius. Loewe SS21

| Design & Culture by Ed

“We have to start loving fashion again,” Anderson declared. “We don’t know what tomorrow’s going to bring. So let’s enjoy it!” The best antidote for a crisis is escaping it – to the fullest. So just like this, Loewe‘s Jonathan Anderson came up with one of the season’s best collections, which is all about boldness, creativity and craftsmanship. Also, it’s fashion being fashion. Simply speaking: extraordinary! Just one glance at the exuberant, freewheeling gestures of the women in action in the Loewe spring-summer 2021 look book sends that sensation surging back. From the clothes’ voluminous playfulness to the active involvement of 16 intergenerational women right through to the intricate handwork in the pieces, this was Anderson’s great big blowing up of all the creative limitations that threaten to drive fashion back to dullness in these dark times. “We were all in confinement when we were doing this. We had huge issues getting fabrics, so we used what we had. My brief was: Just make your fantasy of what you want! It was a massive team effort. Each look is to show craft and fashion.” There are mind-spinning, multidisciplinary, multi-platformed layers to unpack here. In a tangible sense, the Show-on-the-Wall was delivered as a kit of life-size posters, with a roll of art-printed wallpaper commissioned from Anthea Hamilton, a pair of scissors, wallpaper paste, and a brush. Hamilton is there as one of Anderson’s poster women, striking a semi-martial-arts pose in a puffy white dress ruched up with parachute tape. The video artist Hilary Lloyd, who collaborated with Anderson for a men’s Loewe show a few seasons ago, and the painter Jadé Fadojutimi both swirl in generously layered black taffeta trapeze dresses. Others portrayed wear pieces that evoke Spanish and Dutch Old masters – a theme Anderson has been interested in for a while – in crisp scalloped-edge broderie anglaise dresses with wires sewn into the collars and skirts. A huge padded and ruched under-pannier is seen through a black chiffon overskirt. Those garments speak volumes about women taking up space in the world. “Poetic armor,” Anderson called it, the idea of “escaping into clothes.” He also talked about “rethinking the models” of fashion – a comment you can take to mean both the expanded inclusivity in this season’s casting and the way he is remaking the Loewe business model to act as a “cultural brand.” Integral to that is the focus Anderson trains on the craft culture of the house and the seamless, socially conscious interconnections he makes with contemporary art and artists. “Through this entire year, the idea of craft and making has never been more crucial,” he says. “It engages with people. It shows responsibility and protection of things that people are forgetting are important in this industry. It employs people and ultimately is about the legacy that we pass from generation to generation.” Summing up, Jonathan Anderson is a genius.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

And We Kept On Dancing. Isabel Marant SS21

| Design & Culture by Ed

Some designers in Paris make it seem like it’s business as usual, saying their fashion is about “optimism” and “dreaming“. I honestly think that a good collection right now is the one, which attempts to reflect the circumstances we’re currently facing, even in a slightest bit. And although I admire Isabel Marant for restlessly pushing her signature Parisian style, I thought her spring-summer 2021 collection’s “event” timing wasn’t truly appropriate. It wasn’t long ago that Marant didn’t want to put on a show this week. Impacted by the alarming atmosphere, she thought she’d record a video and call it a season. “Then, I started to get used to the fact that this is going to be our new life,” she smiled. “I’m afraid this is going to last for a little bit. So, I thought it was a good opportunity to start showing in a different way.” Going from zero to Donna Summer, Marant held on to her traditional Thursday-evening slot and staged within the Palais Royal what can best be described as a club night for happier times. There, to the beat of a techno remix of “I Feel Love”, the dance collective (La)Horde went wild as Marant’s girls and boys advocated an upbeat evening-into-daywear wardrobe for an era when this amount of touching probably isn’t advisable off the runway. As she was the first to admit, our turbulent times hadn’t done much to cramp her style. “My silhouette is very recognizable. I cannot design another way. I don’t have to force myself because times are difficult.” That shape remained 1980s-centric, suspended somewhere between Saint-Germain and Manhattan, with extra sheen and shine. Why tease the dance floor at this point in time? “For me, fashion is about enjoying life,” she explained. “It has to be positive. It’s a release of energy to people, putting bad vibes behind.” Her decision to stage a fashion show came with similar intentions, emphasizing a desire to change the exclusivity of fashion shows. “We won’t have any seating. People can just come and find their place.” Although the show was outside, that wasn’t a very good idea in the middle of a pandemic, according to the ones who’ve attended. Nevertheless, the collection itself is pretty and fun.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.