Reviews

Suspiria. Undercover AW19

| Design & Culture by Ed

When I saw Undercover‘s autumn-winter 2019 collection, I was literally like: “OMG. It’s an ode to Suspiria. OMG!”. Yes. Jun Takahashi really did a collection that’s in majority all about Luca Guadagnino’s remake of Dario Argento’s cult horror, Suspiria. First, you’ve got to know I’m a mega-fan of Luca and all his films. But his Suspiria transported me to a completely different world. So I was really impressed that somebody in fashion finally went crazy for this film and did a proper collection based on it. The mood of 1970’s, Cold War-era Berlin and a world-renowned dance company controlled by powerful, elusive, sadomasochistic witches… it’s such a good source of inspiration. Not only the collection’s colour palette was completely inspired with the film. Takahashi wanted to use the film stills for prints (Guadagnino gave his permission for this – he’s a film director with an incredible sensibility for fashion) and here we are with a line-up of bomber jackets, hoodies, dresses and skirts that picture some of the most standout moments from the remake. Tilda Swinton – who played three roles in the film – and her character of Madame Blanc in a floor-sweeping, red dress appeared in two ways: as a literal print, and as skirt-pant hybrid in the same colour. I think no other designer can make a collection look so good, using just one reference and focusing so much on it. The theme doesn’t feel tired or invasive. It’s for fans, but not only – I bet any Undercover client will rush for the collection’s garments, without even watching Suspiria. You haven’t? Please do!

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Love’s in the air. Valentino AW19

| Design & Culture by Ed

Pierpaolo Piccioli makes people get emotional (and Celine Dion shed tears of joy) over his couture. Does his ready-to-wear for Valentino spark the same reactions? Pretty much yes. His autumn-winter 2019 collection was an ode to love. A theme that might be so easily clichéd in fashion got beautifully poetic on Piccioli’s runway. “I feel that people are looking for emotion and dreams—but not distant dreams,” he said today before the show. “I want to create a community for Valentino. I mean something different from ‘lifestyle,’ which is about owing objects. It’s about people who share values.” Valentino’s community has many faces, and this season Pierpaolo made them even more vocal. First, the choice of models who walk the Valentino runway as of late utterly cement the normalisation of inclusive casting. You’ve got Adut Akech open the show in a voluminous coat, and Maria Carla Boscono wear a gorgeous black gown. Then, we’ve got artistic individuals that leave their mark on Piccioli’s fashion. Jun Takahashi of Undercover started collaborating with Valentino’s menswear last season, and his contribution goes on here as well. This time the designers morphed together a print of a 19th-century neoclassical sculpture of kissing lovers with an image of roses. It appeared on pretty much everything, and wasn’t necessarily a subtle detail. And then there are the poets. Poetry in fashion always seemed to be a good idea just in case of Ann Demeulemeester and her long-time friend, Patti Smith. In case of Valentino, the concept wasn’t overly intellectual or profound, but digestible for the eye. Picciolli commissioned the Scottish poet and artist Robert Montgomery and the three young writers – Greta Bellamacina, Mustafa The Poet and Yrsa Daley-Ward – to contribute to a slim volume, Valentino on Love, which was left on seats for the audience. An illuminated billboard with lines by Montgomery stood at the end of the runway, reading, “The people you love become ghosts inside of you and like this you keep them alive.” The words carried on to live in Piccioli’s designs and the lines were printed (or embroidered) inside coats, tulle dresses, inside of bags and boots. In terms of fashion, this was a line-up of incredible matchings. An orange jacket with feathers was worn over a hoodie – refined, yet fresh. There were as many couture-ish silhouettes (like the yellow cape-coat or the finale dresses) as sublime daywear (think soft tailoring, flared mid-lenght skirts and classical little black dresses). Love’s in the air, in every single aspect.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Reality Check. Balenciaga AW19

| Design & Culture by Ed

That’s a fact: Demna Gvasalia delivered the best coats (outerwear, even) of the season. Literally every coat that appeared in Balenciaga’s autumn-winter 2019 made me drool! Those volumes. The designer focused on the streets of Paris and how Parisians really dress (forget the Jeanne Damas and Caroline de Maigret archetype of Parisian chic). He thoroughly investigated outfits people wear in their metro commute, to the parties, on a dog walk, for groceries. And here we are with more than 100 looks, featuring faux-fur, floor-sweeping coats in Cristobal Balenciaga-esque architectural silhouettes to vintage-y leather jackets and quilted belted robes in satin. Tailoring was strong, too, just as the dresses. From the polished, sleek mini-dresses that closed the show to flowing, maxi-gowns (like the one Stella Tennant had on, made from some fancy, metallic fringes), each looked was distinctly Gvasalia – sharp, ironic, delightfully confusing. I really loved this one ‘super-nornal’ outfit that featured a black turtleneck, leather slouchy pants and a pink, polka-dot shopper bag. That’s exactly how editors dress in Paris. Again, this collection was extremely Paris, but not in this fashioned-up manner we often get to see. As the designer said backstage, “It’s real. When I’m on the streets of Paris, that’s what I see.”

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Gathering of the shadows. Comme Des Garçons AW19

| Design & Culture by Ed

Rei Kawakubo’s autumn-winter 2019 is the second season when the Comme des Garçons designer no longer does abstract bodies. In the collection she entitled as a Gathering of the shadows, you could sense danger: nearly all-black looks, executioner hoods, armor-like shapes, a soundtrack that definitely caused goose-bumps (think heavy, militaristic machinery, helicopters and English Victorian hymn in children voice). Some thought the show was all about defensive aggression and the terror of today’s world. Kawakubo knows what’s going on, with nationalism intensifying across the world. But maybe this wasn’t a line-up that was solely about the occurring circumstances? Rei’s shows are here for your free interpretation. I saw something very sublime about this one. A coat made from slices of leather; a black taffeta dress worn under a shell-like jacket; fishnet body-suits worn under every garment. It was avant-garde, as shocking in 2019 as back in the 80s, when Japanese designers – lead by Kawakubo – arrived to Paris with their Hiroshima chic.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Bourgeois Woman. Celine AW19

| Design & Culture by Ed

Second season at Celine, and Hedi Slimane doesn’t cease to spark controversy and polarize the viewer: you either love or hate what he’s doing. This review’s going to be a bit different than usual, though. I really want to share a sort of ping-pong chat we’ve had with Jennifer (@readysetfashion), the visual merchandising manager at Blake and fashion magazine / print collector (take a look at her other account, @aparticularissue…), regarding Slimane’s autumn-winter 2019 collection. First, you’ve got to know that the designer took a 180 degree turn from his youthful, Parisian clubbing fashion we’ve had to witness last season (I still hate it!). He went to the maison’s archives and came back with a very literal reference: the 70s Celine, just as it was, suited for French, bourgeois woman. Knee-length, country-checked skirts, shoulder bags with horse-bit details, silk blouses, whiskered jeans, logo-print scarves, long boots… this woman isn’t here for partying. She’s off to Biarritz, Deauville or other ultimately French destination. From one side, it’s a collection filled with classics – classics that will always stay afloat forever. But from another side, it’s just so creatively absent. I’m utterly on fence with it. But back to my and Jen’s conversation. So, here’s how it went…

JEN: The question is does he have the right timing. I don’t see anywhere on the planet women wanting to dress like this today.

ED: I was thinking about this now. Do we really, really need it? Ok, he turned to the archives… but what now? We’re in 2019, not in the 70s after all.

JEN: Exactly. Shop at A.P.C. for cooler version of this look. Also, he can bookmark a decade like a champ. That is why people use Pinterest…

ED: LOVE THE PINTEREST PART! By the way, I had A.P.C. on my mind too. Jean Touitou does this 70s chic for seasons, wait, for decades! But he keeps it affordable and not so fussy.

JEN: I think it’s weird that everyone did an about-face with Hedi at Celine. That’s sort of scary. What does that say about today’s industry?

ED: Maybe that it’s fine to say something critical in the first place, yes. But when you’ve seen enough of it in advertising and are still invited to the show, you just have to be like: “j’adore!” Which is really sad in a way, because it’s always like that, in everything. Or maybe it’s Hedi who secretly manipulates people’s minds? Don’t know…

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.