Spontaneity. Maryam Nassir Zadeh SS18

September 14, 2017September 14, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Spontaneity has various meanings for Maryam Nassir Zadeh, and this season especially. The fashion show, with a running track as a venue, was in fact open for public and anyone could literally run the runway. The models (Zadeh’s friends-you-want-to-be-friends with like Ana Kras, Susan Cianciolo, Camilla Deterre and Mari Giudicelli) and their looks also had a sense of arty co-incidence. The signature ‘odd elegance’, as Maryam often defines, is about mixing and layering the most unexpected colour combinations and un-matchy pieces. A baby-pink dress in vichy print was transparent and neatly presented the label’s swimwear; buttoned corset was worn over another summer-y dress, but in cool mint-green; sweet polka-dots on a crop-top met with knee-length pants in beige. In case of the third outfit, I have never thought that a combo like this can be pulled off with such grace. Again, I’m obsessed with MNZ’s colour palette, because it’s so free of conventions and rules. Just like Solange, whose life performance – you see, not everything is SO spontaneous – gave audience the chills.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Lightness. The Row SS18

September 13, 2017September 13, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

“We wanted something softer, more romantic,” Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen said afterwards their spring-summer 2018 show-slash-breakfast presentation, which took place at the very chic Carlyle Hotel. “With everything so harsh, we wanted to take it down, show lightness.” Lightness is definitely a word that comes to your mind when you look through The Row‘s new offering. Floor-sweeping tunics in the fleeciest cashmere possible; couture-level outfits in a fabric made from, yes, paper. Ah, and those flowing coats! Even though the collection was said to be all about softness, there was something very Medieval about it, like the lengthy frocks (in lilac) or knitted hoods that resembled a knight’s chain-mail gear. Nobody expected that from The Row, and its pleasing to see that the Olsen twins venture into new territories at their brand.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Precious Cameo. Rosie Assoulin SS18

September 13, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

If you think of New York fashion week in terms of recognizable style signatures, then Rosie Assoulin‘s remarkable dresses count as a separate, one-of-a-kind category. Her eveningwear (and daring daywear) is all about the most flattering silhouettes and charming details that you really have to observe first in order to understand their intimate beauty. This time around, Assoulin’s little, tiny detailing was even more precious than usual. It was all about the cameo carvings that is used in classical jewellery. That reoccurring theme was presented in form of prints developed from antique cameo carvings; what’s more, genuine, hand-sorted cameos were used as buttons for the sleeves and gowns. The delicately ruffled dress in pistachio green, covered in the delightful cameo motif, is my ultimate favourite. Again, you have to be observant to note another detail: the sea-shells, that were beautifully placed on the label’s must-have baskets and handbags, made you wonder how nice would it be to take them to the beach next summer. One should admit that this season started with a splash of bold colours, coming from many big names and up-and-coming designers, but Assoulin doesn’t follow the trends – colours (note that juicy red or the deep shade of purple) are always warmly welcomed in her well-edited collections.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Sensual Kink. Helmut Lang SS18

September 12, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

It would be just dumb to try to sum up Helmut Lang in a few words. His massive, creative legacy flows in nearly every second designer’s blood today, from the reoccurring notion of ‘urban minimalism’ to growing tendency of inviting various models and nodels to walk in fashion shows. Let just say one of the biggest Lang-isms revived in Shayne Oliver‘s debut collection at the brand (whose editor-in-residence is Isabella Burley) was sensuality, or rather its much, much filthier side. If you look back at Helmut’s collection from the 90s and early 2000s, you will note that the visionary designer enjoyed playing with transparency and made the hardest-in-use fabrics look refined on the body. For Oliver, sensuality is something much more, hmm, aggressive. It’s kinky. It’s BDSM-inspired, with lots of untamed nudity and boldness. There were lots of irregularly fitted bras, lots of leather and lots of New York-favoured trashiness to it. Actually, the collection had a lot to do with Shayne’s currently under hiatus Hood By Air brand that used to be tagged as the most ‘disruptive’ brand of the New York fashion week’s calendar. Sexuality is a big word this season, and while designers think of it in more subtle and natural ways, Oliver is undoubtedly going very ‘badass’ with it. It’s good that the designer isn’t digging to hard in Lang’s archives. But I’m not absolutely persuaded that the capital letter HELMUT written all over the t-shirts and coats is what the founder thought of. Helmut kept the mood bit more calmer, sans caps-lock. Nevertheless, that was definitely the most anticipated collection this time around in the Big Apple.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Delicacy. Victoria Beckham SS18

September 11, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Not that I don’t like pastels – but it feels like it’s a current plague in fashion, even though Victoria Beckham‘s usage of baby pink and pistachio green was far above the average. Although the first hints of Beckham’s spring-summer 2018 collection said ‘pastels’ out loud, there was much more to it. Beckham is getting even more and more into ‘slouchy’, abandoning her body-con dress past. Fluid skirts and over-sized shirts; big blazers and big pants. The most striking look was the most sophisticated one and it involved wearing a pencil skirt under a transparent kilt. “Delicacy can be strong,” she said before the show to her press. According to Beckham, delicacy is something more complex than just plain pastels – it’s the softness of the texture and the comfortable, everyday fit.