Gypsy Life. No21 SS16

September 27, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Care-free. Comfortable. These are the words that can easily describe Alessandro Dell Acqua‘s No21 spring-summer 2016 collection. With George Michael’s moody tune playing during the fashion show, the models of the moment – Lineisy Montero, Molly Bair, Stella Lucia – wore long, silk dresses in delicate cigarette prints. The romantic colour palette was broken by gypsy-esque florals and modernist stripes. Also, the collection was plenty of the season’s favourite bias-cut slip dresses thrown over t-shirts – this gave the entire collection a very easy attitude, and the socks styled with sheer skirts were a throwback to #normcore. These clothes will definitely hit the stores with success, just like the statement tasseled, raffia sandals. These will be truly popular next season, as they are instant favourites of street-style stars. Also, it is worth to note that within the new season, No21 starts a new eyewear business. The first silhouettes are circular, simple and very comfortable. I must admit, that season after season, Alessandro builds his fashion identity with amazing speed – this collection can be called as the best one to date. And no wonder why. It is really good.

Made in Italy. Gucci SS16

September 27, 2015January 20, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Breaking down Gucci‘s recent spring-summer 2016 collection is like reinterpreting every painting in a museum. Each look is totally different. And each has its own woman and story behind it. Seeing how Alessandro Michele revamps the house after Tom Ford’s over-sexualised female and Frida Giannini’s perfect ladies is really gripping. For his first summer season, Michele made embroidery his first privilege. Hundreds of embroidered, tiny sequins created cartoonish trompe l’oeil bows, frills and collars. One look with a bra and skirt was entirely constructed in this style – and if you are an observant person, you could notice adorable lady-bugs embellished on ties and parrots over-laying lace shirts. There is no better way to experience the craftsmanship of Alessandro’s vision as to see the newly renovated Gucci boutique on Via Montenapoleone. Here, you can touch the clothes from both autumn-winter 2015 and resort 2016 collections – each piece is absolutely different. A hand-embroidered bird on mink-coat lining; velvet flowers decorate the head-pieces; the tudor-esque rings are all about the phrase “the devil is in the details”. I totally agree with that in terms of Michele’s Gucci, and Italian fashion in overall.

The new designer of Gucci tipped his toes in Italian fashion history for this season – there were references to early Missoni’s lurex zig-zags and the bold 70’s of Italy. Michele said he has been thinking about the Renaissance and the 1970s specifically – both great eras for Italy in their own ways. Although this very bright collection was all about femininity (the ruffled dresses, the flower pussy-bows), it had a lot to do with punk. Biker jackets (of course, embroidered with roses), spiked killer-heels and sharp and mini-skirts were there too, during the fashion show. Gucci by Alessandro Michele is generally called “vintage” or “nostalgic“. But the designer totally disagrees with these two words. “It’s a big trip! Of course I am interested in personal style and quirkiness. There are things here that look vintage, but don’t really exist as vintage—it’s the illusion of it. I’m not nostalgic! I’d like to shake it up again.”

You can love or hate the new Gucci. Spring-summer 2016 might look too bold for some, if you look at the collection through thumbnails – however, one thing’s sure for both of the sides. The attention paid to the detail was missed for a long time in ready-to-wear seasons, just like the real splendour and beauty of Italian craftsmanship. And Alessandro Michele is pioneering it once again in 2015.

En Route. Stella Jean SS16

September 26, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Ave Cesaria by Stromae started to beat from the speakers. The ultra-modern venue of newly opened MUDEC Museum striked all the guests. Just like the absolutely unexpected collection delivered by Stella Jean, Creole fashion designer who is the most bold and ethical-fashion thinking person in Milan. Stella Jean’s spring-summer 2016 collection marks the geographical and emotional map on which the main stages of Italian migrant identity are charted. And that’s not all. South America, North America, Africa and Europe are the destinations, that the Stella Jean woman reaches. As the show-note said, “the port of departure, so to speak, is Italy, represented by its sharp, sartorial qualities” – comfortable, wearable silhouettes were visible in over-sized pants and Euro-sleekness of polo shirts. Then, the journey continues, and Stella takes us to Brazil, full of raffia ruffles and Cariocan multi-coloured flounces. The imaginary “travel” itinerary is ready for the next place – the Andes, represented by artisanal and hand-painted motifs including pinatas, daily life of women wearing traditional bowler hats and striped tunics which reflected Andean style.

The ethnical beauty of the collection is contrasted by American varsity jackets and over-sized cowboy shirts, while trench coats and men’s formal striped shirts made a sign of London’s well-known Savile Row needle. However, it is worth to note that some of the fabrics were hand-made in Burkina Faso. Stella Jean and her SS16’s flowing dresses, boxy jackets and “amphora-like” skirts not only made a strong impression, but also felt very right for the current, migration conflict. The collection was like a melting-point of cultures, filled with beauty and creative freedom. Also, it proves that fashion can be politically important.

Elizabeth. Giles SS16

September 22, 2015September 22, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

To understand Giles‘s spring-summer 2016 collection, it’s good to look at the last few outfits. The laser-cut, micro-pleated, satin organza gown was worn by the one and only, red-haired Karen Elson. She emerged, looking at the audience with a royal manner, like the clone of Queen Elizabeth I in some kind of postapocalyptic, futuristic times. The show was set in the Elizabethan-era Banqueting Room in Whitehall, which was booked by Giles Deacon already a year ago – however, the place precisely reflected the collection’s mood. All the historic references played a role in the textile usage – Baroque wallpaper florals and embroideries based on tapestries look stunning on everything. There is no Giles collection without a proper dose of drama, too. The designer indulged himself in voluminous skirts, balloon-shaped sleeves and dresses with parachute hems or underlying layers of tulle. The long, white shirt-dress worn by Natalie Westling is the key piece to look forward next season. And coming back to the model casting, Giles was over-the-top with the hottest faces: Edie Campbell, Erin O’Connor, Molly Bair, Damaris Goddrie, Anna Cleveland and many more walked the runway last night.

Electric Combinations. Christopher Kane SS16

September 22, 2015September 21, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Christopher Kane moves to the rythm of SS16 with a return to neon brights and patchwork dressing – python skins combined with plastic? Yes, I’m totally into that electric combination. What about the abstractly panneled cocktail dresses with straw-fringes? Acid-spilt lace skirts are back, too – but in a much more futuristic edition. The designer behind London’s fastest growing label happily let his creativity take over the reigns, and that is visible by the amount of uncommerical pieces presented during the show. Also, hand-made stuff fans, here is one for you – if you wish to do some DIY for next season, try out Christopher’s jewellery. You can find those plastic thingies in every Castorama or Ikea around your place!