For pre-fall, Acne thought about experimenting with texture – lace mixed with knittwear, lurex combines with leather, patch-work – all of that brought an interesting fuse. The first look was all about “wild” knitted sweater which totally confused the proportions of the model. Also, there was the cute knitted hat in lilac – a must-have. The signtaure vests and coats are here, too, but in new colours. The only thing that disturbs me are the shoes…
At the end of the show, every Instagram post said one thing: he’s back. Who? Of course John Galliano. The biggest couturier of 21st century, the story-teller of fashion, the provocateur – is back in great form. At Maison Martin Margiela.
His debutant show was presented in London – which is a major change because all previous Margiela collections were presented in Paris. But in reality, London was the main inspiration behind the Artisanal presentation. It’s youthful attitude, beautiful people and monarchy vs. punk conflict strongly influenced John throughout his career and while creating the collection.
The first look was suprisingly Margiela, but not that much at the same time – Galliano trailed toy cars across the collaged landscape of a tiny suede sheath. The sheath is the signature Martin Margiela piece, but the infantile elements are making us think of John’s spirit of fantasy. Within this excessively embroidered collection, we’ve met so many bold characters. The red queen coming straight from a fairy-tale. The tribal leader wearing a pagan veil. The rebellious dame looking like Vivienne Westwood. The chic dandy in black suite. Many of them were unknown to the house codes, but they feel close to it with their strong identity and need of experimenting.
With a blink-and-you-missed-it bow, John Galliano was seen wearing an iconic white coat from the Margiela atelier. Famous for showing off with his own outfit, this time he thought that’s not needed – the collection itself was so fearless, daring, heroic and stunning, that only the visual experience can express it!
Thankfully, during men’s London fashion weeks, we’ve got J.W. Anderson, who makes the young breed of designers interesting. Showing his collection on the second day of the fashion week, Jonathan Anderson presented his new ideas on a purple carpet made from used tires which looks pretty much amazing. As we all know from the past, women’s pre-fall and men’s fall are connected – the colour palette, the textiles and the main themes are very close. Sudden odd details abounded, like oversize collars and sleeves and buttons fabricated from metalwork (these make me constantly confused). But his provocateur attitude was tempered by immediately desirable clothes like the two-tone turtlenecks, degrade effect car coats and gorgeous, long scarves. “I like this idea of something that felt a little apocalyptic, or looking like it came from a computer game,” explained Anderson backstage of the show’s backstage. As for the clothes, they were a “mishmash of decades – I like isolating the idea of the look.” So the fabric on a coat could be from the 60s but the detailing on it from the 70s. “We were reflecting on different tribal movements and hybridising them. Is it an 80s jacket or not? Does that even matter? It’s about rejecting nostalgia.”
Jonathan Anderson surprises. His SS15 was unexpectedly lady-like while pre-fall is very nostalgic – 60’s mini skirts, 70’s psychedelic prints and “granny” necklaces and bracelets. “Nothing works together,” he added gleefully during the presentation. “When something makes me uncomfortable, I resist the temptation to make it look good.” That’s visible- in this collection he mixes so many styles from the past, that the result seems to be modern, and surreal. A bit like the Soviet Russian architecture – at the first sight it seems to be modern, but in reality deep historical influences hide behind it’s walls.
Ukrainian Institute of Technology, Kiev
Presidium of the Russian Academies of Science, Moscow
Polythechnic Institute, Minsk
But coming back to the collection – “I’ve never been a designer designer,” he said. “I see it more as a look, what’s new right now.” And this—with its odd fabrics and peculiar proportions, cerebral and sensual—looks just that. New right now. But with faux cover which hides the old roots. The colours and textures combined with those curvy belts and emalia earrings makes me wonder. And I like when a collection makes me want to think, compare and research.
Lanvin’s pre-fall is so into Lykke Li’s I Never Learn album for me. The song Never Gonna Love Again matches perfectly Mica Arganaraz and Jamie Bochert in this gorgeous look-book. So dramatic, so chic, so elusive… over-sized suits, loafers, fluffy furs, maxi dresses and beautiful floral embroidery – and everything fulfilled with a dose of mysterious fog. Alber Elbaz just keeps his style. Non-chalant, but utterly dandy with a feminine twist. Baby can you hear the rain fall on me, never gonna love again, baby can you hear my heart cry tonight, I can’t keep running away, this time I can’t keep running away ’cause I’m never gonna love again.
Design & Culture by Ed 