Art

Tulle, Knits and Love. Molly Goddard SS20

| Design & Culture by Ed

Hello London! And again, I’m in love with Molly Goddard. Even though her spring-summer 2020 collection is all about her well-known signatures – dresses made of acres of tulle and delightful colour palette consisting of candy pink, lettuce green and bold blue – there’s a certain factor behind Goddard’s style that never gets boring. Her fashion is not about being precious or pristine. Those looks are made for summer picnics, outdoor walks, brunches with your friends… also, I’m really obsessed with Molly’s expanding selection of knits. The ribbed sweaters with big bows and ties at the shoulder are so good. And there’s nothing better than a classical black cardigan and a voluminous, sheer skirt in coral.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

The King of New York. Marc Jacobs SS20

| Design & Culture by Ed

Traditionally, Marc Jacobs’ collection was the grand finale of New York Fashion Week. In a completely empty space, with different vintage chairs (painted white) standing in the middle as the guest seatings, a flock of paradise creatures emerged out of one side of the Park Avenue Armory, went across the audience, and disappeared. And then they came back, one by one, dancing and twirling according to Stephen Galloway’s choreography. A maxi velvet dress in orange, emberoidered with hippy florals; granny-ish knits with cats and kitschy landscapes; floor-sweeping gowns made for spectacular, late night dancing; patchworked denim flares; knitted mini-dresses that make you think of Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Margot Robbie’s Sharon Tate wardrobe; old school rockstar wife look as seen on Bella Hadid; another gorgeous ball dress and Savile Row-esque pantsuit… Describing each look in the collection is a non-sense, because they should all be seen. This was one of Jacobs’ most optimistic collections ever, full of dreams and emotions, love and happiness. For spring-summer 2020, the 60s, 70s and 80s were mixed and fused with Marc’s most beloved personalities and their bodies of work: think Yves Saint Laurent, Karl Lagerfelfd, Shelley Duvall, Anita Pallenberg and Marina Schiano. But simultaneously, it all feels… Marc. One more thing that should be praised in this line-up: it’s a mindful balance of wearable pieces that will actually sell in stores, and delightful fantasy. This is what the designer struggled with for the last few years. And he finally overcame it. Marc continues to be the ultimate king of NYFW. Dream a little dream of me…

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Summer. Rosie Assoulin SS20

| Design & Culture by Ed

Rosie Assoulin’s home jars of D.I.Y pickled veggies, which were gifted to her guests during the spring-summer 2020 presentation, had to be as delicious as the collection itself. The designer showed the perfect laid-back look for summer: an over-sized white shirt, a matching bra and a long, loosely-fitted sarong skirt. Another outfit you will cherish when you’re mentally on a beach, but physically in the city: a paisley-printed shirt worn with a floor-lenght skirt, in the boldest orange shade you can imagine. Assoulin’s offering is easy and instinctive, mood-lifting and joyous. The eveningwear, which for instance consisted of a midi dress that appeared to have multiple pieces (a sheer camisole, a triangle bra, and a full skirt) fused together and a dress with flaired sleeves that can instantly become a spectacular top once unbuttoned and worn with pale pink pants under, is all about comfort you want during hotter days or when you’re on vacations. Unforced and always flattering.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Spontaneous and Feminine. Maryam Nassir Zadeh SS20

| Design & Culture by Ed

Maryam Nassir Zadeh never dissapoints with her take on a spontaneous, feminine (but not too obvious) wardrobe. For her spring-summer 2020 collection, staged at a real-life park in the Lower East Side, the beloved New York-based designer had a number of inspirations that might have nothing in common: the beach, rave parties, John Cassavetes films, menswear and safari suits. But the way Nassir Zadeh puts her clothes together is beautifully edgy and sooner or later trickles down to bigger brands’ aesthetics (Ganni, I see you!). After her stay at Formentera, the designer loves wearing swimsuits as real clothes, so styling a bikini top with a masculine blazer was a sure thing for her to send down the runway (or rather, the park’s sports field). There was something very Prada spring-summer 1996 about this line-up as well. That was the moment Miuccia Prada officially introduced the good taste of bad taste with the ugly-pretty styling, sludge browns, avocado greens and hand-drawn prints (a nearly identical pattern appears in look 14, where Maryam puts together a matching yellow bikini with a pencil skirts and tops all that with a tiny, beige cardigan). Probably, 90s Prada wasn’t a straight-forward reference for Maryam, but then, who knows? This period in fashion is a gift that keeps on giving. Back to Nassir Zadeh. Granny-ish crotchet tops with beige bermuda shorts – and they look surprisingly good! – a neon green dress worn with an artisan glass necklace, a very mini mini-skirt styled with knee-lenght boots: these are just some examples of Maryam’s new season offerings. Plus, consider the collection as a styling cheat-sheet – those looks are just perfect for now, for September, when you still feel summer, but it’s getting colder.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Sister. Pyer Moss SS20

| Design & Culture by Ed

After one season hiatus, Pyer Moss is back. And it’s really good. Kerby Jean-Raymond‘s spring-summer 2020 collection, presented in Brooklyn’s Kings Theater in Weeksville and entitled Sister, is the third and final chapter in the Pyer Moss’ “American, Also” trilogy – and it paid homage to Sister Rosetta Tharpe. A singer-songwriter who rose to popularity in the 1930s and 1940s, Tharpe is widely considered to be the godmother of rock & roll, though her legacy has been diminished in music’s history book. “I think relatively few people know that the sound of rock and roll was invented by a queer black woman in a church,” Jean-Raymond told Vogue backstage. “I wanted to explore what that aesthetic might have looked like if her story would have been told.” There were obvious nods to Tharpe’s musicianship: the shape of her guitar was threaded through the curvy lapels of satin coats, and the most literal reference was a guitar-shaped handbag. There were subtle nods to her style too: a slightly monastic scarlet silk tunic layered over matching satin pants, for example. Tharpe wasn’t the only black musician on the Pyer Moss mood board. Look closely at the chunky gold beads that were threaded onto braids and strung on statement necklaces, and you will notice the spirit of Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu. The rousing soundtrack included songs by several more legendary black female artists, like Missy Elliott. During the finale, the gospel sang Cardi B’s already-iconic Money and the audience went crazy. Not only music plays a crucial role in Kerby’s creative process. After last season’s partnership with Derrick Adams, Jean-Raymond sought out the talent of Richard Phillips, an artist who recently made headline news after he was exonerated after spending 45 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Pyer Moss doesn’t only educate on culture. The brand also gets political (“Vote or Die (For real this Time)” slogan on a tank-top actually conveys a meaning, not just some empty words) and… makes you want the clothes! They aren’t heavy due to the weight of references behind them. It’s worth mentioning that the designer is also the new artistic director at Reebok, and his athleisure offering in the end of the show well balanced the collection. Take a better look at this label, I tell you!

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.