Think BIG for Fall

April 24, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

Comme des Garcons AW14

“Fashion is reactionary,” said Valerie Steele, the director of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Sensibly, she explained that fashion is moving away from “a close-to-the-body moment.” “It’s the pendulum effect,” she said. “If it’s long, it gets short, and if it’s short, it gets long.” Fashion changes a lot just like proportions. This fall, it’s all about a large coat with too long sleeves and over-sized shoulders. Just like the one at CdG by Rei Kawabuko, whose boundary-fight with stereotypical beauty is just on it’s place this season. I really loved what Prada had in it’s offer- 70’s masculine jackets. Looked elegant, but very on the go. And of course, lets not forget about VFiles Melitta Baumeister, who loves dressing Rihanna in white fur stoles and large, leather jackets! Her new season collection is amazingly cool. in a very BIG way.

Rick Owens AW14Melitta Baumeister AW14Viktor & Rolf 1999 Haute CoutureJonathan Saunders AW14Prada AW14

Jacquemus En Greve

April 23, 2014April 23, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

I would say that Simone Porte Jacquemus is not a typical fashion designers. His is creating fashion, that is much more conceptual, but at the same time a lot more wearable than you would think. Yes, maybe neoprene dress sounds cosmic, but at Jacquemus, in pigeon blue, it looks not pretty, but… childish? A bit femme enfant (that was the name of his AW14 collection)? Jacquemus is a brand that reminds me somehow of Rei Kawabuko’s Comme des Garcons. It’s individual, different. It won’t be copied by Zara. With the models characteristically wearing white Adidas sneakers and white socks, Simon is true to his own style- well, he also dresses like that. Always white Adidas sneaks with white socks and a Comme des Garcons white shirt.

The AW14 collection was all about childish way of thinking. Round, coloured dots appeared on the transparent skirts and tops, while a lot of neoprene literally hung from white strings of cotton. Everything was all about sophistication is simple, usual things. Meaning, the imagination of a child. And, as Simon says, he feels like on! Je m’appelle Simons, j’aime le bleu et le blanc, les rayures, le soleil, Marseille et les annees 80 is the typical way he starts a conversation. So what to expect? This is a new movement in fashion (or maybe a strike- greve) against being serious!

Werk It Out Like Proenza

April 22, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

Proenza Schouler does the most anticipated collection from New York fashion weeks already for a long time. Known for it’s sophisticated style including unique fabrics, colourful dresses and “too cool to care” pieces, Proenza designed their AW14 collection“energy, abstraction, humour, action, colour, instinct, spontaneous, fast” words in mind.Surprisingly spite of the precision cutting and fabrics that often looked like carpet underlay, now looked charming rather weird. Proenza as always broke the rules- fabrics that don’t tend to be matched for example with neoprene were all mixed up here. Combined of geek sandals and Cristobal Balenciaga inspired cuts and forms of jackets and skirts, the collection was rapidly named major this fall. The jewellery was all about marble, that definitely felt right within all that scientific approach.

Yohji Eggs

April 20, 2014April 22, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

Here is a little Easter treat for you all… Yohji Yamamoto’s AW14 looks in eggs! Backround art by Yasuto Sasada.

Paco in 2014

April 18, 2014April 18, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

Paco will be forver in us. All his alien dresses, metal jumpsuits, eccentric dresses that remind us 60’s sci-fi movies and UFO comics. Although, Paco Rabanne was a revolutionary fashion designer, for some time he was only recognised by his Million perfumes and kitsch advertisemnts… but, thanks-giving, he, in form of Julien Dossena, is back. And for good.
The new designer of Paco Rabanne which debuted in 2013, is Julien Dossena, the same one which designs for Atto Paris. And I must say- he really, really does a great job. Maybe it’s because of studying at Nicolas Ghesquiere studio? Or having this Paco blood in veins? What was most striking is how well Dossena handled the obvious Rabanne clichés and made them modern and wearable for AW14.

Chain mail, Rabanne’s strongest signature, has a tendency to be heavy and ill fitting. Dossena reimagined it as a net of safety pins. Worn over silk underpinnings, the metal tops and dresses had a cool, clingy drape. The house’s iconic tile dresses, meanwhile, can look rather retro, but Dossena ensured that didn’t happen when he re-created them as laser-cut leather harnesses and layered them over crisp cotton button-downs and shirtdresses. Of course, a brand can’t thrive on statement pieces alone. The designer also had sharp, well-made tailoring: classic menswear trousers that hung low from the hips and skinny pants with white plastic zippers and contrast topstitching. Another key item was the super-fitted quilted leather ski jacket. I loved it. Very chic, and very innovative. Having Dossena on the radar.