Men’s – Steady. Lemaire AW15

January 23, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Christophe Lemaire changed the name of his own, eponymous label, into LEMAIRE. What does it mean? He wants it to be even more descreet and less personalized. “We thought it was time to clarify and reboot, to give it a family name which reflects that we are very much a design duo,” he said. Sarah Tran, his partner, added: “It’s also to say that what we do is about teamwork—people working for a name, yes, but a less personified one than before.” In his AW15 collection, the men, as usually, looked steady and ready for daily life. Comfortable parkas, loosely tailored trousers and over-sized capes were mixed with a slight body exposure. Mostly, the models didn’t wear shirts under their casual blazers. “It is always about the idea of showing a man who is steady,” he said. Fall 2015’s articulation of that Mr. Reliable was based on Alexandre, the amorous protagonist played by Jean-Pierre Léaud in La Maman et la Putain.

Men’s – Androginity. Gucci AW15

January 21, 2015January 20, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Gucci is under big change. Alessandro Michele, Gucci’s head accessories designer, is now the creative director (which is still under question mark…). After a quick departure of Frida Gianini from the house, the new designing team had to change everything – the setting, the bags, shoes and… Gucci. I mean, Gucci’s image which was created by Frida for 8 years. And the effect is very edgy… androgynous models, gender-mixing pants, satin shirts, flannel shirts with pussy bows (for men) and lace tops are just few of the most shocking and outstanding pieces of the whole collection. Even the classical jet-set loafers were filled with fur! Nobody’s sure how the collection is going to be welcomed in the stores, but… I am still under the state of bewilderment.

Men’s – Thought Provoking. Prada AW15

January 20, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Back to 90’s? Back to ugliness and uniforms? Prada says so in her recent AW15 collection for men and pre-fall 2015 for women. Kept in black, grey and beige colour palette only, Miuccia Prada made it a bit dull and very melancholic. Every men’s piece seems to be same. Suits, shirts, shoes, bags. The hair also seems to be super common for office-guys who do paper work and this type of stuff. While the girls seem to be as boring as their dates. The only thing that caught the eye was the hair – “A bow wraps a present,” Miuccia mused. “Am I presenting woman as object?” Well, hopefully not. And if talking of the shoes – that’s a horror, in my opinion. A comeback to Aqua World? They seem to be so anti-attractive. As I usually find something amusing and beautiful in Prada’s collections, this time I just can’t.

But one thing’s sure: the shared aesthetic this time was simple. “Uniform, severe, elegant: This is the fashion I like at this moment.” Miuccia seems to be down with her mood. Well, who wouldn’t after this what happened lately in Paris? Now it’s your turn to interpret this collection.

Men’s – Casual Days. Bally AW15

January 20, 2015January 20, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Wow, Bally amazed me. Under designer Pablo Coppola, the Swiss nation’s most famous brand—a 164-year-old shoe manufacturer—is loosening up into something pretty appealing. For his second official menswear season at Bally, Coppola did justice to his surname by turning to cinema for inspiration: “a lot of Wes Anderson, and specifically The Royal Tenenbaums,” he said. That’s visible – the yellow ostrich leather coats and accessorice feel so refreshing and edgy… but at the same time casual. And, Coppola showed the perfect suit I would wear everyday – the beige combo of blazer and tailored pants, styled with a beanie and sneakers.

Men’s – New Menswear. J.W. Anderson AW15

January 12, 2015January 12, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

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.”