Ceremonial. Rick Owens AW17

March 10, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Rick Owens doesn’t care, if you’re laughing at his autumn-winter 2017 abstract headpieces or distorted proportions. Although his collection looked somewhat dystopian, the designer said it was rather ceremonial – and ceremonies are important, whether we’re speaking of rituals or deeply-rooted tradition. “People are coming together to collectively pursue common goals and ideas.” Today, a fashion show might be lightly called a ceremony, too, as people coalesce and celebrate their ambitions and aspirations. But not only the headgear made the viewer gasp with confusion during Rick’s show. The collection’s eerieness has no end, just like the amount of elongated sleeves and duvet covers. It’s about wrapping, draping, layering, things that Owens does religiously, following it every season.

Melancholy. Ann Demeulemeester AW17

March 9, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

“This is a very romantic girl who mixes all her lace and old garments,” said Sébastien Meunier backstage. “She wants to go and party, but in a different mood.” If melancholic attitude in fashion really exists, then Ann Demeulemeester autumn-winter 2017 collection precisely defines it. Feather inserts and intricately embellished, lace straps; long and flowing dresses styled with veils and leather pants. Very Ann. Meunier is getting better and better with every season, respecting Demeulemeester’s codes and injecting his own, dark aesthetic.

Optimism. Chloé AW17

March 8, 2017March 8, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

First of all, happy International Woman’s Day!

Second, let’s talk about Chloé, a brand that is often defined as a woman’s favourite. Marking her last show for the brand, Clare Waight Keller wanted to convey something she does best: carefree girlieness, but with no sugar added. Her goal was to provide a sense of escapism through fashion. Feminine dresses were balanced with XXL jumpers and slouchy sweatpants. Voluminous knits with psychedelic patterns had lace skirts (or mini-dresses) peeking out of beneath, highlighting a look Clare mastered since her arrival to the French maison in 2012. She pulled off Gaby Aghion’s, the brand’s founder, signature flou like no other, while her chic collections (although at some points monotonous) matched Chloé aesthetic perfectly. And that’s not only visible in editors’ reviews, but in the brand’s sales. Hopefully, Waight Keller finds her new path, whether in Paris or London (where her fam is) – her talent for versatile fashion could be a bright future for any obsoleting brand. Optimism, which is the theme of her autumn collection, is something Clare can easily relate to, whether in the past or future.

French Charm. Lemaire AW17

March 7, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

If you’re reading my blog from time to time, you might surely know how much I love Lemaire. So you can imagine how happy I was, when I visited the brand’s showroom on Le Marais for the first time, just a few days after Christophe Lemaire‘s and Sarah-Linh Tran‘s autumn-winter 2017 fashion show.

But before I will start drooling over the pieces I’ve seen in the showroom, let’s take a look at the collection. Inspired with 40s sport chic garments and Chinese uniforms, the duo had a balance of soft and austere on their mind. But the inspirations behind the collection served just as small concepts, ideas – Lemaire is never over-referential, but rather stays true to its minimal aesthetic. Corduroy tailoring, manish volumes, curved sleeves, distorted silhouttes and all of that kept mostly in flesh tones and classic black. Occasionaly, white see-through stockings peeked out; eclectic jewellery, hand-made in a Parisian atelier, brought charm; pony-hair heels defined understated cool. Lemaire and Tran always pay attention to the clothes’ quality, that’s why all the knits felt even fleecier than usual. I can’t forget to mention the denim pants. The cognac-brown tote. The shirt with XXL sleeves. I need. To. Stop.

Lemaire AW17

Women’s Love. Dries Van Noten AW17

March 6, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Autumn-winter 2017 was Dries Van Noten‘s 100th show. And just as he did at this season’s menswear, the designer was reflecting on the past, future, and most of all – the contemporary. Malgosia Bela, Nadia Auermann, Hanne Gaby, Mica Arganaraz, Carolyn Murphy, Debra Shaw and many, many more catwalk icons, veterans and today’s favourites walked the show. Some of them were present in Van Noten’s first show back in the late 80s, which is quite impressive. The collection is naturally one of the season’s biggest highlights, although it wasn’t about any statement piece. Masculine coats and over-sized denim pants were like the second skin of the models with experience (and a powerful gaze in their eyes). They made simple clothes look elusive. The designer showed off a remix of his forever-great prints on midi-length dresses and frivolous skirts, reminding everyone that he’s especially talented with colour palette and textile combinations. Lovely boas, big blazers and perfectly tailored shirts: there’s no doubt why throughout those 100 collections, women believed in Dries. And they will do so throughout the next 100 collections, that’s sure.

While others fall into mega-companies and stakes, Van Noten’s Antwerp-based label is independent. When I entered his cozy boutique on Saint Germain yesterday, it was crowded – and those weren’t tourists, who took photos of the ornamental interior, but women trying on dresses and shoes. Something I haven’t seen at all the same day at Balenciaga or Lanvin on the other side of Seine, even though these brands are currently “it”.

The secret of Dries? Maybe the fact he doesn’t play secrets; he doesn’t create packs of model-friends to propel sales; he doesn’t want to be in the spotlight that much. It’s about the clothes and his relation with devoted clients.