Blood Orange

It’s Virgil Abloh‘s third season at men’s Louis Vuitton, and probably his best. For the spring-summer 2020 show, the brand held it in the real-life, cobbled streets and cafes of the Place Dauphine. The audience sat under trees on Louis Vuitton park benches or sipped a glass of champagne at outdoor tables. The view? A collection of easy, big shapes, flowing pants, real flowers stuck into harnesses and some really good outerwear. People like Dev Hynes of Blood Orange were part of the show’s casting, which made it even more intriguing. Of course, there were some similiarities to Craig Green’s garments in these wearable, geometric constructions that closed the show, but the collection’s main focus was on couture-level craftsmanship. Flower embroideries climbed up tulle coats, and a couple of immensely luxe iterations of hoodies, made from minutely pleated chiffon. “I’m learning, and taking much more of a couture approach”, he told the press after the show. It was a collection oozing with pure positivity, from the delicious pastel colour palette to the flower power elements.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Guggenheim’s basement. Dev Hynes of Blood Orange playing on the keyboard. That must be Maryam Nassir Zadeh‘s runway collection, situated in New York’s art mecca and under the spell of Dev’s magical rhythms. The location and music matter would score another brand such adequate number of Instagram shout-outs, that nobody would actually care about the clothes.

But even though the scenery was truly captivating, Maryam successfully managed to let her clothes steal the spotlight. Although it’s autumn-winter season, Zadeh’s latest outing felt summer-y with bright shades of peach and minimally sultry body-suits. Checked orange skirt took my mind to a Mediterranean coast, while a long-sleeved sheer top was pure sensuality. But there were fur coats and velvet blouses, too. Maryam thrives, consistently creating the wardrobe of a sophisticated, smartly feminine woman. A specific pack of women, spanning from artists to restaurateurs, adore her. I call Nassir Zadeh’s approach ‘modern-day curator chic’ – it’s elegant, but in a daily manner. It’s comfortable, but not slouchy. Women who wear her clothes curate, whether in their creative careers or private lives.

Up to now, it’s my favourite collection of the season. Brilliant.