Wise & Floral. Altuzarra Pre-Fall’17

December 6, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Pre-fall 2017 season kicked off a week ago and the first collection, which caught my eye, comes straight from Joseph Altuzarra‘s studio. According to Altuzarra, next autumn won’t be a reason to forget blooming nature. Specifically, the Pre-Raphaelite take on nature appealed to the designer, who sent out a line of toned botanical dresses and flower embroidered knits. The silhouettes were flowy and loosely fit, unlike spring-summer 2017 Wild at Heart collection, which feautured sultry bras and pencil skirts printed with cherries and lemons. However, Altuzarra woman isn’t just into romantic flowers: she has an obsession with well-tailored jackets (in red, if possible), business-smart capes and all-knit looks. It’s a wise collection for autumn, after all. And if we’re speaking of autumn, then let’s note all those gorgeous knee-lenght boots. They look irrestible, whether in black or pale lilac.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

That Look. Prada ’08 Goodness.

November 23, 2016November 23, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

You know, there are those certain looks that stuck in your head for longer than one season. Miuccia Prada‘s genius autumn-winter 2008 collection, which was a subversive take on a Sunday-at-church look (I was drooling over it here), is filled with lace pieces and ruffled heels that will never, ever, become outdated. Look 22 is particularly impressive, from the top to the bottom. Every detail counts. Vlada Roslyakova wore a beige turtleneck with a kind of mini-collar, layered under a soft, same-colour knit. The knee-lenght skirt, kept in a pale shade, looked fantastic, styled with gold pumps and a matching, cute ruffle bag. If you ask me, what’s a Prada look, then I will show you this picture. 101% sure.

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Beauty corner! Charlotte Tilbury ‘Kate Moss’ Lipstick, Charlotte Tilbury ‘Eyes to Mesmerise Kit’ & Byredo ‘Mojave Ghost’ eau de parfum .

Soigné. Louis Vuitton SS17

October 12, 2016October 12, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Nicolas Ghesquiere chose to show his spring-summer 2017 collection for Louis Vuitton not at the usual location (Fondation Louis Vuitton), but in the brand’s future boutique. Place Vendome store is opening in 2017, but the decision to stage the collection in this raw, yet beautiful space, was a prove that even though Louis Vuitton might go to far-fetched destinations (like Palm Springs or Rio), its spirit stays in Paris.

When Ghesquiere worked at Balenciaga, his connection to the city was reflected in flirty dresses, unconventional elegance and intriguing layers – in other words, his aesthetic was the soigné embodiment of ‘Parisian chic’ myth. Throughout his Louis Vuitton tenure, Nicolas went global, slightly forgetting about his old, good affair with the city of love. However, the newest collection is just it: an elevated wardrobe of timeless pieces with the right dose of French borgeois. Drenched-in-gold jewellery; masculine blazers; Parisian model “off-duty” look feauturing grunge (or not so, with all those embroideries) t-shirts. How good can it be?

The 80’s are continously embraced by editors and stylists of such local magazines as Vogue Paris or Self Service. While the creative director is friends with them, the mood of this decade has been present in every single detail, from the ‘night-out’ make-up to crystal-embellished slit gowns. For a moment I thought that this is what Lanvin should look like now with Bouchra Jarrar – but then, you can perceive Ghesquiere’s hand in those tailored pants and desirable biker jackets. Magnifique!

Clothes for Life. Céline SS17

October 10, 2016October 10, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Phoebe Philo started out at Céline as a designer, who adored ultimate minimalism. During her pre- and post-pregnancy period, Céline welcomed bold colours and fun, toy-like jewellery. Spring-summer 2017, and the last few collections, seem to open another chapter of the creative director’s vision at the brand. There isn’t one word to describe it – it’s rather about understanding Phoebe’s “woman for women” world, which is far from trends, but always a step further from the others.

Last season was an investigation of “invisible” clothing: layers of satin pleats and leather coats were perfect gears for everyday life, drenched in new meaning of luxury and unprecedented styling. This season explores woman’s wardrobe in an even quicker way, with Yves Klein-like painted corsets, XXL totes and drifty dresses. However, Phoebe understands how to build a wardrobe for real usage – it’s not that arty and edgy in the end.

The meaning behind Céline’s latest outing has been already conveyed in the soundtrack of noisy city traffic, and joyous children laugh. Loosely fit pastel top, indigo skirt and white sneakers – is there a better and more comfortable outfit for a day filled with errands, like picking your kids from school? Or rushing to the office? The runway wasn’t a usual aisle, squeezed by editors and buyers. Models walked in random directions, sometimes in little groups, presenting a range of different personalities. A Céline woman isn’t only one type of women: Philo proves that, sending out a range of various clothes on diverse in age and skin colour models.

From masculine coats to intriguing dresses, nothing seems to look pointless here. Even though A LOT happens in this specific collection. For example, the pants were (probably) worn over another, lighter pair. Doesn’t it look fantastic? That’s a styling trick to catch the next spring. Seductive slits and cut-outs are quite new to Céline, but don’t worry – Philo’s skills in making her gowns sexy aren’t moving towards Balmain. She’s just too intelligent for that. Her venture into sex-appeal is non-conformist and elusive, resulting in a dress with faux-corset, and a pair of sandals. Man-repelling? Depends on the guy. Speaking of the shoes, there were a lot of great heels and boots in bold red or autumnal beige. The colours were mixed up, because “why should our shoes always match?” I’m a sucker for socks, and seeing Phoebe play with them was pure pleasure. Just like analysing the entire collection.

Colour Palette. Haider Ackermann SS17

October 6, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

January of next year means a big debut during men’s autumn-winter 2017 season: Haider Ackermann was recently named the new creative director of Berluti, one of the leading menswear brands. Ackermann has already got used to a pretty light schedule, with two collections for women, and two for men – how will his new role affect his work at his namesake label? Time will show.

But let’s focus on the present. Haider’s latest collection for women is classically Ackermann, which means sleek, masculine silhouettes, lots of draping and a kind of rebellious, rock & roll attitude. However, spring-summer 2017 differed from the designer’s last few seasons with it’s colour blast. High-waisted pants and jackets in lovely pastel-pink; long, pleated skirts in energetic orange and yellow; a loosely fit suit worn by Iris Strubegger looked tempting in jade-green. It’s not the first, when Haider nails it with his unique colour palette, but this collection is a killer. Just like the spiky hair, resembling punk tomahawks. There was just one thing I was quite unpleasantly surprised to see – the t-shirts with slogans. After a Dior show, which was based on a basic idea of a tee, “Be Your Own Hero“ or “Silent Soldier“ type of signs just didn’t fell right, noting Haider Ackermann’s poet-like aesthetic. The defiant mood is quite perceivable, so why make it even more clear?