Demna Gvasalia

McDonald’s. Vetements SS20

| Design & Culture by Ed

Slajd2-kopia

As  I’m still digesting Vetements‘ spring-summer 2020 collection, which was presented at the largest McDonald’s location in Paris… so here is a sequence of thoughts and impressions I had.

Eew. From the opening policeman look to the idea of McDonald’s… just eew.

But then, where else would Vetements show its collection? Perfectly provocating, but as simple as that.

It’s straightforwardly genius.

However, the looks… it seems to me that Demna Gvasalia and his team do the same thing for the last few seasons, on repeat. Vetements signatures they have already shown us.

Right now I’m catching myself on this endless desire of newness in fashion, something that Vetements is totally against. They are against the current, against the system, against the fashion industry. Against junk fashion. How ironic…

Also, how brilliant is the idea of dresses made out of unused Vetements textiles from previous seasons? They won’t end up in the landfill!

So I start to kind of like it. After a month of countless shows (which aren’t even ready-to-wear lines!), Demna shows the fashion establishment a middle finger.

And then, the last thought. So if Vetements hates fashion… how long can they stay in this circuit? And at the same time supply stores, earn money, etc.?

Or is this just for the sole purpose of real, fashion fun? Honestly, this will be one of the only shows that will stay in your mind for the next months.

So, as you can see, many questions. Maybe you’ve got some thoughts? Would love to hear them!

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Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

 

Real Life. Balenciaga Pre-Fall 2019

| Design & Culture by Ed

Lately, all designers want to do clothes for ‘real life’. But it’s Demna Gvasalia who actually started that trend-not-trend, first with Vetements, then with time at Balenciaga. The pre-fall 2019 look-book, that sees models walk with their phones in front of their faces or making calls, is all about Gvasalia’s Balenciaga best-selling classics: sharp tailoring, denim, over-sized volumes and exaggerated logos. It doesn’t excite much, as it feels like a transition from the summer show from last October to the winter collection we’ve seen in March. But it’s a pre-collection after all. And it’s hitting stores at this very moment.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Reality Check. Balenciaga AW19

| Design & Culture by Ed

That’s a fact: Demna Gvasalia delivered the best coats (outerwear, even) of the season. Literally every coat that appeared in Balenciaga’s autumn-winter 2019 made me drool! Those volumes. The designer focused on the streets of Paris and how Parisians really dress (forget the Jeanne Damas and Caroline de Maigret archetype of Parisian chic). He thoroughly investigated outfits people wear in their metro commute, to the parties, on a dog walk, for groceries. And here we are with more than 100 looks, featuring faux-fur, floor-sweeping coats in Cristobal Balenciaga-esque architectural silhouettes to vintage-y leather jackets and quilted belted robes in satin. Tailoring was strong, too, just as the dresses. From the polished, sleek mini-dresses that closed the show to flowing, maxi-gowns (like the one Stella Tennant had on, made from some fancy, metallic fringes), each looked was distinctly Gvasalia – sharp, ironic, delightfully confusing. I really loved this one ‘super-nornal’ outfit that featured a black turtleneck, leather slouchy pants and a pink, polka-dot shopper bag. That’s exactly how editors dress in Paris. Again, this collection was extremely Paris, but not in this fashioned-up manner we often get to see. As the designer said backstage, “It’s real. When I’m on the streets of Paris, that’s what I see.”

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Anti-Social. Vetements AW19

| Design & Culture by Ed

Vetements‘ spring-summer 2019 collection was violent. But Vetements’ autumn-winter 2019 outing felt even more aggressive. Somehow, I’m not surprised. Demna Gvasalia (and his collective) isn’t afraid of speaking what’s on their mind, whether it’s confronting the difficult past, hard present or uncertain future. The label found inspiration in the dark web, where drugs, guns and other illegal, even more frightening things are available and sold worldwide. Hacker style? Geek chic? Yes, but cross out the latter, ‘fashion’ word. The collection was called “Anti-Social” and opened with a twisted homage to Steve Jobs. The distinctive, black turtleneck worn with a pair of jeans read: “Warning: what you are about to see will disturb you. There is a dark side of humanity the censors won’t let you see, but we will. View it your own risk.” An item that will sell out within a moment, but has a meaning that’s not as frivolous as it may seem. Other than the Vetements classics – XXL hoodies, floral tea-dresses, distorted puffer jackets – this offering had something you would never consider a fashion statement: anonymous-wear. Black fleece masks inside hoods and  jackets with flaps covering the face with a peep-hole for looking out (and, occasionally, for taking photos through). “I realize there is no privacy. When I’m on public transport, doing work on my phone, I often see people overlooking it, or taking photographs of me,” Demna said after the show. An avalanche of contemporary problems appears in your mind, when you think of it: surveillance society, facial recognition technology, the fear of revealing our true selves without the social media filter. But then, the balaclavas make you think of terrorists and fierce protests that move like a tsunami through such countries as France. Gvasalia and Vetements sense danger and crisis that spread across our world. They know fashion won’t help it out, but at least, might inform the ones who want to be informed. To some extent, at least.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.