Glam is Not Dead! Marc Jacobs SS18

September 14, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Glam isn’t dead! And nothing proves that better than Marc Jacobs‘ enchanting spring-summer 2018 collection, the delicious finale of New York fashion week. It was, as Alexander Fury ecstatically wrote on Instagram, stupendous, stupefyingly brilliant, the Yves Saint Laurent haute couture at the gym moment, so up meets down. This can’t be stated in any other way. That was a fabulous explosion of colour, embroidery, prints. And, it was presented with unbelievable modesty – no venue decorations, no music. Just the clothes, the most diverse cast of models, and Jacobs’ affection for fashion. From voluminous coats to evening gowns, from wrapped turbans to fluffy sandals, from mega polka-dots to childish daisies – it’s a rhapsody. If the rumour has it that Marc Jacobs is thinking of leaving his company – and I can’t believe what would Marc Jacobs be without Marc – then he’s really showing a middle finger to corpo-stats of ‘what sells, what doesn’t’ with that collection.

P.s. Days before New York fashion week, I was wondering what will the main subject – fashion – be like among the local designers. Will the political climate have the same, dark effect as last season? With bold collections from such names as Tom Ford, Calvin Klein and Marc, of course, New York’s fashion scene bares it all and says ‘you won’t break us’. Fashion is a happy place, after all, and lets just lose ourselves to it.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Cuba. Chanel Resort 2017

May 5, 2016May 23, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

On Monday, Karl Lagerfeld took his cool ladies, like Tilda Swinton and Carine Roitfeld, to Cuba, and not to the fussy MET Gala filled with cheesy Balmain-gowns and Kim K klan. In fact, everybody thought that Manus x Machina event in New York, and its “galore”, would dim Chanel – but all eyes were on swirling, organza skirts and Stella Tennant’s chic show opening. Dressed in a classy Cubanos smoking, with over-sized collars and pantalons, the monochrome colour palette dynamically evolved into peach-pink and lemon-yellow silhouettes. Floaty dresses, 50s car prints on t-shirts and functional flip-flops – joy and easiness was perceivable along Paseo del Prado, scented with male models’ cigars which were smoked nonchalantly during their walk. Debutante dresses were all about the embroidered, slightly tattered sleeves, showing an homage to Hispanic ruffles which are so popular on the colourful streets of Havana. Even the show venue, a public street, didn’t feel like previous, slightly pretentious resort shows by Chanel – Ibeyi, French-Cuban twin-sisters, Lisa-Kaindé and Naomi Díaz performed a soulful, temperamental song just at the beginning of the show. By the end, models, guests, Cuban passersby and the designer himself, danced… and it all looked like a cheerful parade of wearble fashion and Latin attitude.

Of course, these clothes will cost their average, Chanel prices – but still, Karl and his team managed to pull it off in a casual way. Showing a Chanel collection on the streets of a communist country might be risky, and in effect look too distant and Euro-posh. But to my surprise, the collection was a laid-back line of carefree styling, without much of pressure on Cuba’s culture and references. Focusing on a diverse casting (big plus for the brand) and relaxed leisurewear, Lagerfeld has effortlessly started the Resort 2017 season – with grace, and in Cuban rythm.

Collage by me

It’s Friday and That’s Ashish!

March 25, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Diana Ross and her I will survive song; neon-shaded afros; a lot of dazzle and glitter. And you’ve got Ashish‘ austumn-winter 2016 collection, which is your Friday night outfit inspiration! Sending out a line of diverse models, Ashish Gupta has presented the most fun collection of the season, making us all forget the daily-life problems. That’s why we have Fridays, and these great evenings – to loose ourselves to dance. Possibly, in one of these gold smoking suites or red cocktail dresses, please!

A little ‘slip dress’ never killed nobody.

When you’re out of the gym and heading to a booze party. Basically, these sweatpants will keep you comfy.

Your crrrrazy Easter look.

Or something more Chez Castel, meaning a night of your life in Paris!

A Diana Ross themed party, of course. The only rule – everything should be lilac purple, or you’re out.

Red lips, red dress, red manicure – just another, average Friday night out.

#2015 – Nicolas Ghesquiere

December 22, 2015December 22, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Nicolas Ghesquiere is praised by many as the designer, who perfectly highlights the quintessence of a 21st century wardrobe of a woman – his absolutely wearable and hi-techn clothes are all about comfort and a kind of refreshing, neo-eclecticism. His year at Louis Vuitton is also a year full of diversity – definitely, Nicolas and his team represent the French maison as a multi-cultural and stereotype-breaking brand through beautiful pink and afro haired models walking their world-wide runways (we have even came across Palm Springs this year for the Resort 2016 collection)! Thanks to Nicolas Ghesquiere, Louis Vuitton has become a label that is more than clothes and a vast range of accessories – now, Louis Vuitton is an open-minded, lifestyle project.

AW15 – Autumn-winter 2014 was about 70’s. Spring-summer 2015 was looking forward to vintage florals and denim. The autumn-winter 2015 collection was “looking into the future”, as Nicolas Ghesquiere stated backstage. And, it really did. Presented at the Louis Vuitton Foundation, the designer’s muse, Freja Beha, walked down the boldly coloured runway in a fluffy, white shearling coat. Then, the model favourites like Lineisy Montero and Fernanda Ly wore abstract peplum tops, satin suites with logo appliqued t-shirts and lace dresses. Kept in a rich colour palette, Ghesquiere’s conceptual take on the winter wardrobe is both über-feminine and simultaneously casual, noting the luxe sweat-pants and lovely tank-tops.

Resort’16 – Nicolas Ghesquiere amazed me during his recent Resort collection. Louis Vuitton‘s is the first collection, in which he shows he is really the boss of the brand. The collection, presented in Palm Springs, California, was a sunny blast of fresh, slightly eccentric fashion. Nicolas showcased the silhouettes, that have never been present in his previous shows for the house and Balenciaga. Long, woman-warrior dresses with embellished gems; high-waisted trousers with harness belts; beautifully laser-cut leather jackets, which reminded me of the Victoriana era, brought the mood of Nicolas’ favourite musician, Grimes. But also, some sexy shorts and crop-tops appeared, giving us the vibe of the real all-American summer. What should I say more? California suits Nicolas Ghesquiere as much as Paris.

SS16 – This season, Nicolas Ghesquiere really did show his refreshing stance at Vuitton – cyber luxury is the best term that reflects the mix of exclusive logo prints and pink-haired model wearing highly hype (whatever this means nowadays) clothes. Nicolas definitely had Japan on his mind this time – the Harajuku girls with manga-inpired robot tiaras and platform sandals make this collection sharp, but with a slight bit of kawaii flavour coming straightly from Tokyo. However, the collection had something more ethnical, too – note the lovely hand-stitched embroideries on suede biker jackets below. Or the feather details on mesh tank-tops and badass gloves. This how you do ethno, Valentino – keep it discreet, but appropriate. But what really hit me this time, is the amazing talent of fusing fashion history that the designer is known for – the Victorian blouses with leather vests and medieval inspired gowns (Resort 2016 continuation) have never, ever looked so modern as in Nicolas’ vision. These shirts, dresses, motorcycle leggings and, yes, jumpsuits (!) are highly in need. Also, I am drooling over these leather, pleated totes – the beauty of these accessories makes them conceptual objects, rather than just “bags”.

Throwback Sunday – Jean Paul Gaultier 1994

November 22, 2015November 22, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

#ThrobackSunday – spring / summer 1994

This show is such a fundamental base for today’s hype brands like Gypsy Sport, Eckhaus Latta and Pigalle Paris. Back in the years, Jean Paul Gaultier was a real enfant terrible of fashion. One of his first collections, Les Tatouages from 1994, is uptil today a symbol of diversity in fashion. The show was full of unexpected and bewildering references that included men in skirts, hip-hop denim volumes, Joan of Arc–style armor, tattoo trompe l’oeil tops and yes, even corsets. The bold, Indian and African tribal nods played a significant role in this fierce outing of models (for example Stella Tennant and Naomi Campbell, who back then were still the newcomers) and Gaultier’s close friends (like the eccentric and charismatic Rossy De Palma). In my opinion, this collection has not only defined the extravagant chic that Jean Paul Gaultier represents throughout his fashion career – this collection is up-to-date a loud and warm welcome to everybody who wants to be in fashion, of whatever size, skin colour or culture they are.