Confidence. Eckhaus Latta SS18

September 10, 2017September 10, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

The thing about New York Fashion Week is that most of young designers, who show this time around are a) not standing for anything substantial or b) do The Row / Céline knock-offs. Eckhaus Latta, however, is far, far different. Maybe because Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta are originally from Los Angeles? Maybe. But coming back to NYFW, their fashion show had messages. Be confident. Be yourself. And respect your body. Transparency and volume play made the silhouettes of sheer dresses look radical, while various knits clung the body comfortably. One of the models was pregnant, and the designers embraced that in a beautiful manner by dressing her in a button-down dress that exposed her belly. The models varied in age as well as in gender and race. Full diversity isn’t a trend, but the ultimate truth for Eckhaus Latta.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Respect. Marc Jacobs AW17

February 18, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Marc Jacobs‘s autumn-winter 2017 collection praised the diverse street culture of New York – and it deserves respect.

Not only did the cast feature an impressive number of black models, but also, Jacobs decided to invite transgender girls to walk the show. Exceptionally, this ground-breaking fashion show wasn’t a venue show-off, as we’ve all got used to. A narrow aisle of chairs for the show’s guests crossed the huge Armory. No music, but the sound of models’ walk. A sudden exit to the streets of New York, where Adwoa Aboah, Lineisy Montero, Winnie Harlow and other models integrated with the city. If you ask me, I’m still awestricken with the way Marc handled the collection, sparking one of the brightest moments of the entire New York fashion week. The clothes were all about tweed, corduroy, fur and Stephen Jones’ chic hats. Golden chain necklaces were designed in collaboration with artist Urs Fischer, nodding to the bold culture of hip-hop, while round bangles – perhaps to R&B. While other designers, like Alexander Wang or, eww, Philipp Plein, tend to repeat popular stereotypes, Marc presented his own interpretation. The show’s theme could lead to something too literal, like a line of hoodies or sweatpants – but Marc ventured into the topic subtly and with heart.

Cultural Appropriation. Valentino SS16

October 12, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

The main inspiration behind Valentino‘s SS16 collection was the “wild Africa”. The house, however, sparked the cultural appropriation topic following their show. “Primitive, tribal, spiritual, yet regal”, the collection was a “journey to the beginning of time & the essential of primitive nature” as the show note said. Indeed, the collection was truly beautiful, and I appreciated it because I love ethnical fashion. Associated with the continent the collection included bone necklaces, Kikuyu textiles, raffia, belts made from African beads, embellishments, fancy embroidering, feathers and fringing. But Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli missed the point at some level – the collection was presented on a majority of white models. And this just reflects one more time the major problem in fashion industry – lack of diversity. Hopefully, the brand did not have any racist intentions – but for the next time, cast more models of colour!