Haute Couture

The Look(s) – Vera Wang SS19 Bridal

| Design & Culture by Ed

I really don’t care for bridal-wear. Except for Vera Wang‘s. Vera doesn’t play by anyone’s rules. In the world of wedding dresses, white of course predominates. The New York-based designer, however, indulged in vibrant, sumptuous colours for spring-summer 2019. “I wanted to explore translucency and movement, and obviously color, but in a new way,” she explained back then, “in order to ignore certain ‘bridal’ dictums, like white, beading, acres of lace, and traditional ball skirts.” Drawing inspiration from the canvases of Dutch master Johannes Vermeer, she delivered tulle-heavy romanticism with a touch of edge.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

The Look(s) – Valentino AW18 Couture

| Design & Culture by Ed

What if Henri Matisse met Valentino‘s Pierpaolo Piccioli? The designer’s joyful autumn-winter 2018 couture collection, with some prints and embroideries inspired by the French painter’s work, was all about the fantastically bold colour palette that Henri would definitely applaud. And clothes that make you dream!

Collages by Edward Kanarecki.

The Choice – Valentino AW18 Couture

| Design & Culture by Ed

A few days ago I asked you on my Instagram stories to pick one of your favourite collections ever and I would make a collage with it. Here’s @kozlic_’s choice: the holy Valentino autumn-winter 2018 haute couture by Pierpaolo Piccioli. “With ready-to-wear, your vision of beauty relates to the times you are living in,” Piccioli stated back then after his magnificent show. Then, he concluded: “couture involves a deeper and more intimate perspective, to go further into your own vision of beauty.” Take a look back at this collection right here.

If you missed the game, you can still write me your favourite collection and I will do the work. Got plenty of time. Culture isn’t cancelled, fashion isn’t cancelled!

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

The Grand Finale. Jean Paul Gaultier Couture SS20

| Design & Culture by Ed

Euphoric. Bold. Joyous. Fantastic. Pushing boundaries. Forever iconic. That’s Jean Paul Gaultier. Many of the conversations we are having today – about such issues as diversity, gender fluidity, recycling, and sustainability – are built into the Gaultier DNA, and reused by other designer subconsciously. Since his first show in 1976, he has shown pan-generational models of all sizes, genders, and ethnicities on his runway, because they reflected the real-life people on the streets who inspired his style. Rossy De Palma, Blond Ambition Tour cone bras, Dita Von Teese, leather, trompe l’oeil, Beatrice Dalle, France, queer, sailors, sex, body… COUTURE! Although it’s Gaultier’s last fashion show ever, it’s not the end of his career. Can’t wait to see what he’s up to next!

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Shades of Elegance. Valentino Couture SS20

| Design & Culture by Ed

From all the couture shows this season, I (of course) anticipated Pierpaolo Piccioli‘s line-up for Valentino the most. For spring-summer 2020, a very different facet of Piccioli’s imagination transpired. The designer challenged himself to stop the operatic volumes and begin his search for a new silhouette. This time, it was structured, linear, fishtailed, modular, yet still drenched in color and pattern by turns. Looking back at the previous, ecstatic collections he dreamed up for us, he decided it was time to step off the path. “I hate it when people talk about ‘storytelling.’ I am not a storyteller. I don’t have the feeling that Cristóbal Balenciaga, Saint Laurent, Charles James, Mainbocher, whatever—I don’t feel they had stories of the season.” Trusting himself to free-association meant exploring form and emotion in ways that emphasized choice, variety, and the ingenious devices that only the Valentino craftspeople are able to realize. There were more trousers, more columns than before; an interest in constructing layers in ways which only the wearer will know about. Bubbles, bows and plenty of Valentino red recurred. There was a gorgeous color palette – purple, eau de nil, scarlet, pink, mint… and black (this one looked super refined in the eveningwear section). As usual, the best.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.