Palm Spring. Louis Vuitton Resort’16

May 7, 2015January 5, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

Nicolas Ghesquiere truly amazed me this time. Louis Vuitton‘s Resort 2016 is the first collection, in which he shows he is really the boss. The collection, presented in Palm Springs, California, was a sunny blast of fresh, slightly eccentric fashion. Nicolas presented 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 were everywhere; beautifully laser-cut leather jackets which reminded me of Victoriana era brought on the mood of Grimes and Lana Del Rey. But also, some sexy shorts and crop-tops appeared, giving us the vibe of the real all-American summer. But what spiced up the atmosphere of the show was the model casting. Ghesquiere’s favourite bae’s were here – the red-haired Natalie Westling, Argentinian it-girl Mica Arganaraz and the designer’s muse, Fernanda Ly with her mesmerising pink hair.

What may I say more? That California truly suits Nicolas Ghesquiere. And that he is a perfect match for this always open-minded and innovative house.

Faustine Steinmetz

November 3, 2014January 18, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

The world of denim, you’ve got a problem. I introduce you to Faustine Steinmetz. In her label, each fabric is solely handwoven by one person using one of our traditional handlooms.
And, each piece is meticulously made by hand, with some pieces taking over a week to weave. “In our East London studio we spin, dye and weave all our own fabrics. We reproduce iconic pieces, the kind everyone has or has had in their wardrobe at one stage, except we make them all by hand.” Faustine Steinmetz creates and designs denim which isn’t really denim- it’s a new apparel vision, but on upper level. For AW14, we’ve got trousers which visually look like jeans, tartan dresses and lovely tops. Thoughts?

Paco in 2014

April 18, 2014April 18, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

Paco will be forver in us. All his alien dresses, metal jumpsuits, eccentric dresses that remind us 60’s sci-fi movies and UFO comics. Although, Paco Rabanne was a revolutionary fashion designer, for some time he was only recognised by his Million perfumes and kitsch advertisemnts… but, thanks-giving, he, in form of Julien Dossena, is back. And for good.
The new designer of Paco Rabanne which debuted in 2013, is Julien Dossena, the same one which designs for Atto Paris. And I must say- he really, really does a great job. Maybe it’s because of studying at Nicolas Ghesquiere studio? Or having this Paco blood in veins? What was most striking is how well Dossena handled the obvious Rabanne clichés and made them modern and wearable for AW14.

Chain mail, Rabanne’s strongest signature, has a tendency to be heavy and ill fitting. Dossena reimagined it as a net of safety pins. Worn over silk underpinnings, the metal tops and dresses had a cool, clingy drape. The house’s iconic tile dresses, meanwhile, can look rather retro, but Dossena ensured that didn’t happen when he re-created them as laser-cut leather harnesses and layered them over crisp cotton button-downs and shirtdresses. Of course, a brand can’t thrive on statement pieces alone. The designer also had sharp, well-made tailoring: classic menswear trousers that hung low from the hips and skinny pants with white plastic zippers and contrast topstitching. Another key item was the super-fitted quilted leather ski jacket. I loved it. Very chic, and very innovative. Having Dossena on the radar.