Malboro Girl. Altuzarra SS14

September 8, 2013 | Design & Culture by Ed

Altuzarra woman is a strong business-cowgirl from the famous Malboro cigarettes advertisements. Yes, but didn’t it bored Joseph Altuzarra who repeats the same scheme from last Summer? Last year was like totally the same- cuts in skirts, tribal accents, shiny fabrics and this rodeo feeling. And after his amazing Winter collection I expected something much more sophisticated, interesting. But unfortunately, Altuzarra wanted to be more classic in his way. But is that alright for this young New York based designer? From Indian colonist costumes we move to super futuristic furs and then we comeback to the same prints with other ideology? I am very dissapointed with that collection. Sorry Altuzarra.

The Sense of Print

June 19, 2013 | Design & Culture by Ed

Prints are always the key element of every Altuzarra collection. Thanks to SSENSE.com, now we can explore deeeper the inspirations of Joseph Altuzarra’s magic skill of printing and embroidery in his amazing collections. Everytime he choses a colour or motive for his new print, Joseph’s mind is being influenced by travels and everyday life. It may be a jungle paradise, ethnic flower print or Nazca caligraphies. And here is a recap of Joseph’s biggest hits!Resort 2013– Altuzarra explored culture of nomadic people, trekking into the heart of African Safari. The print that are used on the skirts, as he said, are inspired by Massai tribes. The colours were left as they are in reality- pigments of curulean blue, verillon red.SS 2012– Joseph interprated the classic Hawaiian shirt and hulla skirt, and made it cool and very New York. The prints “contained” hibiscus flowers, parrots, liles and hyper strong colours. This paradise is very close to heart of designer because when he was a child he remembers the bird watching in California. And this is my favourite print of all! Resort 2013Fall 2012- Altuzarra took us to the souks of Marrakesh when creating his prints for winter. He revisted traditional motifs of Maroccan rugs, used jacquard and tribal luxury in the coats with fox fur. The fragile silk sweaters were meant to replicate… carpet effect. When I saw it for real (it was like yesterday… :D) it looked horrrible. And that was as for me the worst collection of this designer. Spring 2013- The 2013 Altuzarra Collection was like a plate of Indian curry mixed with duck’s foie gras. Definitely there was too much of everything. Butterflies, India, gendarmes outfits, orthopaedic leg braces… Yes leg braces! An I’m talking about these horrifying gladiator shoes with butterflies. They really look like they were inspired with orthopaedic legs, but with some “beautiful” ornament.Then we’ve the highly tailored jackets. They look, like if they were stolen from a wardrobe of a French gendarme. But only the colours are different and the Altuzarra ones are more stylish. And if we believe Altuzarra, the print was all about vintage jewellery- Altuzarra looked to the American naturalist art movement of the 1940’s to create this print for the SS13 season.

The New Yorkers

June 8, 2013November 3, 2013 | Design & Culture by Ed

The Resort 2014 is already arriving everyday with tones of new collcetions, and it’s the time when the the hottest designers of New York already went for a nap, and the Europeans have just woke up before the Resort/Haute Couture Fashion Weeks. So here it is- a short review of Resort’14 in New York, that covers Proenza Schouler, Altuzarra, Balenciaga (it’s Parisian, but for me, because of Wang as head, it’s New York), Derek Lam and Jason Wu. So lets begin with… The PS brothers, Proenza Schouler!Well, Proenza Schouler is getting every season more mature and colourless, as you can see. Creme, white and grey colours, comfortable forms and warm prints. And it looks very similar to the Pre-Fall collection. There is no excitment, because clearly Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez stand for practicality, and their fantastic unique ideas are on the other side. Sad, because that was really different from others. Now it’s a bit Ralph Lauren- boring, classical.From some time I really love what Joseph Altuzarra is doing recently- first he did a amazing AW13 collection, then took Stella Tennant as a muse… The resort is how he said, sensitive and very femine, but not as sexy as his past ones. We’ve got some wild west pants here and a bit cowboy shirts mixed with modern elegance. Beautiful fur scarves, white dresses, lace and gold, do really match Altuzarra style! No, I’m not crazy. Balenciaga officially IS Parisian, but since Alexander Wang is the creative director, it lost all Parisian Chick. The collection began from Wang’s visit at Cristobal Balenciaga Museum. Yes. Then, Alex did nothing more, but copied the archives and made them black and white. When Ghesquiere designed Balenciaga, it was inspired by archives, but it was futuristic, edgy, modern. Now, with Mr. Wang it looks only into past, and just makes a first look that it’s SO FRESH bacause of the colour palette. I thought it won’t be so bad. Now even Hedi Slimane at Saint Laurent is much more better for me.Derel Lam maybe is not a newcomer, but for sure a shooting star of NYC Fashion. This resort was minimalistic, eometrical and full of inovative fabrics. The dresses are at the time perfect for a shopping at Bergdof’s Goodman, for a run in Central Park and as well for a dinner in Nobu Tribeca. Is it a New York Celine? For now I see big future for Derek!Jason Wu suprised me this Resort season. I usuall didn’t really like Jason Wu’s collection because they were always so formal. But, this time I am pleased! Lots of new materials, fantastic paradise prints, jeans jacketa and midi skirts, plastic trench coats, pink bra’s, transparent lace dresses… There is really a lot of telling. For sure Michelle Obama won’t wear any of these, but it looks more affordable than ever! Jason Wu, big bravo’s for the best (exequies with Marc Jacobs galmorous collection I wrote few days ago)!