Tongue in Cheek. Balenciaga Resort 2018

November 8, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Balenciaga‘s current top place in the ranking of luxury top-sellers proves one thing – Demna Gvasalia‘s kitsch chic and trasy aesthetic is what a rich consumer likes in 2017. There’s no wonder why the Georgian designer’s resort 2018 for the French maison is a smart move of establishing classics out from previous seasons’ cult pieces: pantashoes and voluminous duvet jackets in new colours, the car mat skirt appears again, the logo fur stole keeps on popping throughout the entire look-book. Those are the pieces that sell and relate the most to Balenciaga clients. Is it bad to ‘repeat’? No, it’s a pre-collection that has to sell. Still, for those, who are still thirsty for newness, the season’s edition of XXL bazaar bags hits the total irony spot. The tourist postcard print is insane, it’s precisely what the fashion world hasn’t beautified yet. Bags coming from different capitals! Paris, London, Tokyo… I also thought the luxe hair scrunchies and plastic, grape-shaped earrings are hilarious.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

#2016 – Alessandro Michele

December 22, 2016July 22, 2020 | Design & Culture by Ed

The old new identity implemented by Alessandro Michele for Gucci is well-known to all of us – and within the autumn-winter 2016 season, the designer has his first year as the creative director of the womenswear line behind. The “renaissance” mood Alessandro brings back to fashion deserves applause and praise. Noting that he has utterly revamped the pretentious sleek Italian empire into a brand, which considers Italian craftsmanship as priority, makes Michele’s warm softness more than a trend. It’s about his personal style, and his adoration to old, Italian paintings, antique rings and 70s / 80s attitude.

Just a few weeks before Britain’s choice whether to remain or stay in European Union, London has suddenly become the capital of resort 2017 collections. Firstly, Dior showed its mild collection in Blenheim Palace; secondly, Alessandro Michele, the creative director of Gucci, proved that Italian fashion goes in pair with anglomania. Covered with dark-green, needlepoint cushions, the famous Westminster Abbey was transformed into a venue for the most eccentric Michele’s show up to date (note: every show by Gucci gets even more peculiar and twisted…). Gucci girls and Gucci boys went down the Gothic church, all bold and playful, reivisiting cult fashion tribes of London. From Camden Market loving geeks to Rolling Stones fanatics in slim denim trousers and t-shirts (with old-school GUCCI logos – next season’s must-have), Alessandro praised Britain’s biggest style eras in this extremely non-chalant outing.

“To dive in this gothic sea of inspiration!” he began. “The punk, the Victorian, the eccentric—with this inspiration, I can work all my life!” The former, origing from Vivienne Westwood’s rebellious times of SEX boutique and Sex Pistols costumes, was reflected in tartan ball gown and badass, yet classy attitude of the clothes. One of the jackets was a perfect Victoriana sleeve sample, but all in baby-pink astrakhan fur; Thatcher-era Kensington grannies crossed the abbey during the show, wearing printed silk dresses and foulards on their heads; there was even a Spice Girl moment which will be remembered for long in the industry – rainbow striped platform sneakers HAPPENED, spicing it all up. It’s not a surprise that Alessandro thought of Scottish kilts, too – they were worn casually with lady-like, blue pea-coats. Chic, right?

Glittering with over 250,000 mirrored sequins, the all-pink venue of Gucci spring-summer 2017 collection reminded a high-profile striptease club. The released mist reassembled cigarette smoke, while the velvet stools and sofas suggested one thing – Alessandro Michele is not a step closer to such thing as “minimalism” this season. Indeed, the collection had something to do with trashy chic – just have a look at the extremely platformed footwear. “Prostitute in Venice used to wear these“, the designer said backstage, while discussing his references and inspirations. Red latex tights, worn casually with knitted skirts, screamed “sex”, too. Alessandro’s mind is not that innocent, after all.

There are different types of “love”, and there is a variety of romantic accents in Michele’s kitsch-appealing clothing. As always, the outing featured a line of polished and refined ready-to-wear, which has a lot to do with alta moda, as the Italians tend to say. Knitted cardigan featuring a monkey embroidery illustrated by artist Jayde Fish; satin gown with pineapple style sleeves, detailed with sequins and intricate embellishments; tulle dress with tapestry-like florals and a leather corset. Each piece might become a go-to for a fancy date, a boudoir night or an intoxicating night-clubbing. Michele never keeps himself distant from emotions in his fashion. This collection is connected to the intense topic of love, even if we mean a wounded, broken heart. One of the evening dresses had an embroidered, red heart in the front, stabbed with a dagger – is the ethereal woman wearing it ready for a night out, but without her parter? She’s sad, but she looks spectacular and very dramatic. A bamboo fan is even more ambiguous. The slogan on it stated “Blind for love” in gothic font, and Alessandro definitely relates to that as a designer searching for beauty, and a person in real life.

So Fetch, Fake & Fine. Gucci Pre-Fall’17

December 15, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Observing Alessandro Michele‘s creative narration at Gucci is absorbing, even if you know you would never ever dress like that. Or maybe… you would? Looking like a charming, yet edgy granny entire week is hard – but for one day, a bunny-embroidered cardigan, layers of floral brooches and a patchworked midi-skirt sound quite mind-blowing on the background of your daily-routine wardrobe, even if they are far from the term ‘new’.

Alessandro’s pre-fall 2017, forgetting the beautiful chaos, tells one clear thing: brands like Gucci, to stay on ground in 2016 (and 2017, which is ahead of us), should recycle. And I’m not speaking about ecology right now. Keeping the consistency of collections; forgetting others and going your own aesthetically path; enriching every single detail, from branding to logi size on a shoe’s buckle. Similar eveningdress silhouettes, but in new colours, are on demand, and all the time in stock. Last season’s floral prints and this season’s Donald Duck become unexpected friends on an adorable blazer. Instead of creating a new ‘it-bag’, why not revive an oldie from the archives? Just like the shoes (extra-dramatic this season, but that’s not a surprise anytime with Michele). Working with such scheme is quite likely a guaranteed success, and Gucci’s monthly turnovers are the best prove for that. But will this take on nostalgia and chic kitsch get boring at some point? Becoming bored is a human’s nature, sorry.

Ignoring reason – this so fetch look-book was shot in Rome’s two historical locations. First is the Antica Libreria Cascianelli, an old bookstore specializing in art history. The second is the Antica Spezieria di Santa Maria della Scala, a 16th-century apothecary. Mind-blowing. And whatever I’ve written in the paragraph above – Alessandro Michele keeps on surprising and the look so fake tights with GG logo are really the thing.

Kitsch, Belts and Grandma. Vetements SS16

October 6, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

One of the season’s most anticipated brands, Vetements, presented its anti-fashion collection in a tacky Chinese restaurant. But, even though the SS16 mood-board wasn’t focused on China nor on Asia, it reflected the spirit of this place through old-fashioned kitsch. Floral dresses inspired by Demna Gvasalia’s aprons of his grandmother, sequined capes, velvet sweatshirts and tunics – and all of that bound up with ultra-long leather belts with Harley-Davidson-style buckles. The eerie soundtrack of the collection perfecly described the new season’s attitude – it began with gentle waltz and then abruptly descended into Mayhem – the Norwegian heavy metal group. The Vetements logo black hoodies featuring a graphic based on Leonardo Di Caprio and Kate Winslet in Titanic burst confusion (maybe one of Vetements’ designers loves / hates the film?), however the leather jackets that were constructed to be comfortable when sat on real bikes made much sense. The must-have, best-selling jeans were renewed to be more comfortable and affordable. In other words, Vetements for spring summer 2016 is rather an expansion of the last season’s wardrobe than a new idea. But in reality, it absolutely made the collection be more desirable, just like the cowboy boots or sock heels.

Photography by Chloé Le Drezen

Trashy Sequins. Rodarte AW15

February 19, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Mulleavy sisters got trashy for AW15. A lot. Rodarte woman is flirty, sultry and sexy – she loves opulence, wears leather minis and reminds us a Hedi Slimane / Saint Laurent chick. I am a fan of Rodarte since their spicy beginnings – but this collection seems to be a bit… too much? The last looks remind me of dresses, which HAD to be beautiful, but somebody unfortunately overdid themselves and created a pile of sticked up feathers, sequins, glitter and Swarovski cystalised stones. That’s, surely, not my taste. Possibly, Rodarte wanted to make a parody out of kitsch-dressed women – if that was their aim, then they really nailed it. But if their aim was to “create” something fanastic… then sorry, we don’t need that. We’ve got Hedi Slimane who’s doing vulgar chic at YSL. Let the real Rodarte spirit come back.