Project SS19

June 21, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

It’s complicated. With Y/Project, you have this certain feeling when you look at the label’s clothes. Take denim pants or a shirt. They do reminiscent pants and a shirt, but then… not exactly. This season, Glenn Martens surprised with a wrapping technique featuring nylon and lycra stretched atop any garment, which can be effortlessly taken off or put on at any moment. Depends on to what extent you want to sophisticate your outfit. It wouldn’t be Martens’ work if the collection didn’t mess with proportions: deliberately too much of fabric near the crotch, not enough near the torso. Those aren’t easy clothes – but who said they should be? Y/Project intrigues with colour combinations, as well. From wine burgundy and baby pink to soft lilac and rusty yellow, there’s not much in common, nothing really works together. And again – it somehow does! The women’s capsule is equally confusing, but appealing as well. Those denim high-rise shorts over pink tights made a stir in the social media yesterday. Glenn Martens is not a guy that desperately seeks controversy, but his clothes nearly always provoke. Love it. At least, not everyone considers menswear a shallow sport trend outlet.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Briefly: Men’s MFW SS19

June 20, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

This season, I had a dilemma whether to skip the menswear season, or not. I honestly felt exhausted at one point with all the collections, lookbooks and shows coming up, and getting grip of what’s winter and what’s summer. And in case of menswear, I was especially appalled with the fact that every designer considers spring-summer 2019 to be a full-on sport trend. And everyone has a pair of ‘some’ sneakers, just to be like Balenciaga with their top-selling Triple S (which, by the way, is everywhere, and I can no longer look at)! But when I was quite sure I won’t write anything about men’s this time (plus the 69% of voters on my Instagram poll said ‘skip the season and chill!’, partially consolidating my decision), I couldn’t ignore those two collections coming from Milan. Marni and Prada, you’re very good to boys this season I must say.

What I love about Francesco Risso‘s Marni is his haphazard, yet appealing ‘collage’ way of doing things. The designer was thinking of vintage sportswear. Staged in an old carpark, guests sat on bouncy exercise balls, while the models’ (plus-size guys, elderly men and the designer’s friends) outfits were reminiscent of a football fan 70’s style, with retro polo shirts, check trousers and deconstructed varsity jackets made of different textiles. From yellow tank-tops to striped, knitted culottes, there’s lot to love in Risso’s latest collection. Note the prints – Florian Hetz’s photos of naked bodies and Betsy Podlach’s paintings of human beings were used on the back of the shirts and many other pieces.

Miuccia Prada also had something to do with sportiness, but not that much. Here, her intelligence and profoundness emanates in every piece of clothing. For the fashion show, inflatable, pink stools by Verner Panton – an exclusive re-edition of the 1960s piece, produced by VERPAN for Prada – were used as the guest seats. If talking of the clothes, Prada constructed a dialogue between male sensuality (ruffled shirts, very short shorts, florals) and utility-wear (lots of nylon and padded trappers we’ve seen in Miuccia’s resort show in New York). All that mixed with boldly printed sweatshirts and zipped jumpers. I definitely like this certain dynamism that was perceivable throughout the collection.

But the rest of menwear… well. Let’s see if Paris will be better. Quite exicited for Jacquemus’ first menswear collection ever, and Kim Jones’ debut at Dior Homme.

All collages by Edward Kanarecki.

Re-Invention. Salvatore Ferragamo Resort 2019

June 14, 2018June 14, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

It’s the second season of Salvatore Ferragamo‘s re-invention for Paul Andrew and Guillaume Meilland. The two designers managed to wipe off the dust of the Italian house already back in their brilliant debut collection. Now, the question is – will they thrive? And, will the client return to Ferragamo after the year of oblivion? Well, since Phoebe Philo exited Céline and the customer who wants that kind of luxury won’t stay for Hedi Slimane, they can turn to Andrew and Meilland (as well as to Lemaire and Hermes, but why not give a try to an Italian brand?). Knitwear is offered in the most high quality yarns, meanwhile shirting looks, well, like tailorship perfection. Archival prints were used for plissé silk, and the label’s signature Gancio motif was woven on canvas jacquard. Smart integrity between the past, and now. But, wait – the shoes! That’s Paul’s job mainly. Those burgundy boots in eel skin are gorgeous. “The shoes really dictate a lot at Ferragamo; here they have their own special voice” is how he summed up the footwear line. I think there’s bright future for Ferragamo with these guys.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Soft Nomads. Missoni AW18

February 25, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

Backstage of the show, Angela Missoni explained that “this is Missoni’s 65th anniversary; I thought, ‘Let’s start celebrating.’” Not only was a sense of laid-back felt all over the collection, that contained of both womenswear and menswear. It was a delightful, effortless play with the brand’s heritage knitwear. The Missoni nomads had something of Scottish, African, Italian and Jamaican reminiscence. But the nonchalantly tied shawls around the neck and the heavily Jean-Michel Basquiat inspired colour palette was a reference to 1970s New York, as the season’s moodboard suggested. Angela’s recent ways at Missoni make the family label even more relevant that ever, with its relaxed styling and remarkable ad campaigns lensed by Harley Weir. Not forgetting about the model diversity present in the autumn-winter 2018 show, which is something to be learnt by other Milan designers.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Fire, Pop-Corn, Hope. Calvin Klein AW18

February 15, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

Undoubtedly, Raf Simons‘ vision at Calvin Klein, which is so well executed (and financed – it’s really pleasing to see how the brand supports him), is something to write and write and write. But in short, that was a collection that accumulates Simons‘ image of contemporary USA. Adoration of the mass media (tons of pop-corn on the venue’s floor suggest the urge for spotlight, eternal love for Hollywood and, maybe, cult of celebrity); anxiety and need for protection (fireman jackets, thigh-length rubber boots; knitted balaclavas – ready and steady for an anti-Trump demonstration); indestructible hope for a better future (purely American-esque prairie skirts and dresses, of course exaggerated in volume and cut). Simons‘ Calvin Klein is not just clothes and fresh, Sterling Ruby filled branding – it’s food for thought, most of all. But also, it’s worth noting that it’s the designer’s third runway collection for Klein, and it seems that Raf’s ideas for the brand continue to accelerate at high-speed – whether we’re speaking of the show venues or the garments (for instance take that incredible fur coat that got deconstructed into a safety jacket).

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