New York

Boundary Free Globalism. Area AW20

| Design & Culture by Ed

Finally, somebody brought life back to the sleepy first days of New York fashion week. You can always count on Area’s Beckett Fogg and Piotrek Panszczyk to deliver something unexpected, fun and bold. And intelligent. The duo’s The autumn-winter 2020 line-up was one of their most intensive yet, exploring fabrics, history, new technologies, collaboration, and cultural impact through garments that truly do not look like anything else on the market. Fogg and Panszczyk began their research this season with their venue, The Africa Center. The nonprofit cultural hub and museum was moved to the Upper East Side’s Museum Mile almost 10 years ago, but development stalled when funding fell out. The brand has inked a partnership with the center in the hopes of spotlighting African culture and craft in the USA. Weaving techniques native to Africa helped inform the show’s opening looks, too, but an Area collection is never just about one thing. There was plenty of other references: Japanese tropical postcards, the pleating and draping of Madame Grès, leather costumes by Eiko Ishioka for Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula, interior design by the New York–based duo Myreality (the chair bags!) and Romeo Gigli’s heart motifs. Most important is the idea of boundary-free globalism. As designers, the pair pull inspiration from wherever they please, but what makes their clothing so interesting is the way they melt these ideas together in a spectacular alchemy. It’s reflective of the way they see the world, and how they see New York in particular: a borderless community of free spirits. Clothes-wise, those are garments for the daring ones who love being extra 24/7, that’s for sure. But then, some of the pieces put separate – like knitwear, tailoring and coats, all pimped up with rhinestones – are great for everyday style. I wish some big musician finally discovered Area and wore their extraordinary garments on tours and the red carpet.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Modern Uniforms. Peter Do AW20

| Design & Culture by Ed

Peter Do is the “old Céline” guard, who developed his aesthetic and style under Phoebe Philo. Add a succesful Instagram performance and thoughtful visual communication, and it’s a label that immediately got on everybody’s lips. It’s Do’s second official season, and here’s what we’ve got: modern uniforms of exceptionally tailored pieces which are both functional and fashion-forward. The autumn-winter 2020 palette is a treat: gray, accented with rose, scarlet, and hunter green. The black, all-sequinned blazer and matching pleated skirt is a great alternative to eveningwear. The label also debuts with footwear, which is all about heavy, polished-leather boots with metallic elements. Some looks felt over-sophisticated, like the oddly sharp cuts of the jackets’ lapels, but when you put the clothes apart, those are some very, very good wardrobe essentials.
Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Refined Classics. The Row Pre-Fall 2020

| Design & Culture by Ed

“We try to be thoughtful. It’s everything for every day. There aren’t really tricks,” said Mary-Kate Olsen during The Row‘s pre-fall 2020 presentation in Paris. She and her sister, Ashley, keep on impressing the industry with their sublime, refined, minimalist, yet soft take on everyday classics. There’s an American tradition behind this: The Row stands on the shoulders of what Donna Karan did for second-wave feminist aspirers to boardrooms in the 1980s, and what Calvin Klein contributed to New York minimalism in the 1990s. Add quality that will last for years and years to come, and here’s The Row that keeps on pushing envelope in terms of the luxurious simplicity. The pre-fall line-up is filled with well-cut peacoats and silk robes, as well as business-ready offering: perfect midi pencil skirt with a matching a shirt in the same fabric or fluid trousers and a double-breasted jacket in the creamiest shade of ecru. Delightful.

All collages by Edward Kanarecki.

Organic. Rosie Assoulin Pre-Fall 2020

| Design & Culture by Ed

For her lovely pre-fall 2020 line-up, Rosie Assoulin looks back at her classics – think statement sleeves, zesty colors and eveningwear that’s never fussy – and not only. The designer’s obsession with all things organic – from food to fabrics – has lent a softer touch to even her fanciest stuff of late. The collection’s “picnic plaid” cotton suits; raw-edged linen dresses; convertible cable knits (they became Instagram’s obsession the moment the images went live); candy-color, 100% vegan sandals; jacquard pieces woven with exotic fruits and their prices-per-pound. She added that this wasn’t hand-picked farmer’s market produce; the flatness of the material was instead a clever nod to our strange new habit of ordering groceries online. Another highlight: a floor-length, drop-waist shirtdress in crisp ivory poplin. To make it look even more sophisticated, the designer added extra volume with darts and tiers around the hips, creating something of a low pannier. Thumbs up for the fantastic look-book photos by Stevie Verroca and Mada Refujio!

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Signatures. Batsheva Pre-Fall 2020

| Design & Culture by Ed

The Batsheva dress: high-neck, nipped waist, ruffle sleeve, full skirt. That distinct silhouette made designer Batsheva Hay‘s brand become one of New York’s biggest favourites. And even though season goes, this dress – often made from ornate, vintage textiles – doesn’t get boring. Still, now Batsheva has to move on creatively. And looking at her pre-fall 2020, she thrives. Meet the smock frock, which works as a housecoat in velveteen leopard and crimson moiré. “That’s how I want to dress now,” Hay says. And what Hay wants remains the backbone of Batsheva. New, over-sized shapes and menswear-ish separates (like a Western shirt) make debuts. Hay’s choice of fabrics – a mix of quilting materials and unlikely fashion candidates like burnout velvets and suit linings – keeps a consistency between her circle skirts and more structured day dresses. Get the Batsheva look.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.