Donna, Calvin, Ralph. Alexander Wang SS20

June 3, 2019 | Design & Culture by Ed

I’ve been on fence with Alexander Wang lately – his fashion week schedule skipping and temporary identity crisis not only seemed to make him less visible (especially here in Europe), but also… less relevant. But something has sparked in his spring-summer 2020 collection he showed a few days ago in New York (three months ahead of all designers who are based in the city). It was really, really good. It was Alexander Wang we all loved years ago. It was badass, cool, energetic. And, smart. This season, the designer paid tribute to three designers who changed American fashion in the late 20th century, and whose aesthetical impect is still perceivable across the world. Donna Karan. Her stretch jersey bodysuits and big shoulders were the epitome of power dressing in the 1980s, and Wang included all of her signature codes in the opening looks. Calvin Klein. Denim, sex, but also minimalism – all these three couldn’t be missed by Wang, and he pulled them off just the right way. Ralph Lauren. The eternal flannel plaid, suede fringes, corduroy, ribbed knits and luxe cowboy look were all here. Those three designers not only reshaped American fashion, but also made their own take on athleisure go global. Most of today’s 30+ designers in the U.S. were growing up with those names, and Wang’s sporty sensibility is especially built on their foundation. Admitting this so loudly is more than excellent I think.

Collages by Edward Kanarecki.

Women. Khaite Resort 2020

June 2, 2019 | Design & Culture by Ed

After three years of existence, Catherine Holstein‘s Khaite is well-known throughout the industry and obsessed over by women of varying ages, occupations, and tastes around the world. This New York-based brand, recently nominated for Emerging Designer of the Year by CFDA Awards, does clothes according to the idea ‘from a woman to women’. From confident tailoring and Southwestern-inspired daywear to entrance-making, but unpretentious eveningwear, the resort 2020 collection has it all. You just can’t ignore Khaite’s velvet little black dress or denim pants with a suede finishing. A tulle dress, which might sound like a challenge, looks surprisingly approachable. And super lightweight. Those women-lead brands from New York (The Row, Rosie Assoulin, Bode, Colina Strada, Batsheva…) are so, so good. Khaite’s on the list.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

So Batsheva. Batsheva Resort 2020

May 31, 2019 | Design & Culture by Ed

Batsheva is the fashion brand on everybody’s lips in New York. And not only. Her signature prairie dress has already left a mark on fashion, seeing very, very similar silhouettes at other brands (like at the just launched, first capsule collection from The Marc Jacobs). But Batsheva Hay seems to be unbothered. Her loyal clients will buy the original idea at its source. And her resort 2020 lookbook doesn’t just sell the clothes. It sells a fresh view at fashion, which is more of an outsider’s perspective. Here, Batsheva herself is the model, and her photographer husband, Alexei, takes the photos. They ran around Manhattan shooting the collection quite spontaneously, in their favorite places together. No makeup. No stylists. Just a married couple marking some of their most cherished spots in the city where both grew up. So, what do we have? Of course, the prairie dress, in new colours, lenghts and prints. We also have Victorian blouses and a gorgeous, voluminous skirts in gingham. One of the dresses with a turtleneck was sewn from a sourced, U.S.A. flag. Flared pants in leopard print, styled with a matching dress, look hot. With every season, the designer makes you want to come back for more of her clothes, her kind of ‘basics’, that are quintessentialy… Batsheva.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki. Photos by Alexei Hay.

Time Travel. Louis Vuitton Resort 2020

May 13, 2019 | Design & Culture by Ed

Nicolas Ghesqière seems to be not over his love for the past decades. Louis Vuitton‘s resort 2020, which was presented at the historic TWA Flight Center in New York (the fantastic space, renovated for years and soon to be open as a hotel, was designed by Eero Saarinenback in 1962), was all about the past: 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, combined with Elizabethan NYC’s art deco heritage. Which again reminds us that fashion, unfortunately, has problems with finding inspiration anywhere else. But back to the collection. Stewardess dresses and Chrysler-Building-inspired bags; 1980’s big sleeves and combat boots of the 1990s; Catwoman skullcaps and pantsuits of Wall Street. Highlight? Marte Mei van Haaster’s strass-lined caped crop-top. But in general, not a fan of this collection.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Choices. Prada Resort 2020

May 7, 2019 | Design & Culture by Ed

Retro florals, smart layering, scarves bejewelled with XXL sequins, baroque pearl earrings, chunky hand-knit tennis vests, clashed prints. Carefree eclecticism that isn’t overly extravagant, but daringly fantastic for everyday. It seemed that Miuccia Prada resorted to simpler, easier codes of fashion, leaving the darkness of last season behind. But in a way, this was Prada’s defiance in the time of difficulties. The collection, staged in New York (just like last year), was pure joy, whether we’re speaking of a blue peasant shirt-dress with naive flower embroideries worn by Freja Beha or adorable, knitted striped beanies and socks in bold colours, paired with the most ‘unmatching’ looks. There were also looks that will comfort the safer Prada customers, like light, loosely tailored blazers and classic coats. For me, what stood out in this collection, was the number of possibilities, suited for many different personalities. While the last few collections from Prada had those two or three key looks that ruled the runway, and had a tendency to be polarised between super feminine and super dark, here the designer really emphasised that sort of off-the-fashion-show reality. Take what you love, mix it the way you feel like.