The Sunset. Altuzarra SS16

September 13, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Not only Rosie Assoulin brought the sun to our lives through her collection. Altuzarra‘s spring-summer 2016 is basically a fantasy of vacations in Tuscany, with Italian wine and beautiful sunsets over the vineyards. Joseph Altuzarra always keeps the femme-fatale attitude (the unbuttoned shirt, flesh exposing skirts), but this time his woman was much more relaxed. Flawless dresses were kept in warm colours of ombre, orange and emerald-green. Intricate embellishments adorned peekaboo pencil skirts and slouchy, cotton blazers felt perfect for breezy evenings. The accessories game for Altuzarra is strong – by expanding his brand, the bags and shoes look even better and better each season – the bags with leather tassels are the instant must-haves. And the heels with espadrille finishes perfectly matched this laid-back collection.

Summer Comeback. Rosie Assoulin SS16

September 13, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Rosie Assoulin‘s collections are always full of joy. For her SS16, the designer took us to one of New York’s public pools, which has its murals painted by Keith Haring. The location had a lot to do with the collection – swimwear was the key, and that was visible by looking at the very first looks. Bikini tops were worn over shirts, while happy, slightly trippy stripes covered the voluminous flares. The colours were bold and nutritious – intensive red and orange made me want summer to comeback as quick as possible! Assoulin’s signatures gowns are famous among New York fashionistas for their carefree attitude – they are not all about precious embellishments and a typical, heavy couture feeling, but about an old-school, Diana Ross glamour. Ruffles, bows – and beautiful silhouettes are as usually ruling. That’s sure – Rosie truly enjoys her play with fashion!

New York. Givenchy SS16

September 12, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Having Givenchy in New York is unusual – this historical, French house in the Big Apple. Riccardo Tisci‘s plan to expand the brand in America is already taking a spin, as the first Givenchy flagship has just opened. The show (which quested about 1000 people – fashionistas, editors and real people, who caught their free tickets) was artistically directed by Marina Abramovic on Pier 26 with a stunning view on Manhattan. The clothes were interesting, too – satin tops and dresses were sexy while lace details gave the entire collection a romantic mood. Tisci also brought some haute couture to NYC – the eveningwear was mesmerizing. Tulle in the shape of alligator skin on a body-dress was an absolute favourite. Of course, Riccardo’s Givenchy wouldn’t be Givenchy without some splendour – the model had nose-rings and crystals “attached” to their faces, looking like princesses from the Arabian Nights. In comparison to the last few collections of Givenchy, this one was a really, really good one. And it feels like Riccardo Tisci again looks towards the clothes, and not celebrities.

Modern Femininity. Area SS16

September 11, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

I feel proud to see a Polish accent in New York. AREA is the brainchild of Beckett Fogg and Piotrek Panszczyk – a brand, which changes the meaning of femininity. Their signature Braille-effect textiles made over-sized ruffles, elongated sleeves and glamorous gowns look lady-like, but not totally. It had a lot to do with the 70’s glamorama – the make-up, the hair, the whole “eponymous” bling. But from the other side, AREA makes it specific femininity look alien. Is it because of the embossed texture? Or the over-the-knee leg covers? And then, we’ve got the pilgrim shoes with buckles that are a totally diffrent story. It seems to me, that AREA has a lot to say… and I am really interested how will it evolve!

Every Woman. Rachel Comey SS16

September 11, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Rachel Comey is a female fashion designer who designs for woman. It’s tempting to say, that she is Phoebe Philo of New York. Although her very wearable clothes are more affordable, her philosophy is very close to woman’s perfect wardrobe. And rather than having a classical model casting, the “models” of the show were diverse, different-age women. All of these “models” were dancers from the Robbins Childs company, with which Comey collaborated on a video presentation for Resort 2016. They were dresses in easy silhouettes, that suited their various sizes and shapes; slouchy cotton blazers, baggy dresses with flesh-exposing cuts, signature culottes and the wooden wedges were the highlights – however, the distressed denim won everybody’s heart. The mini-dress with a Corbusier-inspired pattern and high-waisted, over-sized pants will definitely sell first when they hit the stores in New York.