New Elegance. Dries Van Noten SS19

October 1, 2018October 1, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

“A gesture of couture, but not in a retro way—the way she stands, holds her bag, all these things,” is how Dries Van Noten explained the modern elegance he presented in his spring-summer 2019 collection. A sheer top with yellow sequins that from distance looked like canary feathers; impressive, beaded mesh work that topped white, crisp shirts; evening-wear that looked like patched out of silk foulards. The Belgian designer as well played with draping, ending up with a grown-up offer of chic business-wear. Some sort of street attitude was delivered in form of colourful, PVC coats. This was Van Noten’s best collection since his much celebrated 100th show – all the garments, playful and all, looked like they are absolutely ready to be worn on the daily basis. Well, maybe the colourful feather headdresses would be a hard bit to repeat at home. But on the runway, it looked sublime.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Down The Boulevard. Saint Laurent SS19

September 26, 2018September 27, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello. This season, it dangerously reminded you of Hedi Slimane’s YSL era, though – that LA, grungy-sultry look highlighted with extreme platform heels and lots of body exposure. Even the fake white palms standing in front of the water-filled runway (with a view at Eiffel Tower, of course) had a lot to say about Vaccarello’s current, American obsession. But other than the Hedi looks, we had a nearly all-black line-up, featuring completely sheer dresses and bathing suits. The leopard spots were very Yves as well, but made you think of another designer-predecessor of Vaccarello – Tom Ford. Where’s Anthony in all that? Well, his aesthetic is the love child of all Saint Laurent designers, whether you like it or not. Personally, I wasn’t thrilled with the collection, at all.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

It’s Diversity. Koché SS19

September 26, 2018September 26, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

Christelle Kocher, just like Marine Serre, likes to keep her fashion one-of-a-kind, but suited for real life. With the designer’s signature streetwear aesthetic, Koché is the brand that makes sweatpants and hoodies in the most couture way you can imagine – think meticulous embroideries and extraordinary fabric clashes. Kocher’s spring-summer 2019 instantly reminded me of Jean Paul Gaultier’s 1994 collection, so the at-the-time controversial Les Tatouages. Just like in Gaultier’s ‘startling vision of cross-cultural harmony‘, Christelle mixed and fused cultures and ethnicities in her collection, creating a wearable ode to style diversity. There were some very literal references to Jean Paul’s collection (hopefully credited), like the tattoo motif on transparent tops. Also, I noticed some old, good Yves Saint Laurent chic here too – see the le smoking look, styled with a red flower necklace. But mostly, the collection was quintessentially Koché – easy in approach and comfortable.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Real. Marine Serre SS19

September 25, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

Marine Serre’s second runway collection is best proof that she’s one of the most promising emerging designers out there in Paris. Her last collection was all about futuristic athleisure with a cosmic twist. Spring-summer 2019 is suited for daily errands down here on planet Earth. Serre’s already signature moon crest prints and scarf dresses (made of already existing, silk stock) were here, but there were many, many new additions that continue to make this label feel totally fresh. There’s tailoring, pimped up with Serre’s sporty sensibility; upcycled, couture-ish evening-wear that had a cool, utilitarian attitude about it; menswear that will surely please both, boys and girls. But what’s most important, the collection is fit for everyday life, even though it’s not about trivial basics. Plastic bags for groceries and patched jackets made of thick denim, perfect for a motorcycle ride. Some models walked the runway with their children (all wearing Marine’s crest printed outfits, of course), and some had their babies stylishly strapped in the front of their chests, raising the bar for mum-accessories in fashion. A wardrobe for a variety of life aspects. But what’s most impressive about it is that Serre’s visual language doesn’t get lost in all that. Each piece is distinctly her. And that’s an achievement, especially since Marine Serre isn’t a big, old brand.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Le Palace, Jane and The Past. Gucci SS19

September 25, 2018September 25, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

The first day of fashion week felt like a present you’ve been waiting for for a long time, but in the end you didn’t really get what you wanted. Three collections: the boringly beautiful Dior (rumoured to be the last coming from Maria Grazia Chiuri), very obvious Jacquemus and the one-time-only Gucci show in the French capital, which from the three felt the most exciting. The last part of Alessandro Michele’s French trilogy (we had the 1968 student protest inspired advertising campaign and the memorable, ‘on fire’ resort 2019 collection in Arles) ended up in Le Palace, the historically famous club that used to be the Mecca for such night-goers like Yves Saint Laurent, Bianca Jagger or Karl Lagerfeld. Through the film that was played in the beginning of the show, we learned that the experimental theatre of Leo de Berardinis and Perla Peragallo served as a reference for Michele’s spring-summer 2019 creations. The clothes couldn’t be more theatrically dramatic, in the designer’s signature, eclectic sense. The models seemed to have played historical dress-up in an old, costume treasure chest just before the show. The overall style was quintessentially Alessandro: vintage-y, opulent, at points simply kitsch. Even though the designer champions gender fluidity in his collections, which is wonderful especially at such a globally renowned brand like Gucci, I honestly think that his latest line-up dug too deep in the past. Additional nostalgia was brought by Jane Birkin, who in the middle of the show stood up from her front row seat and started to sing the melancholic Baby Alone in Babylone. Don’t get me wrong. The spectacle (it can be hardly called a ‘fashion show’) was a masterpiece. But the fashion part, even if tried hard to remind of Parisian clubbing chic, was monotonously Michele who we see every single season. Aesthetically I absolutely can’t relate to this collection. How about the true Gucci customer? I guess anything goes.