Joy, Period! Marc Jacobs AW24

July 2, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

This week started with a sensational Marc Jacobs fashion show in New York. The designer is in such a great creative place right now: he doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone, doesn’t engage in New York Fashion Week, and just creates at his own pace some of the finest work in his career. As he wrote in the latest collection’s powerful note, “we use fashion to embrace bold and courageous self-expression to articulate and showcase our inner selves, allowing us to freely explore and display our thoughts, desires, and identities in a deeper pursuit of joy, beauty and personal transformation“. This isn’t another press release talk; this absolutely and truthfully sums up not only Marc’s work and contribution to fashion, but himself.

The show lasted just six minutes. Jacobs fancies this short, sharp-shock format, starkly contrasting to his past, excessive outings that featured entire runway productions. This “less is more” approach really gives so much more – intensely more. On the runway, a mosaic of all-time American symbols, hyperbolised and exaggerated as if they were Claes Oldenburg sculptures: Marilyn Monroe in her iconic subway grate dress from “The Seven Year Itch“, Minnie Mouse in her red and white polka dots (they also felt very Yayoi Kusama, the Japanese artist Marc collaborated with at Louis Vuitton), and princess gowns out of a fairy tale. Hyper-pop and vivacious: a bold act of resistance towards all the socio-political disasters going on in the world – and especially, in the U.S.? Maybe. But maybe the designer wanted to rebelliously commit himself to pure joy. And then you had the yellow polka dot bikini, several sizes too big. The proportions in this collection were distorted to perfection. The miniskirts’ ultra-short lengths, and the arcing hemlines of knee-length skirts, especially when they were higher in front than in the back, made models look like giants. “The future remains unwritten,” the designer concluded in his note. And maybe that’s a good thing?

How about some of my beloved pieces from past Jacobs’ Runway collections?

ED’s SELECTION:

Marc Jacobs Bustier Linen Wool Strapless Mini Dress with Scarf

Marc Jacobs High-Neck Draped Sequin Mini Dress

Marc Jacobs Leather Engineered Draped Mini Skirt

Marc Jacobs Prince Of Wales Wool Cropped Blazer Jacket

Marc Jacobs High-Waist Lace Briefs

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
Don’t forget to follow Design & Culture by Ed on Instagram!

Hey, did you know about my newsletter – Ed’s Dispatch? Click here to subscribe!

Electric Combinations. Christopher Kane SS16

September 22, 2015September 21, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Christopher Kane moves to the rythm of SS16 with a return to neon brights and patchwork dressing – python skins combined with plastic? Yes, I’m totally into that electric combination. What about the abstractly panneled cocktail dresses with straw-fringes? Acid-spilt lace skirts are back, too – but in a much more futuristic edition. The designer behind London’s fastest growing label happily let his creativity take over the reigns, and that is visible by the amount of uncommerical pieces presented during the show. Also, hand-made stuff fans, here is one for you – if you wish to do some DIY for next season, try out Christopher’s jewellery. You can find those plastic thingies in every Castorama or Ikea around your place!

#TBT: YSL’s SS08 Stardust

May 8, 2014July 28, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

When Mr. Stefano Pilati was at helm of Saint Laurent (back then still YSL), the Summer 2008 collection was all about plastic stars worn as tops and embroideries on the shoes and dresses… it was very pop and cheerful. Looking back at it, I have a feeling that Hedi Slimane’s grunge isn’t so far away from Laurent’s chic!

Pop It. Tom Ford AW13

February 19, 2013August 7, 2013 | Design & Culture by Ed

Tom Ford, that is now having a rebirth of his label that was for time being making cosmetics, and really long time ago was creative director of Gucci, is debuting with his third collection on London Fashion Week. Now I’m saying this. He is my favorite of the week. His collections are for real, they’ve got fur in great amounts (sorry PETA and eco fans), luxury embroinment on skirts and pants with Chinatown inspired flowers from the elegant lounges and clubs for elite. After a serie of super luxury sportwear with animal print a bit of black minimalism came on amazing sweaters.

Ford was also inspired with Neons/pop art. Just look at the dresses and jackets! These Kapow patterns that are known from Roy Lichtenstein art are mind blowing. And what’s very Tom, is that he didn’t put these Kapow’s everywhere- no he used it in subtel, delicate amount, mostly on maxi gowns.

When the furs came around I thought to myself “Altuzarra and Prabal Gurung, take notes or run away”! The long, higly tailored coats with laser cut leather and white fur were breath taking! I was jst stunned.

And the funniest part of the show was when the “zebras” came! The long evening gowns with sequined stripes in black and white were so classical but modern! Really the collection left me in many points totally stunned. And I was feeling, like if the models came out from a elite and luxury lounge somewhere in London, decorated in Chinese like ornaments and 60’s- 70’s prints… Tom Ford collection was BEST from whole London Fashion Week!