Raw Girl. Acne Studios Pre-Fall’16

January 13, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

The newest Acne Studios collection for pre-fall 2016 is a perfect set of looks, which defines the current fashion obsession – so the raw girl, who is wearing her favourite, yet slightly dilapidated knitted cardigan, cowboy boots from a Los Angeles thrift shop (Gilda Ambrosio style, of course) and a satin slip dress, but in a very party-hard way. The grunge edginess of this Parisian outing is softened with toned and warm autumn colours of curcuma and dove grey, while the focus on knitwear (this green, super-long scarf looks perfect for a lazy, September day) felt like a fresh gust of air for the brand. If talking of the textures, one of the coats is a real, one-of-a-kind piece – the tartan check has a kind of an arty, hybrid contrast on the waist-line. The contemporary usage of velvet as a bra-piece of a slip-dress looks both dramatic and flawless with a delicate shawl tied around the neck of the model. Jonny Johansson, this collection is a BOMB.

Berlin. Givenchy Pre-Fall’16

January 7, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Who would have thought that Berlin is suddenly becoming fashion’s favourite city? After Gucci presented its spring-summer 2016 campaign photographed by Glen Luchford (club WCs, peacocks and rooftops – see it here), the creative director of Givenchy, Riccardo Tisci, took the edgy streets of Kreuzberg by storm. The pre-fall 2016 collection is not only great because of the location, which I deeply adore – Riccardo comes back to his roots, which are all about fashion, and not the celebrity circus. Masculine pyjama layered with a lace skirt; sharp apparel channelled by Irina Shayk; “cheesy”, pink ankle-boots styled with romantic shoulder-exposing tops. Although there are no literal references of the city, the collection is very close to Berlin’s youthful attitude – the girls in here twist vintage looking suits with rock’n’roll biker jackets and simple, yet soigné spaghetti-strap tops. In other words, Berlin’s urban chic is getting a refined revamp by a French maison. Good try, Riccardo. I’m into it.

Cherish the Day. No21 Pre-Fall’16

December 23, 2015August 5, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

It’s again all about Alessandro Dell’AcQua – however, this time we are talking about the designer’s home-label, N21. After the festive pre-fall collection which he delivered at Rochas just a few days ago, the Italian designer took an interesting twist at N21, refreshing his house codes and bringing new motifs – like the kitty-kat prints and embroideries on knitted, chunky sweaters and mini-bags. Also, the current European weather, which is definitely not about a white Christmas, makes this collection look and feel perfect for the moment – long coats with strips of velvet, silk dresses in military hues, series of light, masculine shirts with lace sleeves and the flawless, parachute maxi dresses in red and green are the total highlights of the season. Also, the shearling jacket with delicate embroidery had a moment. Just like the bow-top, which is an exaggerated symbol of N21, the collection is full of toned, yet cheerful clothes. And surely, Alessandro and his studio have a reason to celebrate – 2016 will start with an opening the first European flagship store in the heart of Milan, and later on, the brand will set a launch of the childwear line. The optimistic attitude is visible in both, the pre-fall 2016 look-book and the designer’s Instagram feed!

New Year Eve Tips. Rochas Pre-Fall 2016

December 21, 2015December 21, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Even though these clothes will hit the stores only in June, Rochas delivered its pre-fall 2016 collection just in time before Christmas and New Year Eve fuss. Literally, this collection is a treasury of tips for a chic party outfit. Alessandro Dell’AcQua, who celebrates his second year at this heritage couture house, knows the codes of Rochas inside out – the meticulously embroidered silks, masterful Chantilly lace usage and the richness of textiles is not strange to him at all, but rather makes him feel like in his opulent fashion heaven. Also, Alessandro’s all-time favourite fashion trick for a slight granny-elegance update is here – socks worn with fancy pussy-bow pumps. This season, the fur game is strong for Rochas, too – the beautiful shades of blue, chestnut and burgundy made the variety of outerwear look more than fun. The non-chalance kept in the slouchy, fur stoles and the on-the-go idea of putting a slip-dress over a t-shirt will never disappoint or bore. And definitely not during a tasteful, New Year party.

Modular. JW Anderson Pre-Fall’16

December 20, 2015December 20, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Jonathan Anderson never fails to deliver a provoking and literally mind-blowing collection for his own, eponymous label. For pre-fall 2016, the J.W. Anderson woman is continuing her wardrobe musings from the summer outing – the remarkable, leg-of-mutton sleeves and bra-like crop-tops blurred with the stereotypical appeal of fish-net tights. “Modular” is what he called his lookbook, meaning the way the silhouettes overlap each other and the Edwardian-like sleeves which are a minimal nod to the past. However, “modular” might also mean the interesting way Jonathan mixes different textures and elements – strips of fur are combined with cloud-like pillows, creating a very sculptural jacket. Just to make it even more extraordinary, take a note of the shoes – the nylon covered, 90’s studded boots make this collection even more… unexpected. And surely one-of-a-kind!