Pre-Fall 2019

Suit Up. Thom Browne Pre-Fall 2019

| Design & Culture by Ed

Thom Browne‘s pre-fall 2019 collection is quintessentially… Thom Browne. Expect the designer’s subversive take on suiting – whether we’re speaking of an over-sized, wool blazer worn over an equally ‘business’ dress (and a crisp white shirt with a tie, layered underneath) or something more playful, say, duck-print tailored jackets with matching knee-lenght skirts. The look-book as well sees the designer’s signature intarsia techniques: tie stripes meet willows, landscapes and even more geese. Also, really love the shoes, kept in red, white and black. They look as bold as Browne’s upside-down elegance.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Egypt in NYC. Chanel Pre-Fall 2019

| Design & Culture by Ed

Chanel‘s Métiers d’Art shows are the only ones I look at. I love the craftsmanship involved here – it’s different level comparing to the ridiculous ready-to-wear collections, but looks more wearable than in the couture outings. This time, Karl Lagerfeld took his guests to New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art to pull off an Ancient Egypt-inspired collection. To be honest, most of the clothes looked hideous and even the beauty of the surrounding tombstones and artifacts couldn’t hide this fact. BUT. Some of the details were impressive. The Amarna-inspired make-up. The gold-painted legs of every model. And the opulent appreciation of jewels and everything that’s shiny – a feature of every Egyptian king and queen. Would today’s Nefertiti dress in a Chanel tweed jacket made out of golden threads? Absolutely yes. But will real Chanel customers be able to wear any of this without looking ‘dressed up’ for a theme party? Who knows.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Pertinent. Givenchy Pre-Fall 2019

| Design & Culture by Ed

Clare Waight Keller continues to thrive at helm of Givenchy, and the pre-fall 2019 collection of hers proves that very, very well. For the collection, Clare chose the myth of Icarus as her message and included various allusions to deities, minotaurs, the sky, and the sea. “Mythology always seems to capture people’s imagination. There’s a dreamlike element, but it’s also grounded in something pertinent,” she explained. However, the designer didn’t go too literal with it.  The ostrich-feathered tunic and the wing-like protrusions of a yellow minidress might have nodded to the mythological fallen hero. But then, you can equally treat them as some very, very chic eveningwear. The line-up, featuring Waight Keller’s favourite model, Veronka Kunz, and other Givenchy muses, was all about simple cuts that brought a sharp, distinct look. The exaggerated, short blazers or voluminous faux fur coats are my highlights.

Collages by Edward Kanarecki.

Big Red. Valentino Pre-Fall 2019

| Design & Culture by Ed

While some designers (well, I specifically think about the two that landed in every industry news headline last week) fail to understand and respect other cultures than theirs, Valentino’s Pierpaolo Piccioli doesn’t have that problem. His pre-fall 2018 collection for both, women and men, was presented in Tokyo a few days ago and it was far, far away from getting trapped in stereotypical thinking. The first dozen of looks was a punch of red: parkas, furs, florals, duvet jackets, sheer frocks, shirts, loosely fitted pants, everything in red. The next 30 or 40 looks were mostly black or white, with a few pastel exceptions. The closing looks – made for the red carpet – were all about red, again. But we’re speaking of Valentino red, which is a deep and absorbing shade. Lots and lots of tulle and silk was used for each of these evening gowns. And they did look exquisite, couture-level. Shortly, it seemed to be a regular Valentino collection that could be equally presented in Paris, New York or Rome. That was Piccioli’s goal: to show that today’s Valentino is an international brand, suited for women and men from very different destinations. Still, there were some Japan-related hints behind the collection. They were subtle and well-balanced. Piccioli is drawn to the Japanese art of kintsugi, of repairing the cracks of broken porcelain with a molten gold effect that adds new layers of beauty, “so the most broken pieces become the most precious—the opposite to Western culture. Time adds something to beauty.” Did he mean the ever-changing codes of Valentino? Or maybe that was a light metaphor for the art of autumn layering the designer mastered so well this season? Pierpaolo was also moved by this one aspect of Japanese culture that is extremely alive especially today – specifically “the symbolic act of dressing up. People in the street dress like a ceremony, like a ritual”. Other than Moncler, the designer did two more special collaborations this season – both with Japanese visionaries of their own crafts. Renaissance art appeared in the purses produced in collaboration with Undercover’s Jun Takahashi, which will only be sold in Valentino’s Tokyo flagship store. The playfully surreal self-portraiture of the 21-year-old artist Izumi Miyazaki appeared on loose dresses and parkas – it certainly brought more vigour to the line-up. It’s not the first time when I say this: Valentino blooms with Pierpaolo in charge of it.
Collage by Edward Kanarecki.