Fire, Pop-Corn, Hope. Calvin Klein AW18

February 15, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

Undoubtedly, Raf Simons‘ vision at Calvin Klein, which is so well executed (and financed – it’s really pleasing to see how the brand supports him), is something to write and write and write. But in short, that was a collection that accumulates Simons‘ image of contemporary USA. Adoration of the mass media (tons of pop-corn on the venue’s floor suggest the urge for spotlight, eternal love for Hollywood and, maybe, cult of celebrity); anxiety and need for protection (fireman jackets, thigh-length rubber boots; knitted balaclavas – ready and steady for an anti-Trump demonstration); indestructible hope for a better future (purely American-esque prairie skirts and dresses, of course exaggerated in volume and cut). Simons‘ Calvin Klein is not just clothes and fresh, Sterling Ruby filled branding – it’s food for thought, most of all. But also, it’s worth noting that it’s the designer’s third runway collection for Klein, and it seems that Raf’s ideas for the brand continue to accelerate at high-speed – whether we’re speaking of the show venues or the garments (for instance take that incredible fur coat that got deconstructed into a safety jacket).

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Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

American Horror. Calvin Klein SS18

September 8, 2017September 10, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

First thing you notice in Raf Simons‘ spring-summer 2018 collection for Calvin Klein is that he’s the man of consistency. The first looks – the new CK uniforms – were the cowboy shirts in heavy colour block, the same as we’ve seen in his debut collection last March. The shoes haven’t changed dramatically, too. The venue took place in Calvin Klein’s headquarters and it was again covered with Sterling Ruby’s installations, but the main motif was actually quite disturbing- knife and blood. Were horrors and criminals on Simons’ mind?

At Klein, he’s a fan for American symbolism, and thrillers are very well rooted in American cinema – wherever we speak of mid-20th century or 2017. To grasp the idea of crime-drenched drama in his new season evening wear, he pulled off 50s looking ball gowns (surprisingly constructed using vinyl). Some of the leather coats looked as if they were blood-stained, which gave the audience a thrill. Horror film vibes got even more serious when latex gloves emerged down the runway – the high fashion reminiscent of Jason’s mask from Friday 13th, some noted. But that wasn’t the end of the American obsession. For this season, the brand collaborated with Andy Warhol Foundation on prints, using some of the lesser known elements of the artist’s works on trousers, t-shirts and dresses. Simons shakes things up again, in a very sinister (even as for him) manner.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Best Ugly Shoes Of The Season

August 28, 2017August 28, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Finding those Miu Miu cowboy boots from spring-summer 1999 on the web a few days ago made me think for a while. Those shoes can be worn with the same (or even better today) relevance, whether it’s the 90s or 2017. My other thought was, ‘wait, I’ve seen that shoe shape countless of times this season’s’, starting from Calvin Klein and ending on Louis Vuitton. My last thought, and the most clear-headed one, was simple: they are just ugly. Lets not lie to ourselves, the colour, the wooden heel, the ultimately appalling look of these shoes makes them ugly in every single aspect.

But ugly is fun. And fashion loves fun. So, apparently, fashion loves ugliness. For instance, Miuccia Prada (the designer behind these cowboy stompers above) is the pioneer of ‘ugly’ in fashion, successfully selling nylon backpacks at Prada and pulling the envelope even further each season in questioning the term ‘good taste’. No one can help it – the uglier, the better. But am I frustrated with that fact? The answer is no. I will never forget Phoebe Philo’s massive impact on ugly footwear, after presenting at her Céline spring-summer 2013 runway THOSE sandals with fur. The instant reaction was bad, just read through the self-acclaimed fashionistas’ comments on some of Blogspot’s virtual junk-sites. But, as time has shown, those fluffies weren’t as bad as everybody thought back in 2013. Enter Zara today, and guess what you will find? Every second pair of sandals (and heels) are covered with faux-fur. And no one’s complaining.

If you also have a strange affection for horrendously looking footwear (hope I’m not the only one here), that’s one for you – the season’s nine ugliest shoes, captioned.

We still have to wait a bit for Shayne Oliver‘s debut collection at Helmut Lang. But the brand’s newly revamped website has those boots on-line. They perfectly convey Lang’s unconventional sense for footwear with that shearling fur sticking out. Cringey? Cringey. But cool.

Cowboy boots weren’t the only shoes appearing on Calvin Klein‘s runway. Raf Simons also has in offer these PVC stilettos, in different colours. Plastic and suede, that’s so drastically painful.

Céline site claims that these boots are made in Spain according to traditional shoe-making technique. Sharp in the front, slouchy on the back. That peculiar, square silhouette. One of the seasons stranger things, that’s for sure. But of high quality!

Again, Miu Miu. How many Muppets were killed to make these? Note, they’re vegan.

Francesco Risso‘ debut collection at Marni wasn’t only about really, but really messily edited clothing. The designer wasn’t only slammed by the critics for his ultra-psychedelic take on 60s, 70s, 80s, and God knows what else, but also for his shoes. An edgily curved heel. Patent leather. Fur-trimming. I wrote that ‘the uglier, the better’. Well, here’s an exception.

Miuccia hits this post the third time with her Prada footwear. Fur loafers versus those knee-length monsters. I like the fur story, but the boots with buckles everywhere look lame and nerd, even for Milan.

I love Acne Studios doing ugly shoes every season. So many things are going on here – ribbed knit, rusty suede, some kind of glue-y material and polished leather. Oh dear, what Jonny Johansson is a genius.

Demna Gvasalia spandex boots at Balenciaga are already the brand’s classic, but this season’s version in neon-green is toxic like a tropical frog.

You might easily get lost in these Y / Project boots of gargantuan capacity. Glenn Martens knows no limits, and whatever other say – these shoes are as badass as the collection itself.

Hope nobody suffered while reading this post! It’s fashion, after all.

Sterling Ruby’s Calvin Klein

August 1, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Collages by Edward Kanarecki (the above featuring elements from Sterling Ruby’s art).

Raf Simons‘ take on Calvin Klein is the biggest momentum going on in New York’s fashion, whether we’re speaking of his brilliant autumn-winter 2017 show or the visionary advertising strategy. As if that wasn’t enough to make a dusty brand take-off right away, there’s also the Madison Avenue flagship re-designed by Ruby Sterling, which reopened last Saturday.

Raf and Ruby are long-time friends and have collaborated on many projects – from a capsule collection of parkas and sweatshirts at Simons’ eponymous menswear line to fabrics for Dior’s haute couture show in 2012 (the Belgian designer designed womenswear at the French house for three years). Simons and Sterling’s paths cross again, but this time in form of a three-floor store covered in glowing yellow paint and the artist’s custom-made installations. As Ruby described his work in the past issue of 032c, his art is something cartoonish and illustrative, yet contains dark gothic humor of it. Knowing Simons’ signature style, that’s quite a match. Also, the artist often uses motifs connected to Americana – a theme Raf frequently relates to while working at Calvin Klein, the all-American fashion powerhouse. It’s worth adding that aong the clothes and accessories with CK tag, you are able to buy vibrant Italian glassware, Homer Laughlin coffee mugs and Rose Cabat’s ceramics in Raf and Ruby’s brand new empire.

Calvin Klein; Location: New York NY;

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But if you’re not planning New York in near future and have no chance to get hold of Simons’ Calvin Klein garments, better get hold of those yellow sleeves, this jacquard blouse or that very in-demand turtleneck. Just saying.

Calvin Klein

Oh, Raf. Calvin Klein AW17

February 11, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

While watching yesterday’s Calvin Klein show, where Raf Simons had his anticipated debut, I thought that up to now, a fashion follower felt like he / she had to belong to a specific ‘camp’. After Alessandro Michele of Gucci and Demna Gvasalia of Vetements and Balenciaga appeared on the scene in more or less the same time, fashion got so polarised. You either had to rush after embroidery madness and all those sparkly accessories or go for “the uglier, the better” kind of look, which says a strict ‘no’ to anything pretty. But what about people (like me), who weren’t falling into any of these camps entirely? I’m still a helpless sucker for Phoebe Philo’s Céline. But here is the new Calvin Klein.

Years at his own menswear brand, succesful tenures at Jil Sander and Dior – from every aspect, Raf seems to be the person, who can handle a major fashion brand, putting it again into the spotlight (and for longer, than a while). And especially if a label like Calvin Klein, which for the last few years was rather associated with Justin Bieber’s phallus in a pair of boxers than remarkable clothing, gradually declined. And Calvin Klein wasn’t only about NSFW Kate Moss and Brooke Shields advertisements: in the past, Klein used to pull off empowering suits for businesswomen, sensual slip-dresses and timeless apparel.

When Raf Simons and his design team (Pieter Mulier and Matthieu Blazy) were appointed at Calvin Klein back in August, the Belgian designer understood those codes instantly. And he knew they had to come back for good. Not only Calvin Klein logo and advertising campaigns got revamped; but the entire wardrobe for both men and women (both lines will be now put into one collection) went through heavy refreshment. For autumn-winter 2017, the Belgian designer put emphasis on suiting. Over-sized blazers for both men and women looked sharp, just like the pencil skirts and smart pants. The yellow coat worn by Julia Nobis was ‘trapped’ under vinyl, just like technicolour-era feather dresses. Simons loves messing up with stereotypes, so did he with American glamour: even the heels looked plastic-fantastic. Contemporary cowboy boots; body exposure mania in form of transparent knitwear; total leather looks for a motorcycle ride along Route 66. Even though Raf presented his first collection just a few months after Donald Trump won the elections, he doesn’t want to be miserable. He wants to celebrate America, its absurdity and phenomena. And that’s best seen in the wrapped, USA flag skirt.