Future is Now. Louis Vuitton SS19

October 11, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

While Nicolas Ghesquière‘s autumn-winter 2018 collection for Louis Vuitton was a bourgeois wardrobe fantasy, this season the designer returns to his all-time favourite themes: sci-fi, 80s call-backs and the clash between the old and the new. Innovative, rubber-like materials were used in architectural coats (that instantly recalled Nicolas’ brilliance at Balenciaga). The way the designer combined over-sized, space suit sleeves with meticulously embellished mini-dresses was so, so good. Need a fashion space-suit? Ghesquière has you covered with a floral ensemble. But there were also more approachable, easy clothes. Take the perfectly tailored blazers and boldly printed tank-tops. Oh, and the models! The casting stunned with beautiful diversity, from gorgeous new-comers and androgynous girls to runway veterans and transgender males. For Nicolas, the future is now.

Also, it’s the end of my Paris fashion week coverage. And a very happy good-bye to the fashion month.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Ghesquière’s Blade Runner Girl

July 19, 2017July 19, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Some collections are just unforgettable. And some do both: remain in your mind for seasons to come and stay ahead of time in their remarkable authenticity. Nicolas Ghesquière‘s autumn-winter 2012 collection for Balenciaga happens to fall into the latter camp. Bonded leather coats with over-sized shoulders, voluminous sweaters over cosmic A-line skirts, memorable sweatshirts with Join a Weird Trip signs. Too much of goodness.

I think this one specific line-up of the visionary designer wasn’t as well understood in 2012 as it would have been today – its singularity, sharp modernism and wearability feel so today, but also so 2020, 2030 and who knows – 2040? After seeing the new trailer of Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049, I just couldn’t hold myself from writing this short post as it made me think of Ghesquière’s brilliance right away. Blade Runner‘s neo-noir sci-fi sequel, coming later this year, is highly anticipated – and the designers can’t wait too, as Raf Simons did an entire menswear collection dedicated to the cult film. By the way, while designing at Louis Vuitton, Nicolas tends to frequently refer to Blade Runner while describing his futuristic collections.

Balenciaga AW12

Balenciaga AW12 in Purple Magazine’s editorial by Terry Richardson, issue 18.

Balenciaga’s AW12 campaign by Steven Meisel.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

HC: Out of This World

March 27, 2014July 11, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

Feeling a bit tired with this exhausting week, my mood is all about sci-fi: you know, E.T. and aliens… And, specifically, if talking about fashion, then that Chanel SS14 Haute Couture outfit is on my mind. It is so out of this world! With the Hussein Chalayan bubble dress, NASA’s man on moon and that crazy building in the backround, I feel like going on the moon…

Blanc au Blanc. Gareth Pugh AW14

February 27, 2014February 27, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

Gareth Pugh is the designer that always shocks with his ethereal fashion. This time, he presented one of the best- totally made out from plastic, paper or fur- in one colour… White. Like a mind cleanse, the models wore white sculptural dresses, fur coats, piece of plastic for covering their boobs and Pharrell looking like hats… There was also the wind-it-up look, where the model had a huge key stuck to her back! It’s all a bit fairy-tale, a bit sci-fi (just see that silver polished look that is so dramatic!) and bit chaotic… Bug that’s why Pugh makes the most spectacular (not so about venue) collections coming from Paris.