Untroubled. Prada SS17

September 24, 2016September 24, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

“Instead of exploring the history of women, which I have for a while, I decided to take care of now, the present, and trying to find elegance.” After a deep-in-meaning, sophisticated autumn-winter 2016 filled with sailor hats and layered corsets, Miuccia Prada explores softer and lighter aspects of womenswear. No wonder why – you can’t avalanche yourself on and on with problems. Previous collection at Prada reflected the current migrant crisis, and the our biggest companion of 21st century – uncertainty. We’ve already seen a majority of collections during the spring-summer 2017 marathon, and it’s pretty clear that the overall mood is very optimistic. The designers want to cheer things up, even though they know it’s not that sweet and joyous in today’s world. Miuccia doesn’t appear to be so naive, but she attempts to look on the brighter side this spring.

First look, and it’s Milena Litvinovskaya, a newcomer in an all-black look: tank-top and knee-length kilt. Sounds familiar? That’s a striking reminder of Prada’s minimalism back in the 90s, when the ugly beauty style kicked-off for good. Second look, and the mood drastically changes. It’s Amanda Murphy, a runway veteran, in cream-white coat with ostrich feather-trimmed sleeves and Bauhaus-like buckles. The following looks are a continuing passion for 20s / 30s Deco-graphic prints and Old Hollywood allure, with pastel-pink dresses, loosely fitted midi-skirts and oriental pant-suits. The plastic-fantastic jewellery becomes heavier and denser, while the shoes state one thing: the uglier, the better. At a first glance, Miuccia is quoting her past signatures. However, the clothes fell fresh, and they convey a sense of elegance that matches the always-in-run tempo of contemporary world. For a change, they are (deceitfully) untroubled, too.

Wild Horses. Roberto Cavalli SS17

September 24, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Exactly a year ago, I was on fence with Peter Dundas‘ appointment at Robero Cavalli. Right now, I’m bewildered with myself, as I’m about to write an applauding review about his latest, spring-summer 2017 collection. It’s stunning, and so excessively Cavalli. And it’s crazy in love with rock & roll, sex and of course… love! Dundas looks back at the hippie 60s and crazy 70s, delivering Mick Jagger’s shirts, sultry boheme dresses, chic denim flares and patchworked maxi-skirts. The clothes aren’t too inventive and they will definitely hit a specific niche of Roberto Cavalli customers (think extremely tall, Italian donna with bangs and a yacht), but they literally look like authentic artifacts coming from wardrobe of Janis Joplin, and other music icons. Peter, the ultimate Playboy of the fashion industry, visibly craves to live in those times, filled with sun-drenched journeys to Morocco and lots of champagne. But who doesn’t?

Female Nomad. No21 SS17

September 23, 2016September 23, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Alessandro Dell’AcQua isn’t resigning from his signature touches this season, like the ethernally chic macramé lace skirts or feather-trimmed tops. Simultaneously, he’s ready for introducing new attitude to his label: No21 has never been so athleisure-wise as it’s now for spring-summer 2017. Breaking down the first looks, it’s easy to spot the designer’s obsession with modernistic mesh, as it appeared everywhere, from the hems on loose dresses to sporty t-shirts. Hoodies are wherever you turn this season, but Dell’AcQua didn’t feel discouraged with that fact. His version, in lace and with a pastel-green zip, is über-cool. But it’s not only about the current street-wise mood at No21. Multi-printed, patchwork skirts and dresses suggested the look of a modern-day nomad who’s prepared for every day’s adventures. Care-free and optimistic, she wears her awakening tassels, opulent embellishments and gypsy-esque florals with grace. Also, I loved the way how Alessandro played with footwear: his kitten-heels were taped with fluorescent bows and, as usual in case of Dell’AcQua, were styled with beige socks. Pastel-pink loving No21 girl for spring dramatically differs from the sharp, grunge roxette we’ve seen for autumn. Oh, and the sunglasses line was a pretty new addition, too! Made in collaboration with the one and only, Linda Farrow.

Different Love. Gucci SS17

September 22, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Glittering with over 250,000 mirrored sequins, the all-pink venue of Gucci spring-summer 2017 collection reminded a high-profile striptease club. The released mist reassembled cigarette smoke, while the velvet stools and sofas suggested one thing – Alessandro Michele is not a step closer to such thing as “minimalism” this season. Indeed, the collection had something to do with trashy chic – just have a look at the extremely platformed footwear. “Prostitute in Venice used to wear these“, the designer said backstage, while discussing his references and inspirations. Red latex tights, worn casually with knitted skirts, screamed “sex”, too. Alessandro’s mind is not that innocent, after all.

There are different types of “love”, and there is a variety of romantic accents in Michele’s kitsch-appealing clothing. As always, the outing featured a line of polished and refined ready-to-wear, which has a lot to do with alta moda, as the Italians tend to say. Knitted cardigan featuring a monkey embroidery illustrated by artist Jayde Fish; satin gown with pineapple style sleeves, detailed with sequins and intricate embellishments; tulle dress with tapestry-like florals and a leather corset. Each piece might become a go-to for a fancy date, a boudoir night or an intoxicating night-clubbing. Michele never keeps himself distant from emotions in his fashion. This collection is connected to the intense topic of love, even if we mean a wounded, broken heart. One of the evening dresses had an embroidered, red heart in the front, stabbed with a dagger – is the ethereal woman wearing it ready for a night out, but without her parter? She’s sad, but she looks spectacular and very dramatic. A bamboo fan is even more ambiguous. The slogan on it stated “Blind for love” in gothic font, and Alessandro definitely relates to that as a designer searching for beauty, and a person in real life.

P.S. In the show’s soundtrack, Florence Welch read William Blake’s poems. Dreamy.

Fashion Crocs and Boudoir. Christopher Kane SS17

September 21, 2016September 21, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

We live in 2016, the time, when trends aren’t as important as they used to be. Of course, there are people who still seek for the 60s motifs or “major” animal prints moments. Some glossy magazines still keep on looking for those similarities, as if that was the most important part of every season. But isn’t it much more fun to absolutely forget about categorising fashion?

A way of keeping diametrically different ideas in a disorganised, collage form appears repetitively at J.W. Anderson, Proenza Schouler and Raf Simons. Christopher Kane is another designer, who isn’t following themes in his collections, but prefers to scatter them around like toys. He experiments with everything, from texture composition to styling, in order to achieve something “new”. In his spring-summer 2017, Kane does cheerful florals in various ways, from easy prints to haute 3-D embellishments. There’s something wild and undomesticated in his collection, too, with midi-skirts made of fur, and leopard prints covering the tops. Cool PVC raincoats. Seductive lace. There’s a conversation going on between Catholic innocence (see the Christian iconography on the sweatshirts) and ‘good girl gone bad’ attitude, just like at Simone Rocha‘s latest outing. The trompe l’oeil evening gowns shared a frivolous peek at the boudoir part of wardrobe – I guess those sensual pieces will sell within a second when they hit the designer’s flagship boutique in London. Ultimately, the “most out of the blue” prize goes to Christopher’s choice of footwear. For spring, the brand collaborated with Crocs to produce a range of hilarious, man-repelling rubber flats, covered with colourful stones and studs. Nobody would have expected that.