Precious Cameo. Rosie Assoulin SS18

September 13, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

If you think of New York fashion week in terms of recognizable style signatures, then Rosie Assoulin‘s remarkable dresses count as a separate, one-of-a-kind category. Her eveningwear (and daring daywear) is all about the most flattering silhouettes and charming details that you really have to observe first in order to understand their intimate beauty. This time around, Assoulin’s little, tiny detailing was even more precious than usual. It was all about the cameo carvings that is used in classical jewellery. That reoccurring theme was presented in form of prints developed from antique cameo carvings; what’s more, genuine, hand-sorted cameos were used as buttons for the sleeves and gowns. The delicately ruffled dress in pistachio green, covered in the delightful cameo motif, is my ultimate favourite. Again, you have to be observant to note another detail: the sea-shells, that were beautifully placed on the label’s must-have baskets and handbags, made you wonder how nice would it be to take them to the beach next summer. One should admit that this season started with a splash of bold colours, coming from many big names and up-and-coming designers, but Assoulin doesn’t follow the trends – colours (note that juicy red or the deep shade of purple) are always warmly welcomed in her well-edited collections.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Sensual Kink. Helmut Lang SS18

September 12, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

It would be just dumb to try to sum up Helmut Lang in a few words. His massive, creative legacy flows in nearly every second designer’s blood today, from the reoccurring notion of ‘urban minimalism’ to growing tendency of inviting various models and nodels to walk in fashion shows. Let just say one of the biggest Lang-isms revived in Shayne Oliver‘s debut collection at the brand (whose editor-in-residence is Isabella Burley) was sensuality, or rather its much, much filthier side. If you look back at Helmut’s collection from the 90s and early 2000s, you will note that the visionary designer enjoyed playing with transparency and made the hardest-in-use fabrics look refined on the body. For Oliver, sensuality is something much more, hmm, aggressive. It’s kinky. It’s BDSM-inspired, with lots of untamed nudity and boldness. There were lots of irregularly fitted bras, lots of leather and lots of New York-favoured trashiness to it. Actually, the collection had a lot to do with Shayne’s currently under hiatus Hood By Air brand that used to be tagged as the most ‘disruptive’ brand of the New York fashion week’s calendar. Sexuality is a big word this season, and while designers think of it in more subtle and natural ways, Oliver is undoubtedly going very ‘badass’ with it. It’s good that the designer isn’t digging to hard in Lang’s archives. But I’m not absolutely persuaded that the capital letter HELMUT written all over the t-shirts and coats is what the founder thought of. Helmut kept the mood bit more calmer, sans caps-lock. Nevertheless, that was definitely the most anticipated collection this time around in the Big Apple.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Delicacy. Victoria Beckham SS18

September 11, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Not that I don’t like pastels – but it feels like it’s a current plague in fashion, even though Victoria Beckham‘s usage of baby pink and pistachio green was far above the average. Although the first hints of Beckham’s spring-summer 2018 collection said ‘pastels’ out loud, there was much more to it. Beckham is getting even more and more into ‘slouchy’, abandoning her body-con dress past. Fluid skirts and over-sized shirts; big blazers and big pants. The most striking look was the most sophisticated one and it involved wearing a pencil skirt under a transparent kilt. “Delicacy can be strong,” she said before the show to her press. According to Beckham, delicacy is something more complex than just plain pastels – it’s the softness of the texture and the comfortable, everyday fit.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Few Words. A Détacher SS18

September 11, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

That was a story of masterful layering at Mona Kowalska‘s spring-summer 2018 show at A Détacher. A mint-green hoodie worn underneath a short-sleeved jacquard knit was refreshing, just like a simple blazer-on-dress trick. Knitted, loosely-fitted dresses in lilac or chestnut rank up high as well as high-waisted denim with an A Détacher tag. Mona Kowalska is the woman of few words in terms of fashion, so let her clothes (favoured by New York women of different walks of life) talk for themselves.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Like Champagne. Area SS18

September 10, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Area is getting better with time, just like wine. By that, I have no intentions to say that Beckett Fogg‘s and Piotrek Panszczyk‘s label gets boringly mature. It gets fun! And braver! Yesterday’s fashion show was literally a blast – the richness of colours, the frivolity, all that glam in form of bold red dresses and shoulder-exposing tops. The entire show was an extremely bright moment, full of joy and happiness, which is quite rare to see during New York fashion week, where designers mostly send down beiges and whites. And pastels, duh. What I also liked about the show was that every woman might find something for her here – fashion with allure and expression is not for young-only and Insta-models. A laid-back suit (in fluorescent fabric), minis, maxis. Being the Area girl must be a very good, good feeling. Like a glass of summer wine! Or better – out-of-fridge, bubble-exploding champagne.