style

Anti-Social. Vetements AW19

| Design & Culture by Ed

Vetements‘ spring-summer 2019 collection was violent. But Vetements’ autumn-winter 2019 outing felt even more aggressive. Somehow, I’m not surprised. Demna Gvasalia (and his collective) isn’t afraid of speaking what’s on their mind, whether it’s confronting the difficult past, hard present or uncertain future. The label found inspiration in the dark web, where drugs, guns and other illegal, even more frightening things are available and sold worldwide. Hacker style? Geek chic? Yes, but cross out the latter, ‘fashion’ word. The collection was called “Anti-Social” and opened with a twisted homage to Steve Jobs. The distinctive, black turtleneck worn with a pair of jeans read: “Warning: what you are about to see will disturb you. There is a dark side of humanity the censors won’t let you see, but we will. View it your own risk.” An item that will sell out within a moment, but has a meaning that’s not as frivolous as it may seem. Other than the Vetements classics – XXL hoodies, floral tea-dresses, distorted puffer jackets – this offering had something you would never consider a fashion statement: anonymous-wear. Black fleece masks inside hoods and  jackets with flaps covering the face with a peep-hole for looking out (and, occasionally, for taking photos through). “I realize there is no privacy. When I’m on public transport, doing work on my phone, I often see people overlooking it, or taking photographs of me,” Demna said after the show. An avalanche of contemporary problems appears in your mind, when you think of it: surveillance society, facial recognition technology, the fear of revealing our true selves without the social media filter. But then, the balaclavas make you think of terrorists and fierce protests that move like a tsunami through such countries as France. Gvasalia and Vetements sense danger and crisis that spread across our world. They know fashion won’t help it out, but at least, might inform the ones who want to be informed. To some extent, at least.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Men’s – How To Be. Dries Van Noten AW19

| Design & Culture by Ed

It’s one of those sober, darker Dries Van Noten collections, that still has a lot to say. It seems that the Belgian designer asked himself: at time when world politics is in its sad state, how should a civilised, well-cultured adult comport himself? The autumn-winter 2019 collection has the clear answer: dress well, think clearly, keep a sense of what’s important when all around are loosing their heads. You might say its just a bunch of (what seems to be perfectly tailored) blazers, coats and suits, but this outing was a wardrobe of a level-headed man who knows what’s really right. It’s refined, but unpretentious. Wise and mature. Loosely fitted, cropped, pinstriped pants, duvet shawls in monochromatic tie-dye and an elegant, belted cardigan in beige are the items I’m drooling over. It’s not a buzzy Van Noten show, and it never intended to be one. With all the men’s shows getting bigger and more entertaining, Dries kept it rather quiet. But silence is a statement as well, sometimes even more meaningful and deep than thousands of euros thrown into a showy, Insta-worthy venue.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Men’s – Global. Louis Vuitton AW19

| Design & Culture by Ed

Virgil Abloh‘s second season at men’s Louis Vuitton. I’m not a fan of Abloh’s aesthetic in general, and I never really got the point of Off-White’s hype. But, his work at Vuitton is somewhat ‘profound’. It’s global. But not solely in the sense of more store openings, more celebrities wearing LV (even though those boxes are all checked, of course). The designer looks at the term ‘cultural diversity’ and bravely nods to it in his work. And, while Louis Vuitton is a huge platform, talking about important matters through clothes and events is more than respectful. For autumn-winter 2019, Virgil looked to the late Michael Jackson, setting the scene on a replica of New York street seen in the ‘Billie Jean’ video. Music is always the key for Virgil (who you surely know is also a free-lance DJ). Dev Hynes (!) and Ian Isiah performed new songs. Other than that, there was a live graffiti installation. This wasn’t a stiff fashion show, but a vibrant performance. Models weaved through the ‘street’ wearing flag print, intarsia fur coats and collars, tour-merch-style t-shirts, embellished jumpers and monogram embossed duvet jackets (their super-inflated effect looked impressive in leather). Jackson-inspired beaded, white gloves and jackets appeared as well. There are pieces that will disappear from the shelves immediately (like the over-sized jackets and bold bags) and garments that need more fashion courage (like the multi-layered blazers and pleated skirt-pants). I won’t say it’s a favourite for me, but you definitely can’t ignore this outing.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Men’s – Rustic on Acid. Acne Studios AW19

| Design & Culture by Ed

Acne Studios’ designer, Jonny Johansson, isn’t the guy you will see all over the Paris fashion week Instagram feed. He’s an outsider. Or even, a double-outsider, as he dubbed himself in a Vogue interview. “Because we’re from Stockholm, which is from way outside [the fashion world], plus I’m from the very north of Sweden, which is way outside even Stockholm.” Being ‘outside’, to a surprise of many, has major advantages in fashion industry – you’re different, and you offer something different. Acne Studios always feels slightly off-beat, raw, but not nothing close to the stereotypical image of cold, Scandinavian minimalism. For the men’s autumn-winter 2019 collection, Johansson delivered clothes full of soul and energy. The designer mused on mid-century bohemia and counterculture in the fringed poncho-sweatshirts and acid-palette coats and jackets worn unbuttoned, over naked torsos. Snake-effect leather and cow-print pieces were very Americana, even rustic. Wear that extra long, ecru scarf when it’s cold. Use it as a blanket when the sun comes out. Don’t be afraid to step into mad in these colourful, trekking boots. Jonny loves the idea of a city escape, whether it’s the forest or the mountains. He works with this ‘weekend traveller’ notion for a while, and seems to enter the season with a similar spirit.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Men’s – Quite Clean, Really. Givenchy AW19

| Design & Culture by Ed

Clare Waight Keller nails it lately at Givenchy. Her men’s autumn-winter 2019, presented for the first time separately from women’s, proves that she feels more and more confident in creating a guy’s wardrobe. “I went into my own self, really, back into the ’90s, and how I felt when I was really young, how we’d dress on not a lot of money. At Givenchy we have young Parisians from schools here, and there’s this same perverse poshness, wearing tailoring in a really sharp way, with a shirt or T-shirt,” she said during the intimate presentation that took place in Paris today. “Quite clean, really.” Polished, slim-fit trousers and leather jackets dangerously looked like Hedi Slimane’s Celine, but the other part of the collection – the more elegant – is where you can completely loose your mind for. This tailoring. See the flared trousers, that came in deep red, cerulean blue and dark purple. Waight Keller attributed them to the “softness and fluidity I like for men”. Some looks had a sensually highlighted waist, something that’s having a graceful return to menswear. There was lots of elevated sportwear, but nothing will beat this one, simple look made up of a white shirt, just partially tucked into the waisted suitspants. Less is more is a cliché, I know, but in case of Waight Keller’s Givenchy, it’s just right.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.