Not Just Pretty. Y/Project SS18

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

Deconstruct and reconstruct with sense of costume history – that’s something Glenn Martens is keen on doing at Y/Project. Here, the Belgian designer’s garments aren’t just ‘over-sized’ like in case of many long-emerging, not-fully-established designers in Paris. It’s more about a witty take on Henry VIII’s and Hamlet’s volumes. Martens knows a lot about fashion (read FASHION, not #fashion) and its old techniques – this let’s him to experiment with the silhouette freely, choosing such fabrics like linen or tulle to do the shoulders and sheaths. From extremely big coats with ruffles and pleats to pearl embellished dresses, Y/Project is a combination of street and royalty. Of course, everything’s worn with the brand’s signature, folded thigh-high boots or laced-up sandals (covered in those kitschy roses). It’s also worth noting that other than dramatic tracksuits and oddly cut ball gowns, Glenn adds more affordably looking pieces, like the dusty pink trousers and baby-blue shirts in his spring-summer 2018 line-up.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Sport De Luxe. Koché SS18

September 27, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

L’Église Saint-Merry, one of the most liberally oriented churches in Paris, was the show venue for Koché‘s spring-summer 2018 collection. But that’s not the first time when the brand chooses an extraordinary venue for their show – once it was an old passage, another time a huge city mall. Mostly places that don’t attract these fashionable Parisians, but certainly do breath with the ‘real’ Parisian air. But Koché isn’t just about unusual venues. Christelle Kocher‘s label rotates around the idea of twisting streetwear with couture sensibility – and her offer keeps on growing organically, from season to season. What’s new this time around from that emerging, talented designer? The most genuine idea of reusing football shirts and jerseys for a high fashion statement I’ve seen so far. Emirate Airlines logo and Chantilly lace were all there, in a spliced-together mid-length dress. Comparing to her last seasons, Kocher looks forward to more feminine silhouettes, adding more elegant gowns in geometrical silhouettes (the black one was especially very Cristobal Balenciaga) to her brand. Going new directions and experimenting is always a fine idea – but I think keeping true to Koché’s primary aesthetic sense is a good decision to take for the designer, as she progresses.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Out of Her Mind. Marni SS18

September 25, 2017September 25, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

What’s Marni girl like according to Francesco Risso? She’s out of her mind. But in a positive sense, at least this season. It’s Risso’s second women’s runway show at the helm of this Italian brand and it finally builds some image of the designer’s creative direction. The inspiration for the collection came from “two English gardens seen by Tim Burton… with candies“, a nod to the cinematic adaptation of Willy Wonka and his crazy chocolate factory. So, just like in case of Roald Dahl’s original story, don’t expect anything rational from Marni this season, as it’s a fantastic play with literally everything, from the fluffiest bags to most rich and rare textiles like brocade or horsehair. The fur coats were joyously embellished with pink roses, while cocktail dresses torn apart and re-shaped around the body to look less glamorous and more clumsy. Floral prints collage-ed and patchworked with David Salle’s illustrations of smoking females; colourful rhinestone embroideries scattered haphazarly around gowns; earrings and necklaces were bent, becoming wearable sculptures. Looking oddly has always been a style-code at Marni, and Risso gets the point: he no longer terrifies people (see his debut collection…), but appeals with his woman’s spontaneous edge. That’s a candy nobody expected near the end of Milan fashion week, where things felt quite plain in taste.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Carte Blanche. Jil Sander SS18

September 24, 2017September 24, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Lucie and Luke Meier are an ultimate fashion couple. The first one worked along Serge Ruffieux at Dior for a couple of season’s after Raf Simons’ sudden departure; the latter worked for Supreme and cofounded the menswear label OAMC. Now, they meet proffesionally under one roof – at Jil Sander, the empire of minimalism with German origin. Leading the brand with typically minimal, 90s-inspired aesthetic isn’t as easy as it sounds. Pure simplicity, that seems to be rooted in Jil Sander, isn’t a promise of succes: as Sander exited her label, nobody really came close enough to make it feel relevant (except Raf Simons) and really authentic. But that’s the perk of designing for a brand like Jil Sander – there’s only one master.

The new designers did two things that felt like their personal take on the brand. First, they presented their debut collection not in Jil Sander headquarters, but outdoors at soon-to-open mall with a view on Zaha Hadid-designed tower. A breath of fresh air, an eye-opening perspective. Second, it was their feminine sensivity that appeared throughout the entire show. The Meiers smartly noted that “a lot of the time, the first impression of her (Jil) is cold, sparse, and hard – what she did, was also feminine, light, and sensual; that was the approach for us.” Of course, the brand’s signature white crisp shirts were present, but they looked softer than usual. Romantic, white maxi-dresses swept the runway’s floor. Black coats weren’t that mournful. There was also some craftiness, that unfortunately felt quite inconsistent and unsynchronised with the rest. Still, those big chunky sweaters and knitted dresses looked good, even if they had not much to do with the brand’s founder and her style codes. Debuts are debuts – to get the full picture of Meiers’ Jil Sander, we’ve got to take some time.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Italian Party. Missoni SS18

September 24, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Exactly 20 years ago, Angela Missoni took on the role of creative director at the brand her parents founded. So yes, that’s a reason to do a very festive collection. Pieces from Missoni spring-summer 2018 just beg for an invitation to a garden party, Italian-way of course. Soft and light knits in all shades of aquamarine and covered in signature zig-zag patterns; sheer capes and fleecy cardigans wrapped around the body; big hats ready for sunset-watching. Now, picture this: wearing Missoni, take a sip of red wine and induldge yourself in some sage-flavoured raviolli. Gossip with your Italian friends. I think I’m buying that.

Angela always makes Missoni look contemporary, while relying on unconventional, edgy styling. What’s more, she doesn’t fall too hard into the house’s archives, but goes her own path. Her 20 years of creative direction are success, as she managed to keep Missoni an Italian heritage brand that’s relevant. And what’s this season’s biggest change? The brand’s womenswear and menswear is shown together, a runway-model adapted by many other Italian brands latelt. The boys, wearing their thin knitted scarves and printed shirts are happy to join that party, too.