Traveller. Loewe SS18

October 1, 2017October 1, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Doing a travel-themed collection is risky, because the designer might easily slip down the pitfall of clichés. But such terms like ‘oriental’, ‘cowboy’ or ‘tribal’ don’t match Jonathan Anderson‘s sophisticated line-up for Loewe. “I want something that people will want to go and touch,” he told the press after the show. Actually, you really want to touch these clothes. The richness of textures is just insane. And it’s even more absorbing, when you realise that each piece has its story, an entire cultural identity behind it. Like a de luxe globe-trotter, the Loewe woman has African and South American traditional handicraft all over her wardrobe; the woven pieces were made according to traditional Peruvian techniques, while fringed sarong skirt seemed to come straight from Argentina. She’s been to Morocco, too, from where the season’s must-have elf-toed sneakers origin – Anderson based the idea on woven sandals coming from that country. Again, another designer would carelessly go a step further and touch the soft topic of cultural appropriation. Anderson plays fair, he finds inspiration and does it with great respect.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Inner Strengths. Chloé SS18

September 29, 2017September 29, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

In fact, Natacha Ramsay-Levi is present in the French fashion for years, if you haven’t noticed: first she worked at Balenciaga with Nicolas Ghesquiere and after following the designer, landed a job at Louis Vuitton. But her new role of creative director at Chloé is the first time she’s in the solo spotlight. Succeeding Clare Waight Keller (the Givenchy debut is just around the corner), who kept Chloé in an eternal rhapsody of boho dresses for about six years, Ramsay-Levi also leads a brand previously designed by Karl Lagerfeld, Martine Sitbone, Stella McCartney, Phoebe Philo and Hannah McGibbon. That’s what you call an impressive line-up. However, the newly appointed designer’s debut was a nod to the Chloé founder, Gaby Aghion. As the show note stated, Natacha decided to stay true to “the independence and intellectual spirit of Gaby”, while embracing femininity and giving women an opportunity to show their inner strength through clothing. And the spring-summer 2018 collection was just that.

Don’t want to use clichés, but that what the designer did was the best possible version of contemporary Parisian chic. Structured mini-skirts, dresses of different lengths covered with prints by a Bombay / Barcelona based artist Rithika Merchant, a timeless camel coat, velvet suits in horse motif and celestial bright gowns. A mix of eclectic, well-curated pieces that resemble Natacha’s aestehtic sense – unconventional and intimate at the same time. The accessories were also très cool, from Chloé it-bags (slightly pimped up with heavy-chain handles and straps) to irresistibly good boots. In some moments, the collection felt like Louis Vuitton in the last few seasons – but that reflects Ramsay-Levi’s signatures that used to be hidden under the brand’s logo. The designer’s lesser known, whimsical side was definitely felt through the jewellery. One of the gold-plated necklaces looked like the prehistoric sculpture of Venus. Summing it all up – I already adore the Ramsay-Levi and Chloé affair!

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Optimistic. Dries Van Noten SS18

September 28, 2017October 7, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Dries Van Noten is the designer that had a lot of reasons to celebrate lately: from his very successful 100th collection to ‘Dries’, a documentary that in-depth looks at his work, In other words, the world’s eyes were completely on him. But for spring-summer 2018, Van Noten visibly decided to take a break and lean on his well-known classics. Starting with nude shades and ending on lilac, the collection was about an interesting colour gradation; typically Dries prints in floral motif were used for voluminous shirts, skirts and coats. One of the biggest surprises was the ‘flou’ sensed in the season’s flowing eveningwear. Romantic and easy. Not forgetting to mention the irresistibly good black suit topped with an embellished mesh. Back to basics, for a while, is a very worthwhile thing to do. And going optymistic, as well. “We always say that fashion is a reflection of our times,” said the Belgian designer after his sprin-summer 2018 show. “Well, maybe that’s enough of that! Let’s do something optimistic, enjoy things—and really go for it!”

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

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.