In the Dark. Loewe AW17

March 11, 2017March 11, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

In a completly darkened venue, Jonathan Anderson presented his autumn-winter 2017 collection. But darkness doesn’t neccesarly mean ‘dull’ for the creative director of Loewe. Quite opposite: Anderson sent down a line of sublime and feminine dresses, whether in pastel pink polka-dots or with shoulder-exposing sleeves. Then, those haphazard, yet elusive details that always catch one’s eye at a Loewe show: toast print on a hat, a kitty cat handbag. Trompe l’oeil effect in a number of his clothes was, just like the venue, an intriquing game with the viewer. “The collection is a continuation. Where will she go next? How does she survive?” If wearing a Loewe rabbit fur coat is the answer, I’m totally fine with that.

Ceremonial. Rick Owens AW17

March 10, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Rick Owens doesn’t care, if you’re laughing at his autumn-winter 2017 abstract headpieces or distorted proportions. Although his collection looked somewhat dystopian, the designer said it was rather ceremonial – and ceremonies are important, whether we’re speaking of rituals or deeply-rooted tradition. “People are coming together to collectively pursue common goals and ideas.” Today, a fashion show might be lightly called a ceremony, too, as people coalesce and celebrate their ambitions and aspirations. But not only the headgear made the viewer gasp with confusion during Rick’s show. The collection’s eerieness has no end, just like the amount of elongated sleeves and duvet covers. It’s about wrapping, draping, layering, things that Owens does religiously, following it every season.

French Charm. Lemaire AW17

March 7, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

If you’re reading my blog from time to time, you might surely know how much I love Lemaire. So you can imagine how happy I was, when I visited the brand’s showroom on Le Marais for the first time, just a few days after Christophe Lemaire‘s and Sarah-Linh Tran‘s autumn-winter 2017 fashion show.

But before I will start drooling over the pieces I’ve seen in the showroom, let’s take a look at the collection. Inspired with 40s sport chic garments and Chinese uniforms, the duo had a balance of soft and austere on their mind. But the inspirations behind the collection served just as small concepts, ideas – Lemaire is never over-referential, but rather stays true to its minimal aesthetic. Corduroy tailoring, manish volumes, curved sleeves, distorted silhouttes and all of that kept mostly in flesh tones and classic black. Occasionaly, white see-through stockings peeked out; eclectic jewellery, hand-made in a Parisian atelier, brought charm; pony-hair heels defined understated cool. Lemaire and Tran always pay attention to the clothes’ quality, that’s why all the knits felt even fleecier than usual. I can’t forget to mention the denim pants. The cognac-brown tote. The shirt with XXL sleeves. I need. To. Stop.

Lemaire AW17

Come As You Are. Courrèges AW17

March 6, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant of Courrèges resigned from doing a typical fashion show and simply invited their friends to wear this season’s clothes. The way they wanted, with no stylists. Vinyl miniskirts paired with models’ own vintage tees and Nike shoes; lilac mini-dress in patent leather over a motocross shirt; a logo cabas bag and dirty Vans, as easy as that. Andre Courrèges designed and presented clothes for women of his times – Meyer and Vaillant are doing the same, with success. “It’s come as you are“, one of the designers concluded.

Royals are Fly. Y/Project AW17

March 2, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Marie Antoinette and today’s rappers – at a first glance, nothing in common. But if you look at their shared love for over-the-top fashion, you might get the point behind Glenn Martens‘ autumn-winter 2017 collection at Y/Project. Big fur coats; leather hoodies with shearling inserts; lace-trimmed sweatpants; ball skirts styled with rhinestone embellished gladiator sandals. A clash between royalty and streetwear? Martens would rather call it as finding the mid-point between those two bold universes. A desire for looking, hmm, fly (although I doubt Antoinette would be use this word for her style).