Street Attitude. Koché AW16

March 3, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

It’s hard to be a young and independent fashion designer in Paris, fighting for attention in the crowd of Chanel-s, Balmain-s and Saint Laurent-s. Surprisingly, Paris Fashion Week starts with a day of fresh and trending labels – meet Koché, the creation of Christelle Kocher, the new girl in the schedule and a second-time LVMH finalist .“I’m sharing my Paris with other people,” is how she described the unusual venue of her fashion – the 18th-century Passage du Prado, which nowadays is adopted by African hairdressers and little mobile phone shops. So, no – it’s not Grand Palais or a Rue Saint Honore showroom.

However, the spirit of a Parisian atelier is not left out at Koché. Christelle collaborates with Maison Lemarié, which does mesmerizing, artisan detailings using feathers and plume only – and the way she implemented haute couture into her hoodies and tees is just mind-blowing. The contrast is stunning, just like the models’ cast. Doing it in Eckhaus Latta way, the designer invited professional models (Karly Loyce, Soo Joo), friends and people she met on the streets, breaking the convention of an ordinary line-up. Although this stuff will be expensive (velvet skirts, shearling jacket patchworked with layers of white lace), Koché is already stirring the industry with its unique, yet über-cool attitude. I wonder where will the designer lead her brand – biting the dust and taking it on a mainstream path, or rather keeping it off-beat? Hope for the latter.

Unbiased Italian. Stella Jean AW16

February 29, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

It’s easier to mention what didn’t inspire Stella Jean this season. From Christmas nutcracker and plastic-cover sandals to Italian patriotism in form of carabiniere pants and ethnical nods to African masks, this season was filled with randmomness. Unlike spring-summer 2016 collection, filled with Tehuanian dresses and Andean references, the winter collection feels influent and busy, as if the designer wanted everything at a time. Surely, a stricter edit is needed here, even though there are some remarkable pieces. Note the stunning knitwear with Ndebele patterns and the dresses with raffia-applied mask motifs.

Moreover, Jean went off the rails with “Made in Italy” undermining statements backstage of her show – “we used the fluffy technique, entirely recycled from industrial mass-market rejects, whose identity we’ll keep secret in order not to influence judgment but also to prevent that attitude that inevitably discriminates against any garment that is not produced in Italy.” Surely, there is a seed of truth in the fact that the Italian fashion industry is not as “fairy-tale” as everybody thinks – and surely, this one wasn’t positively seen by the Italian fashion VIPs. Prime Minister Matteo Renzi opened Milan Fashion Week with a lunch attended by, to mention a few, Donatella Versace and Diego Della Valle, all with the initiative of praising Italian craftsmanship and the importance of the industry. Maybe the new collection didn’t make a fashion cut this season, but it definitely left few questions connected to the whole, inflated “Made in Itlay” matter.

Focus on Sleeves. Marni AW16

February 29, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

At Marni, you focused on the sleeves, mostly. Consuelo Castiglioni isn’t new to silhouettes experiments, and her autumn-winter 2016 collection in Milan proved that, with the bell-like sleeves peeking out of the soft military coats and fur sheaths. If talking of the rest – it was a very Marni show, invigorated by the brand’s signature, abstract patterns on mini-dresses and blazers with fluorescent plexi sequins. Not that it was boring – the over-sized sleeves, I predict, will be styled in every possible editorial next season. But it presents in the most clear way that Castiglioni feels good in her comfort zone, not surprising anybody this season (except the true Marni fanatics).

Lady Grunge. No21 AW16

February 26, 2016August 5, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Milan Fashion Week has never been in such a good form, and it’s all because of the designers, who revive the major houses, or expand the smaller, eponymous ones. Alessandro Dell AcQua, the man behind N21, is an example of the latter, proving to be one of the most successful in his field – the first, marble-rich Milan flagship store has been opened at the beginning of the year, his signature bow-tie mules are called the “total best-sellers” by most of the retailers, while N21’s creative direction, which is often focused on feminine chic, becomes much more refined and aesthetically conscious.

Unexpectedly, the autumn-winter collection presented the defiant side of Alessandro’s style. Grunge already seems to be the topic on everybody’s lips this season, and his polished, lady-like sense reinterpreted the slightly burnt-out, Saint Laurent sucked attitude. Dell AcQua has visibly put extra effort on the texture play, mixing satin slip-dresses with sweaters in his outfits; the floral-print silk dresses styled with thick-knits reminded me of Marc Jacobs’ Perry Ellis grunge era, but in an Italian world of leoard-motived fur coats and rhinestones. It’s great to see tights play an important role in woman’s wardrobe, but rather as a stylish detail than an autumn necessity – the ones which walked the runway at N21 had floral embroideries, and the are too good to be true. It’s the next, triumphant season for Alessandro, and I sincerely hope he will continue to redefine feminine sensuality in his off-duty, edgy way.

I’ve Seen This Face Before. Gucci AW16

February 26, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

The old new identity implemented by Alessandro Michele for Gucci is well-known to all of us – and within the autumn-winter 2016 season, the designer has his first year as the creative director of the womenswear line behind. The “renaissance” mood Alessandro brings back to fashion, as I wrote here and here, deserves applause and praise. Noting that he has utterly revamped the pretentious sleek Italian empire into a brand, which considers Italian craftsmanship as priority, makes Michele’s warm softness more than a trend. It’s about his personal style, and his adoration to old, Italian paintings, antique rings and 70s / 80s attitude. The AW16 collection, in fact, isn’t a surprise – knowing the designer’s deeply rooted inspirations and eclectic aesthetics, you won’t see a totally different theme, coming out from nowhere, during his tenure. Even if this might lead to the Frida-Gianini-effect – a kind of unexcitement starts to accompany his shows, just like before, when his precedessor designed for Gucci. We’ve seen it all during Alessandro’s year – the Pompeian print skirts, pussy-bow dresses, GG buckle belts and those alta moda gowns. They delight the eye, indeed. Just like the crystal-embroidered bodices, inspired with 16th century costumes. But it lacks this loud “wow” everybody gasped last February.