Psychedelic and Fancy. Dries Van Noten SS16

October 3, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Psychedelic and fancy – Dries Van Noten for spring-summer 2016 is all about that. I have never expected to see anything tulle at Dries’ show – but, there is always the first time. A tulle dress was worn with denim shorts and a “dad’s” blazer. The velvet clogs gave the look a fantastic edginess. The effect? Wow, I thought. The rest of the collection, which nearly contained all textiles of the world, from brocade and mohair to silk and jacquard, was bold and based on all-time favourites of the brand. The clothes were somewhere between the feminine zone and masculine basics. Over-sized denim flares looked effortlessly cool with these beautifully embroidered coats while the patterned turlenecks and tights gave each outfit an unconventional touch. Even though the collection of this Belgian designer might make your eyes feel pain due to all that colour, the collection seems to have a lot of highly desirable pieces.

Effective Basics. Lemaire SS16

October 3, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Lemaire and his woman are seasonless. Her wardrobe is built from basic, but high-quality pieces, like a hearty leather coat, a pair of high-waisted flares and open-toe heels. She doesn’t care about trends – she puts on her scarf in a non-chalant way and feels easy, comfortable and chic. And that’s precisely what Christophe Lemaire‘s simple, but effective fashion is all about.

Massimo’s Revamp. Emilio Pucci SS16

September 28, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Massimo Giorgetti is the creator of Milan’s most flat and, shockingly, playful brand – MSGM is the label that made Milan Fashion Week much more youthful place to come to. MSGM is also the commercial best-seller – so why not make its designer the new creative director of Emilio Pucci, an Italian house with a strong heritage and signature? Peter Dundas, the former designer of the house, moved to Roberto Cavalli (a perfect match – over-sexualised cocktail dresses at the most opulent brand I know) and now it is the time for a revamp. The “zero” collection for Resort 2016 was promising – the clothes were interesting and the codes of the house became more edgy. But what about the real, runway debut? Well, it is good. But just good. And that’s a pity because the anticipation was big. The sailor motive was reflected in various shades of blue and masculine silhouettes; the embroideries of fish and sea-shells did look precious. But it feels a bit like Jonathan Anderson’s Loewe, Nicolas Ghesquiere’s Louis Vuitton and Alessandro Dell AcQua’s No21. Modern, innovative and romantic at the same time. Even the accessories, which caught my eye instantly, didn’t help. Hopefully next season will be more clear for Massimo’s attitude towards Pucci. Now, it looks like an expensive, luxurious version of MSGM.

Electric Combinations. Christopher Kane SS16

September 22, 2015September 21, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Christopher Kane moves to the rythm of SS16 with a return to neon brights and patchwork dressing – python skins combined with plastic? Yes, I’m totally into that electric combination. What about the abstractly panneled cocktail dresses with straw-fringes? Acid-spilt lace skirts are back, too – but in a much more futuristic edition. The designer behind London’s fastest growing label happily let his creativity take over the reigns, and that is visible by the amount of uncommerical pieces presented during the show. Also, hand-made stuff fans, here is one for you – if you wish to do some DIY for next season, try out Christopher’s jewellery. You can find those plastic thingies in every Castorama or Ikea around your place!

Patchwork Perfect. Jonathan Saunders SS16

September 21, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

For the last few seasons, Jonathan Saunders made the fashion industry slightly yawn. His collections were good, but totally not ground-breaking in terms of design. However, his spring-summer 2016 was like a massive wave on a calm surface of water – bold stripes, sexy cut-outs and appealing silhouettes took over the control. Strong, patchwork game played the main role this time – the floral kimonos and silk, midi-skirts looked sleek and on-point. The suede, pastel-coloured jacket seemed to be the perfect choice for next summer – hopefully, Jonathan will once again concentrate on the clothes, and not whether his collection is 60’s or 70’s enough, as in case of last season.