Sleazy and Smarmy. Saint Laurent SS16

October 11, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

This, what Hedi Slimane is doing at Saint Laurent is rude. Simply impolite. After seeing the spring-summer 2016 collection, I wonder what other designers think. They surely feel an unbearable frustration. Keeping up with fashion industry, season-to-season, is hard. And when they compare their hard work with Hedi’s, they just retire for a ten-day escape to the country-side. Hedi Slimane is praised for nothing – or at least, for his truly effortless fashion which doesn’t need much of thinking. Saint Laurent’s fashion became as shallow as Moschino by Jeremy Scott, or even to a bigger extend.

So, the SS16 collection is an explosion of smarmy eroticism – sheer slip-dresses, trashy fish-net tops and kitsch, gold sandals look tasteless and definitely not as expensive as they are. There is no big deal that the feather boa was made by the Parisian couture assistants, if it looks like a stolen prop from an opera. The tiaras don’t need any comment. And “free the nipple” moments were meant to be so “accidental”, that the overall effect felt pretentious and artificial. The solemn faces of models (and Agyness Deyn) just helped Hedi Slimane say out loud – “I am the designer at YSL and I really don’t care“. If everybody, except a few of critics and consciously thinking clients, adore this collection, then where is fashion heading off to? Hopefully not to a pair of basic jeans and an effing tank top.

Woman to Women. Celine SS16

October 10, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Even though I am quite exhausted with the fashion month, looking at the newest colellection by Phoebe Philo for Celine gives me energy. As I mentioned hundreds times before, Phoebe Philo is a woman who designs for woman – and this makes her collections always feel the most desirable from the brand’s client point of view. These dresses and coats are what women want today. And the perfect balance between masculine chic and sensual lace makes this collection an updated check-list of what a contemporary woman should have in her wardrobe.

“It’s about taking her out of urban life and putting her feet on the sand. It’s where I long to be, more and more.” Although the orange-yellow-blue coloured tent foreshadowed a very bold collection, the designer delivered a discreet, but powerful outing – and, as usually under a tent, we really had sand instead of a tile or a carpet. Which felt so hearty and down-to-earth. Just like the clothes. “I am somebody who is interested in how clothes make us feel,” she said, “and in how we behave in different places. I thought, If you were traveling for a year, what would you need to take with you?” Well, the answer is – the basics. Both, a breezy and warm dress; a light-weight coat; something more intimate and something more built-up.

Just like the shoes. My initial reaction to the boots was reserved, however after a moment of reflection I thought it’s a smart move. It depends where you are heading this summer – mountains? Why not. This collection is a spectrum of variations – really, every outfit, in its own way, is good for a specific occasion, creating a beautiful combination of daily essentials. And Phoebe Philo knows, what’s essential. We trust her.

Neo – Nostalgic. Dior SS16

October 8, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Raf Simons and his tenure at Dior is recently all about revisiting the house’s history. Take the “1947” charm featured on the knitted collars – it reminds us of the year Monsieur Dior founded his renowned house. The delicate, organza dresses and hand-embroidered gilets had a studio feeling, as if they were just taken from the brand’s atelier. The collection was feminine, airy and absolutely Dior – even though it did not shock or excite as in case of previous seasons. It seems that Raf feels safe with doing well tailored blazers and clothes which are beautiful in its simplicity. A big plus for the gorgeous, kitten-heels with buckles.

Photography Morgan O’Donovan

Information Orgy. Loewe SS16

October 6, 2015August 21, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Loewe was like a wardrobe of an extraordinary lady who lived in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s – you can literally find everything in there, from plexi rain-coats and logo-mania trousers to jewellery souvenirs she brought from her exotic travels and cat-loving prints. In other words, Jonathan Anderson let his imagination take over the reigns this season, creating a collection that feels like a cabinet de curiosites of different ideas, references and objects. The effect? I am appealed to that modernistic eclecticism, but the transparent pieces don’t amuse me. Together with the mirror-cracked dresses and fancy logos, the plastic part makes it all a mishmash, that isn’t fluent. Or maybe it wasn’t intended to be fluent at all? The chaotic manner of the collection was described by the designer as “an orgy of information” – well, it surely had to say a lot about Jonathan’s current obsessions.

Photography by Virginie Khateeb

Women Connection. Rick Owens SS16

October 5, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Without much effort, but only thanks to his vision, Rick Owens‘ shows are always most surprising during Paris Fashion Week. And this time, the designer did not disappoint. After the Estonian heavy-metal group performing on the runway and Brooklyn-based dancers dancing in their own, energetic style, Rick invited local, Parisian gymnasts to become… human back-packs. But, this shouldn’t be treated us a performance to be laughed at – serenity, grace and power of the way these women carried another, looking strong in Owens’ airy silhouettes, was disturbing, but beautiful. As the designer suggested, it represented the conncection between the women he dresses, knows and is constantly inspired by. And, “This Land is Mine” performed by Eska (Owen’s personal Beyonce) during the show made it the most emotionally filled collection of the season. And what’s interesting, the collection was based on plus size models – so, this means that the traditional clothes sized were in ranged from traditional model’s standard to the gymnast’s bodies.“I feel I haven’t done enough to accommodate them (plus size people). It’s hard to create a corner for people who might never come to me for that but I’m trying to find a way… I love a big girl who owns it unapologetically. Enjoy your juiciness.” Rick Owens knows how to effectively steal the spotlight, without pointless extras.