Patti on Ann

October 18, 2014January 5, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

Shadows fell on the girl who had recorded Horses. At a time of deep loneliness she received a package from Antwerp—an exquisite white box tied with black ribbon—like a photograph by Robert Mapplethorpe. She set it on her worktable by the window, laid the ribbons aside, and raised the lid. There, beneath layers of immaculate tissue, were three white shirts. She unfolded and spread them in the light, examining every stitch. I understood that I was not alone. When at long last I stepped back upon the stage, the girl of Flanders brushed the dust from my shoulder, adjusted my collar, and laced my boots.

Patti Smith on Ann Demeulemeester.

Selling Feminism. Chanel SS15

October 4, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

Karl Lagerfeld tried doing feminism after a super-market and space odyssey shows. And it felt so, so fake. If you spread feminism through fashion, then at list use more than three models of colour. Use plus-size models and not only the glossy Cara Delevigne and Georgia May Jagger combo which are skinny and “perfect”. It’s not feminism, Karl. It’s just giving a bunch of girls few posters with signs like Boys should also be pregnant or He for She. Showing this, and saying that it’s feminism, seems to be really funny and silly comparing to what, for example, happens in Turkey or Russia. These women really fight for women’s rights. Maybe I shouldn’t connect the fashion thing with politics, but using too big words for too small things isn’t a good matter for an important aim. And by the way- how many women in the world can buy every three months a one-season-only Chanel bag? I thing something is wrong up here… let’s just stay with one thing: MAKE FASHION in fashion (but unfortunately, even the horrible clothes didn’t help the whole collection out of the situation).

Junior Suite. Sonia Rykiel SS15

October 3, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

“My mother wore it a lot, so this felt like coming back to her closet a little bit,” said Julie de Libran. “There are so many codes, and there’s such a nice heritage, which I’m lucky to be able to take from and reinvent, to kind of close the archive, and just go by my selective memory.” I love this kind of fresh perspective on the brand. The designer of Sonia Rykiel simply must be French! The collection, presented in the SR Saint-Germain store was chic, sexy and pretty much basic. It was a good starting point, which hopefully will be developed in the upcoming seasons. And by the way, Gigi Hadid stole the show…

Joan D’Arc. Givenchy SS15

October 3, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

Well. Riccardo Tisci AGAIN comes back to his roots, where he was all about stripes and graphical prints. And the harsh sexuality. I hoped this will never come back… but it did. The summer collection, which is totally not for summer, is all about leather, Jesus, heavy metal and, as Riccardo said, Joan d’Arc. Maybe there was something about Joan d’Arc in this collection… the provocation? The over-use of crosses and Christian symbols? I think this Madonna-ish trend died together with punk. The collection felt so, so weak, even dough the embroideries are certainly breath-taking. The collection didn’t introduce nothing new- it made woman look over-sexy and over-bossy. The last few seasons were pretty good, but this broke the timeline. And seeing the Kim and Kanye family ‘like all the time’ during the show looks seriously faux pas. We need a fresh breath, Tisci.

Moody Ruffles. Ellery SS15

October 1, 2014January 5, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

The Aussie girl, Kym Ellery, does sculptural beauty this time in Paris. The collection is so, so breath-taking. It has so much movement, flair, boldness… the materials used are so gorgeous, that the amazing over-sized ribbons look super effortless and wearable. Ellery always masters best the fun with fabrics- in their Paris-based studio, the real magic happens, making their collection better and better each season. Ellery had two main emphases: creating a lean, attenuated silhouette, and elaborating it with rich textures. The opening look established the theme: a pair of extra-long tweed trousers topped with a mesh undershirt and matching tweed singlet. The singlet had a buoyant flare, but this was a more measured take on the sculptural volumes Ellery has explored in the past. The tailoring was a highlight—lots of great pants—and the shirting, too, done in heavy-duty cottons with a touch of sheen. Ellery also scored with her long, almost monastic tank dresses, which kicked out under the hip. Serene but with a vibrant atmosphere in the air.