Cool Girls Only. Miu Miu AW18

March 10, 2018March 10, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

So many things come to one’s mind when looking at Miu Miu‘s brilliance this season! The models’ beautiful beehive hair resembled John Waters’ cult Hairspray film in all possible ways. Over-sized shoulders of the jackets had something of Rockabilly sensitivity. The clothes, stacked somewhere between the 60s and 80s, define cool. Oh, and there was Elle Fanning, opening and closing the show effortlessly. All hail Miuccia Prada for letting youthful spirit to the season, without necessarily leaning on hoodies and sneakers. Quite obsessed with this nostalgic cool girl pack.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

In Paris. APC AW18

March 10, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

I always consider A.P.C. as intellectual fashion. No, it’s rather a lifestyle. Jean Touitou is the master of simple, yet great quality shirts, dresses, denim and jackets. The autumn-winter 2018 collection for women and men is something of student geek and… Paris. Sorry, I know, I’m the slave of this cliché. But the mini red dress with white-collar and sleeves, styled with those burgundy Mary-Janes in polished leather, is the quintessence of Paris to me. The same as the boys’ leather jumpsuit or one of those preppy floral shirts. I just can’t stop looking at this collection, even though it’s not ground-breaking or ‘disruptive’. It’s pure A.P.C., and we all want to be part of it.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Art. Thom Browne AW18

March 10, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

Madonna’s ‘Vogue’ on the soundtrack. Painting models in the background. Sculpted skirts that looked like, yes, Venus of Willendorf. Thom Browne wanted to convey the idea of feminine artistry in his surreal, autumn-winter 2018 collection. Shortly, it’s “Vigée Le Brun painting a vision of what she wanted to be in the 21st century.” The 18th-century female artist, who was famous for being Marie Antoinette’s official portraitist, was an exception in the male dominated profession. No wonder why she’s the inspiration behind the collection. Browne never stops to surprise with his love for craftsmanship – the grey dress with ’embroidered’ nipples and ‘knitted’ pubic hair is a highlight, just like the delightful roses on capes and coats. A show to remember.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Foamed Tailoring. Balenciaga AW18

March 9, 2018March 9, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

“After two years at Balenciaga, I wanted to take all the codes of the house and filter them so they can be one aesthetic and one ethic,” said Demna Gvasalia. What seemed to be a reflective season for Balenciaga‘s creative director, felt at a first glance like a very, very predictable Gvasalia offering. Coats layered over ten other coats, dad-looks, a play with corporate dressing. In other words – well, we’ve seen enough of that. I thought: is there a place for something new?

But then, you and I had no clue that what seemed to be the most ‘basic’ about this collection appeared to be fashion’s revolution. Thanks to a high-tech computer-enabled process, the women’s and men’s blazers were… molded. The tailored silhouettes had been 3-D scanned, the fittings were done digitally and then the forms were printed out. Fabrics that are well known across the traditional industry, like tweed or wool, were then bonded to a “lightweight foam”. Shortly speaking – that’s incredible. Today’s fashion needs that kind of progress a lot, to continue being exciting and desired. I really can’t wait to see how the designer develops the idea further across Balenciaga in the next seasons.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Camp. Comme Des Garçons AW18

March 8, 2018 | Design & Culture by Ed

In honour of International Women’s Day, taking a look at Comme Des Garçons autumn-winter 2018 is well advised. Rei Kawakubo is an icredible woman: she is assertive in everything she does, enigmatic, yet sharp. Her company is an empire (even though she would hate that word). Her main line of garments (counting of 16 this season) brings reflection and creativity in every sense of this word to fashion each season. This time, the spirit was more uplifting than usual. Actually, Rei was reading ‘Notes on Camp,’ Susan Sontag’s essay from 1964. As the author wrote, “Camp taste is, above all, a mode of enjoyment, not judgment. Camp is generous, it wants to enjoy. . . . Camp is a tender feeling.” The feeling is all over in here. Clashed clothes, camo with polka dots, sequins and mattresses, flowers and Betty Boop. Mix. Mash. Destroy. Create. Simply incredible.