Confidence. Eckhaus Latta SS18

September 10, 2017September 10, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

The thing about New York Fashion Week is that most of young designers, who show this time around are a) not standing for anything substantial or b) do The Row / Céline knock-offs. Eckhaus Latta, however, is far, far different. Maybe because Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta are originally from Los Angeles? Maybe. But coming back to NYFW, their fashion show had messages. Be confident. Be yourself. And respect your body. Transparency and volume play made the silhouettes of sheer dresses look radical, while various knits clung the body comfortably. One of the models was pregnant, and the designers embraced that in a beautiful manner by dressing her in a button-down dress that exposed her belly. The models varied in age as well as in gender and race. Full diversity isn’t a trend, but the ultimate truth for Eckhaus Latta.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Two Faces. Creatures of The Wind SS18

September 10, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Although not much was going on at Creatures of The Wind‘s spring-summer 2018 fashion show, one specific piece of clothing stole the spotlight. The ‘stoner’ shearling coat, embroidered with cannabis leaves all over it. Looking back at Shane Gabier and Chris Peters‘ creative career, their Creatures of The Wind women is under a constant style/mental dilemma. Is she an edgy, hippie girl who adores eclecticism? Or is she an already established New Yorker career-woman with a thing for ‘arty’? This season, there’s a compromise, and the cannabis motif is a sign that the girl has a wilder side, while wearing office-ready white dresses or empowering leather trenches that had been re-dyed and painted.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki (I kind of see that coat being worn around tipsy Amsterdam…).

You Do You. Tom Ford SS18

September 7, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Wherever I look, I see a long feature about the importance and potential of Tom Ford. Business of Fashion did one recently. New York Mag had it in August, exclusively sharing bits on the designer’s work behind the spring-summer 2018 collection. All of the magazines praise Tom Ford for his work at Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent, for his venture in the film industry (like Nocturnal Animals) and most of all, his own brand with commercially succesful beauty line, men’s ready-to-wear and growing womenswear. Is Tom Ford’s PR working night and day, lately? Or maybe just in the year of 2017 the fashion industry decided to agree on one thing – Tom Ford is boss. And his fashion, season-to-season, wherever he designs, says you do you. Really, no else does Tom Ford as well as, gasp, Tom Ford.

There were rumours that Ford is planning to do a loud 90s revival – and that was certainly true. Backless jumpsuits, shoulder pads in denim, killer puchsia and lots of bling-bling were present, giving New York fashion week a glamorous kick-off. Don’t think it was nostalgic, as nostalgia in fashion often ends looking dusty and pretentious. That was a sleek line-up of ultra-glossy and great-body-demanding clothes, with no deeper meanings. That’s a collection that you look at with a relaxed, optimist eye at the beginning of the fashion month triathlon. Surely not like at a show of the last few days that you would confuse with Balmain and rather skip. But still, Ford is in a very, very good form, and what’s more, on his own terms.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

TBT: Prada Fairies

August 17, 2017August 17, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

For her memorable spring-summer 2008, Miuccia Prada worked closely with artist James Jean on developing special prints for the clothes and the show venue. The inked drawings depict a lush and slightly scandalous landscape of flowers and nymphs (blending suggestions of Art Nouveau and Hieronymus Bosch). By projecting the actual imaginary world over the dresses and ball-skirts, then distorting and separating the various colour layers, the Prada fairytale seemed to breath throughout the entire season. And even though nearly a decade passed since the show took place, looking back at this intriguing collection takes you to another, magical place.

P.s. Recently, Prada has invited Jean for another equally fantastical collaboration – read about the brand’s resort 2018 collection here.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Céline Blankets

August 10, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Phoebe Philo knows the art of laid-back like no other. And her autumn-winter 2017 collection for Céline proves that with a piece you surely haven’t predicted to become the new style trick. I’m speaking of the ultra-big blankets, that have a thing or two to say. Philo took her cue from a pub menu, emblazoning those fleecy, fringed shawls with ‘Beef Stew’, ‘Sticky Toffee Pudding’ and ‘Bangers and Mash’. Just imagine, how these heartfelt blankets might warm you up on a breezy day in the countryside this autumn (while eating one of Phoebe’s favourite dishes, I guess).