Loewe
Jonathan Anderson’s infused his first Loewe collection with youth and vibrancy. Rough patchwork jute with frayed edge, soft suedes, and chunks of leather peeling away from the clothing all worked into the theme of freshness. A paper bag waist incorporated itself into several skirts, but with a twist: a pouch hung from the side in a utilitarian way. Soft camel and tan hues saw splashes of color on the print t-shirts and several bright leather pieces.
Chalayan
A stealth army of ninjas, complete with headscarf goggles, domineered the runway at Chalayan, who drew his inspiration from Morocco, North Africa and Spain. The collection, tame and earthy in colors, contained plenty of stealth. Languid silhouettes changed into different looks: a two-piece suit transformed into a multi-layered skirt; a caped back turned into a jacket, and deeply slashed sides revealed a pair of shorts underneath. The execution was impeccable and the tameness justified.
Talbot Runhof
Johnny Talbot and Adrian Runhof are no strangers to a powerful political message, infused with plenty of humor of course. Putin’s recognizable mug was the subject of this season’s ridicule, though they kept it light enough to not risk being banned from Russia. They relied on mixing high and low-street pieces to achieve a perfectly balanced, hip and casual collection worthy of a higher price tag. A pretty, glittery fil coupe velvet dress was trimmed in athletic stripes to bring down its intensity a notch. Striped sweatshirts got a treatment from crystal embellishment and fine mesh molded into flowing ensembles. It was a fun success.
Issey Miyake
Yoshiyuki Miyamae’s collection can make an architect quiver. Sculptureseque beauties paraded down the runway in pallid tones with enough technical prowess to send even the tamest buyers into a frenzy. A new 3D Steam Stretch technology aided in the creation of the masterpieces by inflating pre-pleated pieces of fabric into the shapes seen on the models. He experimented both with simple and grandiose incorporation, appealing to a variety of customers. In the spirit of more realistic design, he returned to checkered patterns and color blocking for half of the presentation. It almost seemed like the excitement of experimentation was competing with the original thought process.
Julien David
Lovely, soft colors, and bonded jerseys that looked as puffy as clouds domineered in this collection inspired by San Franciso Ballet’s principal dancer Maria Kochetkova. Julien David understands that while dancing is pretty, it is a serious sport. This idea transformed charming pieces into athletically inspired performance wear with movement, dynamism, and the beauty that dancers radiate. Sheer tulle adorned tops and skirts on a number of looks, balancing out more sculpted counterparts while lame sparkled with the enthusiasm of a tutu.
Christian Dior
Raf Simons isn’t afraid to redefine the past to fit the future. With a clear message of continuation from where he left off with his couture collection, and with buyers demanding more from the same inspiration sphere, Simons rolled out a dramatic history lesson. He abandoned the idea of decoration for an exploration in construction and precision of cut and style. The 18th-century court fused with astronauts and streetwear aficionados to reveal a cohesive and substantial collection. Exaggerated hips on tulip petal dresses merged with simple white tank tops, high collars introduced flowy nightgown-like silhouettes and reinvented court coats captured the audience attention. Who knew that learning from the past was the real way forward into the future?
Isabel Marant
Marant’s raw texture and unfinished hems made a beautiful impression against the neat pleats and precise lines in this tribally inspired collection. A cool, relaxed summer spirit gleefully played with a monastic serenity seen in oversized jackets and the warrior spirit of gladiator skirts captivated an independent huntress spirit. Colors were minimal, with bold prints accenting several pieces.
Undercover
While historians still argue about what the true interpretation of “The Garden of Earthly Delights” by Hieronymus Bosch, Jun Takahashi decided to divulge his take on the battle. Giant cherry sculptures on the runway, lifted from the painting’s motif, fused the prints and reality together. It was a narrative of transformation, with the looks evolving over three distinct stages. Sugary shades of crinoline rainbow introduced the story, continuing with soft tulle and girly silhouettes swathing the models. A lilac tutu remained extra innocent with a skirt attached to the bottom, sparkling trim reflecting beams of light. Growth progressed the show, with the youth now donning looser and more modest silhouettes in toned down earthy colors, before transitioning into the purgatory of temptation. Prints of the triptych adorned a procession of dresses, with plastic jagged cutouts wrapped around the models’ legs and arms. The ensembles truly captured the mood of a chaotic utopia. Darker colors began creeping in, and the wild changes expressed themselves in darker, wilder colors. The lilac tutu was now blue gradient, its underpinnings the same but now topped with a leather jackets and feather sleeves. Feather masks added to the mystery, suggesting an unknown change. The finale arrived by way of a procession of all black clad models with black wings, bearing only a hint of what came before. It was a beautiful story.
Alexandre Vauthier
The couture-loving designer revealed with his collection that he could find comfort in producing less complicated and more mass-market ready looks with his collection. An American football setting served as background for the casual clothes. Sporty silhouettes consisting of loose t-shirt dresses and jersey fabrics delivered as much impact as the sinuous gown constructed of precise seams accentuating all the right curves.
Maison Martin Margiela
The house opted for subtlety in lieu of bells and whistles this season, turning to an understated nude stocking to provide an impact. Asymmetric skirts and dresses received an update with a more daring upper hemline, revealing the complete length of one thigh while the sheer nude fabric swathed more conservative looks for a hint of sensuality. The theme centered around subtle re-construction shown by the patchwork fabrics and barely there wrap skirts tied up with knots of nylon webbing belt without the buckles.
Maiyet
Kristy Caylor called out dance as the inspiration for this season’s looks. Fluid, loose silhouettes proposed a sense of freedom and movement. Several dresses feature elegant draping worthy of a Greek garden party, while a few gowns begged for display on the red carpet. The palette remained pure and restrained, with red making the biggest splash.
Andrew Gn
Andrew Gn presented a visual feast at his show worthy of the master painters. Monet found Giverny full of inspiration, as did many other artists, and Gn reinterpreted Monet’s work in a procession of digitally manipulated watercolors. Before getting to that meaty part though, Gn introduced more toned down looks first. Asian inspired dresses full of obi belts and wide structured sleeved were cherry blossom embellishments before moving on to an ode to Ettore Sottsass and his colorful, imbalanced design aesthetic. Overall, the collection overall succeeded at paying homage not only to Gn’s roots but also to the world’s great masters.
A.F. Vandevorst
The designers captured the rush of a determined woman perfectly in this collection, right down to the windswept clothing. Sculpted gown hems and jacket sleeves impeccably suggested an airfield with full-force propellers blowing. Loose, billowy silhouettes and grounded personalities fused to produce a wonderful collection of wearable, strong looks.
Yohji Yamamoto
Yohji Yamamoto had one goal this season, to strip away his image of producing unsexy clothes. To do this, he peeled jack sleeves and layers off the body to reveal a hint of skin or a swath of sheer, lacy fabric. Hemlines weren’t confined to calf-length, instead hiking up on one side with the other being longer. Sheer, loose layers and silky pajama suits brought the boudoir out. It was a successful fusion of pure Yamamoto aesthetic and newly found sensuality.
Bouchra Jarrar
These aren’t your ordinary basics. Electric colors and impeccable tailoring infused the luxurious fabrics. Cashmere, twill and cotton provided comfort while a mens-wear theme embraced a sense of precision.
Irfé
Military vibes and resolute spirit made their way unto Olga Sorokina’s runway this season. Billowy coats and dresses reminisced of parachutes while tailored army vests and utility belts gave an edge to soft chiffon dresses. An inspiring ensemble of gradient shorts and a navy tank stole the show, however, despite its simplicity.
Wanda Nylon
Peter Hornstein and Johanna Senyk delivered a down-to-earth sportswear collection with glamour and flash of the ’60s. Dresses were languid and fluttering, and shapes were loose and airy. The color palette aided the laid back vibes, with mint green, lilac and pinks softening up any harsh angles.
