The A.F.Vandevorst collection by An Vandevorst & Filip Arickx is an evolving non-linear narrative, inspired by travels of the mind, body, and spirit.
Autumn Winter 2015/16 evokes an escape to the Andes Mountains, and its stark landscapes punctuated by the jubilant costume of the Peruvian people.
Studied in monochrome, their dense and decorated vestments are instilled with a dramatic chiaroscuro, a shadow play of detail and silhouette that shines unencumbered in the dark.
‘Streamlined tradition’ describes the hand-touched, sculptural softness found throughout, as textiles are wrapped, laced and moulded around the feminine form.
Natural fibres abound, with a profusion of organic textures underscored by the bold details of high-altitude clothing, with giant whipstitch lacing defining the contours of stovepipe trousers, cuissard boots and slim blazers.
Long and languid suiting meets the flared volumes of hand-tucked and pleated wool skirts, falling to the knee or past the ankle in pitch black, bright white, and a muted palette of grayscale tones.
Surface builds from the flatness of crisp poplin creeping with Chivay embroidery through to tapestry-print crepe and felted wool, developing into the rich, layered depth of thick-pile knit fringing, ombré Tibetan lambskin, jersey faux fur, and a herbaceous rose jacquard.
Up close, mourning ribbons adorn jacket lapels and a band tee translates the Incan myth of the Ayar brothers as an irreverent graphic motif.
A series of wool coats and gowns are backed with aluminium to create sweeping gestures of movement inspired by the wings of the Andean Condors of the Colca Canyon, as are Stephen Jones’ draped bonnets (lending a touch of the absurd).
Brogue boots in rose jacquard, suede or calfskin are elevated on a stiletto heel, traced across the instep with hiker’s lacing.
The performance piece “White Light, Paint It White” by Belgian artist Joris Van de Moortel is integrated into the show, as models and musicians alike are transformed to the strains of “White Light White Heat” by the Velvet Underground.
(more…)
Tags: A.F. VANDEVORST, A.F. VANDEVORST FW 2015-16, FALL WINTER WOMEN 2015-16
Mon, June 22 2015 » Fashion Blog
Mon, June 22 2015 » Fashion Blog
The mirror is materialised in this collection in the form of reflective materials – shiny embellishments, silver leathers – and haunts the sumptuous, shadowy velvets that represent its obverse.
The polarity between the mirror and velvet, and the interplay of light between the two, creates a charge that runs throughout the collection: between the cold, hard, shiny surfaces that reflect light, and the warm, soft, dark depths that absorb it.
Sonia Rykiel’s love of sensuality and comfort made velvet a signature of the house from day one, and it is presented this season in a series of faux noirs.
Just as the night sky is never truly black, so these velvets are in fact dark browns, blues and greens, only revealing their true colours momentarily when the light hits them at the right angle.
Meanwhile, it’s the hard, shiny surfaces that provide the subject matter of our crystalline invitations designed by Peter Miles. The stripe remains a Sonia Rykiel signature, albeit less conspicuous, less ubiquitous than last season.
There are patches throughout, even on the furs. The pencil silhouette is long and lean, echoing the shape of Sonia Rykiel’s early figure-hugging knits.
The accessories include an oversized coin purse and boots that come complete with soft knitted socks as part of the construction.
The models wearing the collection this evening include four boys: with a few obvious exceptions, clothes generally, and sweaters in particular, don’t have a gender.
(more…)
Tags: FALL WINTER WOMEN 2015-16, SONIA RYKIEL, SONIA RYKIEL FW 2015-16
Mon, June 22 2015 » Fashion Blog
The simplicity of traditional, authentic masculine clothing archetypes, spliced with an exaggerated couture-like silhouette by sacai’s Chitose Abe.
An unexpected distorted proportion, that challenges preconceptions with drop shoulders, drop waist details and elongated sleeves. A new modern context for classical couture techniques and shapes.
Something precious and rarefied, applied to the familiar and everyday. An M65 parka, injected with an elegant, super-oversized, slouchy volume.
The Baja stripes of a ‘Mexican parka’ pullover, re-imagined with luxe multi-coloured fur strips. A classic car coat, with exposed couture quilting stitch.
Fortuny pleating, bound together with “bondage” straps made with braided trimmings.. Herringbone tweed elasticised for the ultimate modern hourglass.
Sweaters re-structured with a tulle lining to create additional dimentionality.. A focus on the neck, shoulders, waist and hips. Military waffle knit sweaters shaped and moulded into a classical silhouette.
Tulle underpinning at the hips of sweater jackets, culottes and peplum skirts derived, spliced and reinterpreted to make for a seductive, forward-looking ideal of femininity and modern elegance.
Boots reference the ease of a American men’s moccasin loafer, with a pumped up crepe sole and leather stocking leg.
(more…)
Tags: FALL WINTER WOMEN 2015-16, SACAI, SACAI FW 2015-16
Sat, June 20 2015 » Fashion Blog
Sat, June 20 2015 » Fashion Blog
Sat, June 20 2015 » Fashion Blog
Colorscope
A multitude of infinite color, interwoven within a prismic geometry of shapes like a kaleidoscope.
A joyful world where a whirlwind of refracted light overflows into colors that spill into people’s hearts and emotions.
The power of nature’s beautiful expression manifested in snow crystals and swirling seashells – evolved to perfection over eons, their mystical allure endless.
Imbued with the hope that hovers between light and shadow, the dazzling manifestation of color emerges from stillness to movement and into our waking perception with joy.
(more…)
Tags: FALL WINTER WOMEN 2015-16, ISSEY MIYAKE, ISSEY MIYAKE FW 2015-16
Sat, June 20 2015 » Fashion Blog
Sat, June 20 2015 » Fashion Blog
Fall Winter 2015 revisits the woman introduced last season, adding functional pieces for a different facet of her life, a moment of realistic futurism. Set in grey suede, the pastel spectrum of a napa panel top opens the collection, establishing a theme of texture and colour.
A science-inspired aesthetic is shot through with everyday elements for a pragmatic, decidedly modern character. Silhouette is fluid and columnar, epitomised by wide herringbone trousers and accentuated with structured and graphic elements.
Materials encompass a variety of leather, maximising house knowledge and craftsmanship to construct garments that are of this moment in cut, touch and look. Lightness pervades, as do contrasts and material experimentation: Suede, stamped with a disorienting graphic pattern, acquires new visual complexity.
Gold, silver, and vibrant hues of red and turquoise are tempered with classic fabrics and tones. The grainy texture of an architectural buffalo bomber balances the super-supple lambskin used for lab dresses and tunics.
Patent leather and metallics reinterpret the scientific inspiration, while pleats occur in mercury-like lamé as well as engineered in suede.
Outerwear pieces dominate on the exterior; inside, a nylon silk knit top functions as a second skin under every look of the collection.
Colours reflect the diverse shading of contemporary life and with the Barcelona, a new shoulder bag joins the strong identity of the Puzzle, expanding a complementary, universal edit for woman.
(more…)
Tags: FALL WINTER WOMEN 2015-16, LOEWE, LOEWE FW 2015-16
Sat, June 20 2015 » Fashion Blog
For our Fall-Winter collection for Kenzo we celebrate a collective. We explore togetherness through camaraderie, ceremony and protection. Their abode is the wild, their refuge forged through their friendship with the surrounding trees and forest. Looks are defined by their warmth, draping and volumes.
Capes and blankets in graphic jacquards and shearlings wrap nocturnal floral printed dresses and trousers. Tops and skirts with cartridge pleats envelope the body and provide an extra protection when layered with knits with feathered edges.
Black, forest greens and sun yellows meld with prints of graphic dissectred rays or labyrinths. Delicate fabrics of georgette, fil coupe or chiffoned silk juxtaposed with melton wools offer polished notions of armor. Glimpses of boucle embroideries and prints in distorted camouflages elegantly sheath.
Accentuating the silhouettes are multi colored cross body leather backpacks, suede bike bucket bags, travel bags in cornflower blue and python platform chelsea boots or heels with webbing.
Humberto Leon & Carol Lim
(more…)
Tags: FALL WINTER WOMEN 2015-16, KENZO, KENZO FW 2015-16
Fri, June 19 2015 » Fashion Blog
