GLENN MARTENS DELIVERS A PLAYFUL STATEMENT ON FASHION
Inviting guests to take a dive into joyful childhood memories, Y/PROJECT hosted its HOMME AW20 show in a giant ballon-filled playground. Glenn Martens creates this season a show with an immersive atmosphere that conveys the brand’s tongue-in-cheek wit.
As soon as the show begins, the scenography immediately comes together with the collection in a celebration of individuality, to the pace of a fanfare march. The first looks, men’s suiting turned inside out with exaggerated seams and panels of colorful satin wrapped in tulle, set the tone of a joyful and prolific collection.
This visual impact is instantly amplified by another: a plunging bodysuit over high waisted pants with a sharp V cut at the front. Instead of the usual snap fastener, this bodysuit is prolonged by long straps tied around the waist. The tying concept is developed on shirts and tank tops but also with skirts and pants, translating classic pieces in a more playful language. Each piece is an experience and a mean of personal expression.
The accessory line features mind-bending pieces, always exploring the limits of construction. Glenn Martens proposes this season a new sailor knot-shaped bag, as well as a reversible, folding logo tote bag with a cashmere print that can be used as scarf too. The now iconic accordion bag is now developed as a more everyday tote version as well. Bold earrings made of chiseled and curved metallic pieces are reminiscent of Art Déco sculptures.
The brand’s creative vocabulary is continued this season in new variations: the coats’ lapels split in two create a pop-up effect, a shoulder clip blurs the structure of classic pieces, sweaters are doubled and mohair knit pieces are slashed. 3D seams on the front panel of pants are a reinterpretation of pieces seen years ago on the Y/PROJECT runway.
The last segment of the show reveals an exclusive collaboration with Canada Goose. The Parisian label is partnering with the Toronto outerwear expert on a six piece capsule collection, including asymmetric parkas, sweaters and reversible beanies. Re-imagining Canada Goose’s most iconic styles, this collaboration mixes playful proportions with functional outerwear to deliver the pinnacle of performance luxury.
In a new iteration of Y/PROJECT’s twisted couture, Glenn Martens offers an effusion of deconstructed shapes, colors, and textures. In a pure Y/PROJECT fashion, this collection delivers a masterful statement on versatility and individuality.
(more…)
Tags: FALL WINTER MEN 2020, Y/PROJECT, Y/PROJECT FW 2020, Y/PROJECT HOMME, Y/PROJECT HOMME FW 2020
Y/PROJECT PUSHES THE BOUNDARIES OF INDIVIDUAL EXPRESSION
Under the nave of the church L’Oratoire du Louvre, Glenn Martens pushes one step further Y/PROJECT’s ethos of deconstruction as a mean of individual expression. The soundtrack itself channels the designer’s ironic take on fashion, mixing the habanera rhythm of George Bizet’s opera Carmen with its Muppet Show parody.
Once again this season, Martens is blurring the perception we may have of clothing by creating impossible objects with an infinity feel, as if the pieces were never- ending. Asymmetry and disproportion run through the collection and distort the traditional silhouette: jackets, coats, polos or blazer dresses assemble front panels of different sizes, one escaping from the classic symmetric pattern and going up the neck. The asymmetric high-waisted fold over pants or pop-up pants, now symbols of this deconstructive design philosophy, are continued this season.
What seems like the real structure is always twisted and creates drapé or 3-D effects. The lining pops out of the blazers and becomes a buttonhole, revealing the garment construction and creating new volumes. The kimono sleeves and double shoulders modify usual proportions by drawing new, bigger contours.
The Y/PROJECT design ethos turns what may look so familiar at first sight into something unexpected. A pocket becomes a sleeve, a collar opens up and turns into a shoulder pad, a classic bomber jacket can be worn upside down. Jackets, whether Barbour, track or bomber, disrupt perception, making it almost impossible to figure out where these garments start and where they end, to distinguish the top from the bottom, or understand how they should be properly worn, mainly because there’s not one right way to wear these pieces.
Martens’ prolific creativity comes to life in a show irrigated by liquefied inspirations, where eclectic references are blended together: the silky flared trousers could be medieval or coming straight out of the 70s, the traditional Polish hand-painted pants stand alongside heavy heeled boots, inventing a new aesthetic language. The showstoppers this season are certainly the bodycon tulle suits looking like drawings walking down the runway, with piping and stitching details outlining the anatomy.
Y/PROJECT’s accessories line is getting elevated every season: the now iconic accordion bag is developed in new color ways and fabric, with a transparent peek- a-boo version which promised to be a summer hit. Two new men’s bags, a weekend one and a more day-to-day version, complete the line and add an extra level of chic.
Unveiled for the first time at Pitti Uomo, the men boots are now proposed with higher heels, buckles and metal tips. The women’s signature spiral sandals are brought back with a new design, as well as the oversize boots. The cut-out mules are embellished with China-like paintings. Two new shoe forms are introduced: platform laced sandals and square-toed heeled boots. While still bold, the jewelry is evolving into a sleeker and more wearable version. A new Y-shaped ear cuff is meant to be an it-accessory.
More than ever, the SS20 collection puts on the runway thought-provoking silhouettes. With versatility at its core, Y/PROJECT celebrates the expression of individuality.
(more…)
Tags: SPRING SUMMER MEN 2020, Y/PROJECT, Y/PROJECT HOMME, Y/PROJECT SS 2020
