Ann Demeulemeester Women's FW11

[diamonds]

No it really doesn't ...

Such broad strokes and broadening.
She doesn't underline structure, she opens it up and pulls it out.
This is not to say there is no structure, it just doesn't suffice
to contain the mass.

This has little to do with Gothic, you'll find that in Rick Owens or
Gareth Pugh.

No need for squinting, I can see clearly ...

this is more goth than rick and gareth pugh combined. just look at the hair styling and accessory

[Heirloom]

i agree. rick owens is a modernist and gareth a futurist.

[michael_kard]

/\ Agreed as well. B-I, I don't see what's so wrong with and foul about Gothic to begin with. I always admired and found fascinating all the different interpretations of the Goth aesthetic, from Horace Walpole to Bauhaus and Nick Cave, "Mall Goths", Ann's work, etc. As proven by these photos, Goth is pure style.

[BECOMING-INTENSE]

Have I said there's anything wrong with it?

It's about broadening the perspective a little, the gothic doesn't
evolve around your hairdo. Think architecture, literature, paintings,
philosophy etc. etc.

i agree. rick owens is a modernist and gareth a futurist.

Please explain why?

[kagitsune]

Only Ms. Demeulemeester could execute what are essentially fur suits and WOW armor and make them look (individually) wearable and beautiful. I agree on the over styling for a couple of the looks, but those layered, tailored looks at the end...

[genevieveryoko]

It doesn't get better than this....

No, it does.

"Journalists tend to label me Gothic, and I hate it. I'm not Gothic at all" - Ann D.

[BECOMING-INTENSE]

Thank you.

[genevieveryoko]

still, I don't understand why she would say that?

[BECOMING-INTENSE]

Because the Gothic underlines elements of construction,
she is more concerned with movements.
That could be one explanation.

Though it shouldn't be hard to understand why you would
dislike being called something you have nothing to do with.
And especially as shallow this term is being thrown around.

[Faust]

trying a bit too hard with that leather, imo. the same goes with those triple lace up tall boots she did a couple of seasons ago.

hhhm, a few thousand women would disagree as those were sold out in a flash and had to be reordered several times (only to be sold out again).

[Faust]

still, I don't understand why she would say that?

Because it's too narrow. Ann does not want to be pigeon-holed. She wants to do what she likes without feeling the pressure to conform to any label. She is not gothic at all - she is not morbid, she loves life. Patti Smith is not gothic, neither is PJ Harvey, neither is William Blake, to name just a few influence. But, there is much more than that. Ann's universe encompasses much more.

And she loves black (and white), because of its purity and the way it brings out form, texture, and movement.

By the way, I love that this collection is all black. It's so strongheaded and singular here - and I love that. Pure Ann magic.

I also don't get the complaints about styling. She's always styled that way - a beautiful mess.

[genevieveryoko]

Though it shouldn't be hard to understand why you would
dislike being called something you have nothing to do with.
And especially as shallow this term is being thrown around.

Well I wouldn't say that her work has nothing to do with a Gothic aesthetic, although it does make sense that it is too narrow. As far as throwing the term around loosely, I would agree that we've come along way from its historical origins to a meaning that relies mostly on superficial markers:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic_fashion

As far as the romanticism, the colors, the lace-up boots, etc. is concerned, it makes sense why someone would say this collection (as well as many other Ann collections) at least contains Gothic elements, although, as a summary, yes it is too limiting, it is more modern, amongst other things.

[Lane]

damn where are all the chicks who wear this nice stuff?

[lowrey]

This has little to do with Gothic, you'll find that in Rick Owens or
Gareth Pugh.

No need for squinting, I can see clearly ...

Have I said there's anything wrong with it?

It's about broadening the perspective a little, the gothic doesn't
evolve around your hairdo. Think architecture, literature, paintings,
philosophy etc. etc.

while I do agree that labeling this as gothic is vague, so is doing the same with Rick or Pugh, which you did. particularly their recent collections have been pretty far from gothic imo, more so than Ann's recent work.

[Faust]

damn where are all the chicks who wear this nice stuff?

lol. been saying that for years.