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  • Ahimsa
    Vegan Police
    • Sep 2011
    • 1879

    Fashion Week Ramblings F/W 16

    FASHION WEEK RAMBLINGS F/W 16
    by Eugene Rabkin

    "This past men’s fashion week was marked by a sense of schizophrenia more than anything else. Half of the shows in Paris were held in opulent palatial spaces and the other half in basements stripped of everything but their concrete foundations. The reactions of critics and buyers were similarly split. The editors I spoke with mostly shrugged shoulders and talked of consistently lowering expectations, while buyers thought the season more than solid.

    And this has been the leitmotif of the week – conceptually and aesthetically, shows left you wanting more, while in the showrooms plenty of good garments awaited.

    Let’s begin with the shows then. My first was Haider Ackermann, held in Hotel de Ville. The venue brimmed with gold and so did the collection. I usually don’t mind Ackermann’s indulgences, but this time he went overboard with the ornament that bordered on crime. Typically, Ackermann offsets the gold brocade and velvet by the black striking a well-tuned balance, but not this time. Partly this might have been the fault of styling, as models were sent out in full bling mode, followed by a full monochrome look that couldn’t quite refocus your attention in time.

    Taken apart at the showroom, however, the collection had plenty of desirable items. I love Ackermann’s shade of olive – he gets it just right, and there were several garments in that particular hue that spoke to me – a smoking jacket and an oversized coat.

    Then it was off to Raf Simons. At his best, Simons makes you think, whether you like or dislike the collection, which is more than can be said about some other shows. Simons’ inspirations were quite obvious – moreso because he spelled them out for you on a sheet of paper. David Lynch, Martin Margiela, his own past collections. It was all youth, youth, youth – with over-oversized varsity sweaters, some worn as capes, and so on. Was it good? Was it bad? I still can’t make up my mind.

    Next day I started with Rick Owens. His show, in the basement of Palais de Tokyo was a letdown. The super-wide pants (and it was the season of wide pants, didn’t you get the memo? Lucky, you who don’t subscribe to trend reports) were silly, too close to the raver pants from the 90s. The abbreviated double-breasted jackets didn’t help. The long hairy parkas were fine, and if you have always dreamed of being a purple yeti, you can pair them with some other hairy tops.

    When I got to the showroom, things brightened up but not by much. There were fine knits and those hairy parkas and what not, but I know you know that I know you will be buying the greatest hits from the pre-collection come next fall. And this has become Owens’ thing – he can afford to go wild on the runway because he has built a stellar body of work that he has shifted into the pre-collection. Hurray for that – let the man experiment. Good or bad, it’s interesting.

    Dries Van Noten’s show later that night was on point. The man seems to be on a winter-on, summer-off cycle, and this winter show, held at the Opera, was glorious. The audience was seated on two sides of the backstage. Before the show the curtains went up and we were treated to the jaw-dropping view of the opera proper. Instead of actors, there were the photographers waving at us.

    The show was classic Van Noten – lots of military details, jewel tones, and winning color combinations. Some of the garments were over-embellished, others were just right. There was a softness and gentleness to it all, making it quite impossible not to like.

    After Van Noten, the needle has shifted to the other end of the fashion spectrum at Boris Bidjan Saberi. No surprises in the collection that was masterfully executed. Saberi has settled into an aesthetic that is uniquely his own and he showed it here in structured jackets, long heavy knits and long zippered boots. The snowy shade of gray might have been a continuation of the last season’s white mountaineering theme of his 11 line.

    At the BBS showroom there was plenty to want – not only in that color, but also in black. The leather jackets with extended lining were a particular hit, and so were the long boots, if you have the height to pull them off.

    Friday morning I schlepped across town to the 10-a.m. Junya Watanabe show. I don’t know why. I keep hoping that Watanabe will put his formidable technical prowess to an aesthetic different from the workwear/suiting direction he has taken in what seems like forever. My heart went aflutter when the show opened with a thumping Joy Division soundtrack. Could I see an expertly cut up perfecto or a pair of artfully destroyed black jeans? Nope. Instead, out went a bunch of checkered Mod suits and jackets with solar panels on the back (WTF?). The entire thing was incoherent, not to say (again) schizophrenic.

    The show of Ann Demeulemeester was a further disappointment. It is now clear that Sebastian Meunier has been gradually preparing Demeulemeester’s audience for a departure from her signature aesthetic. But this show felt like a disarray of ideas. There was buffalo plaid and orange velvet and other things that, while breaking away from Demeulemesteer’s aesthetic have failed to build its own. Meunier told me that it’s a tricky balance but at the end he has to do what he feels right.

    Anne Chapelle, the owner of Demeulemeester (and Ackermann) had another concern on her mind. She sees Demeulemeester’s audience aging and she wants to attract a new generation. The risk, of course, is alienating the old hardcore fans, but it seems one she is willing to take. I am not sure why, as I meet young people who love Demeulemeester’s work. And if the signature is gone, are we not looking at merely some nice clothes? But there are a lot of nice clothes out there, from companies with much deeper pockets and with marketing and advertising budgets.

    Oddly enough, in the showroom the women’s abbreviated collection, shown along men’s, looked beautiful. Perhaps the company thinks that Ann’s men and women want different things. But in my experience, Demeulemeester works like no other designer for a couple. Demeulemeester has always designed for a man with his woman in mind, and vice versa. Regardless, I look forward to the women’s shows.

    Of course for men everything will be available in black and it seemed like buyers had enough to fill their budgets with. But a larger point remains – will a fan of the brand even bother to look at the individual garments if Demeulemeester’s ethos is gone? We are back to the dichotomy of the aesthetic runway statement versus the individual garment."

    Continue reading here: http://www.sz-mag.com/news/2016/01/f...mblings-fw-16/
    StyleZeitgeist Magazine | Store
  • Mattiassa
    Member
    • Dec 2014
    • 68

    #2
    Interesting read. Thank you. Especially the part concerning Demeulemeester, which I think many of us are engaged in. I for one understand that Meunier needs to develop his own sensibilities. It would be impossible for him to do exactly what Ann did. It would end up as pastiches on her work (which is mostly never a good thing). But, the question is of course how far he wants to stray from the house codes. And that will always be a matter of taste and discussion.

    Basically the reformation of the house is inevitable. And they will probably loose some of their core clients. But will most likely end up catching new ones, in line with Chapelles wishes.

    It's of course sad Ann left. But I think we all saw this coming in a larger way sooner or later, and I think in the end it's the only way to keep the house going.

    Comment

    • BSR
      Senior Member
      • Aug 2008
      • 1562

      #3
      Originally posted by Faust
      The theme was Cronenberg’s film “Crash.”
      Just for the sake of accuracy, it is not the case that it is Deepti's inspiration. I just said this theme was "cronenbergesque" in the SZ thread but the designer had not Crash in mind at all afaik.
      pix

      Originally posted by Fuuma
      Fuck you and your viewpoint, I hate this depoliticized environment where every opinion should be respected, no matter how moronic. My avatar was chosen just for you, die in a ditch fucker.

      Comment

      • Faust
        kitsch killer
        • Sep 2006
        • 37852

        #4
        She told me herself.
        Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months - Oscar Wilde

        StyleZeitgeist Magazine

        Comment

        • SafetyKat
          Senior Member
          • Aug 2014
          • 169

          #5
          It'll be very interesting, or heartbreaking, to see where Ann D. goes as far as aesthetics for the next few seasons. Personally, I didnt really care for the latest collection but I enjoy seeing Sebastien's influence play out. Either way, I think that as the house transforms and changes it will make her original work and overall signature that much more meaningful.


          Originally posted by Ahimsa View Post
          but I know you know that I know you will be buying the greatest hits from the pre-collection come next fall.
          Too much

          Comment

          • Gatsu
            Member
            • Jul 2015
            • 59

            #6
            I liked the part about Ann alot. I am quite young and i am in love with older ann collections, but this collection pushed me away more than it attracted me towards Meuniers vision for Ann. I think this new way is alienating to both newer and older Ann customers, the older romantic ann collections had way more style and flair in its own way, i think those collections were great and youthful but wise, this just seemed lazy and the complete opposite of what they want, to attract new customers.

            Comment

            • Piffen
              Senior Member
              • Aug 2007
              • 359

              #7
              Thank you Faust. As always, observations are on point and the piece is well written, a pleasure to read. It's nice seeing how BBS has evolved into what it is today, even the 11 line looks good and has come in to it's own. He really has proven himself.

              Comment

              • ES3K
                Senior Member
                • Oct 2008
                • 530

                #8
                Excellent article, thanks.

                Apart from the footwear I never was much into Demeulemeester, but the current direction doesn't make sense at all. Will not work.
                Didn't know that Ackermann and Ann are under the same ownership... that in mind... if Haider has some spare time, he'd be perfect for designing the Ann collection as well, "romantic dark Haider" would really hit the spot for me.

                Comment

                • Faust
                  kitsch killer
                  • Sep 2006
                  • 37852

                  #9
                  You are most welcome, everyone.
                  Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months - Oscar Wilde

                  StyleZeitgeist Magazine

                  Comment

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