m.a+ (Maurizio Amadei)

[BSR]

Here we are Acid



BTW all this discussion makes me really sad.

[cjbreed]

Footwear > Accessories > Outerwear > Basics.

i pretty much agree with this order. and in many respects he is peerless in this regard (footwear, outerwear, accessories - ccp excluded). so when taken as a collection of clothing, m.a+ gets dumped on. but it could be argued that a huge chunk of the clothing is just an add on. an afterthought. but i'd put his footwear up against any of our faves (guidi, augusta, etc.)

for example, i am wearing these right now:

and it is hard to express how much i love them. they're made from a single piece of leather. awesome leather. scraped and scrubbed and painted and twisted and hammered into a beautiful shoe. in fact, a guy i work with just asked me if i bought them from christopher columbus. of course he has no idea what he's talking about but i take it as a major compliment.

and i love the outerwear. almost all of this is totally awesome. h.lorenzo m.a+ fw10

if it fits your body well, it just looks sick as fuck (to use merz' method of evaluating a garment)

[Peasant]

^Definitely. I have a lined, long coat that began deteriorating withing hours of wearing it. Small holes, not tears, developed in areas of heavier wear. Such as the elbows and cuffs. Then the process slowed and the coat looks amazing. Broken in and now perfect for my shape. In fact, the cuff of my aviator was recently ripped off and what saved the whole sleeve was the anchor thread where the cuff splits. It was a serious force that ripped the cuff, but the piece looks no-less amazing and I actually like it more now.

This leads me to think of the hooded, leather coats. They seem so rigid and stuffy. Odd buldges and points form where the leather meets. But I've only seen them brand new. They'll obviously soften and likely come to be perfect. And if this is something he foresees. And it's something he designs and constructs to compensate for, the man is genius. Or maybe I'm giving him too much credit.

[Fuuma]

CCP is on his own. the only reason he can be compared to anyone else is because he shares closet space with them. he remains the next level.

CCP brings interesting ideas to the forefront and questions the relatonship between art and fashion design. I would certainly be wary of crowning him as the pinnacle of design. People like Yohji or Margiela are giants towering over him.

[cjbreed]

CCP brings interesting ideas to the forefront and questions the relatonship between art and fashion design. I would certainly be wary of crowning him as the pinnacle of design. People like Yohji or Margiela are giants towering over him.

thats what i mean by "the next level". he certainly hasn't had the impact or created a catalogue of work that rivals yohji or margiela. i guess its just personal preference really. i'd take a handful of ccp over a house full of yohji any day...

that being said, you have a far more mature and informed perspective on fashion as a whole than i do, so i always give your comments the thought they deserve...

[Fuuma]

thats what i mean by "the next level". he certainly hasn't had the impact or created a catalogue of work that rivals yohji or margiela. i guess its just personal preference really. i'd take a handful of ccp over a house full of yohji any day...

that being said, you have a far more mature and informed perspective on fashion as a whole than i do, so i always give your comments the thought they deserve...

Too stiff for me, got rid of everything except a pair of pants and some boots. I know it is sorta the point so I don't hold it against him however it is definitely not for me, it lacks a certain louche elegance. I am wearing two Margiela pieces today (silk sweater + perforated leather boots)...

Now to be honest CCP is def one of the designer I like discussing the most, I am just not a potential wearer. The "forum approved" brands I wear are Ann Demeulemeester and Rick Owens, both possess a certain flowing quality.

[orphée]

As alluded to in some recent posts, body type is a determining factor here. I would think that Amadei designs with a particular body type in mind; if you happen to have the same kinds of arms, torso, etc. that he designs for, you really cannot go wrong with some of his pieces. Take his aviator, for instance. Some have mentioned a 'tight neck'(maybe not necessarily in reference to this particular jacket) but I find the piece encapsulates the body without suffocating it. And I can say I have never been concerned about moving the wrong way and accidentally ripping the fabric...something which I cannot say of CCP, which constantly has me on my guard.

[calv]

got to hand it down to you nod..

one line.. one simple question that started this good discussion..

[AKA*NYC]

details on pic? who are these jesus christ superstars?

[doldrums]

Maybe I am missing something...but as someone who can sew and draft, I do not understand the point that if something can be replicated then it must be simple. The idea is just ludicrous.

spot on.

testament to Amadei's genius that his seamless designs seem to spark an "oh i should have known" feeling from people who have dissected and desecrated his wallets, bags or other pieces.

no necessary dishonor in biting a design when your latest readymade magazine gets boring but to then break the design down as "simple" or as lackadaisical and call out a designer whose ideas you just implemented is [insert clown emoticon]

i'm no fanboy but i've had time to swish and swallow my share of ma+ and ccp. firstly don't compare them. secondly, ma+ construction is robust, long lasting (better aftertaste)...and to my eyes, holds a sense of integrity in its simplicity that everyone else should not try and even emulate. if he wanted to finish more garments, wow you with cutting edge stitches, or line the shit out of a coin pocket - i'm sure he would do it and charge $$$ for the add-ons. but that is clearly not his objective and as such apparently only resonates with half of us. so yea, everything is not gold but you can count on the construction and pattern-making and above all (patient) design consideration placed in a majority of his outerwear, footwear, and accessories.

so while i'm not a clown, i'll take the throne for douchebagery and quote myself - ma+ is a workhorse.

and bsr's 5 pockets look insanely good. shit i could write for days about the design of 5 pockets themselves. easy to emulate? probably. absolutely genius...

seems that a sub theme for this season is pleating of elbow and knee regions (wouldn't call them joints!).

[delphine]

Maybe I am missing something...but as someone who can sew and draft, I do not understand the point that if something can be replicated then it must be simple. The idea is just ludicrous. It's pretty simple to copy or emulate most things, and that doesn't make them any less great. Arguing that a garment that can be DIY'd is not a complex or interesting enough idea or construction is missing the point entirely. I could copy pretty much any garment handed to me (shoes and blazers being the exceptions) but that doesn't mean that I could've thought of the construction on my own. Sure, a lot of ma+ construction can be quite standard - there's nothing exceptional about princess seams or two-piece sleeves - but the way in which the construction and design are employed to a final end are really quite original, unusual, and exceptional. And in the end, they are well-constructed pieces that adhere to a certain aesthetic. It is certainly valid to find fault with or not appreciate the aesthetic, but I don't see how a person's ability to recreate something has any bearing on the worthiness of the original concept or garment.

The argument was not that it can be done but that they are often easily done, and by people who don't have your skill. But I accept that it isn't really even relevant or valid. Thank you for all for setting me straight

[philip nod]

got to hand it down to you nod..

one line.. one simple question that started this good discussion..

Ma+ has quietly and elegantly risen to heights of his collared throne.
his hits have a timelessness that is very zen and beyond the tired post apocalyptic nightmare we indulge in.

i can't believe nobody has posted any showroom pics -- or at least given a decent review -- i'm hoping lowrey was being dismissive due to the abuse of a busy schedule.

@bsr i love what hes doing on the knee/elbow joints now -- hope to see those pants in person--

[snafu]

seriously though the FW stuff does look sick as fuck...

[cjbreed]

BTW all this discussion makes me really sad.

what....why?

[cjbreed]

Ma+ has quietly and elegantly risen to heights of his collared throne.
his hits have a timelessness that is very zen and beyond the tired post apocalyptic nightmare we indulge in.

well said....