Riccardo Tisci's reinvention of Givenchy has made him one of my favorite contemporary designers. His constant innovation has popularized of the most progressive minds in menswear, aswell as womenswear and this season was no different, his collection appearing as a clear standout. Although he essentially reworks the same silhouettes every season, his prints are always spectacular. In previous seasons, he drew from his past, however this season he went in a different direction. The prints were based on the technology of sound, broken down and rearranged into tribal patterns. Backstage after the show, Tisci explained that the "Givenchy man" has always been a warrior and that this season he wanted to start working on a nerd. The freedom of African boys and the way they layered their clothes also played a large part in the collection. The result is a futuristic, yet retro study of techno-tribalism and reminds me of Star Wars! Tisci's womenswear and menswear collections often go hand in hand, so it will be interesting to see his upcoming Spring/Summer 2014 collection!
Raf Simons' collection was shown in an obscure gallery in an industrial suburb outside of Paris, flanked by Alexander Calder's kinetic sculptures. The bulk of the collection was held together by an array of oversized t-shirts worn as dresses, shorts with high hemlines and pinafores, playing with gender stereotypes. The prints on the garments were most definitely a comment on consumerism; large bold lettering reading "THIS IS THE NEW SHAPE" and "ARTIFICIALLY FLAVORED" made models appear as walking billboards. However, it was done in a free and light way so the they looked fun and wearable, without appearing too serious.
Appropriately named after Lou Reed's classic 1972 song, Rick Owens' "Vicious" opened to the banshee sounds of an Estonian death metal band called Winny Puhh. The models practically ran to the beat of the sledgehammering drums, leaving onlookers in awe. For those who caught fleeting glimpses of the warrior-like men, the garments were fierce in gothic athleticism; long-sleeved tees worn over shorts, leather and mesh tanktops showing flesh underneath and zippers were all mainstays. Although this collection is not a breakaway from Owens' established aesthetic, it packs a menacing punch that I'm particularly fond of.
While researching this collection, I came across an interview Owens did in which he states "The biggest risk I take is staying true to myself and doing my thing, which could be repetitive to a lot of people..."
Swedish brand Acne Studios' designer Jonny Johansson openly attributes his latest collection to abstract art innovator Hilma af Klint, who's progressive paintings came well before Mondrian and Picasso. Klint's palette of pastel pinks, yellows and blues are what drew Johansson in. The influence is obvious in the metallic-heavy collection; washed out red, pink and blue fabrics were used to make sweatshirts, dinner and bomber jackets, and wide legged trousers. I always find it interesting when designers go in complete different directions, trying new and exciting things. In this case, Johansson rebelled against the sportswear trend and went for a 1970s throwback which I absolutely love.
Although I commended Jonny Johansson for his alternative outlook, it is not to say that I don't love the sportswear trend; I'm not quite sure what it is about it, but I'm a sucker for oversized jerseys, bomber jackets, athletic shorts and sweatshirts.
I was previously unaware of relatively Korean designer Juun.J who designs strictly menswear, however when I stumbled upon reoccurring photos of his latest collection on Tumblr and Instagram, I thought it worthwhile to check out his collection in its entirety and I was not disappointed.
Traditionally labelled a deconstructionist this season he tackled American athleticism, offering thigh-high shorts, boxy sweatshirts embellished with 3D numbers, and large trench coats. I love the blown up silhouettes and nerdy styling meets athletic aesthetic of this collection and am looking forward to following Juun.J's future shows!
One word to describe Yohji Yamamoto's Spring/Summer 2014 collection? Layering. When asked about the inspiration behind the look, Yamamoto explained he was fascinated with nomads and the way they wear all the clothing they own and somehow turn it into a fashion statement. Pants, shorts and jackets were baggy and airy, primarily in shades of grey and accented by black, white and gradient hues of orange. Model's locks were entwined into messy braids and foreheads were painted white and grey, only heightening the spiritual and ethereal nature of the show.
This season has been great for menswear with many new points of view, expansions of previous ideas and interesting rehashes of old concepts. Many other notable collections were shown, such as Alexander Wang, Louis Vuitton and Saint Laurent to name a few, but I really wanted to try to keep this post short and to the point so I could begin my research on the Fall 2013 Couture collections! Hopefully that post will be up soon, although I have many other new ideas for this blog that will be posted in the weeks to come.
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