26/09/2014

The Reinvention of Loewe

British designer Jonathan Anderson is mostly known for his own successfully brand, J.W. Anderson, but since last fall he can add a position as Creative Director at Loewe to his rich resumé. The choice of appointing Mr. Anderson as Creative Director at the Spanish brand came as a surprise to many and the thought of J.W. Anderson’s modern, provocative and conceptual design at one of the oldest fashion houses under the ownership of LVMH, even raised some eyebrows. The question asked by many as Mr. Anderson took stage in October 2013, was therefore how his innovative, conceptual ideas could be combined with the long legacy of Loewe. Almost a year later, our questions have been answered as Loewe showed its first series of designs under his creative direction.

When J.W. Anderson took over Loewe he started to collaborate with the art directors Michaël Amzalag and Mathias Augustyniak of M/M Paris to remake the brand’s logo, as well as to collaborate with Steven Meisel to give the Spring Summer 2015 campaign a new look. The ads are now built on some of Meisel’s archive images from a 1997 editorial in Vogue Italia, together with clean and down scaled pictures of this season’s leather goods. Besides the overall appeal and communication of the brand, J.W. Anderson, clearly proposed a new vision for Loewe’s leather goods and accessories – with a color palette mostly based on black, white, brown, red and dark blue, with interesting patterns and innovative cuts, and off course leather bags and espadrilles (the brand is from Madrid) the menswear Spring 2015 collection is a mix of modern and more classic items – an impeccable reflection of the relationship between Loewe and J.W. Anderson.

Hanna Cronsjö 
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25/09/2014

Challenging the Runway: Impossible Catwalk Shows

While hoards of slender models follow a well know script and walk runways one right after the other in capitals of fashion, some people are questioning the future of the catwalk itself, right form the inside. The latest, chronologically speaking, were Gareth Pugh, who paired up with Lexus and, for the first time, left Paris for New York Fashion Week with an acclaimed performance, and Ralph Lauren, who used holograms to launch Polo for women, his new line. Far – but not so far, after all – from the madding crowd of fashion week, an exhibition at the Space Fashion Gallery in London takes part in the ‘runway’ debate. Curated by Ligaya Salazar, the exhibition showcases the latest works of Simon Costin, set designer who collaborated with, among others, Alexander McQueen, Tim Walker and Gareth Pugh.

The exhibition is concentrated in one room and shows a set of models of both real and imagined spaces that could possibly host a fashion show. The exposition challenges the obsolescence of the catwalk, above all in its clearness and declared aim: show a collection of clothes. Here under the spotlight is not the collection, but the concept at its basis; the strength of the exhibition lays in its ambiguousness: a fashion exhibition that openly distances clothes from its focus and puts ‘the stage on stage’.

Costin explores the possibilities and chooses a series of ‘situations’ to demonstrate that the future of shows will more and more be about the unconscious and less about reality. A cardboard forest, a sanatorium, even a nuclear power station: uncanny settings seeking a new kind of fashion, less shallow and with an ‘intellectual’ background. The exhibition wants to be thought provoking both for clients and designers, trying to turn fashion shows into a complete cultural experience, detached from its commercial roots. It is an attempt to make fashion a cerebral discipline while working on its surface, using the dream-making machine of the show to convey messages and, in some ways, explain the reasons behind collections shown.‘What I want to present here are a series of suggestions as to how fashion presentations could be; an invitation to dream and speculate’ stated Costin. But, between suggestions, dreams and incredible settings, the strong question that comes to mind is: are garments still the privileged objects of fashion?

The power of fashion rests in the dream it sells; with this exhibition, Costin shows us that this dreams can be shaped and presented in infinite ways, with imagination as the only limit. It shows that fashion is not only about clothes, which become of secondary importance, but about the space, the story, the idea. Yet fashion is at once the most volatile and the most concrete of disciplines – a giant with its head in the clouds and its feet on the ground – and it is exactly what makes fashion interesting, its being across-the-board. It deals with the amazing and the impossible, yet it is always grounded on its own, unavoidably commercial, set of rules. The real challenge is not to negate this dichotomy, but rather to creatively display it.

Marta Franceschini 
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24/09/2014

A New Beginning for Jil Sander

When you step on a new career path, it can sometimes feel as if the whole world is watching; and in Rodolfo Paglialunga’s case, this statement isn’t too far from truth. After Raf Simons switched sides, leaving Jil Sander for Dior and Jil Sander herself stepped down as creative director of her iconic brand – which in many ways was synonymous with minimalism of the 1990s – for the third time, it became vital to find a worthy successor. In April this year, Italian designer Rodolfo Paglialunga was chosen to take over the Jil Sander helm.

Paglialunga studied at the Marangoni Institute before starting his design career at Romeo Gigli in the 1990s. At Gigli, his creativity was allowed to flourish in a welcoming and open dialogue. In 1996 he joined Prada where he stayed for more than a decade, until he was appointed creative director of Vionnet in 2008. During his time at Prada powerhouse, Paglialunga gained knowledge of the industry and how a big fashion brand is run. His love of research has given him a greater frame of reference as well as an approach guided by reverence and respect for the brand for which works. His approach isn’t about copying previous work, but rather about understanding the core of the brand in order to push it in new directions; a quality from which Jil Sander will surely benefit.

When viewing Paglialunga’s debut SS 2015 collection for Jil Sander last Saturday, the match between the two creative forces seemed to be made in heaven. Flashes of the upcoming spring season’s hottest trend of sporty chic were clear, yet subtle in tone. Instead, the focus was on androgynous play of the classic school girl appeal, with an updated retro look. While Jil Sander’s core idea of minimalism and essential simplicity has been left untouched, Paglialunga has managed to keep his mark clear and transparent in each piece sent down the runway, among which the nappa leather socks were the most curious and iconic elements. Although some of bottoms might have been almost ‘overworked’, it was an interesting interpretation of “skirt over pants”, an iconic 1990s look, without taking the trend to literally. Paglialunga’s first collection for Jil Sander was a new and fresh outtake on the most classic basic pieces, and we might as well predict that this collaboration will be an enjoyable one to watch in the future.

Victoria Edman 
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23/09/2014

Milano Moda Donna: Three Trends for the Next Season

As the Milano Fashion Week turns off its spotlights after five full days of exhausting runways, we are finally able to present the main trends that will rule next year’s summer season. As many observers have noted, the most evident inspiration of Italian designers has been the past. In a moment of turmoil and insecurity, many brands have expressed a melancholic longing for a better time, a precise moment in the past when the Bel Paese reached its peak moment of glory.

From Gucci to Costume National, the rock’n’roll, hippie vibe reminiscent of the 70s style, conquered most of the shows. Gucci’s Frida Giannini proposed a collection in tune with “American Hustle” vibe, continuing along the line of produced for the movie itself, with circus jackets, total denim, scarves and sleek dresses as key elements of the collection. Ennio Capasa at Costume National, on the other hand, followed the path started last June with the brand’s menswear collection by paying a tribute to rock stars and their unique, unforgettable style: with suede as the fabric of choice and a powerful purple as the most prominent nuance.

A different historical reading was the one proposed by Prada, with a slow and sad, yet unbearably chic, woman taking over the catwalk. Prada’s S/S 2015 collection was, reportedly, the result of three years of research, where Miuccia explored antique fabrics, especially silk brocade, while the silhouettes were borrowed from the 60s and 70s, resulting in a dreamy and touching aesthetics, reminiscent of our granny’s ethereal wardrobe.

Speaking of colours, next season will be characterized by chromatic contrasts, as seen at Antonio Marras – whose collection was a love letter to artist Carol Rama – as well as by desaturated colour codes, as seen at Marni, who played with extreme purity, both in terms of shapes and colour palette, in the occasion of its 20th anniversary.

Francesca Crippa 
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22/09/2014

Style Suggestions: Shades of Blue

Blue will continue be a timeless colour and as a prominent menswear trend this season it is one that is easy to work with. Of course, that doesn’t mean throwing on a pair of jeans and calling it a day as a little imagination and versatility will go a long way.

Sweater: N°21, Chinos: President’s, Shoes: Paul Smith, Bracelet: Tod’s, Card Case: Saint Laurent

Styling by Vanessa Cocchiaro 

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19/09/2014

The Talented: Noon by Noor

Founded in Bahrain in 2008, Noon by Noor has come a long way since it took its first steps as a young and independent fashion brand, and its latest collection, shown at New York fashion week, is taking the world by storm. The founding designers behind Noon by Noor are the two cousins and childhood friends Shaikha Noor Al Khalifa and Shaikha Haya Al Khalifa. They studied fashion design in the US together and returned to their home country, Bahrain, after graduation with the goal set on designing luxurious, feminine clothes with great attention to detail. It has now been five years since they founded their brand, and they were already awarded with “The Breakout Talents of 2013” by Elle and loved by celebrities such as Solange Knowles, Olivia Palermo, Blake Lively and Coco Rocha.

Noon by Noor is often described as the next big thing in the sphere of young contemporary fashion designers. Their design aesthetic can be described as chic, modern, clean and playful, where the inspiration is drawn from both Eastern and Western influences. For Spring 2015 they added a sporty dimension to their pieces, creating a collection which was based on the idea of new beginnings, renewal, and youth. Botanical prints, fresh colours, metallics, mesh and embellishments were among the most prominent motifs seen on the catwalk, and we are especially loving the white bomber jacket with airy mesh paneling. The fact that Noon by Noor was the only brand from the Gulf region showing in New York, makes us both impressed and worried. While nowadays it is possible for brands from all over the world to succeed on the global fashion scene, which Noon by Noor are a proof of, we are just hoping that successes like these will make way for other brands coming from ‘unconventional’ fashion backgrounds to succeed on the global fashion scene.

Hanna Cronsjö 
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18/09/2014

Meadham Kirchhoff’s Fashion Revolution

Can fashion still be rebellious, subversive, revolutionary and independent? Can it still contribute to a broader political discourse on society and our time? The latest Meadham Kirchhoff collection for Spring/Summer 2015, presented during London Fashion Week, aimed at proving that fashion design can still construct a narrative that goes beyond traditional issues of style, tailoring and beauty, touching issues of gender equality and representation, fight against misogyny, commercialisation and discrimination.

Meadham Kirchhoff was founded in 2006, by designers Edward Meadham and Benjamin Kirchhoff who studied womenswear and menswear respectively at London’s Central Saint Martins. Initially launched as womenswear brand, Meadham Kirchhoff has developed its first menswear collection in 2013, mixing in their latest show the two productions with the deliberate aim of subverting the traditional division of the two fields. Everything in their last presentation was carefully planned with the aim of delivering a precise political message: from the choice of location (the basement of a classic Soho record store), to their choice of models (an open casting call brought together a mix of ‘local kids’), from the set-up of the show (made of what appeared to be kitschy garbage) to the rebellious fanzine that was handed out to each participant.

The collection itself, made of cheap fabrics, over-exaggerated accessories (those bloody tampons were possibly a little bit unnecessary) and opulent cuts, called to action by referencing the most iconic anti-establishment scenes of the past decades – punk heroines, queer club kids, grunge and ‘angry feminists’. A commercially difficult yet unbearably of-the-moment collection, Meadham Kirchhoff’s latest creative endeavour instructed its public to “reject everything” precisely by embracing what is, ever so often, rejected.

Rujana Rebernjak 
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17/09/2014

Munthe – Expected Glamour with Unexpected Twists

It’s Wednesday morning and the summer air is breezing through the fashionable crowd enjoying the Munthe brunch before entering the show. To everyone’s surprise the runway has been replaced by an installation. In a small room there were seven girls sitting and reading while showcasing the newest collection from Munthe. Behind them was the remainder of the collection. Having adapted to the importance of street style Naja Munthe showed her authenticity, but also made it clear that fashion doesn’t exist just for the “glamazon”. It is even more important for the plain Jane, where it’s all about creating an image of who or what you want to be.

The art of perception is something Munthe brand has taken to heart. Established in 1994, the brand quickly rose to fashion stardom within Denmark and soon enough became a household name. Naja Munthe studied design at the design school Kolding and is known for gaining inspiration from her travels, the Scandinavian seasons as well as art and literature, creating an eclectic nature for her fashion house to grow in. Through the years, the fashion brand has been awarded in several categories and countries, including Italy (Trade Leaders Club, Corporate image) and France (Veuve Clicquot, Business Award of the Year).

In 2010 Naja Munthe created an interior collection named Casa de Luxe by Naja Munthe adding to the brands wondrous world. After 20 years in the spotlight the brand has become synonymous with a laid back glamourous design with a raw edge, as well as being a reliant pillar of Danish fashion scene. Following her own voice, the clear DNA of Munthe is always present and offers the expected, undeniably bohemian rocker vibe. Normally a death sentence in fashion, sticking to a precise set of references has in this case been turned on its head, generating surprise twists and exploring different sides of one style. For SS15 season, we could see the expected laid-back elegance, but by adding pieces such as a striped fur bolero Naja built on that essential elegance making it something more, making it unmistakeably Munthe.

Victoria Edman 
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16/09/2014

Mod Are Back on Track for Fall

The influence music takes on fashion is an old story. And the specific case of Mod is nothing but an ordinary relation between the two fields. The term Mod refers to a British youth subculture born in mid-1960s and the name comes from Modernists, a small group of stylish men from England, who used to listen to modern jazz. And if you mix a little bit of that trend – often characterized by tailor-made suits, loafers and tight ties – with the colorful vibe of swinging London, you will obtain the 60s style we saw pretty much on FW 2014 catwalks.

At Saint Laurent show, for instance, the mood is a dark one, the never-ending story of Mr. Slimane and rock music does not seem ready to end quite soon. The result? Patent leather shoes, mini pleated skirts, capes, and dark nuances. A different approach was the one of Carven, where the color palette is diversified, touching pink, cream and burgundy. Eventually, the mood reached even Nicholas Ghesquière, who changed all the Louis Vuitton bourgeois women we where used to knowing and even started to expect. The final result here is a late 60s confident girl who loves to show her skinny legs and to cover her even skinniest breast, as a physical reminder of the silhouette typical of the time.

Francesca Crippa 
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15/09/2014

Style Suggestions: Autumn Leather

Leather is quickly becoming a fashion staple and for this Autumn, designers have had some fun with the silhouettes. From polished A line skirts to biker jackets and boots, invest in pieces that will last you a lifetime.

Top: Fendi, Skirt: Drome, Shoes: Agnona, Earrings: Osanna e Madina Cisconti di Modrone, Bag: Marni

Styling by Vanessa Cocchiaro 

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