Spring 2011

Such wonderful things that are pulling together. Almost done with finishing up my website for my work, and I've got lots of it. I got that internship. No complains.

Fading Maison

There is something going on over at the Maison Martin Margiela. An alternate universe the journalists, buyers, and loyal fans stepped into. Still, something is weird in the air. Last season, the models walked at a slow pace, wearing stiff sandwich boards in the front of the garment; that proved to be a visually arresting trompe l'oeil. Autumn/Winter '11 offered something less complex, screaming a subtle hint of intellectual sensuality, bursting at the seams, literally.

The story behind this collection is about dresses and the myriad of possibilities of how it should be worn: over or underneath a coat. Then there is the coat that had the option to be worn openly as a dress or simply hanging off the arm, much like peeling wallpaper. This "peeling" effect worked at the seams of dresses, all the way to the ruched boots. Gloves were half zipped, falling just below the knee. Fuchsia, forest green, and cream white patent leather skirts peek behind the dresses(or was it a coat?), exhibiting the "hidden behind" theme that resonates for many seasons now. Rabbit fur is transformed into a gorgeous floor sweeping skirt, matched with "peeling" silver gloves. Everyone seemed to have overlooked the ash gray silk dress, casually hanging off the neck as a scarf in an interesting placing. Don't miss the rings, nonchalantly connected with the bracelet that seem to resemble industrial type tools. The clutches that were sent out had a fold-over effect. It looked like folded up discarded leather material, remaining from the dresses.

The Maison always put on a show that toyed with the notions of disheveled looks, paired with anti-commercialism. However, it seemed to have lost some spark, magic and the weirdness in his shows; that left when the mastermind left the house. Only it's up to the team to bring it back.

Anti-Modernism

Little less than a week ago that men's Automne/Hiver 2011-12 fashion week opened in Paris, have I found myself rallying around for Junya Watanabe's ready-to-wear line for Automne/Hiver 2011-12. I could be contradicting myself as a fashion enthusiast, especially for Japanese, avant-garde artists, since I haven't seen the remainder of other designers that have not yet debuted. I'm incredibly overwhelmed at how much creativity will seep into a debut collection I'm drafting (we'll get to that part in another post) and adding some 'somber' pieces to my wardrobe.

It is very easy to sum up the theme of the collection in accurate words: college freshman in modern-day England; at least how I imagine them in my head. Varying different textures and pale grays, sephia and amber come together in a collision that paves a way for Mr. Watanabe. "No meaning," is what he describe this collection. His version makes up with Fair Isle hoodie, a parka in a khaki tone. The only colors that is really seen here is running in the printed snowflake sweaters on blazers, the most intriguing of the collection. Argyle is very subtle in the socks and visible shirts under the leather bloussons. Patchwork blazers worked well with the crisp pale cerulean button ups. Even the idea of the collection being androgynous gets me going. You can sense that Watanabe always works with experimenting with art, but that works as wearable. However, this season, he made slight, yet obvious change in street wear credentials, a folksy, coming-of-age young men.