A New Turn

I had a bit of work crisis during New York Fashion Week which resulted in me thinking that missing the Rag & Bone show would be deemed as 'ok' and now I've had to eat those thoughts up with a big slab of humble pie.  Numerous people came up to me afterwards saying "Oh my goawwwwd… it's such a YOU show!"  I don't mind my tastes being predictable but when people who hardly even read my blog deems it a 'Me' show, I must at the very least investigate.  Without looking too into catwalk images too much, I delved straight into a mammoth resee in Rag & Bone's mammoth Meatpacking showroom and studio to try and rudimentarily make up for what I sorely missed out on…

(From Vogue.com – who else is loving their preview pieces they've done for this season's collections?)

It's been well-noted by most reviewers that this season marks a bit of a shift for the duo hence probably why I was so intrigued by this particular collection which veered away from the complex preppy/biker/utilitarian looks of past seasons and softened up into something completely unexpected.  I had stupidly expected something that would go along their covetable brand of 'distressed' or 'scuffed' up preppy looks and then they threw in this curveball of a collection which had me the moment I saw broderie anglaise poking out from underneath a silver metallic skirt. Yet at the core of it, the theme of the collection is actually military – a seasonal theme that crops up so regularly that you wonder whether every nuance of military wear has been explored.  For me, Rag & Bone dug up these fighter pilot G-Suits collected from Russia, China and the USA and dissected the elements along with themes that range from Lawrence of Arabia to the British fighting in North Africa to create a collection that doesn't wash you over with 'military' cliches…

Banish military green, camoflage, jackets with gold shiny buttons and tasseled lapels and instead we have a the G-Suit lace-up detailing showing up in a dress…

Explorer waistcoats are rendered in nude mesh, suede and camel leather that finally means there's a vest/waistcoat out there that I ACTUALLY can see myself wearing…

Other military garb detailing such as holes at the knees somehow elevates the oft-used harem shape…

Then together with fighters and explorers in a desert, the boys also threw in lingerie or more accurately, high-octane bodywear that you want to wear on the outside, inside or anyway you want, with the help of Jean Yu.  There are touches of 50s lingerie staples such as girdles but they've been stripped back and 'freshened' up in the hands of Yu.  I love how bits like plastic belt closures have been cleverly contrasted with nude shades and sheer chiffon layers to give this almost infinity-like feeling to the ways that these pieces can be put together as thought it were a puzzle to see what belted harness could go with what cycling shorts, with what rucksack or mesh dress…this of course is a somewhat FUN proposition for me.  Any opportunity that means I can 'play' or 'mess around' with outfits is one I'll gladly take…

Elements of all that body forming mesh also make it into pieces like this buttery camel coat that ias backed by mesh…

Another reason why this collection was even better when seen upclose and piece by piece is also the amount of design 'deets' that have been worked into it without it ever losing the central plot.  Textures like this feathered leather or knitted chiffon will always get my tactile vote…

Another jump off point for the collection which also contrasts against the warfare elements is a photograph taken on holiday in Bequia that has been cut up, put back together, scanned and used here…

More layering opportunities with these sheer bits…

… it's that Broderie Anglaise and that metallic combo which prompted the re-see…

However looking across the whole collection, it's clear the duo hasn't veered too far off the rails with stable tailored jackets or these pieces of knitwear…

More of Jean Yu's lingerie that is again another softer touch that works in harmony with the harnesses, lace-ups and hard metallic fabrics…

The shoes also went hand in hand with the soft-tough contrasts that the collection had tons of, with textures a-plenty and the 'English' stylings that the brand often borrows from…

Lesson learnt.  Avoid silly disasters.  Heed every invite and GO to the bloody show.