‘I like squares I do.’
Ok, so Filip Fiska and Agnes Schorer behind the Austrian label Harmann Nordenholz probably WEREN’T thinking at such a basic, childish level when they created ther AW08-9 collection ‘Umbruch’ but they have successfully used a simple repetitive technique in layering fabric squares either in different colours or the second colours and making rather complicated constructed garments out of them.
It might not be a very autumn winter looking collection but I guess seasons are so fluid these days and layering gets more complex that light fragile looking organza dresses CAN be worn in the depths of winter. Either that or people are developing more cold-resiliant skins as I witnessed women in teensy denim skirts and flimsy halternecks and NO tights walking around in Manchester looking like they were walking around in the Bahamas…
Away from that tangent and Hartmann Nordenholz is definitely an Austrian label that I feel should gain a few more international stockists as they are quite well established now yet it is still ever so hard to find their clothes. I‚Äôm hoping bStore too is feeling their love of squares for AW08-9 and buys them in…
Squares aside, for some reason, space dye knit is making a lot more sense to me these days…. these knits in the collection (which assert the fact that it IS an AW collection…) are quite the ticket…









These squares look uncannily like abstract chain mail–or like abstractions of certain costumes in Spamalot. I find them therefore highly original, humorous, and worth attempting at home.
The squares are, er…interesting, but what I really love are those knits!
Yes, certainly seems more of a spring collection, but what do I care, these pieces are really doing it for me.
Reminiscent of Jil Sander and Memin’s shortlived Chloe stint.
Which is all good in my book.
xxx
Wow! I love the sheer squares all layered up! Especially the bag and that first top 🙂 Thanks for the inspiration!
The squares remind me of Akris Spring 08 (I think…); I like the idea of taking a structured, hard shape and making it soft and more form-fitting–almost fluid…
I don’t usually like geometric shapes because I start thinking about them layered on top of each other, then I think of primary colours (which I despise) then that results in Mondrian. I just did too much of that when I studied art, and I remember a girl (in my fashion design degree class) who used a Mondrian print for the lining of a black, loose twill jacket she made for a tailoring project and it was really bad. I know that’s mean but I just always think of that when I think of Mondrian!
(Although I don’t really mind Yves Saint Laurent’s interpretation of Mondrian in its shift dress!)
BUT … I must have that salmon and black bubbly-hem-type dress. wow.
Maybe I’m just a huge contradiction!
bingo! finally this awesome designer gets much deserved attention, man, nobody knows these guys,maybe w/ more hype they’ll hopefully come over the Atlantic 😀
I love all the looks, but the last three are my favorites. They look really fresh to me.
Ooh, I really like the first and second-to-last dress. Ha, now I’m going to have to make them somehow. To bad I can’t just, like, buy it, or something.
And, Susie, I know someone has probably asked you this before, but how do you find all these good designers?!
I quite like the peach and black top, I could see myself wearing that 🙂
ooooh i love. It’s quite inspiring.
I didnt know this label, so I’m glad you posted about it!
what a gorgeous collection! it feels like my job made it to a shirt… box box box