I've noted before that I don't 100% buy into this supposed 'cleaning up' act that fashion is supposedly tumultuously going through for A/W 10-11. That in one fell swoop action, our clothes will become neat, minimal and quietly luxurious. Not when there are plenty of designers who are still hell-bent on making their mark in a way that doesn't necessarily prescribe to Philo's ways with cuts and gauging of practicality. Evidently of course, there hasn't been a mass exodus to the land of beige coats and slick lapels and I've been saving up these images for a sensory post of intricacy overload. Or just 'load'. Because much to the chagrin of others, too much is never enough for me and in any case, all three of these designers do show modicums of restraint, where they are still creating silhouettes that don't just showcase technique for the sake of technique. Looped, shredded, macramed, knotted, snaked, woven, wound and bonded… the heft of work gone into all these pieces is mind boggling and so I'm in that annoying position of sitting on a fence, hopefully wearing one a well-cut camel coat with some of this stuff peeking out of it…
How could I not include Iris Van Herpen, the Dutch designer who now shows in London, who continues to ensure her work pushes as many technical boundaries within her choice of materials as possible. I missed her showing this A/W 10-11 collection 'Synesthesia' but glad I saw it in the showroom in Paris if not for the sole reason of trying to calculate the man hours that have gone into a singular piece, cutting all that leather into a perfectly balanced form of submission…
Graeme Armour convinced me with his ruffled and tiered gold trousers which he has repeated in pewter in his latest A/W 10-11 collection. Again, I didn't catch his presentation in New York in Milk Studios during fashion week but in a Paris showroom, without knowing it was Armour's work, my eyes were 'caught' by the leather macrame work that was hanging on the rails which then made full sense when I saw the catwalk images…
I especially love the jacket piece which adds yet another different slant to the varsity jacket interpretations we're seeing this season.
I love that New York Times' Guy Trebay gave Threeasfour a good deal of props in his interview with WWD andthat he summed up what's great about this free-spirited trio that never seem to bend to commercial demands on New York City. I also love that they work in these tin foiled covered space in Chinatown which seemingly zaps time and probably provides them with the perfect haven to create these pieces for their A/W 10-11 collection that delve into the alchemy of metal. Again, not present at the show, but I hear there was a mystical circle set-up that aptly communicated the idea of the alchemical star…
(Photography by Shawn Brackbill for Dazed Digital)
Iris Van Herpen is a veritable genius. I would be interested to see if she could do simple, but wouldn’t really want her to give up her intricate roots.
Hope you had fun in Manchester!
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x
These are amazing clothes – the detail and workmanship is beyond skillful. So great to showcase these great talents
i just can’t stop staring at these dresses they’re so beautiful
It’s delicate and creepy awesome at the same time. I want one for prom.
I love texture! Wonderful pieces, wonderfully chosen and crafted.
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Central Saint Martins exhibition in London opening April 22nd
the first picture left me in awe! the collection is impeccable too!
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that first dress is incredible!
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incredible!
Iris Van Herpen is amazing!
Wow. What else can I say? I learn so much from your posts. These pieces are incredible. like an amazona-cyberspace creation. One of my favourite posts recently. Thank you for this!
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Minimal is overrated to the max.
When I see designing of this intricate sort I think someone like THESE designers is who needs to be the next generation at McQueen…if they’re even going to try to instate someone as a “replacement” (I use the word loosely)…Iris’ work in particular. The amount of work that had to have gone into all the designs above…well, my shoulders and fingers hurt just thinking of it!! It’s incredibly inspiring!
These pieces are amazingly beautiful and intricate! Wow wow wow!
All I would like to say is: Is that Eugenia Volodina modelling in the Iris Van Herpen pictures?! Someone pls verify this it’s been too long!
AMAZING PIX!
xx
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Very intricate and wonderful constructions by them all. Truly gorgeous and now my wardrobe looks quite dull!
I’m dutch and I’m so proud that’s she showing in London. She’s very talented.
Very beautiful, some great detail on these dresses. Lovely
i’m so overwhelmed by all this detail!!!
i hear you, certainly on the high street you could never be minimal as the clothes just aren’t a good enough quality, i’m hunting high street nudes but creased shorts and shirts don’t look great!
p.s. still going through my google reader, i won’t give up! so sorry for the late commenting. btw i got an invite to the arcadia press day tomorrow, were you planning on going before the cloud? i always love looking at your pictures of future topshop collections so i’ll try to take lots, i was hoping to bump into you there!
Cool idea, is the metal that fight could beat!
I learn so much from your posts. These pieces are incredible. like an amazona-cyberspace creation. One of my favourite posts recently.