Getting the Knack of It

>> The Other Shop formerly known as bStore, previously in Savile Row but now firmly rooted in Kingly Street has settled in quite nicely with its womenswear offerings growing stronger by the season.  A new addition to their S/S 13 roster of labels is which I got quite excited about was A.Knackfuss, designed by Brussels-based, German-born Alice Knackfuss, whose career I've coincidentally followed without meaning to.  I happed upon her work when she entered the Hyeres competition back in 2009 and also saw her later joint label venture at the Brussels store Hunting & Collecting.  Now she is properly solo with her brand A.Knackfuss and has three solid collections under her belt, which fully exploit her experience of designing menswear with Ute Ploier and Kris van Assche.  Her vibe of incorporating the oversized proportions of menswear in womenswear chimes in nicely with the sort of cross-genre and in her words "chameleonic" state of fashion today where women don't simply crave the simplistically feminine and increasingly reach out for menswear pieces.  That doesn't mean they want to eschew textural, print and colour interest either as A. Knackfuss' A/W 13-4 "Syncopia" collection attests.  Psychedelic tripped-out prints, quilted leather sleeves, sheer layers and vibrant purple and yellow plaid all manage to blend seamlessly with the tomboyish silhouettes that Knackfuss proposes.  It's a collection that for me speaks of 21st century MP3 pick n' mix culture – a raved up electro ripple of a print here, a quiet ambient XX-esque zippered coat there and the ever pervasive slackercore checks lingering on from the nineties.  What brings all the elements together is the dissonance of Knackfuss' chopped-up proportions – cropped and elongated where necessary and employing tailoring and peplums to balance out any oversized pieces.  Hopefully The Other will carry on supporting Knackfuss' collections as her work certainly adds a dynamic energy to their existing roster of labels.