10 Unforgettable Moments in Milan Fashion Week

The youngest of the “big four” fashion weeks – Milan Fashion Week – held its Spring/Summer 2023 shows from September 26th to October 4th, showcasing the crème de la crème of Italy’s fashion scene and upcoming international designers. No longer a glorious banquet for the designers, this year’s MFW intertwined runway shows with a reflection on social issues, crossovers with artists, and frontier technology. Here are the top 10 moments of MFW you might have missed:

1. Moncler “Extraordinary Forever” Collection at Piazza del Duomo

To celebrate its 70-year history of the search for the extraordinary, Moncler kicked off its 70-day global celebration program with a visually engaging performance where they collaborated with 1952 artists that memorialize the founding year of 1952 and 7 designers who have previously collaborated with the brand. All wearing the white, iconic Maya jacket depicted a perfect picture of Moncler’s future.

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2. Gucci’s Twinsburg

Gucci dressed up 68 pairs of identical twins in the same clothes but in a mirror-like way, with each walking solo on one side of the room separated by a screen unknown to the audience. Toward the end of the show, the screen was lifted with each set of twins walking together hand-in-hand.

The brand’s creative director, Alessandro Michele, said that twinning is “so familiar – but so powerful,” as Guardian reported. Inspired by his birth mother, Eralda, and her twin Giuliana, Michele explored the connective problem in society and experimented with the idea of asymmetrical reciprocity.

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3. Bottega Veneta Through the View of Gaetano Pesce

The Creative Director Matthieu Blazy enlisted legendary Italian architect Gaetano Pesce to design the scenography of the show. Pesce created 400 distinct chairs integrated with the resin floor. The colorful, loud style praises Italian post-modernism and celebrates diversity, as Pesce said: “This space is a tribute to diversity. It is about the human being; we are all different.” His design echoes the brand’s explorations of identity, people, and community.

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4. Prada Expands Modern Femininity Beyond the Stage

The brand’s designers, Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons invited film director Nicholas Winding Refn to create a short film around the collection. The film, Touch of Crude, extends the runway collection’s discussion of women and their lives to another creative realm for the image — an expansion of the stage to the world beyond.

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5. Versace: Dark Gothic Goddess for Liberated Women

Donatella Versace imbued the runway with dark, purple, and pink, paying homage to the Dark Gothic Goddess. The gothic style celebrated liberated women, especially with the 2000s It-Girl Paris Hilton’s presence at the finale of the show.

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6. Economics and Moschino’s Blazing Swimsuit

“Globally, everyone’s been talking about inflation. The cost of everything is going up: housing, food, gas, so I brought inflation to the runway,” said Jeremy Scott, Moschino’s Creative Director. He transformed the economic concept and emergent social situation into the pool toy element in his collection. Scott packs “inflation” with the glamorous, colorful silks reflecting society’s spending and the idea of wealth in appearance, showing how powerful fashion is at expressing significant concern.

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7. Diesel Has the World’s Largest Inflatable Sculpture

Diesel’s show began with models coming out of the world’s largest nylon-made inflatable sculpture, along with heavy beats and a warning siren. The sculpture showcases four human bodies with their extremities intertwined within one another, exploring the limits of the human body. This overwhelming presence of the human body expresses Diesel’s creative director Glenn Martens’ idea that “everybody can be part of Diesel.” It’s a record-breaking spectacle for “people who may never have been to a fashion show before.”

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8. ANNAKIKI Launching First NFT Series on Runway

The show was inspired by British Director Nic Stacey’s documentary “The Secret Life of Chaos”, which argues that chaos is not a disorder but rather, what creates the essential law and order of life. To further the brand’s cosmological and spatial exploration, the designer Anna Yang, known as the “dimension breaker”, debuted five NFT looks titled “Metacosmos” at MFW that push and break the boundary between physical and cyber form. The NFT collection, as Anna Yang herself described, “creates a unique identification label for the emerging humanity of another parallel dimension.”

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9. Dolce & Gabbana Debuted with Kim Kardashian

Though not a designer herself, Kim Kardashian collaborated with the DG duo on an archive of her favorite looks from the 90s and 2000s which they named “Ciao, Kim.” In the archive, Kim selected pieces from collections between 1987-the 2000s, and the designers would rework past elements for the present. Even though Kim didn’t walk the runway like other celebrities during MFW, her appearance at the end of the show still went viral on social media.

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10. AVAVAV Tripped Over Models

AVAVAV is famous for its iconic, thought-provoking footwear, “Finger and Claw.” Its creative director, Beate Karlsson, decided to trip up every model (and herself) on stage with the most eye-catching shoes. This sarcastic and seemingly absurd performance art on stage serves to criticize the “fake it until you make it” energy and build the new SS23 collection “Filthy Rich” around the idea of “success and failure.”

Designer Profile 2022: Wendy Xiao

““In this vacuum of MODA, you can technically do whatever you want.””

As a part of 2022’s designer profile interviews, I had the chance to talk to Wendy Xiao, who’s getting prepared for her last fashion show with MODA. We had a very lively conversation about her inspirations, plans, feelings, and of course, her new collection, which she notes almost like a co-collection with Andrew Chang*, who she thanks a lot, emphasizing that she wouldn’t be able to finish the work otherwise. I had great joy talking to Wendy. Listening to her talking about her looks felt like listening to vivid stories with a carefully weaved, spider-web like intertwined narratives. Enjoy reading about Wendy’s last year journey with the MODA fashion show!

*Su’s note: MODA Blog’s previous editor-in-chief, an ex-designer, and my mentor in the Blog during my first-year, which I am really grateful for

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Wendy’s mood board

I know that you have done fashion design before. I see that your previous collections were very playful, if that is the right adjective to use. What are some sources of inspiration for your collection this year? And, how do they differ from your previous projects? (of course, if you would like to compare them)

My last two collections were both driven by different things. The first one was more like a storyline. The second one, well, I was kind of going insane being in quarantine, so I just looked at my dinner, and I was like “I’m gonna make a dress like this!” I think, in a way, my collections are usually a product of what I was going through during the time of its conception. This time around, I was knee-deep in my thesis project when I was conceptualizing this collection. So, it is inspired more by my academic work than usual. I feel like this is a different way to engage with topics I’m interested in, specifically, the curation of East Asian art in the West. I’m asking the question of “how did objects move from China to the US and other Western museums?” So, that’s the theme I’m playing with in this collection. 

How did your current collection shape the way you look at your inspirations, plans, people in the process, or anything you would like to mention? Now, you mentioned that it is more about your academic work. So, this question may mean “how did your collection shape the way you look at your thesis or your academic interests?”

I think the collection is a non-academic response to my feelings on East Asian objects in America. It’s a little bit of a lighthearted satire towards the way that some of these objects are misunderstood in a foreign space. I do think that the collection is shaped with the help of my friend Andrew. We are basically co-creating this collection together and I would not have dared to attempt four looks without his help. It's interesting for us to take a look at the East Asian objects in a Western space mapped onto ourselves as well. It is kind of our own exploration of that displacement in our own lives. 

How should we expect to see that idea in your collection? 

The collection consists of four looks that are inspired by objects I’ve been looking at during the conception of this project. One of them is a dress based on a hand scroll. And then, we have this couple's outfit. I love doing a little wedding dress or a couple’s outfit in my collections. In short, one is a crypt underneath a pagoda and the other is a Bodhisattva: relic and ascended spirit. The final outfit is actually inspired by Andrew’s thesis. It is basically a Qing dynasty jacket belonging to a guy who smokes a lot of opium. So, the thread of all these objects is a fake museum display. A hodgepodge of non-temporally constructed objects that aren’t actually historically very accurate. Museums these days do a pretty good job of cataloging and researching these objects. Still, there are definitely places in which a lot of things are misunderstood. This is just a little playful kick at this foreignness, this otherness of what Chinese elements are transformed into when they enter into this misunderstood space, I suppose.

What does “creation” mean to you in terms of fashion design? How does it differ from your other creative processes/purposes?

I draw a lot in my own time. It’s like a whole other thing. But, I think fashion, at least in the space of MODA, feels like there are no limits to what I am doing. Real fashion is very different. If you were a real designer, you have to pay attention to everything that is going on. But in this vacuum of MODA, you can technically do whatever you want. So, that’s what I am trying to do with this creative process. As you can tell, the way I generate my design ideas is very spontaneous and always changing. The sketches are very different from the final products, as I am always updating my sketches. 

How did your experiences affect the most challenging and rewarding aspects of your design process throughout the years? What were they back in your first design year, and what are they now? 

I feel like the first year was the easiest because we had a teacher, and we were able to say “help! I cannot sew this the way I want to!” Because, honestly, I still don’t know how to sew. I wouldn’t say it is particularly a challenge-reward based experience for me. Honestly, I am a little tired. I love MODA, the people are fantastic. But, how should I put it…It’s fun to come up with ideas, but making them… Let me show you my floor (turns the camera to the floor). It is a complete disaster. But, I did learn things. I learned how to use the sewing machine at least. Oh! and I genuinely do love the friends I made along the way. The people are always the best part.

Just a quick question. Are you planning to continue with fashion design, designing your own clothes etc? 

I don’t know if you noticed but, I don’t like making practical things. I don’t really make things that can be worn. I wore this one jacket in my second year, one time. And that’s it. I don’t think that I have very practical sewing skills. So, I don’t think that I’ll be doing sewing. I am fine with that. I’ve been with MODA all four years of my college and it’s been a wonderful experience. So, I am happy to leave it as it is.

The last couple of years’ fashion shows had to go through drastic changes. What are you looking forward to the most about this year’s MODA Fashion Show? What do you think the audience should anticipate about this year’s show?

Being back in person is always really exciting. That’s something you can look forward to. But what I really liked about this year’s designer team is that people are taking the show as a place to creatively experiment. People seem like they are really trying to push the boundaries of what it means to make clothes, what it means to make objects to put on people, which I am super excited about. I am also looking forward to my own collection but I started very late this year and we have four looks to do. Actually, you know what, don’t look forward to my collection. Have no expectations!

Designer Profile 2022: Kristin Wu

This week I had the pleasure of interviewing Kristin Wu, a Computer Science and Media Arts and Design double major, whose collection for the MODA fashion show centers around futuristic and functional aesthetics that are inspired by content across a variety of media. Below is an interview diving deep into design process and inspiration ahead of the reveal of Kristin’s second collection for MODA, self-described as surveillant, utilitarian, and modular.

What are some sources of inspiration for your collection?

Check out Kristin’s personalized techno playlist that has driven her design process for the MODA show!

Kristin: Music and tech concepts. For music, I’m really into instrumental productions. Things that have the audio vibe that I like to translate into the visual aesthetic and style. They’re all pretty intense, they’re all futuristic sounding, which I honestly think translates well.

And the tech concept part, since I am a CS major… a lot of the stuff that we learn is interesting and my brain likes to apply it to fashion. For example, modular fashion. I think it’s derivative of modular learning. I think modules also exist outside of AI and modular learning. But it’s basically like the breakdown of certain tasks into incremental units. That’s how the AI learns is by doing those tasks individually, and it’s a breakdown of the larger function.

Kristin’s mood board for her collection.

The way that I’ve seen it translate into fashion, and why I like the idea of it, is the deconstruction of different garments of clothing or articles of clothing into pieces, and then you reconstruct them together as the person’s wearing it. There’s two really cool aspects of it. I think once you start removing the assignments or labelling of things as like, “this is a shirt, this is a pair of pants,” you get a lot more interesting ways to wear things.

Also, on a sustainability aspect, you don’t have to buy as much because you can take these pieces and reassemble them and reconstruct them, and wear them different ways that they were intended to be worn. I think there’s an interesting translation between these two fields, and I feel like it’s not necessarily super intuitive, so it’s the integration I kind of want to explore.

Have you done fashion design work before?

K: I did the DBC program last year, so I guess last year was my first time really designing and sewing. And then beyond doing my three works for the show, I haven’t really done that much in terms of actually constructing stuff, but I thrifted a bunch of things that I tailored and altered during the summer, which is the additional sewing experience I have.

What are some of the most challenging and rewarding aspects of the process?

K: Challenging, for me, is like… I always think at the beginning I can out-design any construction problems I’ll have later on, but that’s never true. Things you think are problems at the beginning end up not being problems, and then things that you don’t foresee as problems will end up being problems when you start sewing.

“I always like to linger on the design process because I think that’s where the fun is.”

— Kristin Wu

One of the [challenging] things is the fabric I wanted to make one of the… it’s like a hood-sleeve [laughs]! it’s basically just a hood and a sleeve. And the fabric I wanted to use to make that ended up being a lot thinner than I wanted it to be, so I had to think about double layering and stuff like that to have the structure and the kind of look that I wanted it to originally have. That’s not something you anticipate when you’re initially designing things. So there’s that aspect that I think is challenging. And for me, I have more of an art background than I do a physically sewing background, so I always like to linger on the design process because I think that’s where the fun is, then… troubles arise! when you actually get to the sewing.

But rewarding is when you actually see your models in their fits. I haven’t really gotten to that point where we’re totally fitting models yet. But I remember from my show last year, that’s super rewarding to see them in the pieces that you’ve made. And then there’s the display of the pieces you’ve made and that whole aspect, which is really rewarding. But it’s the translation of something you have created in your mind into an actual material thing is really interesting.

Look 1 in Kristin’s collection.

Look 2 in Kristin’s collection.

What are you looking forward to most about the show?

K: I think it’s the fact that we’re really having a show! I think last year it was really underwhelming cause it’s like you got all your pieces together, and then you show up to… it was like an auditorium and then your models walk, they play background music, and that was it. You didn’t really get to see anyone else’s looks and stuff like that. So, I think the whole environment of actually having a physical venue and a show where everyone gathers at the same time and you get to see everyone else’s work. Because sometimes when you’re in the MODA designer group, the individual designers are each doing their own thing, so you don’t get as much cross-interaction as you probably want or would want. A lot of times I’ll know what designers are doing but I won’t get to see final product stuff until the actual show, so I think seeing that all together is really cool.

Describe your collection in three words.

Surveillance, utilitarian, modular.

Is there a particular person or label that first inspired you to take interest in fashion?

Errolson Hugh, the designer that sparked Kristin’s interest in fashion design. Image via Nuvo Magazine.

Yes. It’s Errolson Hugh of ACRONYM. He was the first person that had the kind of design philosophy that I like. And I really, really like the aesthetic of the stuff he makes. So, he doesn’t really follow the traditional fashion cycle. A lot of the new stuff he makes are just revisions of the old pieces he’s put out but better. And there’s a lot more of a focus on the technical aspects of the pieces themselves. So it’s like the fabric: there’s a lot of consideration put into textiles, and the functionality aspect of it which I really enjoy. I think sometimes that’s overlooked in fashion a little bit. I think that emphasis is what really attracted me to his work specifically, and that pulled my into fashion.

How has your design style changed since your last collection?

K: Last year, I had a pretty solid idea of what I wanted for the aesthetic. This year, I think I have a stronger idea of what I want for the theme. So my theme this year is surveillance. All my pieces are some translation of that idea, which I think is unity that I didn’t have last year, which I’m really excited about for this year.

Is there a certain time period in fashion that you feel your designs are connected to, whether eras of the past, trends of the present, or the future of fashion?

Anna: I’m feeling like it’s gonna be future!

K: It is future. I like the post-apocalyptic, avant-garde, like a bunch of layering of fabrics and stuff, that’s totally my vibe.

Images courtesy of Kristin Wu unless specified otherwise. Soundcloud playlist courtesy of Kristin Wu.

Gucci 100: A Centennial Collection and the History of Gucci & the Music Industry

It’s 1921 in Florence, Italy. On Via Vigna Nuova, Guccio Gucci has opened the first store of his eponymous fashion house, Gucci. Having been inspired by the lavish luggage he carried as a bellboy at Savoy Hotel in London, Gucci intended to found a brand of immaculate Italian quality with a focus on aristocratic-like luxury. (WWD.com)

Image via WWD.

Fast forward to 2021 and the house of Gucci is valued at $22.6 billion (Forbes). In celebration of 100 years of business (and of their enormous success as a luxury fashion house), Gucci released a special capsule collection in October 2021, titled Gucci 100. Though, curiously, Gucci did not center their centennial collection around the aristocratic inspiration that drove Guccio Gucci to found the brand. Rather, to honor its heritage, Gucci 100 hones in on the brand’s influence on pop culture, more specifically music (Gucci). Furthermore, Gucci opened five pop-up shops in October specifically for the capsule collection.

Image via Elle.

Upon hearing about the theme of the collection, I wondered why pop culture, and why music specifically? Before musicians like Harry Styles and Lana Del Rey became faces of Gucci (or even Lady Gaga portraying Patrizia Gucci in House of Gucci), what was the historical relationship between the brand and the music industry? Before we dive in, here is a brief look into themes of the Gucci 100 collection.

Japanese Punk Rock

Image via Gucci.

Jazz

Image via Gucci.

Psychedelic.

Image via Gucci.

Afrobeat.

Image via Gucci.

Disco.

Image via Gucci.

Hip Hop.

Image via Gucci.

Upon researching the tradition of Gucci collaborations with musicians, not much comes up about music and Gucci before the 1990s and 2000s. Though, the fashion icons who donned Gucci in the 20th century are numerous: Grace Kelly, Jack Kennedy, Sophia Loren, and Princess Diana, to name a few).

Perhaps it’s more effective to start backwards, with the clues that Gucci itself has provided in promoting its centennial collection. To accompany Gucci 100, the brand created a series of playlists (available on Apple Music and Spotify) that appear to contain every song that mentions the word “Gucci”. From disco songs like Sister Sledge’s “He’s the Greatest Dancer”, to rock anthems like “Combination” by Aerosmith, to rap tracks like “Green Gucci Suit” by Rick Ross and Future, Gucci name-dropping has spanned many eras and genres of music.

However, the musical celebration of Gucci may not seem like news to us today. In a poll from 2015, mentions of Gucci in rap music far outnumbered any other brand. (Hypebeast) The Gucci label has become a staple reference that is synonymous with wealth and style. Like Bhad Bhabie’s “Gucci Flip-Flops”, sporting the double G logo could be considered a principle marker of success in the rap industry. Although Gucci-mania in rap seems solely characteristic of 2015-present, the influence of the brand can be traced back to a single fashion individual, Harlem fashion icon Dapper Dan.

Dapper Dan in Gucci.

Image via Fashionista.

Gucci Mane in Gucci.

Image via Pinterest.

A$AP Rocky in Gucci.

Image via Vogue.

Snoop Dogg in Gucci.

Image via British Vogue.

Dapper Dan’s clothing (designs that reincorporated logos of fashion houses like Fendi, Louis Vuitton, and of course, Gucci) was sported by rap musicians throughout the 80’s and 90’s. But in 1992, Fendi won a lawsuit against Dapper Dan for the use of its logo, prompting the closure of his Harlem boutique (NYT). Yet, his influence on rap musicians lives on. Searching for “rappers in Gucci” yields endless results, as Gucci logo-mania has persisted for over 30 years. Today, Gucci itself even dresses big names in the industry, like A$AP Rocky and Snoop Dogg. Despite Dapper Dan’s lasting legacy in fashion and music, the legacy of controversy with luxury brands lived on as well.

In 2018, Gucci was criticized for copying a Dapper Dan Louis Vuitton logo design from 1988. Though advocates for Gucci allege that the brand was merely taking inspiration from him, a history of designers and other large clothing brands stealing from Black designers and artists seems to undermine that claim. The coats exhibit striking visual similarities with puffed leather logo sleeves and a fur body, the only difference being the exchange of the LV logo for Gucci’s double G.

Dapper Dan Gucci Design, 1988

Image via Messy Nessy Chic.

Gucci Cruise 2018 Show

Image via NYT.

Yet, before the advent of Gucci’s popularity in the rap scene in the late 80’s to 90’s, the Gucci brand itself did not seem to engage frequently with musicians or the music industry, making their choice for the music-themed Gucci 100 all the more puzzling. In the 21st century, on the other hand, Gucci and music have been inextricably intertwined through the choices of muses by Gucci’s current Creative Director, Alessandro Michele. The most notable is, perhaps, pop prince Harry Styles. Both featured in campaigns and dressed by the label for public appearances, Styles has become the indisputably face of Gucci for our generation.

Harry Styles in Gucci at the 2019 Met Gala

Image via Vogue.

Harry Styles for Gucci Cruise 2019 Campaign

Image via Fashionista.

Harry Styles on James Corden's "Gucci Talk Show"

Image via Page Six.

The current ethereal yet flamboyant yet preppy aesthetic of Michele’s designs has also been conveyed through other musical muses. Lead singer of Florence + the Machine, Florence Welch, has been the face of both Gucci jewelry and fragrance campaigns. Similarly, moody-pop icon Lana Del Rey was the face of the Gucci Guilty fragrance campaign in 2019, accompanied by actor Jared Leto. The previous year, Del Rey and Leto accompanied Michele to the 2018 “Heavenly Bodies” Met Gala. With a musical-star-studded group dressed in and promoting Gucci, Alessandro Michele has further sunk Gucci’s glamorous talons into the music industry.

Florence Welch in Gucci jewelry.

Image via British Vogue.

Florence Welch for Gucci Bloom.

Image via Florence + the Machine Fan Club.

Lana Del Rey for Gucci Guilty.

Image via AnOther Magazine.

Lana Del Rey, Jared Leto, and Alessandro Michele at the 2019 Met Gala.

Image via The Fader.

The savvy business strategy of penetrating the world of music has positioned Gucci as an integral part of the cultural zeitgeist. Whereas many designers limit their influence within the world of fashion, the expansion of Gucci into the music industry demonstrates to me that the brand is evolving with popular culture to appeal to younger generations (the next generation of Gucci customers). As a long time fan of Lana Del Rey and Harry Styles, Gucci’s connection to these contemporary pop artists connects me to the label by way of listening to and witnessing the public appearances of said artists who are now Michele muses. In recruiting popular musicians for campaigns and red carpets, Gucci targets the millions of fans that observe and emulate their style. Though this may not necessarily push fans such as myself to purchase Gucci (as it is a luxury brand), awareness and discussion of Gucci on the Internet skyrocket regardless. Furthermore, in listening to rap music, I find myself repeating the iconic lines referencing Gucci, inadvertently advertising the brand through the endorsements by rap artists. When my favorite artists are the faces of Gucci and some of the most popular music of the day drops constant references to it, members of Gen Z like myself cannot escape the grasp of Gucci-mania.

So, we return to our question: why is Gucci 100 based on music themes? The choice does not seem to align with the history of Gucci or its muses before the 21st century. Gucci has even stolen designs from Dapper Dan, who is credited with connecting Gucci and the rap industry. The foundation of the Gucci brand was based on crafting an aristocratic aesthetic, a legacy that can still be distinguished in Gucci’s current designs. Therefore, it seems that the choice for Gucci 100’s music collection is targeted to the standing of the fashion house in pop culture today. Contemporary music and youth culture is adamantly Gucci-crazed: it’s in their songs, in their feeds, on (some) of their bodies, and it’s in their minds. This year, Gucci was the most popular luxury brand online (Luxe Digital). While Gucci may have extrapolated their influence on the music industry beyond pop and rap to other genres to create a visually diverse and interesting capsule collection for their centennial, it is still undeniable that Gucci has the strongest hold of any designer on today’s music and cultural consciousness.

Featured image via Gucci.

MODA Designer Profile: Andrew Chang

This year, I have the chance to experience my first ever MODA show—although under new, constantly changing circumstances. In this entry, you will read fourth-year MODA designer Andrew Chang’s interview about his last collection in the MODA. When I was a new member of the MODA community, not knowing what to do or how to reflect my own voice in a blog, my editor Andy was always there with his supporting and caring messages. So it was so special for me to hear his story and his ideas on creation and design. I hope you will also enjoy reading our quick conversation about Andy’s collection, designs, inspirations, and more.

Andrew’s Moodboard

I know that you have done fashion design before. And I stalked you a little bit looking at your designer profiles. I see that your previous collections were a combination of abstract ideas that occupy your mind and pinpoints of your life, such as people and readings. What are some sources of inspiration for your collection this year? And how do they differ from your previous projects?

All of my collections have always been a kind of collage of the things around me. People, music, literature… so you are absolutely right in that sense. I think I stuck to the same storyline for a lot of my collections: the idea of moving from one stage of my life to another, and this year it’s kind of the same idea.

I believe this year’s collection is the most personal one that I’ve ever done; it loosely explores the theme of isolation, and a big inspiration was Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”—the story about the guy who turns into a bug - mixed in with a little bit of The Last of Us, this video game about killer mushrooms (laughs).

Before the pandemic, I think I had a lot of doubt in myself. I thought maybe I was a little bit too much for the people around me. I think when I started to value my individuality--what I am interested in, what I wanted to d, I got worried that the more I leaned into what I loved, the more I would be isolated from the people around me, in fear that I was just kind of different.

This collection explores this idea but told through the lens of a different story: the story of a colony of ants that gets infected by the spores of a killer mushroom.

These killer mushroom spores infect the queen of this colony and despite her contributions to the colony, all the other ants decide to exile her. As she leaves her former colony, the spores begin to sprout these mushrooms, and rather than killing her—which is what she thinks what will happen—they don’t kill her, they just unlock a part of her mind that allows her to think or see the world differently. She begins to value creativity, individuality, authenticity… She also lets go of what she valued before and her old colony—the productivity that I think we know from ants. She decides that with this new found knowledge, she is going to found a new colony that built on these values.

So, that's the story. All the looks track a different stage in this queen’s life. And, each look somewhat represents four stages of isolation: exile, solitude, individuality, and independence.

How did your current collection shape the way you look at your inspirations, plans, people in the process, or anything you would like to mention?

I actually started designing this collection before the show last year. I started designing really, really early. I just wanted to get my thoughts onto a piece of paper. The collection looked so much different then, because I always turn to creating to cope with some things I was going through: this collection really honestly deals with my fears of loneliness. I think I knew what the collection was about, and I think my close friends knew what it was about. But the way I designed it is in a way that only I have to know what it is about, and what anybody else sees will be the ants and the mushrooms.

I’m hoping people will be able to look at this collection and say “I relate to the feelings of this queen.” even if their experience with isolation was completely different from what I was going through. I find that to be the fun part of designing. You can take something so personal to you, you can abstract it through this collage of ideas, and through abstracting it, more people can resonate with it.

Working on this collection was kind of how I reframed my fears of isolation. It's kind of a metaphor for me, about what loneliness is. You realize that it is not going to be one thing or the other. Isolation can be such a cage sometime, but at the same time, it can be key to that cage. It can be something so isolating, but it can be so liberating at the same time. And I think putting together this collection made me want to be really honest about that.

So the answer to your question is that working through my fears through this collection made me look at those fears in a really honest way rather than trying to simplify them into something easily consumable.. 

What does “creation” mean to you in terms of fashion design? How does it differ from your other creative processes/purposes (ex. writing for the Blog vs. designing)?

I think of creation as a kind of translation. My creative process is translation of an idea in one form to another. So, for instance, I have this idea, loneliness; it is abstract. And I make it something designed, something touchable and wearable. Then it’s about how I can translate this feeling into this form that someone can feel on their body. You are taking something not real, not physical, and then, making it real.

And the best part of fashion design is that it is so temporary. You can put on an outfit and become a character. Then you can take it off and become you again. I like that it is not permanent. At the end of the day, it is just you having fun with it. When it is over, it is over. 

How did your experiences affect the most challenging and rewarding aspects of your design process throughout the years? What were they back in your first design year, and what are they now? 

I think the best and the worst is pretty much the same. The best part is always watching the models put on my outfit and hearing how it makes them feel. I feel like a princess, a warrior, a soldier. It is so much fun. Even the best part is them taking the outfit in a way that I have never really thought of. Also, moving forward, that also affects the way I design. I think people take fashion so seriously, so it is fun to see them have fun. This year I loved seeing people who usually don’t participate in MODA having fun with my clothes, watching them pick an outfit and dance around. I have always wanted MODA to be a community having fun with clothes. 

The most challenging part is self-doubt. For me, my collections can get so personal that sometimes I feel like I am putting my own personal story out there, for people to judge. And I always fear that people are going to use that in a way to say that I am weird. Which never happened. People are really nice. 

Are there things you wish you did differently? Or, things that you definitely want to try in the future? 

Honestly, no. This collection is definitely the one I liked the best so far. I am trying new things that I have never done before with this collection. If there is a take away from this, after everything is done, I graduate, and MODA is over, I think I will continue to do this as a hobby. I like wearing my own clothes. I learned that I don’t enjoy fitting in all the time. And I like my clothes to be dramatic sometimes. MODA made me come to that realization. 

Considering the times we are living in and the adjustments made accordingly, what are you looking forward to the most about the MODA Fashion Show? What do you think the audience should anticipate about this year’s show?

I ALWAYS look forward to everyone else’s collections. The designers at this school are some of my favourite people. I love how they all tell their own personal stories and values through their collections. It is such a beautiful thing to see in this school, especially where you don’t always get the chance to see such creativity so explicitly. 

This year, (and maybe this is just what I’m excited for) I’m excited to see designers present their collections outside the space of fashion show. Putting together shoots, or collaborating with other designers, creating unconventional fashion presentations… With everything going on, it is difficult to centralize everything in one place, and I’m a big believer in taking advantage of that. I really feel like we should decentralize the MODA matrix, from this one, big fashion show and let the designers become directors. Collections can be so personal and unique that sometimes I find it to be reductive to put all those things into one show, and I’ve always wanted to see designers present or re-interpret their own work through their own unique presentations.

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Header graphic by Vivian Li

Quarantine Skillshare: Arjun Kilaru’s Norm-Shifting, Logomania-Influenced Designs

Arjun Kilaru is a first-year probably majoring in some combination of economics, statistics, and sociology. He is involved with MODA Magazine and designed in the Winter 2020 Fashion Show and also produces for the UChicago Public Policy Podcasts. 

In the beginning of isolation, there was an incredible panic and shortage related to the distribution of masks. Now, as it has been mandated for people to wear masks while in public, increasingly more are teaching themselves to sew. Arjun Kilaru sits in a privileged place, amongst a family with a history of fashion design work, but advocates for learning how to sew by trial and error (he says that the seam ripper will be your best friend!). 

Arjun Kilaru chats with me about the inspiration behind his utilization of a mask in his MODA W’20 Collection, designing clothes for his girlfriend, and trends that originated on the runway that will hopefully be integrated into the mainstream. The conversation that follows has been edited for clarity and length. 

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Ariana Garcia: When did you start designing and sewing?

Arjun Kilaru: So I first really started when I started [my collection] for the [MODA Fashion] Show. That was my first brush with it, but I knew a little bit before that because my mom used to make clothes as a designer and my grandma does too. It’s a really present thing in my family. So I kind of did the Show as a way to build that part of myself and I really learned a lot and I made something to be proud of.

Can you tell me more about the history of design in your family?

Yeah, so my grandma was a fashion designer and a tailor. She's been doing that for a super long time, from back when she was in India and Pakistan. My mom went to college for fashion design, which is what she did for her twenties before she came here. They both just have all this experience and gave me help and tips and showed me better ways to do things. The whole reason I [learned to sew and design] was to gain deeper connections with that aspect of my family that I hadn't really explored before. 

Bandeau Top Designed and Made By Arjun Kilaru, Modeled by @eshadkr

Have you noticed, from being taught by them, that there are specific habits that you have picked up?

They take a ton of measurements and to make it very specific for the person. I think that the clothes are more important than the person, which is one thing that we clash on. One reason why [they take a lot of measurements is because] they create formal wear, which is also why some of my pieces have a formal sense to them, like the collars and the dress.

Why do you think the clothes are more important than the person?

I've always made clothes for the purpose of them being shown at an exhibition. Whereas they make clothes to sell them to people and because people commission them, which is why they really focus on the person that they're making pieces for. I have never done it that way. But, I understand that [clothes are designed for different reasons]. 

Do you think that you usually tend to design towards either a person or towards a larger collection of work?

I usually make something to teach a technique to myself. [In terms of the two-piece set], I had never made a bikini top before and I wanted to learn by figuring it out through trial and error.

The best tool I have is not the [sewing]  machine, but the seam ripper. It takes apart the mistakes I made, so I can [go back and learn by redoing it]. This is important because I want to learn as many techniques as I can now so I can apply that to a collection later. Whenever I'm making something, the first thing I think is like, okay, what can I learn by making this?

Two-Piece Set Made During Quarantine, via Arjun Kilaru

As a follow-up to the picture you sent me of a two-piece set that you made for your girlfriend, what is the process like when you are designing something for a specific person versus when you are designing for a model or to explore some theme?

Before I start making something for someone, I already know what I want to make beforehand. I start with a sketch and then I pick a model. The way I [made the two-piece set in quarantine] is that I had an idea, took the measurements, and basically drafted a pattern using the little amount of fabric I had. It turned out really well! It’s really easy for me to alter it and make the design fit the person. 

Is there a difference between what you created for the Show and what you do outside of that?

For the Show, I had a theme that I really wanted to follow, which was using florals as a way to comment on gender. All of the measurements were exactly to fit the models. Whereas what I make on my own, I work with what materials I have and I'm not following any specific patterns; I'm doing whatever I want and eyeballing it. For example, right now I have just been buying some fabric online and picking out something in my closet and making something similar by cutting a template from it. It's a lot more freeing and I'm building my own skills. 

Alessandro Trincone’s Avvolgimi SS19 NYFW Show, pictures accessed via Trincone’s Website

Who or what inspired your MODA collection?

I really like the work of Alessandro Trincone (featured above). He put out this really amazing collection, which had a bunch of awesome dresses that I really admired, and all the models were male. I thought it was super, super cool and it definitely inspired me

Another big inspiration is a Margiela collection, F/W’12, where they created these masks where you couldn’t see the face of the models at all. I thought that represented a lot and I definitely tried to build upon that theme of hiding your face. For MODA, I made a chainmail mask for my collection last year, but I think that that theme can go further.

Maison Margiela F’12 Couture Collection, pictures accessed via Vogue

I like the symbolism of masks because they make you think about disguising yourself and your face and maybe becoming more anonymous or even taking on a character. I feel like there is a weird contradiction in there, right? Because, in some regards, you are trying to hide yourself, but through embellishment. A viewer is meant to be looking at something that you are obstructing. Do you think that fashion does the same work of both hiding yourself and being eye-catching?

Yeah, I think that there's so much you can do with [certain pieces], so it really depends on what you want to get out of it. If you want to use fashion as a way to blend in or become more anonymous, you can do that. On the other side, if you want to stand out and draw that attention to yourself, you can do that as well. The style that I find interesting is the one where you don't know which objective they're going for, and that’s what the masks symbolize to me. I wanted the mask I made to hide the model and reflect the subconsciously desire to be seen, through that ornate design. 

Arjun Kilaru MODA W’20, runway photography by Elliot Duprey

Where do you think your designs are going forward from MODA ?

I definitely learned a lot from the other designers, in terms of techniques and themes. I was just super observant of everything that I saw. There were themes of combining men's and women's fashion in a very direct way. It's more subtle the way that I did. [But, I want to play off of that and put out my own version of that in the future].

How would you describe where your personal style is right now?

I tend to like stuff that I see on red carpets and much less that I just see people wearing on the street. I [try to integrate styles] that I find unconventional and have fun with how I decide to wear it. I really like kimonos and I have like four or five that I'll throw on and layer two at the same time. I don’t really care what the overall trends are. Sometimes what I wear are just random things that I really gravitate towards, like headscarves and masks. I just go with it and see what looks good.

Arjun Kilaru MODA W’20, runway photography by Elliot Duprey

How has being in quarantine affected your materials or techniques utilized in your designs?

It definitely makes the stuff that I make somewhat less risky because I know that if I mess up, I can ruin the fabric by cutting it the wrong size. [At that point, I can’t] fix it. [I don’t have access to fabric stores], like I did when I was designing for MODA. Then, I knew that the worst thing that would happen would be that I have to replace the fabric I had. I also was able to go to the fabric store multiple times for at least an hour each time. The main things that I looked for were colors that go together and the relative durability of the fabrics. It was cool to figure out how I can use their strengths. For example, velvets are a really formal fabric and I wanted to match that with denim because that's not something that you see very often. But what I didn't know is how hard velvet and denim are to sew. At the end of the day, I learned a lot from using them. Now, what I mainly look for in a fabric is how they convey the message or theme of the collection and their ease of use.

Now, in quarantine, I'd have to pay [for shipping] and wait another two weeks for it. It's a lot harder, which is why I've been making stuff that will still teach me and help me grow, but I know I can be safe with and use up fabric I already had.

A lot of people in quarantine have started picking up sewing just so they are able to make functional masks for themselves, their families, and to donate. Do you think this introduction of people wearing masks made from whatever materials and fabrics that they have on hand will eventually make it into the fashion mainstream? What advice would you give to someone finally introducing themselves to sewing?

Yeah, I mean for the Show I also made three or four of those types of masks, and almost went with that design instead. They are really easy to make. I hope that most people who are picking that skill up and will feel like they can make more items on their own. I'm really excited to see more people getting into sewing and designing and I definitely think that it'll build. 

People are teaching things to themselves right now. And like 90% of how I learned to make clothing was from YouTube and asking around. Anything is completely possible. If I was able to go from knowing nothing to creating [an entire collection in a few months], then anyone can, for sure. Especially right now, if you have spare fabric or whatever, you can even use old curtains or old clothing, to teach yourself how and have fun experimenting. I think like you'll learn a lot more than you think. 

Arjun Kilaru’s Norm-Shifting, Logomania-Influenced Designs

Featured Images via Arjun Kilaru

All Included Collages Made By Ariana Garcia

The Ethics and Representation of Post-Soviet Fashion

Post-Soviet fashion: a catchall term used to describe the trend that takes inspiration from Cold War and Eastern Bloc fashion by incorporating Cyrillic lettering, vintage styles, textures, and aesthetics. 

Via

Post-Soviet fashion experienced an uptick in its usage, specifically in alternative or indie clothing brands, in the past 3 or so years. Most famously (or infamously, depends on how you look at it), a couple years ago, Urban Outfitters released a t-shirt with the Russian word for “equality” on it. While their translation was correct, there are many designers that unfortunately did not have the foresight to check their Google Translator app with a native speaker, resulting in mass produced grammatically incorrect sweatshirts. 

My question is where did this trend come from? And more specifically, is it ethically sound to retroactively uplift a sense of style for the general consumer that is associated with so much historically? 

In answer to the first question, I have several theories (Disclaimer: I am by no means an expert, this is simply something I took interest in for a hot second). Two of the theories are a little more critical of the origins of post-Soviet fashion, the last is a more positive understanding of the fashion movement. More likely than not, it is some combination of all three. 

One way to understand where this came from is by recognizing that Western fashion has always had a problematic obsession with “exotic” fashion. What started out as blatant appropriation of East Asian, African, and Native American cultures is now unacceptable and has thankfully gone out of vogue. Yet even since there has been a notable shift in fashion to reach for the next best thing. As someone from Eastern Europe, I was actually a little surprised and somewhat irritated to see that about 2 or 3 years ago flower embroidery became a really big trend. Now normally, embroidery isn’t particularly associated with any one culture and flower motifs are pretty common everywhere in the world. However, it was striking how much of a resemblance there was between some flowery embroidered tops sold by the likes of Free People and the traditional Eastern European vyshyvanka. For context, a vyshyvanka is a type of traditional shirt worn in Eastern Europe commonly before the Russian Revolution in 1917 and since mostly only appears in traditional celebrations and holidays such as Orthodox Christmas or Ivan Kupala. On surface level, there does not seem to be any malintent in using these designs, yet it is irritating to see companies reproducing these for the average consumer who is buying an iteration of this design in ignorance of its cultural significance. 

Images of vyshyvankas via here, here, here. Mass produced reproductions via here, here, and here.

Okay, so Western fashion has had a flirtationship with “adopting” designs from other cultures, but what does this have to do with post-Soviet fashion?

This exoticization of traditional designs was really only the beginning. Post-Soviet fashion is also often associated with color blocking, windbreakers, and tracksuits. More specifically, it emulates 90s gopnik style tracksuits. Arguably, this unholy union of fashion and culture came out of the current unending trend of athleisure. Designers like Gosha Rubchinskiy and Andrei Artyomov, to name a few, certainly contributed to creating a hypebeast vibe around their takes on post-Soviet inspired streetwear. Through large blocky hoodies and FILA-like shoes their Cyrillic branding took over the streets of London, Paris, and New York for at least a season in 2017-2018. Today, while the trend may have died down a little bit, it still raises associations with rising crime and the repercussions of a fallout of an entire structure of life in those of Eastern European descent. For us, looking like a gopnik is not really a desirable or fashionable thing. Instead, it carries the connotation of alcoholism, joblessness, and criminal activity that increased shortly after the official collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The tracksuits carry with them a memory of economic failures rather than something that was considered a distinct style. The iconic three stripes was an outfit of desperation rather than a conscious fashion choice. 

Images via here, here, here, and here.

This brings me to my next point, which is slightly more positive. 90s fashion in Post-USSR emerged out of a state of deep social and cultural confusion. For decades, the USSR cultural identity was state created. Upon the fall of the Soviet regime, the social fabric of many countries in the post-Soviet world was simply torn down. Entire nations were struggling to find a sense of identity in the shambles of what was left behind after the regime collapse. This was reflected in fashion choices as well, with the youth of Eastern European cities wearing a strange blend of clothing produced by the extinct Soviet Union and Levi’s. 

The resurgence of post-Soviet fashion is something that has been appearing increasingly frequently on the streets of Moscow and St. Petersburg in recent years. For today’s youth, which ironically never saw the era that produced the clothing styles that they choose to wear, wearing Cyrillic sweatshirts or vaguely Soviet vintage clothing is a way of reclaiming some part of that broken national identity that we were born into. 

Images via.

Image via.

It also presents an interesting subculture with its own subtle political messages. Many of these shirts are not mass produced, but either individually printed or created in small batches in an almost samizdat-like production. The result is a slew of messages such as Sputnik1985’s “I Will Always Be Against” and Volchok’s famous “No Tsars No Gods” merchandise. 

But what happens when these distinctly post-Soviet identities begin cropping up in mainstream Western fashion? Most notably, Heron Preston, a designer in the vein of Off White’s Virgil Abloh, has made an entire brand name on the premise of stamping his goods with the Russian word for style: Стиль. But why “Стиль”? What relevance does it have for his brand or his message? What’s the connection?

Images of Heron Preston collection staples via here, here, and here.

Well, apparently for Preston, none in particular. In a revealing GQ interview the designer said:

“I've used Russia a lot as a theme. It also carried over to be sort of my sub-logo [written as Стиль which translates to "style"]. My partners, New Guards Group, they also rep Off-White, said, "Yo, for your brand, you should launch in Russia because no one is doing that. You have this Russian logo so we should kick off in Moscow and go on a retail tour." I loved it. I normally would have taken a more traditional approach with the launch, and launched in New York. I was just into the idea of being different from a typical launch and it just made sense.”

If this interview revealed anything, it’s that Heron Preston himself seems to have no idea as to why he’s capitalizing on the word Стиль, other than it looking cool and being different from other brands. In all honesty, to a Russian-speaker the branding of the word “style” on turtleneck collars kind of looks ridiculous (not to mention that it doesn’t actually translate entirely as style in the fashion sense; that would be the word Мода). Although I won’t pretend that this anywhere close to the most accurate comparison, branding Стиль on backpacks and shirts does make me recall the early 2000s fad of non-Chinese-speakers getting tattoos of the Chinese characters for “water” without bothering to verify the translation first. 

And then there’s the question of whether or not the replication of certain distinctly Soviet symbols for mass consumption is ethical. While most brands stick to post-Soviet nostalgia, there are quite a few who are beginning to hedge into the territory of Soviet nostalgia. One such Ukrainian designer, Yulia Yefimtchuk, releases jumpsuits with red stars as patches and the distinctly brutalist Soviet yellow lettering spelling “Мы построим новый мир” (translation: we will build a new world). Gosha Rubchinskiy makes sweatshirts with the Soviet propaganda slogan “готов к труду и обороне” (translation: always ready to work and to serve [in the military]). Not to mention the designers who have decided that a sickle and hammer is a cute new pattern, without taking a pause to think about the suffering, oppression, and human rights abuses it is associated with.

Images via here, here, and here.

While I obviously cannot speak for the designer’s choices to release these particular collections, nor can I speak for the entire post-Soviet Eastern Bloc community, I do believe that I’m probably not alone in saying that the carelessness of reproducing clothing with Soviet slogans and symbols is insensitive to the millions of people whose families were directly affected by the Soviet regime. Though the intent is probably not to glorify the USSR regime, the clothing does appear to facilitate an active unawareness of the meanings behind these motifs. And so do, for that matter, gopnik-style clothing brands that mass produce post-Soviet trends for the average Western consumer. 

This is not to discount the work of Gosha Rubchinskiy and the like. They have significantly influenced the rise of street style and have done so by creating their own interesting commentary on glamour and focusing it on reproductions of intentionally “poor” images (which is problematic in its own way). The fact of the matter is that all this, in tandem with articles that call the Gosha phenomenon “ugly is the new beautiful” and marketing images of shaved heads with sickle and hammers designs, is difficult to process for those that have been born in and inherited the post-Soviet culture and must now struggle to understand their identity in light of a heavy national history. 

Image via

Featured image via

What's Up With Logomania Luxury Fashion?

Logos are nothing new to the fashion industry. Identifiable logos and patterns have been a staple of branding fashion houses and demarking their exclusivity since luxury goods began flooding the market. 

Considering that luxury fashion originated from a celebration of craftsmanship, design, and quality of production, the distinctly late 2010s shift to aggressive branding of rather standard consumer goods is puzzling.

* Before I continue, a disclaimer: My point is not to pass judgement on this branding approach, but to highlight the fundamental shift in luxury houses’ approach to mass producing fashion. Rather than arguing that it is a net good or net bad shift, the aim is to highlight the changes and speculate about how they originated. I am by no means an expert. Okay, you can keep reading.

Fashion is undeniably dynamic and should change with the times. Yet the 21st century phenomenon of “premium mediocre” goods (such as luxury branded flip flops or baseball caps) has reached an unprecedented extreme. The era of luxury brands exclusively creating holy grail and statement pieces seems to be giving way to an era of producing mundane pieces featuring prominent designer logos. Big names in the industry which used to make handcrafted pieces in extremely small quantities have become increasingly globalized brands that produce any amount and variety of standard clothing under their name. 

In fact, at this point many branded items are recognizable only due to their logos rather than distinctive features. It’s hard to tell the difference between rubber pool slides unless they have a logo on them. Whether it comes in the form of a licensed brand pattern or a trademarked logo, luxury houses seem to have latched onto the idea that these flashy designs are critical to their ability to be recognized and appreciated. 

Via

Many of these changes originated from significant branding overhauls. As leading brands replaced their creative directors and began creating new versions of their logos and patterns, others followed. Some of the first houses to rebrand were Balenciaga, Louis Vuitton (under Virgil Abloh), and Gucci. Rebranding opened up avenues for them to begin marketing to younger generations, to increase social media presence, and to create new collections, which were inevitably branded with their new, and oftentimes simplified, logos. 

The Burberry logo redesign and monogram: via

The massive successes that these rebrandings brought about (measured in a drastic increase in sales) prompted other houses to begin changing their brand names and approach to producing luxury goods. Soon afterward Versace, Burberry, and Saint Laurent, and others followed. 

Pictured above: Louis Vuitton rebranding under Virgil Abloh. The discontinued Murakami print vs the new monogram.

Arguably, logomania originally emerged as a fashion statement of its own. Brands like Supreme and OffWhite made their money from their names alone by selling generic nylon factory products at high markup. These new brands emerged with excessive branding as a staple. At first, it was an ironic and bold statement challenging traditional fashion trends and launched their collections on the basis of the excessive branding.

High-end fashion houses, however, followed suit and adopted the distinct style into their own collections as well, leading to the creation of “premium mediocre” and the craze of logomania.

Logomania emerged as a trend that persists in street fashion today as result of rebranding and the simplification it brought with it. Brands have realized that it is easier to market a product through social media and create recognizable product placement when there are standardized and flashy elements to the designs. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words, but a picture with a thousand logos on it really drives the point home.

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Images via here, here, and here.

Also via here, here, here, here.

And via here, here, and here.

And even more via here, here, here, here.

NYFW 2020 Digest

Fall/Winter NYFW has passed and we’re here to do a review of the top trends we predict will be big for next season.

Feathers and animal print continue their rule. Animal inspired textures and patterns were seen everywhere. From shearling jackets to feathered trims to snake-skin to the ever-popular cheetah print, this trend seems to be sticking around for at least another season.

Tailored and structured suit details. Whether asymmetrical or traditional, the blazer is coming back in a big way. This season we’re noticed a lot of layered and long variations of it.

Plaid layering. The pattern is back and it was everywhere.

Monochrome is here to stay. Monochrome has been around for around for a while and though many designers are starting to play around with the formula, the fundamentals are still there.

Duochrome is catching on. One of the interesting variations on monochrome thats been cropping up increasingly frequently has been duochrome- the combination of two key colors in a way that still looks as minimalist and effortless as monochrome.

Metric tons of fabric. Big sleeves, big skirts, big tulle moments, and big sweater layers are showing up everywhere.

All images via.

Haute Couture 2020 Roundup

Haute Couture 2020 has hit the runways, stunning some and puzzling others. We took a look at some of this seasons most talked about shows and now we’re going to break it down for you and what this means for 2020 fashion and red carpets. 

First of all, what is haute couture? How do you even pronounce it?

Haute couture (ot-coo-tyoor) is French for “high fashion.” It is distinct from all other runway shows and seasons because it is defined by a rather narrow set of standards. First of all, haute couture is always painstakingly handmade and hand-sewn from high quality fabrics. Secondly, haute couture is *usually* not for sale. Because these pieces are so costly to make, they are very rarely customizable. Instead, modern fashion houses use their haute couture shows as a way to publicize their brand and create a glamourous aura that, hopefully, positively impacts the sales of their ready-to-wear collections. Finally, haute couture is actually a very specific label that applies only to a select few designers. In order for a house to use the label “haute couture” it needs to be a member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, the exclusive association of haute couture houses within the larger world of fashion. Brands are evaluated each year on their status and extended membership by a special commission. The Chambre Syndicale was founded in 1868 in Paris and officially made “haute couture” a specific legal designation in 1945. Today, the Chambre Syndicale features 16 members, 7 correspondent members, and 18 guest members. 

Here’s a roundup of some of our takes on the 2020 season. Make sure to click through the slideshows to see all the drama we’re talking about.

Jean Paul Gaultier

One cannot speak about legendary haute couture without mentioning Jean Paul Gaultier and his 50 years of contribution to the fashion industry. This year marks his last at the helm of Gaultier haute couture, but he certainly went out with a bang and not a whimper. The Gaultier house is known for staging shows that break with the norms of conventional catwalks. Notably, Gaultier is a fan of embracing the show aspect of haute couture, even iconically transforming the catwalk into a podium for one model’s Irish jig. This last show was certainly not a disappointment, as Gualtier pulled out all the stops and did not cease to wow with his over-the-top creations. 

Givenchy

Certainly tamer than Gaultier, Givenchy stuck to classic silhouettes, choosing instead to play with enormous floral hats and puffy skirts. Though there was some play with waistlines and embellishments, Givenchy ultimately produced a collection that was wearable and will probably be sported by some celebrity on some red carpet soon.

Maison Margiela

Maison Margiela was dripping in color and fabric this season as John Galliano apparently pondered on the intersection of “rebellion” and the “bourgeoise” in this collection. The perplexing collection featured lots of work coats, lots of spots, dots, circular cutouts, lots of camel-toed shoes (from their most recent collaboration with Reebok), haphazardly arranged fabrics, and lots of vibrant nets over models faces. Regardless of whether or not you thought rubber gloves were a suitable accessory for this catwalk, Galliano does want you to know that most fabrics for this show were sustainably sourced, a detail equally as mystifying and ironic when put in the context of consumer fashion as the show itself. 

Armani Privé

The fabrics for this house’s show were inspired by colorful Indonesian Ikat prints. The collection displays a series of classical and slinky shapes with generously embellished jacket details and sparkly patterns in rich cerulean, with splashes of magenta. Armani Privé also took the idea of bringing back 20s fashion and made it a reality. Swinging beaded dresses and art deco trousers, complete with all the glitziness you’d expect from the costume department of the Great Gatsby rounded out this homage to the 20s.

Alexandre Vauthier

If Armani Privé paid tribute to the 1920s this season, then Vauthier paid tribute to the 80s and skillfully combined them with some favorite trends of the past couple of red carpet seasons. The 80s oversized shoulder-padded suit, a staple on a Vauthier catwalk, came back in a naked version. Vauthier suggested that we should just skip the collared shirt or, in fact, any shirt and go straight to accessorizing instead. Of course, there is no paying tribute to 80s fashion without paying tribute to the decade that it was inspired by: the 1950s. Back to the Future prom under the sea dresses made a comeback to round out this Vauthier collection. Judging by the fact that the naked pantsuit has been persistent in red carpet fashion, it would not be surprising if this collection made its way to some Hollywood function.

Chanel

Proper and maybe a hint of floral are the best way to describe this Chanel haute couture collection. Although a far departure from Karl Lagerfeld’s (🖤🖤🖤) jeweled collections of Chanel haute couture past, this season taps back into the longer hemlines, suits, and practical, if a bit boring, shoes (complete with both socks and stockings). Known for playing around with immersive runway design, however, Chanel was able to weave this collection into a storyline by surrounding the models with a rustic garden, recreating the French countryside in the middle of Paris by even adding a fountain in the center of the catwalk. You probably won’t catch this collection at red carpets though, unless some adventurous soul decides to try to bring back the iconic Chanel skirt suit in a newer embellished form.

Giambattista Valli

It wouldn’t be Giambattista Valli unless metric tons of tulle were involved in the making of this show. You’ve probably seen Giambattista Valli gowns sported in Cannes this summer or maybe at the Met Gala. The point is that his fluffy and poofy garments are hard to mistake for any other house. Sticking to tradition, there was lots of tulle involved in this runway as well, but unlike previous seasons this one also featured some slimmer gowns. Still featuring a decadent amount of fabric, some looks made the case for mobility in evening dress. Finally, it wouldn’t be a Giambattista Valli confection unless it was completed with the most extravagant cake topper of all: feather masks. These frames, though adding to the overall mass of material on the models, somehow made even the largest and longest tulle train look like it was weightless. Don’t expect these gowns to disappear from red carpets anytime soon.

Christian Dior

Dior delivered some serious goddess vibes with this collection, clothing the models in typical sheer Dior gowns and golden fabrics. Ethereal gowns, however, were not the only theme of the evening- so were powerful skirt suits. This isn’t just a trend for the Dior house though, it is also a distinct political statement posed as a question on a floor to ceiling silk panel at the center of the runway: “What if women ruled the world?” The collection itself, inspired by second-wave feminist artist Judy Chicago, certainly convinced us that Dior’s models were here to rule this runway. As per usual, plenty of pastels, plenty of floor length dresses that seem to whisper at you, and plenty of fairytale vibes. A staple in red carpet events, Dior continues and likely will continue building a cult of worshippers of mesh bodice dresses. 

Valentino

Although really only a correspondent house, no conversation about 2020 haute couture could be left without mention of this particular show. Valentino is back and in a really big way too. Though the brand started off the 2000s on shaky ground, its aggressive attempts at redefining itself have worked to make it come back and stay relevant. This Valentino runway was full of the vibrant colors and bold silhouettes that the house is associated with today. The biggest trend on the catwalk, and probably soon everywhere else, were the massive dangling earrings sported by many of the models.

Elie Saab

Haute couture is defined not only by how cutting edge it is, but also by its extravagance and opulence, concepts that Elie Saab is certainly no stranger to. For those unfamiliar with the brand, Elie Saab exclusively makes the worlds most embellished and downright royal looking gowns in the world. Floor length dresses encrusted with swirling patterns of gems and jewels of every color imaginable layered over translucent fabrics create the fairytale world of Elie Saab as per usual. This collection featured thigh high slits, long embroidered sleeves, and plenty of shiny as per usual, but also debuted puffy sleeves and even some cool girl sunglasses. If there was one word to describe this collection, it would be “gold.” If there was one way to characterize our reaction: “we went broke just looking at these dresses.”

Iris Van Herpen

One of the most interesting designers making gowns at the moment, Iris Van Herpen creates garments that mimic nature. These dresses are made based on the structure of hydrozoa organisms, bird wing bones, sound waves, and other biologically occurring structures and patterns. Many of these dresses are 3D printed and painstakingly sewn together on a miniscule level. Iris Van Herpen dresses are not just fashion, they are also research, science, art, architecture, and engineering. Each dress is meant to move with the wearer, creating a sense of organic movement and shape-shifting. Though they have been worn by many recognizable names on the red carpet, these mesmerizing gowns are fundamentally made for movement rather than picture taking.

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Images from here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

MODA Designer Profile: Vivian Li

Recently, I got the pleasure to sit down with first time designer Vivian Li to see what inspires her and what really is going into her work. Vivian is a first year at the college, majoring in a possibility of economics, psychology, or sociology. She spends her time divided between her studies and trying to make a better UChicago through UChicago student action.

What are some sources of inspiration for your collection?

In this collection, I wanted to take elements from formal wear and incorporate them with casual, everyday outfits — why can’t extravagance and conveniency coexist? Sheer fabric cutouts with embroidery, extravagant ruffles, and visual illusion are the elements I decided to work with. Some brands I’ve been influenced by are Zuhair Murad, Giambattista Valli, and Iris Van Herpen. I also come from a visual arts background, so I wanted to play with colors and textures instead of having printed patterns. I ended developing monochromatic palettes for each look, which was really fun to work on.

Have you ever done fashion design work before? What are some of the most challenging and rewarding aspects of the process?

To be honest, I’ve never designed any clothes before, and I learned how to work from patterns just this winter break. The most challenging aspect is definitely picking the right fabric for my designs and the actual construction, which is so time-consuming and sometimes frustrating. I was sewing my first pair of pants, and I somehow attached the zipper wrong three times before figuring out the right way! However, all the mistakes make me feel proud about the finished products. The most rewarding aspect is to see ideas becoming reality through my own hands. Another rewarding aspect is fitting my designs on my models and seeing how good they look!

What are you looking forward to most about the show?

I’m looking forward see how my looks come together on the runway. Before even coming up with ideas, I was making a mood board for the makeup looks and hair styles I liked to see on my models. The show is where all the elements come together and the narrative gets presented in its entirely. I have really good relationships with my models, so I’m also excited for them to walk in front of hundreds of people and to feel like the most beautiful, confident versions of themselves.

Who do you have in mind when you’re designing?

I’m thinking about the fashion-forward, risk-loving girls who want to stand out from the crowd but still stay classy. 

If you could give yourself any advice on the design process, what would you say to your younger self?

PUT MORE THOUGHT INTO THE FABRIC! I think the material is just as important as how the garment fits, and I wish I had visited more fabric stores so I had better options. There was this particular shade of mint green I needed for my dress, but I could only find that color in a rather thin and non-stretchy fabric. A few weeks later, I visited another store with more varieties and found the perfect match, but I had already made the dress.

What’s your favorite aspect of the design process?

Going to the fabric store. Looking at all the different colors and textures is super fun, and I sometimes come up with new ideas while shopping for fabric.

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Photos courtesy of Yvonne Yu

MODA Designer Profile: David Chen

David Chen is making his designer debut in this year’s MODA fashion show. To learn more about David himself and his fashionable expression, we grabbed coffee. David is a second-year student in the College and is pursuing degrees in Economics and Creative Writing. Here’s how our conversation went:

One of David’s pieces

Where do you get your inspiration?

I would have to say I get most of my inspiration from the world around me, besides Pinterest and what Google recommends for me, ‘ha ha.’ But in all seriousness, I’m essentially putting guys in androgynous for my collection. I wanted to use my collection as a discussion of masculinity and femininity, and the cross fertilization between the two. I feel like within the society and the time period in which we’re living, it’s an important question to talk about, because the lines are blurred. We like to think whether or not those lines should have ever been drawn, and I’m using my collection as a way to express my thoughts on it. So, it’s a my response to the world.

“Women can go thrifting and buy men’s jeans, but men can’t really do that.”

What’s your design background?

I have always been drawing fashion pieces. MODA just happed to present me with the opportunity to turn those drawings into real life, which is super cool. I find that I enjoy drawing clothes the most. When I was tasked with MODA’s prompt, I just thought it would have been really cool to present things I had been working on for many years of my life. It was actually last year’s show that reignited my passion for drawing, actually. 

You can catch this piece in the show too.

What are the most challenging aspects of the process? The most rewarding?

I really like “being in my head,” and I find it difficult to find the perfect material or color that I want. I suppose it comes from trying to be a perfectionist. I guess it’s the little details that I sweat the most. Surprisingly, learning how to construct the garments, like learning how to use the machines, has not been hard at all. But definitely the most challenging part is finding the right medium to translate the ideas from my mind to real life.

The most rewarding? Definitely just being able to make my drawings come to life. Since I was a kid, I have had these drawings in my head, and it’s surreal that they’re taking living and breathing now. I also get a sense of personal gratification, too. As a kid my relatives would always ask me why I drew dresses, because dresses are for girls. So it was also very cool for me to battle that.

What are you looking forward to most about the show?

I actually didn’t make it to the show last year, so I am looking forward to my first MODA show. I also really enjoy the collective stress. While it might sound crazy I really like when everyone’s yelling and stressing out together. I don’t know why, but I very much so enjoy that vibe. But of course, just seeing my pieces walk down the runway will be unreal.

David’s mood board

What do you think about when you’re designing?

I like to spend a lot of time online looking for inspiration, but I also greatly value not looking for something when I am actually looking for something. So when I am in a creative mindset I will go for a walk, relax, and meditate on the idea(s) for days, or even weeks before I start physically working on anything. I don’t really have a specific goal; I just let it come to life on its own. I am also always jotting down ideas in my notes app on my phone. On the other hand, when I am physically working with the pieces, I’m not thinking as eloquently—I am more so just hoping I don’t stick my finger with the sewing machine!

“I don’t have a specific goal; I just let it come to life on its own.”

Is this whole experience a source of stress or a stress relief?

The deadline itself has been stressful, but everything else has undoubtedly enjoyable. I find the white noise of the needle to be very relaxing. I can just sit back and focus on something that actually makes me happy.

If you could give any advice about the design process, what would you say to your less-experienced self?

It’s really not as complex as you make it out to be. I thought my drawings were really intricate and super “out there,” but it’s literally just altering a pattern. The pattern for everything is the same, just with different materials. A shirt is a shirt whether it’s made from cotton or lace—which lace is one I am doing! Nothing is ever that complex.

“String elastic thru the bottom w/ attaching safety pin at the end and go!”

What has been your favorite part of the design part so far?

I guess my favorite thing has been being able to participate in something I love without it feeling like it’s a waste of time. When I am browsing the internet for inspiration, it’s not procrastination or not paying attention—it’s something I have to do. Also, the DBC—MODA’s Designer Bootcamp—has been super fun. I have made so many friends, and we’re constantly bouncing ideas of each other and learning from one another. 

Our conversation ended there, but you can keep the fun going by attending the 2020 MODA Fashion Show on February 28.

MODA Designer Profile: Carolyn Johansen

Carolyn Johansen is a First-Year undergraduate, who considers majoring in Economics or Chemistry - or both. In addition to designing outfits for this year’s MODA Fashion Show, Carolyn also enjoys playing flute in the wind ensemble.

In order to discuss Carolyn’s work for the upcoming MODA Fashion Show, we met over coffee to discuss her artistic style and inspiration.

What are some sources of inspiration for your collection?

A lot of my inspiration comes from things being comfortable and practical, which I know isn’t very exciting, but I really thought about things that were missing from my own wardrobe, that I wanted, and had just never gotten around to making. So for this show, I’ve been focusing on designs that people could wear to class or around Chicago - just because that’s where my head has been lately. 

This @beautyspock image was another inspiration for Carolyn’s collection: “I really loved this image because of the bold print of the jacket. The silhouette is very classic, but the print makes it look modern and trendy, which is something I am trying to capture in my collection.”

“So for this show, I’ve been focusing on designs that people could wear to class or around Chicago - just because that’s where my head has been lately. ”

— Carolyn Johansen

Original sketches of Carolyn’s collection.

Have you ever done fashion design work before? 

I’ve loved to sew for years. I was seven when I first started (I was in second grade). And since then, I have sewn many projects, from my prom dress to my high school graduation dress. 

I have also taken some courses at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. That was my introduction to formal fashion design. Before that, I just thought of items I wanted to make and I made them. So those courses taught me to make more mature fashion designs, as opposed to home sewing projects.

Carolyn (left) stands next to her friend Grace at their Senior Prom. Carolyn wears the dress she created for the occasion.

What are some of the most challenging and rewarding aspects of the process?

I have to say that the most challenging aspect has been designing things for me that aren’t actually for me. I’m used to making clothing adjustments for myself. But I can’t call my models up and have them try my outfits on within 20 minutes. It’s more of a process. But that has been a great learning experience, for me to better understand how the fashion industry really works. 

“It’s more of a process. But that has been a great learning experience, for me to better understand how the fashion industry really works. ”

— Carolyn Johansen

Something that I’ve really enjoyed so far is being able to connect with people across campus through MODA. I have a friend who is a model, and it’s been really fun to talk to her throughout the process and to get her opinion. She’ll be modeling one of my designs. I’m going to make her a jumpsuit, which will be trendy and cool. She can also put a jacket on with the jumpsuit, and wear it to dinner with her parents, so the look will be versatile. And just having that open communication with MODA participants isn’t something I’ve had in the past, because it was always just me.

What are you looking forward to most about the show?

I don’t know. I think I’m just excited for the whole thing. It’s going to be very different from anything I’ve ever done or experienced before, so it’s going to be really cool to see how it all comes together.

Who do you have in mind when you’re designing?

I’ll admit it’s usually me, because I focus on my experiences. I also think about my sister. We have always sewn together, and I reach out to her for guidance and advice. We once made First Communion dresses out of wedding dresses, for some family friends. It was a really fun project - and working together also alleviated the stress of cutting up people’s old wedding dresses. My sister and I have also made curtains for my mom. So we work together and give each other feedback. And she’s excited and curious to watch me go through this design process on campus.

“We once made First Communion dresses out of wedding dresses, for some family friends. It was a really fun project - and working together also alleviated the stress of cutting up people’s old wedding dresses. ”

— Carolyn Johansen

In this high school graduation photo, Carolyn (left) stands next to her sister. Carolyn wears the dress that she made for graduation.

If you could give yourself any advice on the design process, what would you say to your younger self?

Advice I would give to myself in general is to challenge myself. There are things that I sometimes brush off as too challenging, but I’m trying to approach those challenges for MODA - which makes things more interesting.

What’s your favorite aspect of the design process?

I like it because it’s so custom and I have so much freedom to do what I want. When I was younger, I couldn’t always find the clothing I wanted. So, by creating pieces for myself, I can plan and actually make my ideas happen. 

“So, by creating pieces for myself, I can plan and actually make my ideas happen. ”

— Carolyn Johansen

MODA Designer Profile: David Schalop

David Schalop is a 2nd-Year undergraduate, double majoring in Business Economics and Art History. He is a film photographer, whose work influences his fashion designs and how how he sees the world. David is also part of the Smart Student Advisory Committee.

In order to discuss David’s work for the upcoming MODA Fashion Show, we met over coffee to discuss his artistic style and inspiration.

What are some sources of inspiration for your collection?

My first inspiration is definitely the weather and the seasons. That was my jumping off point for my fashion designs. I drew inspiration from how people’s dress changes, over the course of the year. In warmer seasons, people wear lighter colors and materials. And then, in colder seasons, people wear darker colors and heavier layers. Spring and summer are somewhere in between these two extremes. And these seasonal changes in attire are more defined at UChicago than at other schools, which is something I wanted to highlight in my designs.

Sketches of David's Fashion Designs

Sketches of David's Fashion Designs

Sketches of David's Fashion Designs

Sketches of David's Fashion Designs

I’ve also been inspired by some of my favorite artists. Hiroshi Sugimoto is a photographer who I really like. He shoots black and white photography. And, like him, I shoot mainly black and white film, but I’m also really interested in color. So while my designs tend to be monochromatic, one of my designs has a pop of color. Geometric shapes and patterns are also important to me, and Josef Albers is an inspiration for that.

“Uneven Terrain.” An Original Photograph by David.

Have you ever done fashion design work before?

Never. Before participating in the MODA Fashion Show, I’d never made anything. So this is really the beginning. Before this experience, I’d only seen sewing machines as old decorations, which weren’t being used. So this is a new experience for me.

What are some of the most challenging and rewarding aspects of the process?

I think the most challenging thing about making clothing is that you have to visualize something in 3D, but when you’re putting fabric through the sewing machine, it’s 2D. And the space that you leave between the fabric is where the body goes. So it’s often difficult to imagine how to transition from 2D to 3D pieces. And while this process has been an interesting challenge, no mistake is unfixable. Sometimes you sew something and realize afterwards that the pieces don’t fit - but you can always take the stitches out.

“...no mistake is unfixable. Sometimes you sew something and realize afterwards that the pieces don’t fit - but you can always take the stitches out.”

— David Schalop

I think we live in a world where people are very removed from the production of things. I’m in this art history class right now where people had to bring in objects of value to them. No one out of 25 people brought an item that they had personally created. We live in a disposable world. And so I want to create something with my own hands. And hopefully it will last for a long time. That’s an inspiration for my work. 

A Sneak Peek of one of David’s Creations for this year’s MODA Fashion Show…

“We live in a disposable world. And so I want to create something with my own hands. And hopefully it will last for a long time.”

— David Schalop

What are you looking forward to most about the show?

Seeing my friends walk. The models that I picked are three of my good friends. I’m excited because none of them have ever walked before, and so I think it’ll be really exciting to see them walk down the runway, with so many people watching. And to see my friends’ reactions to that will be really cool.

I’m also really excited to see them wear my designs. I’m designing three complete outfits. So each of my friends will be wearing a complete design. Two of the designs will probably have the same basic forms (a sweater and a pair of pants), but these designs will have different accents to make each outfit unique.

Who do you have in mind when you’re designing?

I don’t have any single person in mind. I make minimalist menswear with vintage accents and elements, because that’s my personal style right now. And I call my style menswear, even though a woman will be modeling one of my designs. I don’t really care about the shape of the body wearing my pieces - just about the style of the clothing.

In The Green Book, Dr. Shirley’s outfit (right) serves as inspiration for David.

I’m also really interested in historical fashion. One of my favorite things in the world is watching movies with great outfits, and seeing how timeless many of these pieces are in the world today. One of my favorite movies is “The Green Book.” The Musician, Don Shirley, has really great style. His outfits are incredible. I also watch “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” which is set in New York (where I’m from). And the show has great fashion looks.

In The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Midge’s outfits also inspire David.

If you could give yourself any advice on the design process, what would you say to your younger self?

I think in general I can be a perfectionist, so I’d remind myself that this is my first time doing this, that things are going to go wrong, and that what I envisioned in the beginning is not going to be exactly what I get. As a photographer, often times you imagine the perfect shot, and you go to the dark room and print that shot and it never looks as you imagine. And sometimes it’s not what you want it to be, but other times it’s even more incredible than you could have envisioned. So when you design something, it doesn’t always turn out exactly as intended, but sometimes you end up with something even better. And even if things don’t go according to plan, I need to be okay with things changing along the way.

“As a photographer, often times you imagine the perfect shot, and you go to the dark room and print that shot and it never looks as you imagine. And sometimes it’s not what you want it to be, but other times it’s even more incredible than you could have envisioned.”

— David Schalop

“Color Warp.” An Original Photograph by David.

What’s your favorite aspect of the design process?

There are two things. The other people in my fashion design program are really cool, and I’m really interested in getting to know them. I also just love creating designs with my own hands. I haven’t created many things in the past. And, especially at UChicago, we spend a lot of time writing papers and thinking abstractly, but it’s really nice to actively create something tangible.

“And, especially at UChicago, we spend a lot of time writing papers and thinking abstractly, but it’s really nice to actively create something tangible.”

— David Schalop

Black Design Collective Honors Black Panther's Ruth E. Carter

A group of fashion luminaries established the Black Design Collective to empower up-and-coming black creatives. Its esteemed founders are fixtures in the fashion world: Angela Dean has created custom looks for stars such as Madonna and Oprah, TJ Walker co-founded trendy streetwear label Cross Colors, and Kevan Hall was the creative director of Halston.

This year, the three took action and addressed the resource gap black designers face in a cutthroat industry, providing mentorship, scholarships and industry workshops. They also aim to raise the profile of often under appreciated historic black fashion figures through the BDC website.

When we think about the great designers that so many people don't know about, like Patrick Kelly and Willi Smith, these people who pushed the door open and broke the glass ceiling—how many people actually know about these designers today? We wanted to have a voice, first, to speak about our accomplishments and our successes, and then, as a second initiative, how can we empower the next generation of designers? So that's how the Black Design Collective was founded.

- Kevan Hall (quote via)

The Collective honored award-winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter with an inaugural ceremony at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles on April 13. Carter has been a fixture in movie costuming for over 30 years and has worked on 40 movies, lending her creative genius to films such as Malcolm X, Do The Right Thing, The Butler, and Selma. This year, she became the first black woman to win an Academy Award for Costume Design and was granted a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Costume Designers’ Guild.

Ruth Carter’s genius comes from her commitment to cultural authenticity and detail. From her representations of the strength and elegance of black people in the 60s to the bombastic streetwear styles of the 90s, she’s chartered out decades of the beauty of black style through her costuming. Black Panther, the latest in her groundbreaking design portfolio, displays a deep cultural understanding of African fashion perfectly fused with futurist ideas. When creating the costumes, Carter consulted a variety of influences including authentic indigenous designs worldwide and Atlanta’s Afropunk festival.

Left, a Zulu woman in the traditional headdress of a married woman; center, a conceptual costume sketch by Ms. Carter (design) and Ryan Meinerding and his team (concept artists); and right, the headdress as worn by Angela Bassett in Black Panther. Photos and quote via.

Ruth Carter’s vibrant colors, innovative shapes and multitude of historical homages created a distinctive look that allowed Black Panther’s story to be expressed to the fullest. Her attention to regional specificity was a large part of the film’s innovation. Every tribe had fashions modeled off of garb from particular African cultures, rather than a melting pot of homogenized outsider stereotypes. Her long overdue pop culture spotlight has finally given her the industry cache she has deserved for years, and she’s staying true to her mission to raise the profile of all black creatives #fortheculture.

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Feature image via. Gallery credits linked on pictures.

Meet Tomo Koizumi, the Breakout Star of NYFW

By now, you’ve probably seen photos of vibrant loofah-like dresses all over Instagram and wondered who is behind them. They are the work of Tomo Koizumi, a Japanese designer that British fashion journalist and stylist Katie Grand discovered on Instagram. Grand brought Koizumi from Japan to New York just three weeks after finding his work, launching him into stardom in a way most could only dream of.

Hosted at the Marc Jacobs store on Madison Avenue, Koizumi’s debut was certainly one of the most talked-about moments from this past season’s New York Fashion Week. There were only 28 looks, some from his archives and some new, but each one of them made a statement. Pat McGrath was in charge of doing the makeup while Guido Palau did hair, and with a lineup of models including Bella Hadid, Emily Ratajkowski, Joan Smalls, and Rowan Blanchard; it was an event full of top industry leaders. Undoubtedly, the most stunning part was when Game of Thrones actress Gwendoline Christie closed the show in a colorful tulle explosion of a jumpsuit that was made from 200 meters of fabric.

However, it takes more than a roster of big names and a great venue to make a memorable fashion show. Perhaps the most interesting part about Koizumi is that he has no formal training in fashion design; he’s a self-taught costume designer. Despite his lack of training, his ability to design such refreshingly whimsical pieces has helped him become one of the most talked-about people of NYFW. Though he just debuted in February, his designs have already been seen on major celebrities, including Miley Cyrus and Sophie Turner.

NYFW has been somewhat lackluster during the past few seasons, as many NYFW heavyweights are choosing to hold their shows elsewhere, leaving a roster of lesser-known designers. This past NYFW seemed to generate even less excitement than usual, as Raf Simons’ exit from Calvin Klein meant no Calvin Klein show, Alexander Wang is no longer on the regular schedule, and Rodarte decided to hold their show in Los Angeles instead. Koizumi brought light to a bleak New York, solidifying himself as a designer to watch in the upcoming seasons.

Feature image via. Runway images via.

A Tribute to Karl Lagerfeld

Every year has its losses, yet this one seems heavier for me than most. A quick glance at my morning notifications on February 19th struck me with the loss of one of the biggest icons in fashion and in my life: Karl Lagerfeld.

The ever-present ponytail, the sunglasses, the fingerless gloves, a facade far too recognizable. A creator in the purest sense of the word, Lagerfeld created an empire of his own while carrying out the vision of Gabrielle Chanel to the highest echelon known to fashion.

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Image Via

Born in Hamburg, Germany in 1933, Karl Lagerfeld always embodied that unapologetic demeanor that he came to be idolized for in the fashion industry. An artistic German boy who previously donned the last name Lagerfeldt, before dropping the “t” for a more commercial field, he was known to often publicly critique other’s fashion choices at quite a young age.

To say his genius was unbridled is an understatement. Karl took to Paris early in his youth to study. His studies were not fashion-based, though his desire to major in history was quickly and unsurprisingly dominated by his major in drawing. Lagerfeld would soon enter the fashion scene as an apprentice to Pierre Balmain after his coat designs won a fashion competition.

Image Via

His fashion career quickly skyrocketed through his work with Chloe and Valentino, and his breakthrough innovation of Fendi’s fur line. He then worked to revitalize Chanel, bringing to life the brand’s now iconic CC monogram. Lagerfeld remained with Fendi and Chanel until his death, in addition to establishing his own namesake brand: Karl Lagerfeld Paris. His prolific collections were brazen takes on what the fashion world needed at any given time. A personal favorite was his homage to his pet cat, Choupette.

Image Via

Lagerfeld was a magnet of attention, constantly reinventing trends and garments while always maintaining an unbelievably forward yet classy persona. Insisting on sketching with shu uemera eyeshadows only, Lagerfeld established a true name for himself in fashion. As his inspiration, Lagerfeld often cited muses like Kate Moss, Willow Smith, Cara Delevigne, Tilda Swinton, and G-Dragon.
The loss of Karl Lagerfeld will be forever felt in the fashion world and beyond. His influence in this dynamic world, however, will always remain and his sense of style always celebrated.

"Today the world lost a giant among men. His creative genius was breathtaking and to be his friend was an exceptional gift. Karl was brilliant, he was wicked, he was funny, he was generous beyond measure, and he was deeply kind. I will miss him so very much."

-Anna Wintour

Feature Image Via

Brands to Know: Sandy Liang

Sandy Liang, the brand named after the Parsons School of Design graduate and designer recognized by the 2018 Forbes 30 Under 30 for Art and Style, is best described as having a “Clueless meets Chinatown” aesthetic.

Having been raised by her “Paw Paw” from an early age, Liang took inspiration from Chinatown grandmas from an early age. This inspiration did not dwindle as Liang enrolled in design school. Instead of drawing inspiration from beautiful architecture or high fashion that she felt no connection to, unlike her fellow peers, Liang was drawn towards what she knew best–her family and culture.

Unconventionality is arguably what Sandy Liang is best known for and what the designer strives to incorporate into her designs since the brand’s genesis in 2014. At just 27-years-old, Liang has established a brand that looks at the conventional aesthetic of high fashion and sprints in the opposite direction. A quick browse through any Sandy Liang collection reveals just how eccentric the brand is. Pastel colors, asymmetrical cuts, the fusion of coarse denim and delicate lace are just some of the several features that make the line stand out. While these elements could easily look tacky, the way Liang pieces them together works just right.

Liang’s Paw Paw modeling a Sandy Liang multicolored shearling coat.

The daughter of Chinese immigrants who own a Chinese restaurant called Congee Village in New York City, Liang always incorporates her cultural heritage into her collections. Whether it be Liang’s decision to utilize Chinatown as a backdrop for Sandy Liang photoshoots or her creation of a Congee Village T-shirt featuring her parents’ dishes on the back, her commitment to authenticity is always apparent.

“They [companies who use Chinese culture as part of their advertising campaigns] want lanterns on the back, they want Chinese restaurants. This isn’t trendy, but it is part of my culture.”

- Sandy Liang

Sandy Liang’s authenticity and unconventional designs have not gone without notice. Buyers like Net-a-Porter, Nordstrom, and Saks Fifth Avenue feature Liang’s pieces, among others. Her patrons have included celebrities like Bella Hadid and Ilana Glazer. In 2017, Sandy Liang was also recognized as a finalist for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund.

If you are someone who wishes to don fun pieces while still looking effortlessly stylish, the Sandy Liang aesthetic is perfect for you.

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All images in article can be found on Sandy Liang’s website via. Feature image can be found via.

Make Way for Marine Serre

It feels like everyone in the fashion industry is talking about Marine Serre and her eponymous label, but who is she? The 26-year-old designer not only has an impressive background, which includes past internships at Alexander McQueen and Maison Margiela, but also has managed to become one of the hottest designers of the year with her avant-garde designs, upcycled fabrics, and unique take on sportswear. She was the winner of the 2017 LVMH Prize, one of the most prestigious awards for young designers, which launched her into stardom. Since then, a number of celebrities have been spotted wearing her pieces, including Kendall Jenner, Dua Lipa, and Jennie from the K-Pop band BLACKPINK.

Although her brand is very young, Serre has already established a signature motif: the crescent moon. The symbol shows up on many of her pieces; some just have a single moon while others have an all-over print. This symbolism has helped the designer establish her brand’s identity, which is especially important for younger labels. It’s more than just a logo, however; the moon shows up frequently in Islamic art.

Marine Serre AW18. Image via.

Serre made her runway debut at Paris Fashion Week during the AW18 season with a collection entitled “Manic Soul Machine.” The pieces were both utilitarian and feminine with focuses on athletic practicality and protection from the outdoor elements. The signature crescent moon showed up on a number of lycra bodysuits, some of which literally covered the models from head-to-toe. There were PVC coats, spherical scarf bags, and jackets with many utilitarian pockets. Her runway debut was heavily anticipated by many, and WWD said it “ignited a level of excitement in Paris not seen since the debut of Vetements in 2014.”

Her most recent collection, which was also her second runway show, was presented during the SS19 season. Serre introduced menswear and childrenswear this time around and included elements both old and new; while she kept her signature moon and spherical bags, she introduced new prints and silhouettes, showing the range of her design abilities. Many racing-inspired garments went down the catwalk as well, along with more “FutureWear,” which are the label’s more utilitarian pieces. FutureWear is meant to provide solutions for both the fashion industry and the wearer, and it represents Serre’s commitment to sustainability and practicality.

Marine Serre is still a young brand that is guaranteed to only get more popular in the coming seasons. You can check out their Instagram at @marineserre_official and shop the collections on Ssense and MatchesFashion.

Runway images via Vogue Runway. Feature image via.