New year means new beginning, right? Fashion world is no exception. Designers entered new season brave and determined, reflecting on near past and already shaping the coming future. So, take your pens out, and start marking the industry highlights that we have seen so far.
1. As political as never, the air during New York Fashion Week had already been tight with the designers en masse reflecting on complicated state of America under Donald Trump’s presidency in one way or another. Jonathan Simkhai handed out ‘Feminist AF’ t-shirts to the front row, Public School presented their take on Trump’s campaign slogan with ‘Make Amerika New York’ baseball caps, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Dior’s first ever female creative director, dressed the models with ‘We Should All Be Feminists’ and ‘Dior Revolution’ statement shirts, Supreme for its SS17 collection released the badges that declare a straight-forward ‘Fuck the president’ and Calvin Klein under the wing of new director Raf Simons presented the unique vision of what America is and isn’t in the collection accompanied by David Bowie’s song ‘This Is Not America’.
In the wake of executive order restricting immigration from predominantly Muslim countries, W magazine took the matter further and released one of the most powerful declaration so far. A little more than minute long video was shot at Milk Studios and featured 81 different representatives of industry. Designers, editors, models, including former American Vogue creative director Grace Coddington who comes from Wales, all declared statement into the camera ‘I am an immigrant’. Grand finale is marked by designer Diane von Furstenberg, a devoted Hillary Clinton’s supporter during her 2016 presidential campaign. As peaceful as designer looks, she introduces herself and repeats the statement in a clear manner, “I am an immigrant.” Fashion world set off on a mission to prove that it is a world of diversity, where creativity does not know any boundaries.
2. Recently debuted fashion campaigns were no exception in reflecting on tense political climate. Diesel released their new campaign #MAKELOVENOTWALLS directed by iconic fashion photographer David LaChapelle. Diesel has always been famous for producing outstanding commentary advertising, including controversial campaign showing two sailors kissing passionately that was also photographed by Diesel’s longtime friend LaChapelle. Nicola Formichetti, Diesel’s creative director, has demonstrated brand’s position against hate numerous times. Meanwhile, Nike has released an empowering ‘Equality’ campaign which features world-famous athletes like LeBron James, Serena Williams, Gabby Douglas. “Is this the land history promised? This field of play. There you are defined by your actions, not your looks or beliefs. The ball should bounce the same for everyone. If we can be equals here, we can be equals everywhere.” and has almost 5 million views on YouTube. In addition, Nike is said to donate 5 million dollars to organizations championing equality.
Photo – Diesel (c)
3. Vogue Paris is about to release the historic March issue with the first transgendered model featured on its cover. The headline that says “The headline reads “Transgender Beauty: How They’re Shaking up the World” hints to revolutionary spirits and times of transition. Vogue’s editor-in-chief Emmanuelle Alt praised Brazilian model Valentina Sampaio to be equal to supermodels like Gisele Bundchen. In the excerpt of editorial word inside the magazine, as published by Vogue.fr website, Emmanuelle Alt writes: “Only when a transgendered person poses on the front cover of a fashion magazine and it is no longer necessary to write an editorial on the subject will we know that the battle is won.”
Photo – Vogue Paris (c)
4. There’s clearly nothing impossible in fashion. During Fall 2017 men’s show in Paris, French luxury house Louis Vuitton presented a co-collection with the least expected brand for collaboration. Supreme – a world-wide famous New York brand, known as a brand ‘phenomenon’ or synonym for anything that is ‘cool’, arrives from quite a different skate culture background than its French counterpart. Collection featured quite a literal merge of two distinctive brands with both LV and Supreme logos blended into one. The strategic move that reminds the infamous case of 2000 when LV tried to sue Supreme for lifting its heritage logo before applying it onto a mock skate deck. This time, all designs are as real as it gets, with bold logos and block colours creating an edgy Pop-Art effect and wearable laid-back impression. The collection is said to make sales skyrocket. With the price tags reflecting the original prices of Louis Vuitton goods you better have your purse at hand.
Photo – Louis Vuitton (c)
5. It’s not a secret that Tilda Swinton equals taste. The truth is that if she sets her foot on any of the fashion house, chances that it will become big in a fraction of second, are doubled if not tripled. This time, Tilda teamed up with Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster to create a capsule collection of three designs named NEWTONIC, TRICKOFLIGHT, and EYE EYE. With each pair, more striking than the previous one, you can instantly feel actress trademark style with clean-cut shapes, minimal design. The duo of dreams have also released hauntingly mysterious short movie, directed by Erik Madigan Heck to back up the collection. It’s reminiscence to Ingmar Bergman’s film “Seventh Seal”, makes you wonder which you like more. The glasses or ethereal muse, the one like Swindon.
Photo – Gentle Monster (c)
6. In Marni’s latest Spring/Summer 2017 advertising campaign something peculiar happened. The fashion house, known for its unique takes on artistic direction, turned its models into photographers while inversing the set and making all the photographic equipment plain visible. Such unique approach to photography and fashion was made reality by German photographer Barbara Probst who has a reputation of highly conceptualized images and very particular view on subject matter. Campaign is infused with fresh, positive, minimal and playful vibes, just like Marni is supposed to be.
Photo – Marni (c)
