Remember All Tomorrow’s Parties

A Greek statue in its nude grandeur, a Botticellian, Renaissance goddess, a femme fatale from the 1940s, a 1960s psychedelic spiritualist, an activist of the 1970s or a 90s techno-lover… They are multiple versions of one female figure moving along the silver thread of time and space that weaves through the Fall-Winter 2021/22 collection.

It’s an Ode to Womanhood, based on iconographic research that explores the concept of time and that reflects on the mythology of a statuesque totem, as re-elaborated and replicated representation throughout various historic epochs. It is also a nod to the empowered, authentic, free women, who have expressed themselves with the same inhibition with which they ventured outside social norms and transcended preconceived archetypes. At the core of the collection is the uncertain yet hopeful air that defined the 1920s and that has returned in the present day. Two coinciding eras that share a common Vital Vibe, marked by both dark moments and the yearning for the day parties will once again re-ignite the night.

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Claude Cahun, the 20th century artist, writer and performer who trailblazed the gender- bender values that still endure today, is the muse who inspired the retro-futuristic flavour of the fall winter season. The collection is a game of juxtaposition between maximalism and minimalism. A hint of androgyny is accompanied by a clash between glamour and austerity, as well as modesty and sensuality — all of which are reminder that over the last century, Cahun’s spirit lives on through other women who have conquered their independence: Grace Jones, Annie Lennox and Sinead O’Connor, among them.

The flowing contours of the Roaring Twenties are played out in silhouettes that transform the body into a human art form. Overlaps abound through dominant shoulder shapes and drapery that slim and embrace the bust. Skirts and trousers are lined with extended hems and energised, at times, by unexpected parachute shapes — giving birth to a paradoxical figure that is both statuesque and defined by movement.

Leather plays a prominent role and is crafted into dresses, outerwear, shirts and skirts. Materials borrowed from the masculine, sartorial world, range from flannel to pinstripe wool that collide with an innovative sense of femininity and raw textures and raw edges, amped up by fringe and studied tie & dye techniques.

Knitwear is enhanced by an intricate
sense of transparency achieved through soft mohair threads.

Within the array of accessories, sophistication, femininity and androgyny are expressed through sandals that reveal the foot through thin straps, contemporised Mary Janes and boots with biker detailing or curly drawstrings. Sac-shaped bags fashioned into knitted pom- poms and austere pochettes crafted with treated leather and illuminated with metallic bands — inject the collection with a sense of bravado.

Standout bijoux and long, sleek gloves complete the look, while eyewear is light-weight and contoured with metallic structures. Small, colourfully-shaded, square, maxi aviator lenses that take cues from hi-tech accessories like virtual reality headsets. Eyewear is accompanied by elastic bands over the forehead, in a contemporary revival of the Roaring Twenties flapper look.

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