Wednesday, 5 October 2011
Playing PFW Catch-Up: Ann Demeulemeester
So the always promised and seldom realised Tomorrow's Post did not materialise this weekend. A number of contributing factors made it physically impossible to get to blogging, namely the insanely amazing weather (22 degrees C is like high summer in Scotland) and the boyfriend's last minute taxation homework crisis (don't ask).
With the personal life update out of the way, let's talk shows!
Perhaps a good starting point would be an assessment of Ann Demeulemeester's show. A quick skim through the pictures and I noticed an uncanny, if not somewhat expected, similarity to her men's show back in June (pics here). Unfortunately, I'm not in Paris attending the women's shows this season, so no blurry/side on photos from me. Not being present at the show also means I didn't get to hear the soundtrack, and if it was anything like the SS12 men's collection, it would have added great depth to the atmosphere. Obviously music is in all shows to accentuate the mood/aesthetic/theme/etc, but not all soundtracks can create the most evocative effect.
The first thing I noticed about this collection is that the wide brim hats are back (yes), as well as the desert/nomad references which she executed so well for her menswear collection. This could be the perfect accompaniment to the male traveller - a woman who's not afraid to take on harsh yet beautiful landscapes - all in exquisite yet practical clothes. Demeuelemeester's androgynous and sometimes effeminate men's collections meant I often found myself drooling over the jackets and trousers. The liberal use of long, flowing, draping mesh (tulle?) sweeping down from under jackets and sweaters creating the perfect sahara silhouette in this offering is drool-worthy enough.
The somewhat heavy black ensembles soon make way for yet more meshy tulle and lighter drapery with cardigans and blazers, in SS signature white, and the last few pieces of inked black and white create a delicate pattern.
What strikes me most about this collection is that it contains all the elements of recent trends I detest: fringe details, bohemian/hippiness (well, basically anything that reminds me of Sienna Miller) and a sheer long skirt over shorts or a shorter skirt. Maybe it's the Ann effect or maybe I'm getting soft, but I found myself getting that familiar twang of longing, and drool threatening to seep out (excuse the imagery), when I saw all those elements. Weird...
IN OTHER NEWS, take a look at Slave Magazine's latest issue for my article on LFW and some styling work in a beautifully shot editorial at an old Victorian school in Glasgow. Plus there is a ridiculous amount of other quality editorials and articles. A must read. May do a separate blog post...
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