Spring 2018 Ready-to-Wear Collections

Posted Oct 05, 2017

Fashion is exposed in a fantasy of riches as we celebrate the Spring 2018 Season with style. A tale of truth told on the tightrope of tomorrow. We watch them walk down the runway with unyielding strength. Raw energy emanates from the stage, as the story unfolds with an undulating rhythm. There’s a quiet stillness that settles in the room. An undercurrent of calmness radiates throughout each show, as each one moves with visual mastery. Every collection tells it’s own tale, as I find myself captivated by the connectedness that bring them together.

COMME des GARÇONS gives us a new take on Victorian styling by expanding on the architecture of modern fashion. Guerrilla inspired graffiti takes sartorial shape, as elements of urban living are artfully expressed over each piece. Big bustles brand this look with a variety of fabrics, appearing as if they’ve been painted on. The concept is oddly frenetically yet wildly graceful, as the collection crashes into creative inspiration. Out of the material madness one enigmatic image emerges… An Angel Appears. Rei Kawakubo’s fantastical story showcases the poetically strange, as an alabaster beauty wearing a white dress and matching overcoat comes walking down the runway only to expose ~ Wings ~ below.

Haider Ackermann captures a sense of rigid recklessness in one of the most cohesive shows put to stage. The models strut down the runway, wearing a compelling combination of tight fitting leather and free flowing silk. Black, red and white blend in sheer beauty with clean lines that are anything but restrictive. Saint Laurent has it’s signature sass with styles that speak to 70’s chic. Silk shorts and leather minis mimic the era, with looks that hark back to a time of excess and expressionism. Tiny on the bottom voluminous on top, we watch as leather, silk and fur burst out in a balloon of beauty. Junya Watanabe is a brilliant brand. He uses similar shapes to give you that feeling of couture comfort – but then miraculously moves you to the next level. This year’s unique addition of camouflaged fabrics was done by blending the existing framework of his high fashion brand.

Alice took a left at wonderland and ended up in the land of high fashion magic. Thom Browne flashes a blast of primary pastels, with a wistful mix of merriment and madness. This collection captures our imagination with a stunning take on childhood fantasy. Misshapen madness ensues, as a down filled dress wraps tightly around the body only to connect to a shape that encircles the head. Disco balls fall from the sky, as disco domes wear like helmets on high. An ethereal unicorn appears, held up by a band of avant-garde angles.

Like a musician playing notes, Yohji Yamamoto brings forth a brilliant blend of fabric casting. The craft of true couture is the ability to rise above what is expected. To be able to be inside of each style, to the extent that you can move organically through each piece. That is the experience I have when viewing his works. Every unique decision is made with an abundance of care. What might appear simple upon first glance, is anything but, when you get close to his clothing. I find my eyes caressing each image, always surprised as I never tire of his brilliant folds. His collection has been kept to a color minimum, allowing the viewers to get lost in the exquisite designs.

There is no equivocation, Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood SS ’18 collection, is a headliner. Operatic in it’s fluid movements, each choreographed scene was like a show within a show. Each pass had it’s own story to tell with eclectic styling unlike we’ve seen. Colors were cast over the skin in chaotic format, from a red circle formed around the eye, to screaming scarlet that ripped across the lips. A folly of fashion and fun, deconstruction had it’s day with an exquisite mix of miss-matched madness. We were left to wonder the message, as one hand print was left over the model’s face. A much a theatrical event as a runway show, this performance raised the bar, as we viewed each as a scene from the stage.

The runway feels synonymous, not disjointed rather connected. Haute Couture en route… where one show ends the other begins. That has always been my fantasy of high fashion. When the models feel less like walking zombies and more like carriers of couture. This is an exciting time to be involved in fashion. An organic movement that happens but once in a great while. As I’ve watched the industry evolve over these many years, I’ve been privileged to observe the evolution of avant-garde artistry. Taking a view from above, these images gathered at purple Fashion, showcase some of this season’s most compelling runway spectacles with thrilling aplomb. The art of physical expression is captured as these shows take us into the future.

Ann Demeulemeester SS 2018