Viktor&Rolf Haute Couture Catwalk Show SS2015 Paris

Viktor&Rolf’s Spring/Summer 2015 Haute Couture collection is inspired by the raw energy of Vincent van Gogh’s exuberant depiction of the rural countryside. Flowerprint A-line babydoll dresses paired with straw hats and flipflops form the basis for a collection of increasingly colourful and sculptural looks.

Spring/Summer 2015 Haute Couture is a surreal exploration of print: Flower petals sprout outwards and escape the garments, transforming 2D prints to 3D, and essentially bringing the flat surface to life.

The essence of the countryside is translated into unexpected, sculptural looks that combine abstract graphic volumes with organic elements. Straw hats, put together with a spontaneous touch, form a surreal nod to countryside living. They enhance the bucolic mood of the looks, ultimately merging with the shapes of the garments, creating a new organic unity where hat and dress become one. Sandals made in matching printed fabric complete the summer look.

All fabric is manufactured through an authentic batik inspired “wax-dyeing & block printing” technique by VLISCO in the Netherlands. This ensures an unique high quality print with craquelé indigo lines and intense vibrant colours on both sides of the cloth.

The mood of the collection is set with a musical injection of femininity from the theme of ‘Rosemary’s Baby’, which starts as a lullaby and grows into an eerie and mysterious vibe during the course of the show.

Art collector Han Nefkens, a longstanding collaborator of Viktor&Rolf acquired three pieces of the collection after the show debuted on January 28th on the catwalks of Paris Fashion Week. These three works will be donated to the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. Their longstanding collaboration has led to the purchase or commissioning of pieces that are donated or given as a long term loan to the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen as part of the Han Nefkens Fashion on the Edge project.

Jan Taminiau Couture Presentation SS2015 Paris

During an imtimate presentation at the Residence of the Dutch Ambassador in Paris Jan Taminiau told his SS2015 couture story. A collection for which the talented designer shook things up a bit. His three models wore wigs (in red, black and blonde) and therefore looked outspoken. Like characters out a Marvel Comic Strip, Jan Taminiau’s source of inspiration for this collection named Marvelous. More than ever before Jan put the focus of his designs on the hips, waist, breasts, buttocks and shoulders, honouring those parts of the female body women are sometimes afraid to reveal. The dresses seemed to give the models an even better, very powerful posture and a touch of super heroin toughness. A split cape added to that effect. Yet no matter how rigid and tough some of the creations appeared, hours and hours of handwork were put into them. Like the case with some embroidered star and feather shaped applications, glass beads and shiny sequins. Feathers made out of unravelled fabric popped up as well, making a strapless evening gown feel classic and an orange cocktail number look unique. Two pairs of pants and a full on glitter bodysuit made their appearance. Other than that Jan only presented his audience with dresses (both cocktail and evening) as “the shape of a dress is one in which his ideas can be released to the fullest”. A warm color palette of shades like orange, copper, nude, red, yellow and mint green worked lovely with the gold colored setting of the Parisian residence. We’re curious to see which power women will end up wearing these designs. Fact is any woman wearing Jan Taminiau will always look like a superwoman. And who wouldn’t want ‘ Jan’ in a star shape embroidery written on her chest?

Ilja Visser Couture Catwalk Show SS2015 Paris

Telling the story of nature’s rotating dynamic TOURNAVOLTA is the name of Ilja Visser’s new couture collection. Inspired by the perfect balance between nature en life it contained the loveliest of green shades, from olive and moss to mint. Made from complex pattern designs had the most graphic materials and voluminous shapes. A mix between heavy and airy fabrics, a match of both casual and elegance styles. Still the show’s vibe was relaxed, the silhouette easy going (hands in the pockets). Yes, these were couture designs, yet those pieces were wearable enough for many occasions, making them accessible to a broader audience. A beautifully made collection a label like Ilja might just need to break through internationally. And for those who wonder, there were still some Gaga worthy pieces (we suggest a mint green dress with orange ribbon) in it.

MBFWA This was Day 4

It looks like Day 4 of MBFWA was all about hair. Looking at the shows of l’Oreal Professionel and Dennis Diem the haircrews did an amazing job. Other interesting shows were Mirte van Wijngaarden, Army of Me and Samaranda Almasan.

Supertrash Catwalk Fashion Show Amsterdam FW2015

Like every season the closer we got to Saturday the more SuperTrash became the talk of the town. Leave it up to Olcay Gulsen to create a fashion buzz. For tonight’s show she opted for a location at which no one had ever held a fashion show before; the newly built, underground cycling tunnel at Amsterdam’s Central Station, which is still to be opened. In stead of inviting thousands of guests, like she did at her previous shows, she invited five hundred. Plus she arranged for the biggest Dutch bloggers to dress up in SuperTrash and attend the show as special front row guests. There were selfie sticks on every seat as well as a batches of honor with everyone’s initials on it. Just a few things to get the fashion buzz going..

The SuperTrash FW designs were all about powerful women, modern pioneers and basically formed an ode to the empowerment of femininity. Outfits, divided into three themes; Style Scout, Wo-Man and Style Revolution, to let every woman be the best version of herself. Like she would be in a white tuxedo, a leather pencil skirt, a floor sweeping printed gown, a lace dress or a colored woolen overcoat. Outfits in black, white, camel and touches of red worked their magic on the sixty meter long red carpet catwalk. The models wearing those looked strong and seductive, while celebrating their femininity. Like Olcay when she appeared sporting the most dazzling suit. A suit well worthy of the ST after party in one of Amsterdam’s coolest hotels, where we were all heading. Time for some drinks and dance moves. After all, this was the evening we’d been looking forward to all week. Be bold, be yourself, be a Modern Pioneer.

SIS by Spijkers en Spijkers Catwalk Fashion Show MBFWA FW2015

MetamorphoSIS was the name of today’s SIS collection. It referred to the title of a Kafka novel in which the main character wakes up one morning as a giant bug. Other stories about bugs too inspired Truus and Riet to takes us on a journey to a world of electronic frames and robot like insects. A far cry from their previous inspirations, women like Josephine Baker, yet definitely an exciting starting point. The show kicked off with several black and white looks in which checks played a main part. Pleated pants, suit jackets, a feminine high slit shirt dress, playful skirts, sporty sweaters and elegant coats. All worn oh so effortlessly by the models, who had the most fascinating hairstyles. Bugs were to be seen in every single look. As shiny XL pendants on the models necklaces, as large prints on their sweaters and bags as well as graphically printed on dresses and skirts. Besides the silhouette, those bugs were the returning factor in the collection. Even when dresses turned yellow, coats came by in green and blouses popped up in blue. Colorwise the designs became more outspoken towards the end. Bright primary colors formed larger than life, computerized bugs on a few typical SIS dresses. A few new Spijkers en Spijkers spectacles to match and we’re ready for the new season!

Schuller de Waal Catwalk Fashion Show MBFWA FW2015

Both models and muses walked the runway at Schuller de Waal today. The muses were a handful of diverse, well known women (singer Ntjam Rosie, writer Hanna Bervoets, actrice Eva Bartels, Jans Possel – director Mediamatic -, singer Ming, DJ’s Charlotte van den Brekel and Elise Braas (Spacegirls) en fotografe Alexandra Hunts) inspiring the designers in their design process. They wore outspoken fashion pieces, created with a sense of couture. So the show notes read. The models sported looks made to give the black dress a new dimension. What we saw were designs full of contrast as far as texture and silhouette concerned. Dresses made out of both heavy (fur) and light (sheer) fabrics going from tight to loose fitting. Beautifully made, like you don’t always see at the smaller LAB shows by young designers. Every look was offered twice, the one resembling the other, yet still totally different in appearance. The designs felt urban, sporty, chic and refreshing. A solid addition to the Dutch fashion scene. Speculative Realism.

Bas Kosters Catwalk Fashion Show MBFWA FW2015

If there’s anyone who knows how to throw a decent catwalk party, it’s Bas Kosters. Year after year he gets the fashion crowd going by just letting music, make-up, backdrop and models in his designs work together. Today was no exception. Bas himself sat on a large block which stood on the catwalk. In Lotus position, like a fashion Budhha he looked at the fashion crowd. As he started spinning, yep, spinning, we’re talking Bas Kosters here, Valentijn de Hingh, opened the show. Naturally dressed in a bright colored, larger than life creation. As the show went on all typical ingredients came along. Tulle, bright colors, structured shapes, glitters everywhere, make-up overdone. Oh and let’s not forget the customized strollers, supermarket carts, dolls and Bas’ face as a backdrop. The music was a little less party, a little more spiritual. Incense and flowers spreading the love during the finale added up to that relaxation factor. An awakening and enlightening start of the weekend. Thanks for a good time, Bas!

Edwin Oudshoorn Catwalk Fashion Show MBFWA FW2015

A world collapsed offered the most beautiful backdrop at the closing show of today’s opening night. From piles of dust Edwin Oudshoorn angelic models appeared. In their hurry to escape, when it all came tumbling down, they were able to put on their most beautiful dress and grab a chic suitcase with their most important belongings. Perhaps containing some more fairy tale like creations? Not a bad idea.. The girls looked elegant, chic and maybe even a little out of this world. Floor sweeping gowns had floral applications, raffia embroideries and airy ribbons. Forties style in the mix with Japanese kimono silhouettes. Wide sleeves, asymmetric skirts and jackets that appeared to be sculpted. Silk, tulle, crepe and wool in shades of black, coral, burgundy, gold and grey; the summit of delicacy used on some of the most fascinating robes. Indestructible fashion pieces one simply can’t leave this world without. A return to home.

 

Versace Catwalk Fashion Show Milan Menswear FW2015

No decoration, no color, no print. Just the soul of Versace: silhouette and cut. That was the message of Donatella Versace for her FW 2015 menswear collection. She envisaged the collection as a kind of ground zero, leveling the playing field for the future. It was certainly a step away from excess and ambiguity and gladiatorial camp as we have seen many times.

The color palette was a banquet of soothing neutrals. For all the designer’s insistence on cut, it was softness that dominated. A hooded mink coat and a Mongolian lamb backpack were its most extreme manifestations. Otherwise, jacquard-ed blousons and parkas had the comfy look and feel of blankets. The body-conscious cashmere knitwear in long cabled cardigans and even longer rib-knit tops, layered over leggings was lean and athletic. It took on an impressive masculine heft with oversized outerwear.

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