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FASHION

Bed on Water’s C5: “Rorschach” Collection Blends Fashion and Psychology

How creative director Shanel Campbell explores humanity through dress

How creative director Shanel Campbell explores humanity through dress

On February 15th, 2023, Shanel Campbell, designer and creative director of Bed on Water- released the C5: “Rorschach” Collection. The 9-look capsule collection is a segment of a year-long project inspired by Rorschach tests: a form of psychological evaluation. With many of the garments featuring interpretive ink-like designs, Campbell uses this collection to conceptualize what a “human Rorschach test” would look like.

In 1939, Rorschach tests became an official way to predict one’s personality, and is still used to this day. Invented in 1918 by Hermann Rorschach, this test urges subjects to interpret meanings from seemingly ambiguous ink block images. In analyzing the results, psychiatrists can make scientific predictions about a patient’s personality and mental health. 

From start to finish, this collection is both a work of art and an exercise in mental elasticity. Not only are the clothes inspired by ink blocks, but so too are the mannequins that Campbell opts for instead of traditional models. Both the mannequin and many garments model the symmetry that occurs in Rorschach testing. In creating this collection, Campbell takes a deep dive into the psychology of both the wearer and onlooker.

While some garments offer an interpretive element inherent to Rorschach tests through deep blue and black patterning, others let the mannequin do the talking. Utilizing gray, nude, and other objectively subdued colors, Campbell oftentimes makes the mannequin the center of attention. In doing so, the designer blurs the lines of dress and humanity.

Worn by the likes of Solange Knowles and Issa Rae, Bed on Water defines itself as an “interdisciplinary art-house,” and Shanel Campbell is just as multifaceted. During the 2020 pandemic, Campbell began using mannequins to model her designs in an

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FASHION

Fendi, Antonio Marras and Etro kick off day one of Milan Fashion Week

Milan Fashion Week autumn/winter 2023 began on Wednesday and, as expected of the Italian city, things were both stylish and provocative.

At Fendi, creative director Kim Jones continued with the clothes-as-armour theme, as well as the underwear-as-outerwear idea he set in motion at his recent haute couture show. For this autumn/winter ready-to-wear collection, Jones offered contrasting options for the modern woman. There was sharp suiting with complex, layered looks that were strong and powerful, while other designs were soft, almost flimsy, in lace and silk.

Fendi women's autumn/winter 2023 <a href=collection presented in Milan. AP ” src=”https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/MzaFF3w2U4lra7bEjld8XPE4ceU=/1440×0/filters:format(jpg):quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/thenational/BFBQDJEVNMYBS2RT3WLVLTXOTU.jpg” width=”1440″ height=”0″ loading=”lazy”/

Fendi women’s autumn/winter 2023 collection presented in Milan. AP

Antonio Marras wove a wintry gothic tale, with knitted cable jumpers featuring lace and dense flowers creeping across the garments. There was even a tailored tartan suit, a nod to Vivienne Westwood, who died last year.

At Weekend Max Mara, British stylist Kate Phelan brought some androgynous London cool to Milan, via her capsule collection for the brand, which was simply called 24. Inspired by a December 1982 Vogue fashion shoot by Bruce Weber and Grace Coddington that Phelan saw as a teenager, she explains that as soon as she was invited to collaborate on a collection, she knew this shoot would be the foundation of it. “I have been obsessed with these images ever since and, in a way, they made me fall in love with fashion,” she explained.

Translated into high-waisted, pleat-fronted trousers, oversized Harris Tweed blazers and herringbone coats that all leaned into Max Mara know-how, the collection also included pleated black denim skirts and Dr Martens for a dash of early 1980s street style.

Over at Marina Rinaldi, Mary Katrantzou presented a collaboration collection centred on a swirled psychedelic pattern akin to the marbled paper found in old books. Offered in

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DESIGNER

Milan Fashion Week: Prada blooms, Emporio Armani shimmers

Florals bloomed on skirts, shoes and from the ceiling at Italian designer label Prada’s Milan Fashion Week show on Thursday (Feb 23)

Designers Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons turned wedding dresses into everyday looks, opening their autumn/winter 2023-24 catwalk presentation with a range of long and short white skirts embellished with white flowers and paired with knits.

Utility suits became long shirt dresses with trains, while large boxy jackets were matched with slim ankle-length trousers in mainly dark shades.

Models wore shirts with stick-out shoulders, knits and jackets with colourful inside collars, and pastel-coloured cigarette trousers paired with ribbed tops.

Kitten heels in a range of colours bore cut-out floral patterns.

The collection also featured white puffer and dark asymmetrical mini skirts, colourful printed dresses, buttoned capes and duffel coats.

Last month, the Hong Kong-listed fashion group said it had appointed a new chief executive, Andrea Guerra, taking the place of Patrizio Bertelli and Miuccia Prada and easing a transition to the next generation of the founding family.

At Emporio Armani, models walked on a round catwalk to present the latest collection of veteran designer Giorgio Armani’s second line.

The 88-year-old designer, affectionately called “King Giorgio” in his native Italy, presented a sleek offering with plenty of black that was brightened with pinks, reds and purples.

Jackets had asymmetric buttons, velvet trouser suits were loose and comfy, while black and lilac evening looks shimmered with sequins.

“It is a collection under the sign of discretion even in displaying a slightly eccentric fashion,” Armani told reporters.

He will present his latest collection for his main Giorgio Armani line on Sunday.

Milan Fashion Week is the third leg of the month-long catwalk calendar, during which designers present their autumn/winter 2023-24 collections.

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FASHION

Molly Goddard Is Bringing The Fun Back To Fashion

The designer’s AW23 collection is a joyful homage to childhood fashion favorites

The designer’s AW23 collection is a joyful homage to childhood fashion favorites

Shown in her studio, Molly Goddard’s AW23 collection is all about reshifting her focus in fashion. The space is clean, stripped down – the optimal setting for a collection focused on the joy of dressing. Models exit from the atelier space and walk the runway of the showroom in eye-catching, playful designs, conjuring memories of playing dress up in your mom’s closet or flipping through pages of fashion magazines as a teen. Somehow, she is able to recapture those joyful moments.

While wearability is at the forefront of the collection, Goddard’s pieces remain exciting and lively, inspired by her own ideas of how she’d choose to style pieces coveted in fashion magazines. Teaming up with her stylist Alice Goddard, the two reminisced on their favorite closet staples in their childhood and teen years for inspiration (printed jeans, sporty knitwear, and Claire’s accessories being the most memorable) to create this collection full of not-so-subtle references to a time when fashion was – more than anything else – fun.

 

The result is flowing tulle skirts and dresses paired with fitted sweaters, animal prints, graphics, patterned outerwear and blue leopard denim. Bright pink mixed with geomoatric patterns mixed with studs mixed with button downs. And these are just a few of the highlights. Think the coolest school uniform you’d actually have wanted to wear – but now exists.

“We looked through the MG archive – pulling out pieces that had worked, and pieces that hadn’t – restyling, reshaping, changing the fabric, refining,” shared Molly on the creation process. “The result is a collection that feels nostalgic, familiar, grown up, wearable, streamlined.”

But for Goddard, even beyond playing with the

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DESIGNER

Ukrainian designers ‘escape reality’ at London Fashion Week

LONDON : Unable to show in their war-torn homeland, three Ukrainian fashion designers hit the runway at London Fashion Week on Tuesday, delighted to showcase some colour and joy.   

In the first of back-to-back shows, fashion house KSENIASCHNAIDER mixed denim jeans and dresses with white tops and multicoloured patchwork outfits in an eco-friendly collection.    

“Circumstances are so unusual,” designer Ksenia Schnaider told Reuters. “I just want to escape the reality … I just want to bring joy and something beautiful.”

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine almost a year ago, Schnaider said running the brand she shares with her husband Anton has been tough.   

“When we were working on this collection … there were constant blackouts, so we had to buy a huge generator and control the timing of using electricity so it was really tense,” she said. 

‘EXTRAORDINARY AND POWERFUL’

Also taking to the catwalk was PASKAL, with a range that included delicate dresses in blue, black and white with cutout butterfly shapes and attachments.   

“We represented our country in London and it was extraordinary and powerful,” designer Julie Paskal said.    

The other brand on the lineup, one worn by the likes of singers Dua Lipa and Gwen Stefani, was FROLOV.     

Designer Ivan Frolov said he was inspired by Ukrainian songs for this collection which featured corset dresses in colours like pink, red and black, with heart shapes cut from them as well as hand-knit sweaters.   

“I just want to say how we appreciate London Fashion Week and The British Fashion Council,” he added, saying the support was vital to keep their businesses going.   

At the end of the show the designers appeared together with a Ukrainian flag with the UNITED24 logo, the fundraising platform created by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.   

Keen to make sure their talent is seen, Ukrainian designers

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FASHION

Matty Bovan Is Taking His Avant-garde Maximalism to Milan Fashion Week

LONDON — Matty Bovan is joining the Milan Fashion Week schedule.

The Yorkshire-based designer will be showing his spring 2023 collection on the official calendar with support from Dolce & Gabbana, which is supplying Bovan with fabrics and materials.

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Bovan graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2015 with an MA in fashion knitwear. Their graduate collection opened the final show at the fashion university that earned Bovan the L’Oréal Professionel Creative Award, followed by the prestigious LVMH Graduate Prize, which includes 10,000 euros and a junior designer placement at Louis Vuitton under Nicolas Ghesquière.

“Craft and handiwork are at the heart of my work, something that myself and this iconic maison have great affinity with; the synergy upon meeting Domenico and Stefano recently was palpable,” Bovan said in a statement, adding that they’re “still processing the idea that I am going to be exploring their archives and mixing their historic work with my new output for next spring. I’m already feeling the turbo charge of this alliance.”

Bovan’s avant-garde maximalist approach to design has secured them deals with the likes of Coach, working on a range of accessories projects since 2016; collaborating with Miu Miu on a series of dressed up mannequins, and a series of limited edition Barbie dolls dressed in their garments.

Fall 2022 was Bovan’s biggest collection to date, titled Cyclone, which they described as “chaos and destruction — even beauty — in the wake of its power.” Model Irina Shayk opened Bovan’s show in a repurposed Roksanda Ilincic voluminous gown.

Since their fashion week debut with creative hub Fashion East in 2017, Bovan has gone on to staging solo shows during London Fashion Week that have led to their designs being bought by Matchesfashion and Milan’s No30.

Bovan’s nonconformist aesthetic will bring

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FASHION

Men’s Spring 2023 Fashion Trend: The Denim Wave

Denim shorts, ’90s skater jeans, inventive shapes and remixes on the Canadian tuxedo were some of the leading styles that took the runway denim trend to new heights.

Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons, who are seen as fashion oracles in some circles, predict denim short-shorts, jeans and a variety of Canadian tuxedos will be the must-have items come next spring. Prada said the collection “was about clothes that people could really wear.” Simons echoed that he was also attracted to “the idea of ‘normal’ clothing” that is transformed through “different materializations” and via mixing classic garments in new configurations. There is nothing more “normal” than a pair of jeans, and their collection pushed this norm-core view into a sleek social concept.

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What is not to love about the idea of spare time? Silvia Venturini Fendi, inspired by the leisure spirit, infused it throughout her spring collection. “We’re returning to life and regaining control of our time. So this is a collection dedicated to this desire of spare time, because we all discovered that we like to spend it cultivating ourselves and our interests,” said Fendi.

Moved by this carefree attitude, the collection put forward an elevated and luxurious take on classic pieces, where denim was the star. Backstage, Fendi said denim is “the fabric that for me best represents this sense of freedom.” Bermuda shorts, ’90s skater cargo pants, Canadian tuxedos and an assortment of accessories were crafted from frayed denim with different washes and aging techniques, channeling a chill vibe, while adding an artisanal edge.

One of the kings of runway denim at present, Glenn Martens, does double duty as creative director of Diesel, which he’s reviving with a Y2K aesthetic while leading his celebrity-beloved YProject brand. For the latter, his

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