AMWESTEN Catwalk Fashion Show Amsterdam SS16

In a world of fast fashion, designer Annemarie Westen wants to go back to craftsmanship, the point where the fashion process starts from scratch. “My work is never really based on a solid concept, it’s more about the feeling. It surpasses time or age and particular fashion seasons. I aim to give women a certain feeling, I want my clothes to strengthen who they are. Be equal to yourself. Sexyness and confidence is not depending on boobs or butts, but knowing yourself.” Something Annemarie herself has no trouble with, as this collection was full of her familiar signatures. Her designs are simplistic, sophisticated and wearable without losing elegance. She plays with subtle changes in the usual, using sharp graphic layers as a sign of strength, while the soft springy materials such as silk and wool emphasise a woman’s grace. But this time around she added more draping details in maxi-dresses and trousers. For a summer collection though, the colour palette was quite gloomy with only black, white and green. “Black is usually the basic pallet I’m working on, because it’s my favourite colour. And use of colour can cause distraction.” It perfectly fitted the dark, heavy music of Marilyn Manson and Pantera that reached our ears, and gave the show an even stronger heartbeat and a don’t-mess-with-me feeling. Exactly as she had hoped for.

Judith van Vliet x Chris van den Elzen LAB Fashion Week Amsterdam SS16

Deep ocean diving is something we normally do under strict surveillance. But Dutch designers Judith van Vliet and Chris van den Elzen took us 14000 feet deep in just a split second. No wetsuit or snorkel needed. Just your eyes, to admire and explore life beneath the waves, with its mind-blowing creatures lightening up the darkest waters and also, hopefully, our feeling of responsibility. “With this collection we wanted to show people how incredibly beautiful the ocean is, with its colours and interesting creatures like jellyfish, plankton and algea. The oceans are the lungs of our world, so we should take good care of it. But we don’t seem to realize their importance, if you look at the heavy pollution that’s going these days. There’s not enough attention for this huge world problem.” So the designers took a good shot at it.
It was translated into a colour palette of different shades of blue, black, whites and coral tones. Liquid lines and light,transparant fabrics resembling the fluid water. We saw some skirts and vests with scaly structures. Simple plastic strokes were made into abstract coral-like adornment. The models’ faces were painted with bold blue tones and soft sparkles on their eyelids reaching over the eyebrows combined with a semi wet hair look. Normally ending rock bottom is something we would avoid by any chance. But this time it wouldn’t have been so bad to stay a little bit longer below the surface.

Monique Collignon Couture Catwalk Fashion Show Amsterdam SS16

Dutch designer Monique Collignon and her deep-fried pizza food regime, it was the talk of the day as run-up for her ‘ultimate comeback’ on the Amsterdam catwalk. But not tonight. The front row was packed with fancy ladies, some famous faces emerged tentively towards their seats and some journalists were patiently waiting while staring at the huge backdrop. One that was soon to be filled with close-ups of mesmerizing earthy tones and minerals, an interesting starting point for a collection called ‘Earth Delight’. It was yet another show that was a shoutout to nature’s most hidden treasures but in a theatrical eighties meets Jerry Hall manner. Big, bigger, biggest.

The show was opened by Dutch model Ovo Drenth, slowly and confident walking down the runway wearing a blossoming black dress covered with lots of shimmerings. Soon followed by more floor-sweeping dresses, fancy skirts and classic silhouettes. All ultra feminine, alternating between soft lace, embroideries and a sea of ruffles. Not to mention the Swarovski-embellishments, sometimes all over, sometimes as small details. The contrast of lightness and weight was as well in the fabrics as in the colours. The final look was a huge white dress with sparkling details, that made some women trembling from excitement.

The clothes may not be very appealing and affordable for the regular fashion crowd, but it’s exactly what a real Collignon woman would ask for. And as Collignon summoned us to take good care of our planet and stop the pollution, what better army could she wish for than this impressive line-up of stunning ladies.

Trend Report SS2015: Mismatch

No rhyme or reason at the runways of Dsquared, Jean Paul Gaultier and Vivienne Westwood. So it seems.. Their S/S outfits formed an polychrome mix of materials, colors and silhouettes. Fashion pieces purposely mismatched creating head turning ensembles. Perhaps a new way for designers like Rodarte, Marc Jacobs and Marni to achieve originality in a fashion world which repeats itself so often. Or an answer, possibly, to the sobriety and minimalism we’ve seen around for so long. Whatever the reason, streetstyle influencers are making it rhyme. Rocking busy printed shirts and eclectic skirts with outstanding sneakers, jaw dropping handbags and eye catching sunnies. No color too bright, no texture too structured, no silhouette too bold. More is more in this mismatch mania.

Miu Miu Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2015

For her Miu Miu-collection – the collection that closed Paris Fashion Week – Miucca Prada delivered a collection for lovers of real fashion. Fun house and funky fabrics electrocuted silhouettes that seemed inspired by the Sixties. Much of it was chic, a lot was tacky. But that is the tension Prada loves.
A-line swing coats with big collars came in blown-up herringbone plaids trimmed with color-clashing python pockets and borders.
Apron dresses with big plastic buttons and shirts with a wide ruffle around the shoulders expressed the naïveté that came through in the styling. Accessorized with costume floral earrings, necklaces and granny shoes, each look was put together with the enthousiasm of a young, fashion-hungry girl who just blew her allowance at a vintage store.

Saint Laurent Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2015

The Saint Laurent models who strode out on the catwalk looked like rock stars or rock-star groupies. Their mini crinis, cigarette pants with suspenders, and Siouxsie Sioux eye shadow placed the audience a few years further on from Hedi Slimane’s Sunset Strip-y Spring collection.

Slimane’s Saint Laurent woman is a bad girl, wearing leather leggings with cutouts all the way up the thighs; a black leather dress slit up to her undies, assuming she’s even bothered to wear any; and ripped and shredded tights above black leather ankle boots. The shoes were killer. Alongside the punky rock star stuff there were a good number of the kind of animal-print capes, navy peacoats, leather motorcycle jackets, and patchwork furs.

Christian Dior Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2015

For fall, Raf Simons wanted to explore the more sexual side of the Dior-woman by taking her natural urges out of the garden, to a place where more primal instincts dominate: the animal world. The show’s sexual content proved more discreet than Simons’ idea would suggest. The show opened with a pair of short black cutaway dresses with colorful facings and pointy metal mesh collars. Both were worn with second-skin Lucite-heel boots in a blown-up, blue-and-red animal pattern. Such abstracted skin motifs would prove a recurring theme, two or three thick, wavy stripes undulating across a coat or making a splash on a swingy minidress, and, several times, on flashy bodysuits. Often they formed the underpinnings for an impressive lineup of coats.
Tweeds from his Simons’ collaboration with the fabric firm Kvadrat and other substantive materials, including multitone pastel furs, were a core of the collection. A woman in touch with her masculine side looks sexy. Simons dressed her with chic authority in pantsuits with trim, double-breasted jackets over slim cropped pants.

Bottega Veneta Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2015

Tailored polka dot printed pants dominated the Bottega Veneta show for the first ten looks or so. Paired with lurex dot sweaters and silk shiny blouses they immediately brought up a sixties and seventies vibe. Midi lengths paired with knee high boots and mod coats added to that effect. As did color clashing looks in shades of both orange and purple. As well as geometric patterned cocktail dresses, several full on lace numbers and polka dots suits. Models with come as you are hair surely looked original in Thomas Maier’s risk taking ensembles. Yet all together it might not be the prettiest Veneta collection. But presenting a hit collection clearly wasn’t Maier’s goal. His risk taking collection was meant to shake things up a bit in order to move on. Mission accomplished.

Max Mara Catwalk Fashion Show Milan FW2015

Marilyn Monroe was the muse of the Max Mara design team. Her famous 1962 beach shoot with George Barris, in which she covered up in a Norwegian sweater, camel blanket and sea-green towel, fueled the color scheme and lineup of retro bombshells in deluxe knits and coats.
Gigi Hadid, the model of the moment, opened and closed the show in a pair of mannish camel coats clutched around her like she had a chill, covering everything but her cleavage. An oversize take on the traditional camel cable knit was pretty perfect. Anyone in the market for a big coat to sink into next season will have options: a nubby tailored overcoat; a turquoise fur; a pale-pink brushed alpaca. For novelty, there were colorful leopard prints and shiny quilted silk styles with fur linings. Retro lady bombers, sweatshirts and pencil skirts fleshed out the merchandise for those who want something to wear under the coats.

Streetfashion Womenswear Milan FW2015, day 3

What are you wearing during the fashion weeks? Your Burberry-boots, that vintage Dior or your latest Celine coat? Maybe we’ll spot you in Paris, Milan, New York or Amsterdam. During the fashion weeks we refresh our streetwear posts regularly. We don’t judge, we’re not the fashion-police, we just enjoy fashion and your own personal style. Next stop: Milan Fashion Week fall/winter 2015.

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