Real winner of the show: Anderson, Green, Shannon, and Rubchinskiy 맨즈 패션위크 2016의 진정한 승자는

Images by style.com

Not so bad, not so good. Despite of some attempts to reuse the vestige of street fashion -mostly celeb desingers-, and despite of some obsessions to go back to ‘vandalismic’ mood like always, yet, there I couldn’t see anything enough to truly astonish us.

What about our householders? well, there was nothing in Wang and Balenciaga, Balmain was disappointing, and of course, Philip Lim, Dior Hommes, Hermes, Lanvin, they were relatively not bad, but still not that impressive either. With an eye of cynicism, yes, there were many delectable possibilities -and most of them were insignificant.

I suddenly became sentimental, I looked back to the glorious memory of men’s fashion week for the last few years, but equally, I also looked back some old-but not that old, memories -the gloomiest part of history of MFW.

For the happy moments, there were Hedi slimane –who’d even made Karl to shed huge pounds-, Stefano pilati –who work for Ermenegildo Zegna now-, Christopher Bailey’s sweet Britain, and of course the boy wearing Raf’s uniform, and finally, Tisci’s steady selling jumpers or Neil Barrett’s neoprene.

For gloomy scenes, on the other hands, there was a time that every designer has incredibly big passion for Italian machoism for so long -which I can’t still even understand. Unlike these days –the word ‘androgynous’ can be so abused-, there was no pretty cape or shocking printed jumper, pajama, silk ribbon, and Versace’s lilac tote bag. But the ugliest thing was not the finest Italian suits itself, but the fact that designers only make those Italian machos –or American preppies-.

The glory days are but a distant memory anyway, Dior Homme, Hermes, Yves Saint Laurent, they are not the only extraordinary anymore. Instead of that, here’s one cheerful fact: One or two things in MFW are still more interesting than women’s fashion week. There are cool young designers sometimes a way better than famous house’s designers. They have so many fresh and creative ideas with sophisticated tastes.

As a result, most young hipsters these days undoubtedly choose Off White, Opening Ceremony, and Hood By Air instead of Givenchy. It seems quite obvious that today’s host of MFW is darlings of London with Anderson-hero of Loewe!- at the head.

I’m therefore going to introduce you four most cool desginer’s show which was definitley the most interesting in 2016 Spring/Summer MFW. They are I think absolutely a competent author, composer, an artist full of passion. They’ll never be end just with a title like post Saint Karl, or Armani.

Craig Green 2016 s/s MFW

Case of Craig Green, so to speak, is a real brand new designer who took only three shows till today. And yet, this collection is still shining with a greatest beauty.

Green, he first technically piled up those every cushiony, but restrained fabric, and then hangs there some straps and brilliant colours like vivid orange, grass green, or pure white. As he said, this series of course completed his own fantasy of fashion: ‘warrior’ –which still reminds me of samurai-.

But despite of all these dramatic fantasy, not every critic supported his show. They said that Green is just following and imitating his own past without any evolution. (Indeed, Green drew a huge praise in his shocking debut in 2015 summer by using exactly same technique like todays.) Quilt, flapping edges, and theme of Japanese fencing suits! Everything is quite similar.

However, when our curiosity and a bit of anger went to extremes, he suddenly opened his mouth in backstage.“I’m scared of becoming serious.” –With a small laugh- Oh dear, It makes everything so clear! How many times have we doubted and embarrassed about him? We all regret our cruel ignorance to his essence of humor.

Let’s see that nipple-twisted or long flowing top again. And let’s see that huge red banner with a hole through the eye part and middle part too. How can you convict him and his such as symbolic freedom and humor? Even though this collection was just a little variation of same inspiration, in many other sides, we could find something a great way more significant than in other designer’s collection. Can’t we?

p.s) There, Craig hid some feministic contrivances on the runway. You find it!

J. W. Anderson 2016 s/s MFW

Jonathan Anderson, I have not so many things to say about him. He already was a superstar -maybe from days of Central Saint Martin-, long before he nominated as a creative director for Loewe. However, I’ve never been so moved like this before to him, despite of a fact that he is an actual driving force behind the very first androgynous syndrome-even faster than Michele-, the hottest.

While very similar line of denim pants -sophisticatedly wrinkled- were continually came on, all kinds of brilliant knits-wear including nude one, mutated and played in every each look. And of course just like himself, there were surely some red buckle shoes-which were incredibly feminine- everywhere.

A pair of red shoes! Why this feels so odd and lovely? Why other designers just confined their passion for femininity into only a skirt or silhouette? These charming red dancer’s shoes were definitely felt as a kind of ultimate-but still very private version of femininity that men can express so confidently, at least still under the name of ‘androgynous’. This was nothing but a symbol of modernity, and blood flowing out of feminists’ heart. -So the best look must be the look 12-

Moreover, at the scene of a skinny, delicate model wearing white pleated pants and of course twinkling red shoes -with any of top arrived, I could suddenly discover a real dizzying leveled frail existence -a garçon- that is smoothly turning into an exact same existence in l’Olympia, Manet. “It was something like a magic.”

Gosha Rubchinskiy 2016 s/s MFW

Debut of Gosha Rubchinskiy absolutely and immediately arouse his audience to enthusiasm. White t-shirts that have red Russian logo on its chest went like hot cakes, and suddenly became a uniform and signature of hipsters. Moreover, the fact that imitation market moved so fervently for copying those items exactly represents that Rubchinskiy already became a sort of super star.

But this collection, nevertheless, was totally a set of the entire hideous things, rather than grotesque or creative. Pully-hauled pants with rubber band bottom on it, frivolous yellow stitch. There were neon colour everywhere, and those, horribly combined with emerald green. Moreover, every jazzy poly product remind me of a real version of dystopia which was on model’s chest. Even if his specialty is 80’s in Russia, isn’t it too harsh? Fashion dystopia! I can even hear Carine Roitfeld wailing.

The show came to the end, finally models wearing star, cogwheel, and red rectangular block reached to us. And then, guess what? People literally could not conceal their joy out of face! Oh wait, they were so pleased?

Before I forget, I should say first, that 1984 has definitely no relation with George Orwell. 1984 was actually the very happy day that the Olympic held in LA, and at the same time, very sad time to Russia that they couldn’t even participate in it –even though they were one the best team of the world. So namely, today’s blatant disgrace of Rubchinskiy was actually a hommage to members of the Russian national team in 1984. I mean literally everything.

Rough Reebok trainers, 1984 logo play, geometric patterns, and even colorful calf length socks. How about those funny headpieces? Well, it must be a sense of humor for the glory that they missed that day.

On the other hand, yes, it could be still very attractive without any of this nostalgia in many ways. First, obviously, there is still his individuality. There were not so many designers that can cook this theme like him well-never fuff way. He is I think definitely clever, instead he hide all of too-obvious trends artfully, he exposed everything so boldly, almost feels like he’s making a fool of it. This of course could seem a bit ugly, yet, the collection was full of ironical wit –which was the real purpose/theme of this collection.

Ladies and gentlemen, please hurry and get ready. This every ugly, glorious hommage will sold out in an instant.

Christopher Shannon 2016 s/s MFW

And lastly, Christopher Shannon, he is one of the hippest designers in ‘young London darlings club’. His individuality and particularly his unique sarcasm are absolutely rising above the crowd. Above all, this collection was full of Shannon’s kind of wit more than usual.

Although not as many prints as before, the technique he uses sportism very unusual way and his talent that he suggested a perfect way to blend reality with avant-garde definitely stood out at that show. Models on the runway with some bubble on their heads wore exaggerated huge pants, put pink bras around their necks –was it a sort of support in feminism?-, and sometimes attached some tapes on clothes.

And from half disappeared jackets or asymmetry hoody jumpers, we could also guess how he can play with modern sense of humor –which disappeared from most established designers. In this funny, but sexy collection, words like Epicureanism, narcissism, geek, Cole Mohr stuffs continually and strongly came to mind.

Yes, Shannon he might accomplish his own purpose. Ah, Shannon is yet too immature! But there’s really no doubt that this fact makes this show a way more charming.

What exactly we are looking for, with Valentino’s pajama, denim of Prada or flagrant victory of No.21 and MSMG behind? Endless sportism represented by blouson? Check shirts by Richardo? Geometric t-shirts by Christopher or Marcelo? Or supersize pants? No! what we want is pluralism and originality of designer which are dying these days. We demand. We strongly demand that we can get a huge impression in MFW once again. Just like a beautiful taste that every man has earned for the last few years.

Then I ask you now. Who is the real winner of the 2016 s/s MFW?

 

 

Contributor, Lee Seung Min

A freelance fashion columnist, Lee Seung Min tells about fashion, art, culture by his own unique view point more in-depth and make interesting.

프리랜서 패션 칼럼니스트인 이승민은 패션과 예술, 그리고 문화 전반에 대한 심층적이고 솔직한 이야기들을 독특한 시각으로 전해준다.