Rick Owens
This was a very architectural collection for Rick Owens this season. Geometric shapes and asymmetry were created out of the folds of the fabric, with an emphasis on triangular shapes. It seems that every season, Owens tends to include something he has never done before or something we are not used to seeing from him. For spring, he softened up a bit. All of a sudden, it was not entirely about this tough, dark exterior. Fluidity crept its way into the collection with voluminous, billowy dresses. Softness also manifested in is his conceptual vision of a leotard. This elucidates his ability to transcribe his ideas into any facet of apparel, without compromising his aesthetic. Rick Owens escapes the clutches of triteness every time.
Gareth Pugh
Gareth Pugh’s garments are a lot more wearable for spring, but the the cyborg characteristics were still embedded. He, like his mentor Rick Owens, does not compromise his aesthetic under any circumstances, and his garments can easily be distinguished from others. The color grey played a prominent role in this collection, with all the different shades of grey tying everything together. Fabrication was also important. Pugh has a knack for creating anything out of any kind of fabric, and mixing and maching textiles. Pugh’s garments usually have an androgynous appeal, so it made sense that he showed both mens and women’s together. However, there is a little bit more distinction between the menswear and women’s wear, where as in past season the lines were a little more blurred.
Limi Feu
Limi Feu’s collection was beautiful, except the line between her aesthetic and that of her father’s (Yohji Yamamoto) is VERY fine. In interviews, Limi Yamamoto has always said that her clothes are different from her father’s. Kind of hard to back that up with her spring collection. Limi needs to find a way to completely detach her work from her father’s. That being said, this collection (though a bit redundant) preserved the Yamamoto spirit. The garments were easy and lent themselves to comfortability. Even with such voluminous pieces, you can still see the lines of the garment and the structure of it. This was also Limi’s first time showing menswear. Nothing was really new because obviously Yohji beat her to it.
