Gareth Pugh
Pugh showed an EPIC collection this season worthy of extol. Many of the looks were constructed in a triangular form— smaller at the top and bigger towards the bottom. The garments were very much architectural toying with various geometric shapes to build constructed silhouettes. A couple of the looks spilled over from Pugh’s fall 09 menswear, which seemed a bit redundant, but thankfully not trite. His decision to repeat certain motifs from his menswear collection illuminated his idea of congregating elements of both women’s wear and menswear, to create a fusion of both worlds. Pugh continues to manipulate the body with his ability to build and shape fabric and his use of accents and accessories to add character to a garment.
Rick Owens
Rick Owens’ colorway this season seemed a bit more extensive compared to past seasons, infusing light greys and powdery blues, sandwiched between blacks and whites. The seamless transition from black to white was fluid, taking on a fading affect resembling that of a long brush stroke. Asymmetrical shapes and cuts were prevalent in pieces like jackets and light-weight tunics. The looks were a slight departure from the deconstructed, loose garments adherents of Owens are so familiar with. This season, he focused more on construction to create more ductile garments. Though Owens continues to evolve as a designer, we can appreciate that he spools a common thread through his collections each season. A Rick Owens design is easily identifiable and stands apart from the rest. Many try to imitate and adopt many of his design techniques, but cannot reach the same level of creativity.
Balenciaga
Nicholas Ghesquiere is often viewed as some sort of Deity because a Balenciaga garment is every woman’s ideal uniform. However, this season the collection lacked a lucid point of view. There was drapery, floral, sculpted shoulders (a Balenciaga staple) tied in with beading/embellishments and bold prints. The execution of the looks separately was brilliant, but as a collection it was a bit muddled. The collection was by no means tragic, just a bit overwhelming. Despite the broad collection, Ghesquiere chose to experiment with drapery and looser fabrics, bringing on a feeling of levity.
Balmain
Christophe Decarnin did a phenomenal job of achieving the balance of incorporating garments that can adhere to different body-types. There were garments that were body-conscious, like the form-fitting mini dresses, and garments that are a little more forgiving, like the draped harem pants. Similarly to Balenciaga, the structured, stiff shoulder re-occured in Decarnin’s collection this season, a motif that Emanuelle Alt dearly appreciates. There were embellished pieces, but it did not take away from or hinder the collection in the slightest. Though every look was calculated, they were not over-meditated.
