{"id":63191,"date":"2019-12-17T11:33:59","date_gmt":"2019-12-17T10:33:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/centmagazine.co.uk\/?p=63191"},"modified":"2020-07-23T11:26:16","modified_gmt":"2020-07-23T10:26:16","slug":"20-for-ss20","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.centmagazine.co.uk\/?p=63191","title":{"rendered":"20 For SS20"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Back to Issue Content <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As this is a fashion issue we asked our guest editors to pick 20 designers that this season they really enjoyed. Here there are from across the fashion capitals from shows to presentations these are their picks for SS20 with a little intro as to why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comme Des Gar\u00e7on<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are fans of Rei Kawakubo and Virginia Woolf so this was a very inspiring collection. Bringing theatre and fashion together is exciting as is the narrative around identity and gender TD.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comme Des Gar\u00e7on is an iconic brand in the world of fashion. The hugely influential Rei Kawakubo founded the company in 1969 in Tokyo and has continued to challenge convention and push the boundaries of fashion ever since. The company has developed into a highly regarded, luxury brand, known for its high quality and handmade materials, while also managing to retain its core identity. This is largely due to Kawakubo\u2019s talent and ingenuity that remains unmatched to this day. She is also fiercely independent and true to herself, avoiding influence from popular trends or financial backers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Comme des Garcons RTW Summer 2020<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Kawakubo\u2019s aim has remained unchanged for fifty years: to\nmake beautiful and never-before-seen fashion. Her non-conforming clothes are\nnow infamous and the brand has become renowned for exhibiting exciting and\nunexpected collections. Her Spring 1992 collection famously appeared to be the\npaper patterns of clothes rather than the clothes themselves. Her Spring 1997\nline contained outrageous padding that fluctuated between horrifying and\nstunning. Across all her lines, however, her unusual ideas, gothic touches and\nthe blurring of the masculine and feminine remain consistent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Comme des Garcons RTW Summer 2020<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Spring \/ Summer 2020 Comme Des Gar\u00e7on collection emulated\nopulence, grandeur and exquisite luxury. The clothing consisted of draping\nfabric, puffed sleeves, extravagant embroidery, shimmering tassels, feathers,\n3D flowers and dramatic padding, demonstrating a refusal to be ignored. In\nKawakubo\u2019s usual non-conformist style, the design was filled with dichotomy. The\nmaterial used was a mixture of softly falling silk and thick quilted fabric\nwrapped tightly around the model. The gothic red hair, falling slightly over\nthe face, was contrasted with hyper-feminine shapes and floral patterns. The\ndeep and dark colours of red and black were contrasted with soft, natural hues.\nAnd, as ever, the masculine was contrasted with the feminine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kawakubo\u2019s celebration of high European culture in this collection is reflective of her ongoing project with Austrian composer Olga Neuwirth. The two pioneering women are currently working together in the production of Neuwirth\u2019s adaptation of Virginia Woolf\u2019s Orlando <\/em>at the Vienna State Opera in December, in which Kawakubo is designing the costumes. Orlando <\/em>is a momentous production, following the life of an Elizabethan boy that transcends generations. The narrative refuses to conform to the constrictions of both time and gender, a fitting tale to parallel Kawakubo\u2019s non-conforming fashion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Libertine<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We loved the juxtaposition of combining and clashing all types of references from print to 19th-century blue-and-white Staffordshire porcelain. TD<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Libertine, led by Johnson Hartig in\nLos Angeles, is perhaps one of the loudest brands in fashion. Known for its\nvibrant patterns, upcycled vintage, and crystal embellishment, the Libertine\nlook is not for the shy. Hartig, who was an art student and an actor before he\nlaunched Libertine in 2001, based the brand off of L.A.\u2019s bright-coloured DIY\npunk scene from the 1980s. His first public design was a pair of trousers\nHartig had made for himself in 1999; they were spotted by a retail buyer, and\nHartig\u2019s career in fashion was born. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Libertine\u2019s Spring 2020 collection was emblematic of the brand in its emphasis on extravagant patterns and bold colours. Clothes for both men and women were crafted primarily using silky, flowing materials that created a wider silhouette, often paired with feathery or bulky shoes for contrast. This season\u2019s iconic Libertine patterns included orange tigers, pink dragons, and ink-like drawings of landscapes and faces, sometimes accessorized with crystals. These patterns are a unique part of the collection, even for Libertine; the Spring 2020 release is actually part of a larger collaboration with Schumacher to create wallpaper patterns identical to those on the clothing! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Gucci<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This collection was a departure from last few\ncollections with a shift in look and feel, but nonetheless brilliant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n