spring Week 1
Appropriating the Inappropriate
By Devon Lee
The world of fashion is ephemeral but John Galliano’s art is eternal. Maison Margiela’s Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2024 show, orchestrated by the creative visionary John Galliano, exemplifies the perfect fusion of innovation and artistic brilliance.
The collection draws inspiration from Brassaï’s colorless photography series capturing Parisian Life, and Kees Van Dongen’s renowned doll-like portraits. Galliano’s collection pays homage to unconventional beauty. The show transformed the historic Pont Alexandre III, spanning the Seine in Paris, into a misty pub and catwalk, stirring sensations of eerie whimsy and unease. The era of the “blank canvas” models under Miuccia Prada’s reign has faded into obscurity with John Galliano reintroducing theater to the fashion culture. A culture that embraces inclusivity, welcoming both models and audiences into its fold, transcending meaning beyond mere garments.
The steps of porcelain dolls echo against a cobble ground. Faces of pink, orange, blue, and lilac stun the room with their presence. Skirts are grasped and held from puddles of street water. Sweaters and jackets are clung onto like a shield from a damp cold. Trench coats veil the sins from an pervasive mysterious mist. Tulles are a faded memory of beloved aged garments, colors faded from much time in the sun. Galliano’s clothes are a message of rendezvous, a secret love affair with Paris.
The paradox lies in participants who strive to remain unseen but end up standing out. Avante-garde headwear crafted from chiffon and muslin material scraps. Margiela’s distinctive fashion ethos shines through in stockings adorned with deliberate puncture marks and crafted with a novel reverse stitching method, epitomizing his penchant for “appropriating the inappropriate” to create a truly captivating piece.
Galliano wove a narrative that transcends the confines of the runway, transporting the audience into a world where garments serve as conduits of expression and vehicles for introspection. In a market often dominated by the pursuit of commercial success and impatient trends, Galliano’s unwavering commitment to his art has once again captivated the collective imagination of the fashion world.
Edward Enninful’s Goodbye
By Dee Kwong
By nature, Edward Enninful isn’t the nostalgic type. Yet, as the final issue of Enninful’s British Vogue hits the stands, reminiscing is called for. Joining the list of already groundbreaking covers, the final issue features 40 women who have molded the fashion industry on their own merits, as well as graced previous covers of Vogue. To name a few, Jane Fonda, Oprah Winfrey, Kate Moss, Jameela Jamil, Naomi Cambell, Salma Hayek, Serena Williams, and Iman—all trailblazers in their respective industries.
What was probably a nightmare for assistants to schedule, it is no surprise to see Edward Enninful pull this feat off. If asked, Edward Enninful would tack this up as luck or a team effort; however, those who have worked with Enninful know his work ethic and relentlessness are the leading forces that create moments like this.
Enninful’s list of achievements is extensive. At 13, he became a refugee and moved to London. At 16, he became a model. At 18, he became director of i-D magazine; the same day, he walked out from his disapproving father. He became director of W Magazine, owned by Conde Nast at the time, and then moved to editor-in-chief at British Vogue.
Covers like Beyoncé on a stallion (2022), Oprah Winfrey’s big diamond earrings (2018), and Malala (2021) all seem like the norm now, but the bygone days of the industry believed that women of color on magazine covers did not sell. His first cover, Adwoa Aboah’s (2017), was the first of many. “Our first cover was a hit and by September of the following year, I remember standing in a newsagent and seeing almost all of the covers on all of the fashion magazines featuring Black and brown women,” Enninful writes in his final letter to readers. Since then, the whisper of diversity has become a roar among companies and publications.
Enninful believes that to create such a change, you must push harder and dream bigger. However, change rooted in genuineness is a defining factor. “I first consciously realized that women were my special weakness in a way that felt more important, more nourishing, than simply wanting to kiss them like the other boys did,” Enninful writes in his memoir. “My ardor for these women wasn’t sexual, but it was and is passionately felt.” Amidst the noise of public pandering, Enninful’s vision shines distinctively.
And in Enninful fashion, let’s look to the future of British Vogue:
Enninful will assume the role of global creative and cultural advisor at Vogue.
British Vogue will be in the hands of Chioma Nnadi, not as “editor-in-chief” but as “head of editorial content.” One must question if this is another way for Conde Nast to continue to cut costs amidst the turbulence within the publishing industry or as technologies like AI grow, we will see this trend among other publications.
References:
Enninful, Edward. A Visible Man. Pg. 41. Penguin Publishing Group.
Enninful, Edward. Legends Only: 40 Iconic Women Cover The March 2024 Issue Of British Vogue, Edward Enninful’s Last As Editor-In-Chief. British Vogue.
Curating your Story with Altuzarra
By Cassidy Crockett
On February 11th, at precisely 11am, Joseph Altuzarra celebrated the 15th anniversary of Altuzarra with an intimate runway show presenting his Fall /Winter 2024 collection. Around 100 guests were precisely curated and emailed their invitation, unlike the typical paper invite, something very informal yet more personal, much like the theme of his show. The guests that lined the runway, all from different backgrounds and styles, painted a picture of Joseph’s abundant 15 year history, all people who had helped him along the way to shape who he and the brand has become. This diverse selection of people with different stories is a direct reflection of what was presented in his runway show. As each model passed, striding to powerful, almost melancholic, classical music, surrounded by neutral walls and French antique furniture and frames, their walks were delicate but still powerful. The makeup was delicate and neutral, not too far from what one would wear everyday, and hair was slicked back, either with gel or a Lady Like hat inspired by that on Jackie O.
Now the fashion, the star of the show, was nothing abstract or unworldly, but in fact, seemed to pull from our own history on this earth. Art Deco glamor, English equestrian style, Old Hollywood, and even nods to Jackie O, with the homage to the hats. All of these themes share one thing in common, the concept of presenting oneself as put together, almost putting on a performance, as we saw in the ruffled collars and Harlequin printed dress. And while they all share this similarity, they also all come from different backgrounds with different stories, almost like the audience that Joseph selected.
What I found most interesting from this show, after watching all 12 minutes, was the subtle connection that it made to the idea of incorporating different historical pieces to create something new. We are in a world today where consumption capitalism and newness is at the core of our beliefs. We constantly look towards creators and ideators for what the next big thing will be, yet we seem to forget all of the beauty lingering from the past. The way Altuzarra mixed the ruffled Jester collar with a traditional 80’s Ralph Lauren like blazer in look 2, presented a strong mix of combining different older pieces together to make new. What if finding something new does not always require us to look to the future, but rather to the past? And not just the 70’s and 80’s which we tend to idolize, but even the 16th and 17th century French attire?
Now we may not always have these extravagant antique pieces on our hands, but I do believe that going into your closet, or even your grandmother's closet, and pulling pieces you may have skipped over before, as one would probably do with a ruffled clown collar, and find a way to pair these pieces together to create something new. These pieces are not only made well, but each has a story, and a unique story that cannot just be purchased at a store. It’s time to start collecting pieces and curating looks based on personal meaning and stories, because nothing is more stylish than that.